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Finding The True Story Is Nearly Impossible in the Mainstream Media

By SusanUnPC on September 3, 2008 at 1:45 PM in Current Affairs, Media, Media Bias, Media Handling of Story

I am determined to be an informed voter when I vote in November.

But, I have to tell you, for the past four years I always assumed that my 2008 presidential vote would be a no-brainer — just like it was in 2000 and 2004.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I’d be, right now, considering a vote for the GOP ticket. After eight years of Bush administration madness? A destructive elective war? An economy in shambles? It’s nearly unthinkable. Yet here I am, faced with voting for a wholly unqualified Democratic candidate or the Republican ticket.

But all of my grave misgivings about Obama have not made my decision any easier because I agree with the Democratic party platform. (Please don’t tell me how I should feel. The complexities of the many critical political issues — from health care, to the environment and wildlife, to Social Security, to foreign policy — as well as the sexist treatment of Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin — make this very difficult for me.) I’m proceeding cautiously and skeptically. I scan the news for any reports that will affect my final decision. Today, I saw this at Memeorandum, and was alarmed:

teenmoms.jpg

If this is all of the story that voters see, most Democrats — and most independents — will be appalled that she vetoed aid for teenage mothers who come from poverty or have been shunned by their families.

The thing is: This is not the whole story. But it took far more digging than it should have to get to the TRUE story. This turns out to be a highly disturbing lesson in how poorly the Washington Post and other major newspapers report what they consider “factual news” these days.

First, the Washington Post story fails to mention that this is a Catholic charity.

That means that the service already receives a large portion of its funding from both the Catholic church and many private donors. (I didn’t check, but I’ll bet that volunteers for the charity hold annual fundraising drives to solicit private donations.)

Furthermore, the Washington Post story fails to mention that the cut was due to a threefold increase in state funding of the program in 2006.

A blogger I don’t know — 24AHead.com — did the work in his aptly named story, “Paul Kane/WaPo’s reporting skills are on par with DailyKos (Sarah Palin veto).”

From the lower portion of that post:

[N]otably, Kane [the Washington Post reporter] didn’t contact the campaign for an explanation. Perhaps she believes that private rather than state monies should be used? Perhaps, if that’s the reason, her beliefs are correct; did Kane endeavor to find out whether that could be correct? Perhaps she thought it would discourage teen pregnancies? Perhaps she doesn’t come with the set of assumptions Kane obviously has that there must be a state program for everything? Perhaps she has evidence that Covenant House misspends money? Perhaps there are other programs available? All those possibilities Kane does not even broach.

Please contact the WaPo’s ombudsman: ombudsman *at* washpost.com

UPDATE: It’s even worse than I suspected. According to their site (covenanthouseak.org/involved.htm), “Approximately 90% of our funding comes from the generous donations of friends like you”. And, according to this state document (PDF link), they were only to get $155,000 in 2007. It’s not clear whether that was their only source of state funding, and their executive director wasn’t available.

UPDATE 2: The $3.9 million was part of a grant for a facilities expansion; see this PDF (you might need to change the extension to “PDF” after downloading).

And, Covenant House’s IRS Form 990 (link) shows the funds that Paul Kane describes as “slashed” was over a threefold increase from the government funds they received from all sources in 2006 (FY2006 ending 12/31/06). In 2006, they received:

Contributions $1,667,796

Government Grants $1,194,788

Program Services $0

Investments $67,947

Special Events $271,980

Sales $0

Other $11,139

Total Revenue $3,213,650

Note that they also get money from the feds, including on the facilities expansion.

Please use the address above to send a message to the WaPo about their “reporting”.

I am still weighing my options come November. (It’s actually a particularly cruel form of self-torture that I’m indulging in these days.) But these vicious and UNTRUE attacks by the MSM on Sarah Palin are making me angrier and angrier.

It is unconscionable, tawdry work by the Washington Post.

  • ^NQ McPopcorn, McChocolate & McIce Cream Concession

    Fuck the MSM.

    • mary

      The MSM are irrelevant after their Hillary-bashing days!

      Palin blocked a vote that would make abortion illegal when she was mayor. She said she does not want her own “personal views” to affect the rights of citizens under the Consitutiotn!
      Also Palin voted as Governor in favor of same=sex partner benefits. She’s not as a neandertahl as we’re led to belive by the misogynist media terrified that Sarah Pitbul will be biting their heads off.

      Of course I am not happy with Sara’s Evangelical fringe following. but they won’t dictate the agenda for Abortion and McCain knows this.

      The choice in this election is between a “feminist-come-lately” maverick neanderthal and a “cool-rapper” sexist megalomaniac with no gravitas and an axe to grind with his Mother!

      Nobama ’08

      Susan’s Dilemma is universal!

  • Urban Hillbilly

    I’ve got my eye on the big picture:

    Obama and his supporters have torn to shreds two women running for the highest of political offices. No insult or personal attack has been too vicious.

    What makes you think they will stand up for your (women’s) rights?

    • Evgenia

      I’m beginning to think Obama and his supporters simply can’t help themselves. They are somehow addicted to hate and no amount of intervention short of deprogramming or rehab will cure them of this innate hatred of women. To paraphrase Robert Downey Jr. describing his addiction, it’s like they’ve got shotguns in their mouths, with their fingers on the triggers, and they like the taste of gun metal.

      I truly wish this is the case or otherwise we’re witnessing a new generation of misogyny and sexism that will have resounding effects in years to come. Speaking as a thirty-something Gen-Xer, I’m sensing not only an acceptance but a celebration of misogyny on the part of Generation Y. This generation is also learning that it’s okay to smear anyone who doesn’t agree with you politically, and that silencing your opponent is tactically acceptable.

      • Urban Hillbilly

        The anonymity and horrible moderation of sites where comments are posted should be eliminated.

        The Obama followers say things there that would get them arrested for assault, if they said the same things in public.

        The most hateful posters have got to be lonely devotees and that stuff they spout has got to eat away at them.

    • Hope is the last to die

      Indeed, after seeing how women are treated in american politics I have even more respect for Hillary who has managed to make it so far in this world of men.

      If a woman shows strength, she’s a bitch.
      If a woman shows emotion, she’s a typical hormonal princess.

      If a man shows strength, he’s a leader.
      If a man shows emotion, he’s a charismatic leader.

      “Women are supposed to take care of children and leave the real jobs for men” seems to be the motto in this presidential race. I’m not too convinced Hillary or any woman will get their shot at presidency in a very long time. America is just too conservative for that. Maybe Palin can get a few punches for them and brake that ceiling. Not the big one, but at least the one in the hallway.

  • Perry Logan

    Nothing could be worse than a crooked Democrat in the White House.

    O LORD, please deliver us from the Scourge of the Obamites. They have turned my party into a rats’ nest of incontinent slanderers and cheats.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu4IFSGIUFU

    • seasiren

      A crooked Republican is better? I have seen that movie before. 8 years worth.

      • mary

        Seasiren

        Obama is a thousand times worse with his camouflaged misogyny. With McCain you know what you’ll get and getting Palin took a lot of guts that Obamarrama didn’t have!

        JFK won by putting as VP his arch-foe Lyndon B Johnson–and won the 1960 Election!

        Obama’s too shit-scared and chicken to give Hillary the more than deserved V-P slot!
        The moron has no politicla instincts and he’s a mere child in the political guts deparmtent!

        Anyone but Obama!

  • John

    Good story. Like you, I’m weighing my options, and these attacks are upsetting.

    • beebop

      A vote for 0bama is rewarding the “I Have a Scheme” candidate. There are so many wonderful young, committed candidates of color, of choice, of lifestyle … feminists, ecologists, stewards of our heritage. Saying “yes” to the bad spirit of his campaign is to tell these wonderful gifted people that there is no place in government for them. I for one am not willing to do that.

      • Annie Oakley

        That is so true. And the Dems could have had a group of women stand up and defend Hillary against the sexism, but they didn’t. So I was doubly impressed by the RNC women I just saw on C-Span standing up to defend Sarah Palin from sexism. They were great. The questions I heard from the audience indicated that they still take no responsibility.

        • Annie Oakley

          The audience composed of the media.

        • Maverick

          Texas Watchdog compared Harris County’s voter registration roll with the Social Security death index and found more than 4,000 matches — registered voters that, it appears, are already dead.

          Some of them, like Henderson Hill’s late wife Linda, voted postmortem.
          A total of 20,000 dead people were found matched up from the social security deceased rolls. AND votes are done in person for the dead.

      • McHope

        Yes, beebop.

        Susan,
        We can all understand your difficulty in making this decision. Your priciples and values are representd in the Dems of the past and in the platform the party represents.
        In spite of the actions of the party leaders this year and the rabidness of the Obama campaign, media and supporters, a fundamental question remains. Do you really believe the Dems would work for and accomplish anything in terms of traditional dem values? Thus far they have not. The Dem congress has not; and Obama certainly has not. There is no indication they will deliver in the future.

