TresSugar

Alaska Inquiry Finds that Sarah Palin Abused Powers

LibertySugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:13:12 -0700

An investigation by the Alaska Legislature, released this evening, concluded that Sarah Palin abused the powers of the office of Governor of Alaska by pressuring subordinates with the goal of getting her ex-brother-in-law State Trooper Michael Wooton fired. The 236-page report, at the center of "Troopergate," also found that she was within her powers when she dismissed the public safety commissioner, who was the boss of the ex-brother-in-law.

The report, which could now have national implications, holds that Palin violated the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act when she exerted pressure, and when she allowed her husband to do so, too. It states:

Such impermissible and repeated contacts create conflicts of interests for subordinate employees who must choose to either please a superior or run the risk of facing that superior’s displeasure and the possible consequences of that displeasure.

The legal and political implications of the report are uncertain. The Alaska legislature could censure Palin, and US voters may question the McCain campaign's characterization of Palin as a reformer.

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Briefing Book! Bush and Berlusconi are BFFs

LibertySugar — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:30:07 -0700

Italy: Friends forever? Italian PM Berlusconi falls over himself and his podium to praise President Bush. Watch video. - newsblog
Palin: Sarah Palin's reaction to the Legislature's Troopergate report is an embarrassment to Alaskans and the nation? Palin's hometown paper writes a strongly worded editorial. - Donklephant
Economy: Bankers seeking support from a floating church? London bankers attend short lunchtime services on St. Peter's barge. -SavvySugar
McCain: Whose fault? McCain says if he brings up Ayers at Debate, it's Obama's fault. - Talking Points Memo
Michelle Obama: Michelle's great-great-grandfather worked on a plantation now owned by Anderson Cooper's cousin? While Barack Obama does not have slave roots, Michelle would be first First Lady who does. - Jezebel

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Cleese Calls Palin a "Parrot" & Gossip Girl Stumps for Obama

CitizenSugar — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 07:51:04 -0700

Perhaps it's because dear old dad hails from the land of Cleese, or because that accent can make anything sound measured and thought out, this video of John Cleese on Sarah Palin caught my attention this morning. His pointed commentary on Palin comes as the Troopergate probe expands and at one of her becoming-signature enthusiastic rallies yesterday, Palin mistook a group of supporters for protesters.

The crux of Cleese's argument is that if one were to take the whole of Europe, regardless of political persuasion, one wouldn't find "5 percent" who think she's good enough to run the US.

Cleese says:

Can they not see that she's basically learned certain speeches - and she does them very well, she's got a very good memory - but it's like a nice looking parrot. Because the parrot speaks beautifully, and kind of says 'Aw, shucks,' every now and again but doesn't really have any understanding of the meaning of the words that it is producing, even though it is producing them very accurately. . . the extraordinary thing is that so many people are taken in by it.

Does Cleese's argument strike a bad chord - or ring true?

An entirely different generation and genre of entertainment is getting into the mix too. To see the Gossip Girl gang's new Obama ad, read more.

In their take-off on those anti-drug PSAs, apparently McCain is the new high? OK, sorry, I know that's not what they meant but. . . doesn't making something off-limits make it more appealing? Just thinking. . .

The spot is part of MoveOn's Youth Vote program. Does it make a compelling case? More compelling than Cleese? Should entertainers stick to that, and leave politics alone?

Briefing Book! NYC Hands Out Matchbooks With Rotting Gums

LibertySugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:30:12 -0700

Smoking: Need a light? NYC giving out matchbooks with pictures of rotting gums and decaying teeth on the inside. - City Room
Trooper-gate: Mission accomplished? Alaska investigation of Sarah Palin has been shut down until after the election. - Talking Points Memo
Fat Cats: Does this count as a golden parachute? McCain staff includes Carly Fiorina who received $21 million cash severance package when she left HP. - Radar
Media: Not a journalist organization? McCain camp has harsh words for the New York Times. - Townhall
Bailout: What is the biggest flaw in the administration's bailout package? Policy experts weigh in. - Politico

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Sarah Palin: The Woman's Everywhere From People to the Post

CitizenSugar — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 11:30:11 -0700

Now that the McCain/Palin '08 stationery has been ordered and we've had a day to process the news the media has been working overtime to answer the question, "who is Sarah Palin." Here's what they've come up with:

People magazine whipped up an interview with both families, a stunning feat given that most of the Palin family didn't know until right before the announcement. Here's a taste:

Given her young age and relatively short resume, why is she any more ready to be president than Sen. Barack Obama?
JOHN: I don't think it's a short resume. She first ran for office back in 1992. I don't know what Senator Obama was doing then, but the first time she ran was 1992. That's 16 years. I think that's a pretty, pretty event-filled and record-filled resume.
SARAH: And I haven't had too many years other than that to fill up yet.
JOHN: There you go.

A woman on the ticket is what a lot of Hillary Clinton voters wanted to see. What's your message to women who might see a second shot at shattering the glass ceiling?
SARAH: Certainly in this election cycle, women aren't finished yet. And women can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all.
JOHN: I think that Sarah appeals to a lot of voters – I think because of her independence, because of her reform agenda and her record of balancing both family and service. It is motivation to not just Clinton voters but to lots of voters.

This just made me snort in my coffee:

Mrs. McCain, do you even remember the last time he changed a diaper?
CINDY: No. And I'm not sure he does.
JOHN: Heh-heh. I remember. There's some experiences you never forget.

There's much more! To see how others are playing the "Meet Sarah Palin" game, read more.

In next week's The Weekly Standard Bill Kristol calls Palin a spectre haunting liberal elites:

There she is: a working woman who's a proud wife and mother; a traditionalist in important matters who's broken through all kinds of barriers; a reformer who's a Republican; a challenger of a corrupt good-old-boy establishment who's a conservative; a successful woman whose life is unapologetically grounded in religious belief; a lady who's a leader.

Gregg Erickson, reporter for the Anchorage Daily News did an online chat for the Washington Post where he answered the question:

What are Governor Palin's three greatest strengths? What are her three greatest weaknesses?
"She is smart, vivacious and energetic; she tends to oversimplify complex issues, has had difficulty delegating authority, and clearly has some difficulty distinguishing the line between her public responsibilities and private wishes. She is under legislative investigation regarding the last issue, the so-called "troopergate," in which she is said to have used improper influence to try to get her sister's ex-husband fired from the state troopers."

Politico has "Six Things the Palin Pick Says About McCain," the New York Times takes a hard look at the woman issue, while the New York Post calls the choice "a brilliant trap." Finally, Time magazine has a pretty even-handed look at the choice.

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