        • AngryWhitePerson

          I am not all undecided and conflicted this election year. However, I perfectly understand how disillusioning it is to have your ideals and faith in those ideals blown up in your face.

          To me, the Democratic Party, along with being spineless, currently has no platform. One can’t lecture about being all inclusive and then proceed to exclude, belittle and defecate on its base. I don’t want to hear about the Democratic Party being for civil rights when they have pushed aside an amazingly competent woman for an incompetent loser of a man. That is neither civil nor right. And when they shove aside the leader for universal health care, we are left with nothing, as per usual. Because the Democratic Party as a whole will not push the healthcare agenda, it was one person with a dream. I believed in Hillary Clinton fighting for that, for us, I do not believe the current Democratic Party has any ability to fight for anything. Weak willed willies voting for FISA and whatever else comes their way.

          In four years time, we will have a better Democratic Party, but only if its constituents demand reform TODAY. Vote for the “platform” this election and one will forever be shat on, is my feeling. The party will never take you seriously and forever take you for granted.

    • seasiren

      Anyone who has ever thought you could get all of the facts from the MSM has to be dreaming. I find it very interesting that in looking for info about Palin, a lot of links have now been redirected to the John McCain website. Makes it a little difficult. Why are they trying to control the message? Why is the public not allowed to see her prior speeches and position stands? I too am weighing the issues but when one cannot find the facts it makes one wonder, what are they hiding?
      http://www.palinforgovernor.com/

      • http://none donnal

        When can we see the records of Obama, from his schools days, the IL Senate, his medical records, his co-chairman when he worked with Ayers, his birth certificate and his FBI file?

        Why was he meeting with the FBI yesterday? Did it have something to do with his security check?

        Its time to put the pressure on Man Stream Media, (taken from Texasdarling) to report, all the rumors, could it be, facts, maybe true but who cares if it is not, the rest of the story, and anything that will get the attention on Obama and his vetting to the American people.

        Do I hear 527′s out there looking for Larry Sinclair?

  • tzada

    Glad someone did the vetting of this and you did the digging to get at the truth.

  • Leisa

    I lost faith in the MSM during the primaries. They always covered Obama’s good stories and refrained form mentioning or glossed over the alarming aspects of his character and past.

    I feel like we are in the primaries again and I am more disgusted than ever. The dishonest coverage is not reporting, it is propaganda. Why is Obama being sold to us by the media?

    I for one do not want a corporate owned government!! It feels as if we are on that slippery slope, and it is almost a done deal. Wake up America!!

    • http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/sections/news/080820_NBC-WSJ_Released.pdf trixta

      Obama and his handlers (Brzezinski, Goolsbie, et al) have an agenda of economic austerity which will further enrich Wall Street. Remember those hefty interest rates under the Carter administration in the late 70s, which were basically implemented to set the stage for the new postmodern economy (i.e. the destruction of manufacturing in this country, the rise of transnational corporations, and the exploitation of labor in Third World countries)? This is what we have to look forward to with an Obama presidency, only on a more intense scale.

      On the geopolitical front, Obama (under Brzezinski) also wants to move beyond the Middle East to try to destabilize Russia via Iran and China (this is already happening). If he is elected, I think a nuclear show down with Russia & the U.S. is likely to occur.

      (See Tarpley’s OBAMA:THE POSTMODERN COUP)

      • Maverick

        Weren’t interest rates at 18% during the Carter administration? He was the worst President.
        People are pulling their money out of the stock market and banks in case Obama gets in and they’ll lose their nest eggs.

  • typical.white.person
  • http://www.sugarnspice.typepad.com Sugar

    Susan, it will only get worse in the coming weeks because they (media) are so drunk, they can’t even hear anything any of us continue to say to them about all of this. I’m particularly disgusted that the women at the organizations aren’t doing more to speak out against this treatment. Katie Couric for starters after the way she was treated when she was first given the “big boy’s chair” at CBS. They all need to understand, you reap what you sow.

  • The Real Hope

    I cannot in good conscience vote for a ticket that has a woman with whom I share no common values. PERIOD! It isn’t a hard decision to make at this point.

    • beebop

      So. Instead you will validate the one that is doing everything in its power to tear her apart. Is that it? Good for you.

      • Urban Hillbilly

        And if this is OK, what happens to the next woman who runs for President or VP?

    • Patrick

      Yet you can vote for a candidate with no values at all? Explain that please, it’s befuddling….

      Take care,
      Patrick

      • The Real Hope

        I don’t have to explain my vote. Remember? I OWN MY VOTE?

        • beebop

          Good on you. I HOPE you don’t have a daughter you ever have to explain your vote to.

          • seasiren

            I have two. One of which is 19 and about 6 weeks away from delivery. I don’t have to explain my vote to them or anyone else. They know they own their vote and can vote for whom they chose. They will not be corraled into a vote. I would never push my policy or views on them.

            I own my vote and I chose to gather as much info as I can. I will not vote for a woman just because I am the same gender as she is. I voted for Hillary because she was the best candidate. Had nothing to do with her as a woman. I do not support Palin as I have nothing in common with her policy stance or the GOP. I have had 8 years of garbage from this administration and will never support another republican. I will not hold my nose to cast a vote.

            The same people crying sexism for Palin, are the same ones claiming Obama plays the race card. Whatever suits each side. So many people entrenched in their position. I do not like Palin, she is inexperienced and it has nothing to do with the fact she is a woman or that her daughter is pregnant. Don’t care. I care that she upholds ideas that I disagree with.

            • JozefAL

              Except for the fact that the Obama camp used the same sexist tactics against Hillary that they’re now using against Palin, you might have a point.
              Camp Obama has used EVERY racially-charged push-point to target white voters (especially the so-called progressives) into voting for him while, simultaneously, using his skin color as the ONLY reason that African-Americans should vote for him. I’m particularly appalled that he could get away with declaring that he’s a “product” of the march on Selma. The scum was speaking to an audience IN Selma, many of whom had been at that march in 1965 and no one called him on his blatant lie (Barry was born in 1961, more than 3 1/2 years BEFORE the march). Not one of the old-guard of the Civil Rights movement (Black or White) spoke “truth to power”; no, they were all enamored of a man with a non-white complexion running for President.
              The thing about Palin is that we’ve already seen a woman as VP candidate–in 1984. We had a real chance to have seen history made with the first female President AND the first African-American Vice-President if Barry’s ambition had known some level of humility. Barry should read “MacBeth”; he shares many characteristics with the title character, and he’s likely to see his downfall come very quickly (much more metaphorically than literally). (Has Obama actually thought out this run for the White House, and given it the full consideration he should have? IF he happens to win in November and *somehow* manages to pull out two full terms, what’s he going to do come Jan 21, 2017 at the ripe old age of 55? There’s not really anything more for him to achieve–except probably shoot down any future candidate who would dare outdo him and get elected at an even younger age, especially if female or another minority.)

        • Patrick

          But you don’t. You’ve been told you do, but you don’t. You ONLY own your own vote when are honest with yourself. You ask everyone here to explain their vote yet you do not have to explain your own because you’re operating on a typically vague moral high ground that you’ve defined yourself. When living in a bubble, it is very easy to set the rules as you’re the only one who plays. But once you step onto the world’s stage, the rules become more complex.

          Again, a little self-realization will help you as you endeavor to make an EDUCATED decision, not an easy one.

          Take care,
          Patrick

        • mel

          Hey troll, you spewing the shame shit you do every second day on this site.

          Obama checks bouncing yet?

      • seasiren

        I am not voting for McCain, I know he has no values. Nothing befuddling there.

        • Ferd McBerfle

          I’m sorry but statements such as that demonstrate that you are nothing but a poorly-paid troll.

          Yours has to be the most ignorant post ever conceived.

          • seasiren

            You know, it would be nice if just for once people here would stop with the childish name calling. I am a lifelong dem who supports Hillary and was very disapointed with the whole primaries.

            You don’t know me. Because I have not made up my mind, as is the same with a lot of other people, does not make me a troll. Ignorant means uninformed in case you need to look it up. I am informed just not yet decided. Because I will not vote for a repub ever, does not automatically mean I will vote for Obama.

      • Patrick Walker

        No values seem to be better than Obama values right now.

      • Maverick

        Patrick the Obama operative. Any luck begging raising money for Nobama lately? Still sending out emails Patrick, to beg for money?

    • Leisa

      Her pro life values are not hard to deal with. Have you ever had an abortion? Was it an easy choice?

      Her supporting and loving her daughter unconditionally because she is human. I share those values.

      Her going after her own party for corruption. I was disenfranchised by my party and that joke of a roll call vote. I will hold my party accountable for voter fraud in the caucuses and elsewhere.

      Her working in a bipartisan way to get things done for Alaska. I will work with anyone for a common cause for the common good.

      I am sorry you do not share her or my values.

      • Leisa

        and Real, I am pro choice.

      • Diana

        What happen to the right to choose? Are people only pro-choice when that choice is abortion? I thought dummy me that what we women fought for was for a women’s right to choose what to believe, and do with their own body. Is that not also part of Pro-Choice, to have a right to your own belief that all life is sacred? To not only have the right to choose an abortion, but also the right not to have one. She’s stated her beliefs, could anyone point me to when she tried to enact laws that would deny women the right to their own choice?

        This is the thing that has me the most confused. People posting that only the Republicans have religious values. Now we’re to assume that you cannot be a Democrat and be pro-life. All those Catholics that are pro-life better get out and change their party if that’s the case. How is it the Democrats have become so vile against two issues. Religion and Abortion. Are those the only two issues we are now to believe they stand for? Talk about defining someone. In order to be New Democrat you must be an Atheist, and pro-abortion. Never mind Environmental issues, humanitarian issues, etc…You have to be both the above or you’re not a Democrat, never have been one.

        • Maverick

          Obama campaign keeps lying about Palin’s stance on abortion. I am pro-life but would not force my views on others like Obamabots do.
          This is what Obots say–
          On another front that has unfolded with the Palin candidacy: The Obama campaign seemed to anticipate how Ms. Palin would represent a page-turner for a new chapter in the culture wars. Given Ms. Palin’s staunch opposition to abortion rights, a new Obama radio ad warns that Mr. McCain, if elected president, would make abortion illegal. “Let me tell you: If Roe vs. Wade is overturned, the lives and health of women will be put at risk,” a woman announces.

          “John McCain’s out of touch with women today,” she continued. “McCain wants to take away our right to choose. That’s what women need to understand. That’s how high the stakes are.”

          Pushing the abortion issue into prominence again also reflects an effort by Democrats to remind female swing voters — courted heavily by Senator McCain and perhaps buoyed by his choice of a female running mate — that Roe vs. Wade remains one of the defining lines of difference between the two parties. And conservatives here at the convention quickly reminded the base of their stance on the issue, evidenced by the wildly popular speech given yesterday by Laura Ingraham, the talk-radio show host.

          • Maverick

            Oh and I am a Democrat who is pro life. My entire family are Democrats that are pro life. We do not believe in abortion.

    • schmog

      The Real Hope,

      I agree with you, Obama is an idiot.

    • staunchDEM

      Do you even know what her values are? Doh!

    • seasiren

      The Real Hope:

      I agree with you. It says more about McCain’s judgement than anything else.
      An off the cuff choice without any vetting and look, we have our next VP. What a joke. I am sick of the GOP and the republicans shoot now ask questions later policy. That is what brought us this war in Iraq and if McCain has his way, another war with Iran. I share no policy values with the GOP. I am with Susan on this one. I am a lifelong dem who has still not made up her mind but the more I hear about Palin and the more I watch this joke of a GOP convention, the more inclined I am to vote another way.

      • Ferd McBerfle

        more I watch this joke of a GOP convention, the more inclined I am to vote another way.

        I believe the real joke of a convention was the frat party the Democrats had.

        • staunchDEM

          The Dem convention was a sneak preview on what’s to come with communist/marxist rule if Fraudbama is the president. Remember now, Fraudbama grew up a marxist, as his mother and grandparents are marixists. That’s why he didn’t see anything wrong with his black church.

          • Dee

            Everytime I see a comment that Obama is communist/marxist I assume the poster is a Republican.

            If I thought Obama was either of those things I would be supporting him. He is neither. He is way to far to the right of moderate for me.

      • Patrick Walker

        No, what created Iraq was the gathering together of Congress and the media. Bush used the media and Biden used the Senate. Result: Iraq.

        • seasiren

          No, what created the mess in Iraq was group think. It happens on this site as well. Say something long enough and people start to believe it.

          I supported Hillary and it really was too bad that she supported “giving the President the authority to use force”. What started the Iraq war was fear. After 9/11 politicians did not want to be responsible for another attack, so they bought the intelligence hook, line and sinker.

          The slow drumbeat to war or the group thinking in congress was the same thing. Get a group of people together and start the ball rolling with the what ifs. Then pull together some questionable intelligence and you have a war. There were people bamboozled on both sides. I can say if Obama were in the Senate he would have voted the same way as McCain and Clinton. There were only a few that stood up and said no.

          • barbh

            Slam Hillary for her vote, what say ye about Joe Biden??? who is now VP who voted FOR

    • 935 Lies

      Who gives a shit who you vote for?

    • CountryFirst

      So you’d rather vote for someone who stole the nomination from Hillary? You’d rather vote for someone who came to political power through the corrupt Chicago political machine, through ties to Rezko, Ayers, a black racist church, and on an on?
      Go figure.

  • Trat

    “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I’d be, right now, considering a vote for the GOP ticket. ”

    SusanUnPac,

    You are not alone! There are many of us who feel the same way. Who would have thought?

    Ok, although I too agree more with the Dem Party Platform, I do not trust Obama to uphold it. I am also a strong believer in change. Although Obama professes to be the Master of Change, I believe the GOP is the true party of change. Republicans are not stupid. They are not wild about the leaders of their party for the past 8 years. Young Republicans are about a new Republican Party. That means change. Most Republicans are not hot on Bush and his cronies. I think we are witnessing the birth of a new Republican Party which may embrace some of our Democrat values – those that are worth embracing.

    The Democratic leadership has to look in the mirror and realize they are quickly becoming what the loathe. I think the Republicans have already looked in the mirror.

    • K. Wynne

      Let’s also keep in mind that both parties have betrayed the American people. They’ve even fused together so much so that I can no longer tell them apart, when it comes to the best interests of the people.

      Obama is being marketed much in the same way as GWB was marketed. GW was touted as the “compassionate conservative” and everyone fell for it as the “truth” and look what happened.

      Now, obama is being held on high as the “hope and change” candidate and above “politics as usual”, but has anyone actually seen any real evidence of this? At least those who have not drank the kool-aid certainly can see through this bullshit.

      Let’s stop viewing this as all republicans bad and democrats good scenario, because it just ain’t so.

      Sarah Palin may not espouse many of the issues we, as democrats, support, but what’s worse, I don’t believe obama does either. obama is an opportunist and is using any tactic to win. His flip-flops on major democratic issues should be a huge red flag that he is willing to say and do anything to win.

      From what I’ve learned about Palin, it seems evident to me that she is not willing to do or say anything to stay in power and she proved this by her actions (not just words) when she resigned from the Oil and Gas Commission she was on in protest against wrongdoing done by others on the Commission. She was also willing to take on her own party and hold them accountable. The woman was a whistleblower in the corrupt republican politics of Alaska (remember Ted Stevens).

      obama rose in power, while accepting help from the most corrupt political machine in the country — The Daley Chicago Machine — has he ever confronted them or questioned their tactics in how they obtain and maintain power in Chicago? Never. In fact, he procured a rare endorsement from Daley, himself, which is, in my opinion, proof that he is merely another front man from corrupt politicians; otherwise, he would never have allowed himself to be taken under Daley’s wing.

      I’ll take my chances with McCain/Palin because when you look at the numerous and questionable people who have supported and pushed obama into power he truly didn’t earn — Daley, Soros, Brezinski, Ayers, Auchi, Wright, well, the big picture becomes painfully clear — obama is as corrupt as the one’s that brung him!

      obama is nothing more than the flip side of GWB.

      • Ferd McBerfle

        obama is nothing more than the flip side of GWB.

        He’s also like Bush in that he is ignorant, arrogant, and self-absorbed, dangerous traits in a leader. We’ve been watching this picture for the last 8 years; do we need to replay it to know it was bad the first time around?

      • http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/sections/news/080820_NBC-WSJ_Released.pdf trixta

        “obama is nothing more than the flip side of GWB.”

        This has been my mantra all along! I’ll say it to anyone and everyone with whom I come into contact. This fascism which has infected both parties has got to be stopped. The Repubs seem to be on their way to reform, so I’m voting for the McCain/Paline ticket this time around (I’m a former life-long Dem). The Pod Dems have got to be stopped at all costs!

        • Maverick

          Obama sucks. His thug thizzle gets on my nerves.
          He needs to be arrested and put in jail for money laundering for starters.

    • Duras

      As a Republican, I can verify that this is true. Most of us feel that it’s the senior leadership of the party that’s been lacking in recent years. We still very much believe in things like lower taxes, less spending, rewarding individual initiative, equal opportunity regardless of sex or race, a strong national defense, and a judiciary that applies the law rather than making it themselves. These are things that most Americans agree with. But gaining power in Washington changed the party. In effect, they became insiders who looked out for themselves first and the people they’re supposed to be serving second, if at all. President Bush blithely went along with this, and that’s one of the main reasons the party has lost so much ground.

      What we need now is a new group of leaders who truly does put country before party and that isn’t afraid to step on toes in Washington and shake things up. In this regard, I think that John McCain and Sarah Palin is the best possible ticket we could be putting forward.

    • staunchDEM

      I think we are witnessing the birth of a new Republican Party which may embrace some of our Democrat values – those that are worth embracing.

      Amazing isn’t it? Hey they respect women.

  • Indyvoter

    Susan-

    Maybe this is a silly response, but in light of the Edwards story, that was broken by the Enquirer, I enjoy reading the tabloids.

    I read the stories on a take ‘em or leave ‘em basis basis, and most are either informative or amusing. I believe them at my own risk. ( I must admit I have a partiality to the Enquirer, as a co-worker’s husband was an editor there. She said the stories were true as far as they knew.)

    There was a story in the National Examiner screaming: “It’s War! They hate each other! Hillary’s Shocking ATTACK on Michelle Obama!”
    It was a total sham. Totally made up.

    The MSM somehow thinks they have a franshise on the truth and that people will believe anything they write. After being a volunteer for Hillary, and being able to witmess actual events compared to what was reported in the MSM, I have placed most reportage
    in the same category as the Star or Globe or Examiner or any other rag.

    Believe at your own risk!

    As many people have said here, things are upside-down this election.

    For me, McCain is not your traditional Republican. And I can never support corruption and thuggery no matter what the stated platform. I’m sad that Hillary (and Bill) didn’t get there, but we have to deal with the reality of today.

    If you put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig.

  • M.S.

    This is like Talking Points cutting off the part of the Campbell Brown interview where she brings up Bristol Palin while claiming the interview was perfectly fair and that the McCain campaign has no right to be upset.

    Par for the course.

  • Firefly

    I’m sorry – a little OT, but just picked this up over at Not Your Sweetie:

    Roe vs Wade – Obama’s “ace in the hole”

    According to this post at Riverdaughter hitting us over the head with Roe vs Wade was the plan all along – at least Chuck Todd knows so:

    June 21st, 2008 at 10:47:

    The SCOTUS, Roe v. Wade and women’s issues was the BO campaigns “ace in the hole” according to Chuck Todd from MSNBO network. The BO spokesperson told Todd that they would use any means necessary to beat Hillary and if women were offended, they would come back to the party during the GE because their plan was to “play the Roe v. Wade card.” THAT is a direct quote from the BO campaign via Todd.

    So, it’s not that they didn’t notice any sexism, they planned how to cover for using it afterwards.

    http://edgeoforever.wordpress.com/2008/06/21/roe-vs-wade-obamas-ace-in-the-hole/

    • beebop

      Gee. Imagine that …. convenience issues from the 0bama compaign? Who knew?

    • Indy

      In the end, it’s a foolish argument. There is a ton of case law that now upholds Roe v Wade. Overturning Roe v Wade would not make abortion illegal again, it would become a state by state decision. I think even pro-life politicians know what my Catholic, pro-life mother-in-law does: that criminalizing abortion would bring more problems than it would solve.

      I think that using this “club” to scare women into voting for BO is yet another insult to our intelligence. It doesn’t work for me, I am more afraid to vote for a candidate that has no more substance than a hologram.

    • Annie Oakley

      This is the lying neon hypocrite who ran against the old politics and cynicism. He brought the new, improved hopey changey post-partisan “our time has come” optimism to a new generation. While he divided the party playing race, sex and age cards from the bottom of the deck, and then Mr. New Day went and put the oldest most inside the beltway, special interest, do nothing but tell jokes to be likeable, sell out to corporate interests possible on his ticket, who keeps telling us he’s going to be president so we will forget that the bozo at the top of the ticket has no experience at all, except in 35 years, he’ll be as good at this as Biden is.

    • Camden Rave

      This quote is a lie. Try and find Chuck Todd saying anything like that. Just because someone writes a comment on a blog post does not make it true. And you’re upset about Palin rumors? Take a look at yourself.

      • beebop

        Don’t like it when it comes back to bite your precious’ ass? too f’ing bad …. here’s me crying for justice …. hahahahahahahahhaha

    • 935 Lies

      Yeah, they probably think that nothing solidifies female support like being slapped with a coathanger (my daughter’s term for drumming Roe v. Wade to excess).

      Roe v. Wade manages to be a Scared Cow and a Golden Goose simultaneously.

  • http://www.sugarnspice.typepad.com Sugar

    Also, no matter Palin’s values, she’s still a woman and we kid ourselves if we don’t believe she’s faced the same sexist obstacles, well before this madness, as any other woman. Would any woman stand by and watch a Republican woman being beaten by a group of guys (and women), just because we don’t agree with her social views? I’d like to think the answer is no. I understand that some of you all are still pondering whether to vote for a Republican ticket. I completely understand that, but we should all be incensed by Palin’s treatment.

    • seasiren

      No matter her values? Are you kidding? This is the person that becomes President if something should happen to McCain. Palin is getting vetted as should have happened before she was “picked”.

      • Andy

        But Obama would be ALREADY Potus on “Day 1″. Imagine
        Biden has another aneurysm? Obama would be ALONE…Isn’t that frightening? And it gets worse…the next in succession would be PELOSI!!

        You know everyone worries about something “happening” to McCain, but at 66 and with 2 aneurysms in 1988 it’s just as likely something “happening” to Biden.

      • Diana

        Your point is moot because you can have a complete panel of nothing but conservative judges and the vote would still fall to the states. Just as women are standing up here, don’t think for a second they wouldn’t be standing up to those judges. I asked the question above I’ll ask you it once again. She has a right to her beliefs. Please point to one time in all the time her and McCain have been in office that either one of them have tried to enact laws/bills that would deny a woman her rights? You and other Obama supporters, the MSM have made these accusations against her and McCain it’s time to put up or shut up about it.

        • Diana

          Oh and these same accusations were made against Bush, how’d that work out for him? The sky is falling, the sky is falling…

        • Ferd McBerfle

          They’ll never respond because they know nothing aside from the PowerPoint talking points they were given. They don’t really have an opinion–it’s just a check sheet of things they can tick off one at a time.

      • http://none donnal

        Her values are family and country…its called choice for a reason.

        You are not very informed…Roe vs Wade, will not be over turned…we have had 3 years with Ford, 8 years of Reagan, 4 with George Sr. and 8 years of Bush Jr. now after that many years (23+) how do you think its going to be overturned?

        Only women who are terribly un-sure of themselves would see a woman as a threat.

        Please get a life, get out of your mother’s basement, and find out what real woman do when they have a choice to make.

  • Indy

    Because I have given to Covenant House in the past, I knew it was a Catholic (private) charity. As I said to some obot on another thread, there is a case to be made that donating to a private charity could be considered misuse of taxpayer dollars. And certainly it seems to me that there was quite a lively argument about “faith based initiatives” that I recall the Democratic party opposed. Except, of course, when Sarah Palin cuts funds to a faith-based organization. That’s different.

    Thank you Susan, for putting this out here at NQ.

    • beebop

      If she had increased funding 1% the MSM would be making a huge deal out of it and saying it was an example of putting her own beliefs before the good of the state. They are so insane that there was going to be spinning regardless of what the truth was. Truth? They don’t recognize the truth!

      • Indy

        Especially “inconvenient” truth. That’s why Barky has gotten a pass.

        • staunchDEM

          Barky’s free pass is due to threats of the MSN and whoever gets in his way. It looks like Nation of Islam is very busy. Ya know the Nation of Islam that believes whites are inferior and not real people? Take a stand please.

          Geraldine and big dawg told us what to do.

          What really happened to Stephanie? Brain dead from a bullet? Just sayin’

    • bemused

      I saw that also. And I have given to Covenant House in the past—But for about 2 years I’ve noticed a big change in their fundraising approach. They went totally to the “send junk” method of sending cards, buttons, keychains etc. accompanied by a real guilt trip letter about the poor children in New York. Looking into it through online charity checkers, there are several Covenant Houses, and most of them were not that highly rated in use of their money. There are other charities helping people who are worse off. Sorry the addresses are on another computer, but Google “Charity” and “rate” or “rank.” Religious and private organizations are hard to get info on compared to many charities and it’s an opportunity for confusion.

  • i am your commander in chief

    a new political party and a new way must be found and all in Washington, must go now, for the good of all the people.

    • 935 Lies

      WHY do we need a new party?

      Do we need ANY parties?

      What standing do political parties have under the Constitution?

      I can make up my own mind with little outside assistance, thank you very much.

  • tillthen

    Pastor Manning is on her tear about Barky and his mama.

    Its absolutely great!!!!

    http://www.atlah.org/broadcast/ndnr09-03-08.html

    • Dawnelle Leona Del Puma

      roflmbo!!

      Manning is certifiable! But he sure makes me laugh very loudly! And sometimes I agree with him so does that make me partially nuts? um probably yes after the last 8 yrs of Bush and the very recent democratic melt down to the anal pits of hell to LEGITIMIZE their ANGER over IRAQ they have CROWNED an ILLEGITIMATE (SORE TOES) CANDIDATE!

      illegitimate on all levels

      he should be seeking therapy if he has not yet done so

      and NOT THE KIND OF HELP THE WRETCHED WRIGHT OR PFLEGER, moss or meeks can give

      they have NOTHING To offer but more hate for anyone other than their own small group

      Palin on the other hand may convince me to vote Republican this year if she DOESN’T get too “personal” on the choice issue (and she better not or be called a hypocrite) makes it perfect for PUMAS

      ready to be impressed by GOV Palin

  • SFK

    Good job, Susan. This is the sort of “object” lesson that should be all over the MSM. I fantasize, of course.

  • http://mccaindemocrats.wordpress.com/ 30yrdem-not any more

    Obama always falls back on Roe v Wade…

    Do you all think they are going to make women go back to ally ways for an abortion? Hell no…my Goodness, they always use this and health care to get votes….think how old the video of Kennedy was when he was promising health care for all at the convention…it is getting old…both of them..Roe and Health care..

    • csuzeq

      To be honest, the abortion issue is at risk anyway due to the medical schools. Many of them don’t even teach the procedures so in the future not many docs will perform them.

    • 935 Lies

      In my youth, women in need of this procedure, unlawful in my home state, simply traveled to a state where it WAS legal and procured the service there.

      There was a reasonable price for same (I am told) and the R/T airfare and hotel stay still kept it all at a reasonable level.

      Does everyone with two X chromosomes need to be aborted before supper, and on the taxpayers’ dime?

      That’s open for discussion.

  • Duras

    Now you guys may be starting to appreciate the frustration that we Republicans have felt for years with the MSM. Thank God for the “alternative media” on the internet and on the radio.

    • beebop

      I can only imagine. I am so sorry for what you have had to endure. Truly. But our eyes are open now. And we are watching.

  • http://www.soldier4hillary.com soldier4hillary

    Hey
    Does anyone no anything about the dems “supposedly” attacking Gov Palins daughter because the BF would be at the convention? I dont know why that would make it okay to attack a high school senior all of a sudden..maybe I am missing something.

    I hope this is not true because this attacking kids crap is just pathetic

    • beebop

      Isn’t he the fiance now? Nearly family? If they have a problem with it, they don’t know much about 0bama’s Benneton family, do they?

    • Indy

      It pre-empted him being in the convention. US Weekly has a whole story about him and his myspace page. Look here:

      http://www.usmagazine.com/news/new-levipalin-draft

      • Karma

        http://www.usmagazine.com/hot_pics_gallery?o=0

        From your link.

        The pic of McCain greeting Levi at the airport.

        Bristol has a big smile on her smile.

        Which is nice to see after all of the media attacks.

        • Indy

          I saw it live on TV…McCain paused with Bristol & Levi, seemed to take some extra time with them. Both those young people looked poised and their smiles genuine.

  • sayitisntso

    Firefly, That totally makes no sense. People aren’t stupid enough to buy some line that’s so convoluted anyway. And, also, not all women think the same!

  • Psychic madwoman

    Actually there is something called a “morning after pill”. If one was more aware they could avoid an abortion procedure all together.

    • beebop

      If one was more interested in “birth control,” heroic efforts to thwart your body wouldn’t really be necessary, would they?

      • http://www.sugarnspice.typepad.com Sugar

        I know beebop! lol ESPECIALLY in light of the way the HIV/AIDS viruses are mutating at break-neck speed!!! Sheesh. It would seem to be a no-brainer. A condom breaking is one thing, but “ooh baby I like it raw” is like playing russian roulette these days!!! A baby is the least of the “worries” that can be caused by an unsheathed peter.

    • Karma

      71% of all the pregnant teens in Alaska have their babies.

      It is called choice. Bristol chose to keep her child.

      http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/state_data/states/alaska.html

      Since Alaska is first in the nation for providing such services for their citizens. It isn’t like they are some ignorant state that doesn’t know about the morning after pill.

  • Kim

    I just emailed Bill O’Reilly and asked him to ask Obama about all that legislation that Emil Jones put Obama’s name on when he was in the Illinois Senate. Obama didn’t do any of the work on any of the legislation but was allowed to take all the credit for it, so that Emil Jones could “make him a US Senator.” I hope O’Reilly doesn’t throw softball questions at him.

    • Indy

      iirc, the Emil Jones story was reported in the msm..maybe the Chicago Tribune? Here and there the (ignored) truth has been reported.

      I’ll be so angry if Bill O softballs BO.

  • ford

    Isn’t it funny that the MSM is looking down on the National Enquirer?

    NE were the ones that reported the REAL scandal about Edwards…MSM refused to post it long after it was proven true.

    Now they write one lie after another like their drunk with power.

  • sayitisntso

    What is the “BF”?

    • ACT

      boy friend

  • kavala007

    The media outlets have turned themselves into the village gossipers and they are totally oblivious to that fact. I have always maintained that the free press died with the late Katharine Graham (Washington Post publisher who broke the Watergate scandal). What we have now are just gossip mongerers being paid by advertisers to gossip.

    Also I doubt that the Democratic Party plans to do anything about their platform.
    Their behavior so far has shown that they will throw that “under the bus” as well.

  • ford

    The abortion quire is a good way to scare the ladies back to the side of the pool….

    typical Democratic tactic.

  • sayitisntso

    oh okay, boyfriend….the whole thing should be backed off. McCain said enough of this. How about all the human rights violations around the world women suffer??? Democrats should clean their own house, like MO said.

  • staunchDEM

    Despicable sexism. Palin is a perfect fit for McCain and I believe in this ticket to do lots of good. We are faced with facism on the radical left and the loss of our bill of rights. Obama is a dangerous, hateful man bent on destroying anything in his path.
    If you think that voting third party or sitting this out will work, I have news for you. If we don’t band together and stop Barry Hussein Obama, he’ll steal the election and we will no longer be free. Barry never addresses questions about himself. He shrugs it off and he takes a story about the rival that is all lies and the narrative is talked about over and over.
    Minds are like parachutes. They only function when opened. McCain is a centrist and a Federalist. Big Dawg told us what to do in the X & Y factor.

    Fraudbama did this to Hillary. He went on and on about some lis and nonsense until it was beaten into the ground.
    An Obama presidency will be the death of America. We need every vote.
    There is a premise that will keep people in everlasting ignorance. That premise is contempt prior to investigation. This is not your Dad’s GOP.
    Stop Barry Hussein. Use your vote wisely. Cast a protest vote please. We have been beaten down by the corruption in the democratic party. Help defeat it by taking a stand. Please consider a vote for McCain. Save America. Save the constitution. Take our country back from powerful corporations.
    Patriots please take a stand for McCain. We need every vote.

  • Lark

    Susan:

    You can vote for whomever you choose but there is enough evidence that Obama will betray you.

    McCain/Palin will work with Hillary on universal health care.

    McCain/Palin will nominate judges neutral or committed to the continuation of Roe. To the dismay of Republicans. Remember McCain theme: Country First. That applies also to Republicans.

    Obama to your dismay will backtrack on everything and to assure his next term would nominate conservative judges. Then stutter all the way to the next elections.

    • staunchDEM

      I second your post. McCain isn’t a crazy thug and he cares about what’s good for all Americans. Barky will put radicals on the bench and we will suffer for a generation. McCain will appoint law interpreters as it should be and not law makers from the bench.
      I will not be silent.

    • seasiren

      McCain wants a contitutional amendment on abortion. He has said that he wants to through it back to the states, in which many states will ban it. Then what? Roe v Wade will be overturned.

      I think you have your parties mixed up.

      The GOP will never work with Hillary on Healthcare. McCain want to privatize the VA healthcare system and has stated on more than one occasion that he will never support universal healthcare.

      McCain/Palin want more judges like Alito and Roberts. There is no evodence Obama will betray anyone. However, McCain has a track record of conservative appointments. He has over 25 years of back tracking. Just go look at his voting record and statements he has made.

  • suskin

    For the first time in my life, I am planning to vote for a Republican for President. I don’t support the Republican platform, but with a Democratic controlled Congress, I think most of the Democratic platform is achievable without a Democrat in the White House and in fact, I think they are more achievable with McCain in the White House.

    More importantly, I don’t like the direction the Democratic Party is heading. What I see in the Democratic Party today is what I “hated” about the Republican Party: intolerance, corruption, and ugly partisanship. But whereas I see the Republican Party now moving away from its fringe right and towards the center, I see the Democratic Party moving in the opposite direction – towards the fringe left.

    Like the Republicans under DeLay, Democrats have become intoxicated by the sense of their own power. During the DeLay years, not only was Bush in the WH, and the Republicans controlled congress, but Gingrich and DeLay used lobbyists’ money to control the more centered Republicans and pulled them in line (they couldn’t control McCain which is why they hated him). Republicans used that power to push us into War, destroy the economy, weaken our military and our standing abroad – basically they ran America to the ground. The old adage applies: power corrupts.

    But while it seems like the Republicans have learned from the disaster, the Democrats haven’t; they want their turn. The Democrats control Congress and an Obama Administration would secure the White House. With all that cash Obama directed from the DNC to his own war chest, the Obama Administration will be able to keep the more centered Democrats in line the same way Gingrich and DeLay did, by threatening to support opponents in primaries if a way-ward Congressman/woman doesn’t heed the party line or label them racist (just as we have seen the Obama Campaign do in the primary). Either way, the Democratic Party will have the same kind of power that the Republicans had, and no doubt it will abuse that power and use it to run America amuck -just as the Republicans did.

    So while my list of reasons why I cannot support Obama is long, those are not the only reasons why I find myself supporting McCain/Palin. And the fact that Republicans can support a woman for VP and Democrats cannot seals the deal.

    • staunchDEM

      This is no ordinary election. I can’t stress how dangerous a Dem in office is at this time. The next step is just one party..Dems have most of the seats..please.

  • sayitisntso

    These kids will have to grow up fast,so what else is new?

  • db

    Haven’t all you people obsessing over the abortion issue heard of the morning after pill!?!?

    • schmog

      shhhhh! Obama and friends don’t want you telling anyone about that!

    • seasiren

      You are missing the point as usual. There are still places in this country where women do not have access to the morning after, let alone medical care.

      There are also doctors and pharmicists not willing to provide the pill because it goes against their religious beliefs.

  • uttik

    I like Sarah Palin. I’ve been following her closely for months now. She didn’t just appear out of obscurity, she’s been the governor of one of the largest states in the nation and gotten one of the highest approval ratings possible for a governor.

    I’ve had my eye on her and I’ve been betting she’d be chosen. Daring to hope against hope and despairing most of the time. McCain didn’t pick her because she’s female, that’s only icing on the cake and a good smack in the mouth to Obama. A happy coincidence for McCain and I’m sure he’s loving it. She has real integrity, real tenacity, and total authenticity.

    Sarah Palin didn’t win the approval of 85% of her constituents by banning abortion, forcing creationism to be taught in school, and torturing polar bears.

  • McKatmoon

    Susan, I,really liked your article, and glad to see all of us are checking, double checking, exposing and outing false stories, perpetuated by bloggers. Some say we offer false stories, which couldn’t be further from the truth, I have never been linked from a NQ article to a bogus story, always to a factual area, either from the campaign itself or a government page, or provable source. Yes we site news sources, but we also realize who the source is as well as their intention.
    This continued exposure of the connections between bloggers willfully spreading rumors, and those voicing opinion is necessary and valued by voters seeking factual information. For those who would argue it’s all tainted, they are either lazy and not doing their homework, or prefer to use the excuse of believing everything they read.
    Thank you again for your candid opinion and great article. It really sheds a light on who the low information and POLITICALLY IMMATURE(references laziness, gullibility, not age, or lack thereof) voters are.

  • McKatmoon

    refences bloggers, not NQ articles

    Yes we site news sources, but we also realize who the source is as well as their intention.

  • http://hillaryorbust.blogspot.com Hillary or Bust

    These people have no clue. I am a registered Democrat but that doesn’t mean I think the government should spend all its money on social programs. Actually, the primary reason I have been a Democrat lately has been the environment, period. The GOP has actually been improving its environmental record lately, and soon I think they might actually equal the Democrats on it. I actually agreed with the GOP’s stance on ethanol yesterday. (Corn-based ethanol is BAD for the environment!)

    My biggest concern is with the GOP stance on drilling, and that includes Palin’s stance. However, I understand our energy needs are so crucial as to allow some leeway on that issue.

  • staunchDEM

    I doubt that the Democratic Party plans to do anything about their platform.

    Exactly! There will be fascism and a loss of the constitution. Soros is behind this and he learned everything he knows from the Nazi’s. He was an employee of the Nazi’s. Who killed Gawantey? Did Stepnaie really have an anuerism? I doubt it. Wake up. If barky wins we Will be a communist country. And that my friends, is a fact. Think about it. We have been lied to and scammed all the way. Please be pro-active and cast your vote to defeat this evilness.
    If barky wins, there will be an all out assault on the citizens. Your property will be confiscated and you will be shipped off to internment camps and the gas chamber here in every state of the USA. Please think. Save the children. Save Democracy.

  • Trat

    When Hillary was broadsided with sexist attacks how did the Dems defend her???

    They didn’t. They closed their eyes to it.

    When Sarah was attacked how did the GOP respond?

    “”The Republican Party will not stand by while Gov. Palin is subjected to sexist attacks,” said Carly Fiorina, a McCain aide who formerly headed Hewlett-Packard. “I don’t believe American women are going to stand for it either.”

    My question is this, as Americans, which Party do you want defending you?

    • Mr. Natural

      Oh yeah, definitely mr I was against FISA before I was against it, Obama bin Blowhard.

      • Mr. Natural

        The party of Senator “I was against FISA before I was for it but actually decided, (I’m the Decider), that it would never affect me anyway cause I’m a bigshot so screw you proles and riff-raff,” Barack bin Toaster-Waffles?

  • sayitisntso

    The RNC convention was refreshing after all those lies at the DNC, the anger. Don’t tell me the McCains are equal to the Obamas. Never. happen.

    • seasiren

      Oh yeah. Lieberman lying to the public is great. Just another politician. He needs to be thrown overboard. To think this man was almost VP. I wonder what slot he has been promised in a McCain administration?

      No Way. No How. No McCain. I agree with Hillary.

  • katmandu

    I had a bit of a problem following the investigating blogger’s explanation, owing to my feeble brain. In comments to the Wash Po article someone clarified:

    This Covenant House is a 501(c)(3) that gets very little of its funding from government entities. The $5,000,000 was what they requested from the state of Alaska to build a new facility. Rather than giving them the full $5,000,000, Palin gave them $3,900,000. Any reasonable person would not classify that as a “slash,” but as pure revenue. Even if she gave them nothing, one still couldn’t call it a “slash” as the state of Alaska has no obligation to fund this charity to begin with. So, here’s the real math for the truly remedial:

    $0 + $3,900,000 = $3,900,000

    The main group of political reporters at the Washington Post is very pro-Obama.

    • Susan1968

      After the last primary contest, when Hillary gave ger speech that she would suspend her campaign, Howard Kurtz of Washington Post had an blog article titled:

      Hey Ho Please Don’t Go.

      I sent him a complaint and had every woman I know also complain. He changed the title and gave some have-assed explanation that he was refering to some Viet Nam anti-war chant.

      Which makes no sense.

      But that’s WaPo for you.

  • Mr. Natural

    For your consideration, a bit of re-framing that I posted in response to the above WaPost diatribe.

    From the squawking and misrepresentations about this issue by Obama’s pet media, including this columnist, it’s becoming apparent that the skills of balancing a budget and making the tough decisions necessary to do so, those demonstrated by Sarah Palin in this case, will have no value in any future Obama administration.

    Team Obama needs a new slogan:

    Budget Deficits We Can Believe In!

    —

  • Doug

    I hope she challenges Obama to a debate tonight.

  • Urban Hillbilly

    Sarah Palin clarified her beliefs on choice by saying “A woman should not have to chose between a career, education and a child.”

    Actually, that’s a more progressive view than the democrats have offered since the Clinton Administration.

    I don’t know what the hell to make of– “if my daughter made a mistake, I wouldn’t want her punished with a baby.” {paraphrased}

    • Urban Hillbilly

      BTW, the last quote is Barack Obama’s gemstone, proving once again how “sensitive” he is to the women’s issues….

      • 935 Lies

        If that were a criterion of import, we would be choosing between Alan Alda and Phil Donahue for POTUS, wouldn’t we?

  • Lark

    I am still weighing my options come November. (It’s actually a particularly cruel form of self-torture

    The root of the semantics of the campaigns are:

    McCain: Country First: Implies bipartisanship in absolute terms.

    Obama: Change/you can believe in: Implies that what everyone has done up till now is wrong or inappropriate and everyone is guilty except him. That’s why he ran before he could be blamed, meaning the so called “urgency of today.” It is a misinterpretation of the call. Why? Because it poisons and creates animosity with everyone. Solution to that, authoritarianism. Barack will become authoritarian like Putin/Medvedev. See Russia today – see the U.S. under Obama. No different.

    • Mr. Natural

      Authoritarianism was my prediction too.

      Even if we bought into his promises, there’s no way for him to effect of the things he promised in today’s Washington trading pit, even with the hoped for Democratic supermajority.

      His deliberate use of authoritarian imagery, the chants, the rallies, the glazed expressions on the faces of his supplicants, are horrifying.

      • Mr. Natural

        Scratch the above post.

        Authoritarianism was my prediction too.

        Even if we believed in Obama’s good intentions, in today’s Washington trading pit, there’s no way for him to effect most of what he has promised, even with the hoped for Democratic supermajority.

        His deliberate use of authoritarian imagery, the chants, the rallies, the glazed expressions on the faces of his supplicants, are horrifying.

    • cpl

      Nationalism and black power. In short Obama, his wife, his friends, his preachers, and now his party all hate America and will do anything to destroy everything America has stood for.

    • staunchDEM

      “Weighing options?” What options? Fraudbama is an option?

  • McKatmoon

    HuffPO anyone:

    Yellow Blogging

    A blog or blogger that sports a flamboyant and irresponsible approach to blogging with shrieking, gaudy, sensation-loving, devil-may-care kinds of content; content that take an iota of truth and embelishes it into such an oblivious state that it becomes nothing more than total fiction. If the information blogged about is inaccurate or biased, the public has little means for verification. With this sort of influence, some wield much self-perceived power. In order to increase whatever it is some wish to increase, these “Yellow Bloggers” turn the high drama of life into a cheap melodrama, writing stories that have been twisted into forms best suited for sales by the hollering newsboy of a cyber-version tabloid.

  • uttik

    A couple of talking points floating around, Palin was a member of the Alaska Independance Party. Incorrect, she’s never been a member of their party.

    http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/alaska-party-official-says-palin-was-not-a-member/?scp=2&sq=alaska%20independence&st=cse

    Palin is against contraception. Incorrect. In the past she has stated that she is a member of Feminists for Life and advocates the use of contraception.

    She hates polar bears. Incorrect. It’s a complex issue, but what it comes down to is Palin sued the Bush administration when he tried to put polar bears on the endangered species list. In order to fall for this story, you have to believe that Bush is a great environmentalist who hates the oil companies and wanted to save polar bears. That’s a logical fallacy. Polar bear populations have actually increased in the last 40 yrs. What Bush tried to do to score political points seriously threatened Alaska’s fishing industry, something that supports many families.

    She campaigned for Pat Buchanan? Actually I can’t find of shred of evidence to support this. Records show she never gave him any money.

    • seasiren

      Why then would she even accept the offer to address their convention?

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwvPNXYrIyI

      In her own words.

      If you read the Alaskan Independence Parties agenda, she really shoul dhave distanced herself from them, not embraced them.

      http://www.akip.org/

      She claims she and her husband are not members, yet menbers are coming forward and saying she and her husband have attended meetings. Why is the question.

  • Mr. Natural

    This is a hoot:

    The Famous Blowhards Obama and Biden both voted for the Bridge to Nowhere!

    http://cdobs.com/archive/our-columns/obama-and-biden-voted-for-bridge-to-nowhere,1628/

  • Madison

    We all know it’s the same media who did this to Hillary.And yes Obama is behind it as well.I tell you what ity’s just not the media it’s Obama camp as well-He did this to Hillary to we all know that.And to say this will not help them any.People who saw this with Hillary well it’s going to cause more trouble for Dems in doing this.

    =====================================================

    When The Media Starts Reporting Rumor Without Verifying

    For the second time in the last seven days, the media has reported rumor as news about Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, without verification or confirmation and has been proven to be wrong on both occasions.
    The first in stance was over the weekend when and Internet rumor started at Daily Kos about Sarah Palin’s youngest child, Trig, who was born in April with Downs Syndrome. It became news fodder lighting up the headlines across the world, all using the Kos story as their base, which included a photo DailyKos misrepresented as being from 2008 when in reality it was taken in 2006.

    Yesterday again, another rumor based story hit the headline news at ABC and in the New York Times, with a piece based on the word of a woman, who took the rumor told to her by another person and gave it to the New York Times as fact, which in turn, the Times and other media outlets ran with it, none of them bothering to do the simple verification process that would have shown them before they reported, that it was all based in “incorrect” information.

    The false story was about Republican vice presidential candidate, Sarah Palin again, this time alleging that she has belonged to the Alaska Independence Party for two years in the 1990’s.

    According to the New York Times, this issue was among the “news” that had been revealed about Sarah Palin.

    Documents were produced showing the information was wrong, but the Times did not and still has not issued a correction on the main story page that rippled across the Internet yesterday, linked to by various sources.

    “Governor Palin has been a registered Republican since 1982,” Rogers says, providing voter registration documentation showing her to be a Republican. “As you know, if she changed her registration, there would have been some record of it. There isn’t.”

    ABC News did report on the documents showing the story could very well be false and to give them credit for doing what the Times did not, they also issued an update at the bottom of their piece which said, “This post has been updated one day later, after the McCain campaign responded, and again after Fenumiai returned several calls for comment. And then, once again, after Clark rescinded her assertion that Gov. Palin had been a member of the AIP.”

    The New York Times Caucus blog, reported today how the “incorrect” information came to be reported.

    The information in the Times article was based on a statement issued Monday night by Lynette Clark, the party’s chairwoman, who said that Ms. Palin joined the party in 1994 and in 1996 changed her registration to Republican.

    On Tuesday night, Ms. Clark said that her initial statement was incorrect and had been based on erroneous information provided by another member of the party whom she declined to identify. The McCain campaign also disputed the Times report, saying that Ms. Palin had been registered consistently as a Republican.

    It turns out that Todd Palin once belonged to the group, but Sarah Palin never did.

    Once again, rumor was reported as news. No basic confirmation or verification was done by The New York Times, nor others that was spreading the rumor based so-called “news” and their Caucus blog was left to correct the mistake after the headlines and rumor spread throughout the day yesterday.

    Is it any wonder why the majority of the public distrusts the major media organizations?

    .

    • Annie Oakley

      The damage is done. Millions of people have already made up their minds on “incorrect” information. The media knows this perfectly well. Smears have to be timely.

  • TeakWoodKite

    SusanUnPC, I can completely understand the deep dilemma you, myself and millions of other Americans face.

    However, in those quite moments when you step back to look at the big picture, none of the democratic changes are going to happen with BO in power.

    Karl Rove will not frog march with BO in power. No one will go to jail or be held accountable for the past 8 years. If Impeachment as stated by BO, Pelosi and others in the Democratic leadership, is off the table then so is any DemParty accountability.

    Given that we know Republicans aren’t about to expose to much either. What is it that matters?

    Do you get the “feeling” the electorate was stampeded and then is being corralled as I do?

    I guess it comes down to principles vs holding the proverbial nose. I can’t do the latter.

    Domestic and National Security?
    The way forward has been predetermined yet the future is not clear. National Debt? Nope. Trade Balance? nope Middle Class growth? Nope. Universal Health Care? Nope.
    None of these things will happen under a BO administration. He will be in react mode from day one, not leading.

    But vote for a Republican? After all the Crap of Bush? Some where in side me there is a voice saying McCain will loose the chains of Bush just enough to move forward.
    The world changes so fast and new situations mean new solutions are required.
    For myself it is the moral fiber and principles of a person that count.

    BO is certainly not that person.
    Hella ofa thing when we are required to travel so far in to the belly of the beast to get a simple truth or facts.

    • staunchDEM

      Okay then if enough people think like you we’ll have to settle for mayhem with barky and a totalarian state. Really. We have witnessed what is to come..Hold nose or get barky for pres..enie meenie minie mo…..

  • Kelly-Tom -MEDIA-PRESS STOP THE SHIT!

    The camp and the media is running scared.But nomatter how or who is V.P theywill still do this.

    I am a women and I can work and take care of my children.Plain the media is just useing this on her and how dare they write can a mom work.Look at the ass holes who work on the media-Look at the ass holes !!!!!!!!!!!The white House staff are well taken care of Plain as she works.Let’s see who will take care of Obama’s kids? Michelle …Well there is no different then Michelle or Palin Husband in taken care of the kids.The media is just playing this out because they are afraid all thir nasty work they did to Hillary did no good!Her supporters are watching and it will make itbad for the media to do this as Obama’s camp hides behind the curtains while they do this for him.MSNBC Washington post and more helped Obama.But now thry need Hilary’s supporters to do this and that’s a very wrong move to make.

    W are all watching and to think that we will believe anything the washinton post-msnbc-cnn the view=today show is saying.well no!we know how they all work.And now they are really pissing me off.

    GO TOHELL DNC-MSNBC-SNN-WASHINTON POST OR ANYONE WHO WRITES THE UNTRUITH.How dare you start this meess again. When what you really should be doing is protecting the american people from the nasty bad judgements never did a thing Obama.

    And not one can’t tell me that Obama is in with it again as he and Biden site back and says good job my pro-press.

    McCain-Palin 08

  • Cathy6224

    Comment by K. Wynne | 2008-09-03 14:21:40

    Let’s also keep in mind that both parties have betrayed the American people. They’ve even fused together so much so that I can no longer tell them apart, when it comes to the best interests of the people.

    Obama is being marketed much in the same way as GWB was marketed. GW was touted as the “compassionate conservative” and everyone fell for it as the “truth” and look what happened.

    Now, obama is being held on high as the “hope and change” candidate and above “politics as usual”, but has anyone actually seen any real evidence of this? At least those who have not drank the kool-aid certainly can see through this bullshit.

    Let’s stop viewing this as all republicans bad and democrats good scenario, because it just ain’t so.

    Sarah Palin may not espouse many of the issues we, as democrats, support, but what’s worse, I don’t believe obama does either. obama is an opportunist and is using any tactic to win. His flip-flops on major democratic issues should be a huge red flag that he is willing to say and do anything to win.

    From what I’ve learned about Palin, it seems evident to me that she is not willing to do or say anything to stay in power and she proved this by her actions (not just words) when she resigned from the Oil and Gas Commission she was on in protest against wrongdoing done by others on the Commission. She was also willing to take on her own party and hold them accountable. The woman was a whistleblower in the corrupt republican politics of Alaska (remember Ted Stevens).

    obama rose in power, while accepting help from the most corrupt political machine in the country — The Daley Chicago Machine — has he ever confronted them or questioned their tactics in how they obtain and maintain power in Chicago? Never. In fact, he procured a rare endorsement from Daley, himself, which is, in my opinion, proof that he is merely another front man from corrupt politicians; otherwise, he would never have allowed himself to be taken under Daley’s wing.

    I’ll take my chances with McCain/Palin because when you look at the numerous and questionable people who have supported and pushed obama into power he truly didn’t earn — Daley, Soros, Brezinski, Ayers, Auchi, Wright, well, the big picture becomes painfully clear — obama is as corrupt as the one’s that brung him!

    obama is nothing more than the flip side of GWB.
    —————————————————–
    Wow very well said (Standing Ovation)!

  • PewL

    Glenn Beck was just on CNN and said the US magazine is owned by the Obama bots,and they have printed lies about Palin….He said its a disgrace, to see some media are into these false stories,and how can Americans trust the media anymore?

    Mccain and Palin need to win this election,Obama has done a real good job of destroying the Democratic Party…Pelosi,I hope will be out of Office as her ratings are less than Bush..

    Mccain/Palin

    • 935 Lies

      US Weekly is owned and published by Wenner Media. Jann Wenner, founder of Rolling STone, is the guy.

      And a big Obama contributor.

  • fear runs deep in the DNC-OBAMA CAMP

    I agree,Media and Press needs to stop their bull shit lies.This is what they did to Hillary but as well used the sexist on Hillary.And now trying to do this with Sarah Palin.”She’s a mom can she be V.P?”

    I agree Palin is a mom as well as Obama is a dad.Not noone talks like that about a man.Well Sarsh Palin -Her husband.and he children willbe fine. be fine.They are just useing this to again being sexist.Many children were raised in the white house.Kennedy’s Bushes .Just because she has five children that has nothing to do with her being V.P!

    It’s just another nasty attack on her.They are running scared,I agree and they Donna Brazile-Nancy Polosi-Howard dean -Obama and the rest of the corrupted peple in our whgite house are scared they will not be abl to use our goverment in taking from us.

    McCain-Sara Palin 08
    Write the dnc and tell them stop the nasty tricks-!!!!flood their mail boxes.

  • Andrew

    If you are reading the Washington Post and the New York Times, you are part of the problem. If you think a party’s platform has anything to do with what the party will do if given power, you are part of the problem. These documents are publicly available. Read a few from recent elections. Compare the platform to legislation passed and policy initiatives. Then stop wasting your time on the platform. A faceless committee writes the platform. It is not all that difficult for a thinking person to make an informed choice. But it does require thinking, not hoping, or reacting. Decide upon two or three issues that matter most to you, preferably things you know something about. Find out from impartial sources where the candidates stand. In other words, the public record. What bills have they passed or signed? What have they said? Who gives them money? Then decide for yourself. Obama is where he is today because of a calculated strategy to sell a candidate with virtually no record at all on anything. The reason it is working is because people continue to believe that somehow The Washington Post and media like it would blow the whistle if he is, in fact, a bad person. But they wouldn’t. And he is.

  • bmc

    SusanUnPC, It’s exactly the torture regimen I’m going through these days. I can’t believe I’m even considering–seriously–voting for McCain/Palin. But, I am. Seriously considering it. Right now, if the election were tomorrow, I’d probably cast my vote for McCain/Palin. I know I won’t vote for Obama.

    I really don’t care about any arguments people may put forth about why I shouldn’t vote for McCain/Palin as a woman. I’m so past all of that. I come from a military family, like McCain; I am a woman, like Gov. Palin. It’s identity politics. That’s what Obama wanted, so that’s what he’s getting from me.

    I’m disgusted by the Democratic Party, and they won’t get my vote on the Presidential race. I will, however, vote for my Democratic representative, because he was a STAUNCH Hillary supporter and refused to be bullied.

    • Urban Hillbilly

      She seems to separate her personal beliefs from her governing. At least in terms of social issues.

      However, she seems to have a strong sense of ethics and takes principled stands on those beliefs.

      This is what I am reading, but, like everyone else, I’m still learning and good, truthful articles are VERY hard to find.

  • Urban Hillbilly

    Susan –

    What seems like aa pretty fair article today by the AP written by Dan Joling had this to say about Sarah Palin:

    “Palin’s children attend public schools and Palin has made no push to have creationism taught in them.

    Neither have Palin’s socially conservative personal views on issues like abortion and gay marriage been translated into policies during her 20 months as Alaska’s chief executive. It reflects a hands-off attitude toward mixing government and religion by most Alaskans.

    “She has basically ignored social issues, period,” said Gregg Erickson, an economist and columnist for the Alaska Budget Report. ‘

  • Cat in NJ

    I can’t wait to cancel my US subscription …

    http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2008/09/media-lynch-mob.html

    … and to pull the lever for McCain in November. I will sacrifice some of my “liberal” standings, after 26 years, in disgust over the unbelievable degeneration of the DNC. Obama has NO redeeming qualities whatsoever. The MSM are the worst offenders for covering up Obama’s vastly dubious background.

  • fif

    I don’t believe anything I read or hear anymore unless I’ve read it from numerous sources. The intentional manipulation is grossly irresponsible. 2008 will go down as the death of the Fourth Estate.

  • L. Toth

    I just finished reading all of the comments posted up to this point. Many of them are intelligent, thoughtful, and very insightful. The comment from K. Wynn was particularly important. This all gives me great hope that most Americans will not be fooled by the MSM into “groupthink”, as staunchDem so wisely put it. I am a registered Independent (in the past I have voted mostly Dem.) and I have been following this election carefully & closely. I have reluctantly concluded that Obama is a fraud. Obama and Bush are indeed opposite sides of the same coin. We must take our country back from the cynical, manipulating MSM and politicians (from both parties) who actually are in collusion with each other.

  • John

    If Joe Biden could not accomplish what he believes in after 35 years in the US Senate – please, do not tell me how effective he is. Sarah Palin did more to change the political landscape in Alaska in her first year than most politicians have done in a lifetime. Do I agree with everything she “stands for”? Tricky question actually. The Dems are trying to make you think that if she is VP her 24/7 job will be to get rid of Roe v. Wade. I’m not so sure. I think there will be many pressing problems. Americans now have a choice about what kind of change they want to see. Liberals Democrats seem to think they own the copyright on the word “change”. By the way, hard to keep saying “McSame” isn’t it when John McCain has done what many in the Obama camp wanted HIM to do. Put a woman on the ticket. Now the liberals have decided that a female VP would be “pandering”.

  • http://uppitywoman08.wordpress.com Uppity Woman

    The past few decades have convinced me that it’s not hard to walk away from the Democratic Party Platform….because they don’t mean a word of it. They have had a dismal record, have rarely, if ever come through with their promises===and they have been stringing women along by holding their lying “platform” over their heads. I’m done believing these people. They showed me their colors this year.

    • Ferd McBerfle

      With the exception of the two terms Bill was President, I concur.

  • JMO

    It’s either going to be Obama or McCain, so I feel I must take a stand and vote for McCain or against Obama. After everything I’ve read about Obama these last few months on No Quarter and other blogs, the vote for McCain is a simple decision. If Obama is elected to office in November and I sat home or voted for a third party candidate then I would be partially responsible for making that happen. I don’t want Obama in the White House under any circumstances. I guess I’m having a difficult time understanding how anyone could sit here month after month and complain about Obama and still be unsure of how they should cast their vote come November.

  • AX10

    SusanUnPC, I know how you feel.
    I am torn too. I am very much so upset that
    Hillary is not our nominee.
    We have two choices which I have great reservations about. I personally see McCain as being the humble servant and takes different opinions well.
    Obama has no tolerance for different views.
    McCain also is better equipt to deal with
    foreign affairs and crisis.

    McCain 08′
    Hillary 12′