The Sarah Palin Blog

Sarah Palin Compares Elderly Care In Healthcare Bill To Abortion

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:22:00 +0000

More details of Sarah Palin's speech to the Wisconsin Right To Life group are coming out - including these excerpts from Jonathan Martin of Politico:

Sarah Palin rallied thousands of abortion opponents Friday night with a a stark warning that the same philosophy that allows abortion rights could soon be invoked to allow the government to cut off health care for the elderly or children with special needs.

Speaking to a fund-raising banquet of Wisconsin Right to Life, the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee asserted that if policy-makers don’t believe a child in the womb is valuable, then “perhaps the same mind-set applies to other persons.”

“What may they feel about an elderly person who doesn’t have a whole lot of productive years left,” Palin asked an audience of about 5,000 who paid $30 each to hear her speak in an airplane hangar-like exhibition hall at the Wisconsin state fairgrounds just outside of Milwaukee. “In order to save government money, government health care has to be rationed… [so] than this elderly person that perhaps could be seen as costing taxpayers to pay for a non-productive life? Do you think our elderly will be first in line for limited health care?

“And what about the child who perhaps isn’t deemed normal or perfect per someone’s subjective measure of their use or questionable purpose in the eyes of a panel of bureaucrats making our health care decisions for us,” she continued.

Her warning was couched in repeated rhetorical questions about what might happen when laws are made by those she portrayed as having an insufficient appreciation for the sanctity of all human life.

“We have to think this through,” she said. “We have to get to the truth of this matter, health care reform.”

The fund-raiser was advertised as closed to media coverage, but at least three reporters, including one from POLITICO, attended simply by purchasing a ticket like other members of the public.

The line to get into the venue here stretched over a half-mile outside the building and a local conservative talk radio station even marked the event by printing t-shirts that welcomed her to the city, noted the date of her appearance and deemed her: “America’s Conservative Conscience.” The anti-abortion group that hosted the event sought to raise money by including pledge cards on every chair that included an offer to become part of “Sarah’s Rogues” by giving $1,000 to the group in exchange for an autographed copy of her forthcoming memoir, “Going Rogue: An American Life.

Palin had remarks prepared but frequently wandered off-script to make a point, offering audience members a casual “awesome” or “bogus” in discussing otherwise weighty topics.

As in: “It is so bogus that society is sending a message right now and has been for probably the last 40 years that a woman isn’t strong enough or smart enough to be able to pursue an education, a career and her rights and still let her baby live.”

Palin also offered flashes of the traits that endear her to many conservatives. Offering great personal detail, she relayed the story of how she came to find out that her infant son, Trigg, had Down Syndrome. She confessed to being scared and said that she and her husband, Todd, turned to God to prepare them.

After years of advocating against abortion in theory – what she called “preaching to the choir” – Palin said she was presented with the stark reality of what to do with a special-needs baby.

“I am thankful to have been asked to walk the walk,” she said.

Palin also included a few less personal, but as compelling, flourishes in her remarks, citing Pope John Paul II (never a bad idea in a heavily-Catholic part of the country), referring to scripture (John 16:13) and noting that such feminist pioneers as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton had opposed abortion (she called them “foremothers”).

She also demonstrated a politician’s ability to connect with a local crowd, relating that her grandmother was born in Chippewa Falls, her dad had played high school football with Packers great Jerry Kramer and, with an audience that likely watched a lot of Fox News, noted her relationship with the network’s talk show, Wisconsin native Greta Van Susteren.

Further, Palin talked with ease about the abortion issue, touting polling this year that showed a majority of the country opposing the procedure, recalling successful ad campaigns (“Choose Life”) on the issue and casting her own opposition to it in terms familiar to the movement.

Palin didn’t mention President Obama by name, but did take a shot at him for opposing an abortion-related measure as an Illinois state senator and more than once mocked his catch phrase.

"Let's talk about change we can believe in," Palin said. "Friends, a majority of Americans identify as pro life, and thank God for that."

She reserved her toughest critique for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, eliciting boos from the crowd at the mention of the speaker’s name. Palin urged Pelosi to allow House members to vote on an amendment that would bar any taxpayer funds from being used to fund abortion.

“We need to make sure she hears the message that she will held accountable if she does not let this at least come to a vote of her colleagues so they can have their voice be heard,” Palin said.

In a closing exhortation, she urged the audience, “Don't ever let anyone to tell you to sit down and shut up.”

After she concluded her remarks – and presented the organization with an over-sized, $1,000 check – Palin signed autographs for some of the few hundred people who surged toward the dais.

Alissa Maerzke, 12 and wearing a “Palin 2012” t-shirt, was elated that she got the former governor’s signature.

After collecting a congratulatory hug from her mom, Maerzke recounted that she asked Palin if she was going to run for president. “She just smiled,” said the girl.

In the line on the way into the event, a gentleman wearing a Harley-Davidson fleece pull-over and jeans joked to his friends that he was going to ask Palin to marry him, summing up his devotion this way: “She thinks like I do, she’s absolutely gorgeous and Democrats are afraid of her – what’s not to like?”

Sarah Palin's Warning To Congress

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:20:00 +0000

They do look like they are in love don't they?

Late last night House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Barack Obama bullied Health Care through the House of Representatives.

They called it a major victory.

Oh Really? It seems like a major mistake. The late night theatrics will only anger Republicans, Independents and Moderate Democrats who didn't trust the bill in the first place.

The Democrats needed 218 votes to pass the legislation, they strong armed 52 Blue Dog Democrats and got 13 of them to vote against the wishes of their districts and ended up with 220 votes. They are calling it an historic bill - it is historic in the fact that this major overhaul of Government passed with the slimmest margin in history.

Do the Democrats really want to put their names to something that is so divisive going into the 2010 elections?

39 Democrats voted against the bill - one Republican (Joseph Cao of Louisiana) voted for it.

The fight is not over yet as the bill still has to get through the Senate. Debate will begin next week and Sarah Palin has issued a warning on Facebook.

I believe Sarah Palin should personally visit the districts of the 13 Blue Dog Democrats who voted for the bill and threaten to campaign against any moderate Democratic Senator who votes for the bill?

Here are some Democratic Senators to key in on - Michael Bennett in Colorado and David Vitter in Louisiana - they will have a difficult time keeping their jobs anyway - an unpopular healthcare bill could end it for them. But even Democrats who won in traditionally red states and were thought to be safe are now in jeapordy - Blanche Lincoln in Arkansas - Evan Bayh in Indiana and Bryon Dorgan in South Dakota will be feeling the heat. (Harry Reid in Nevada, Chris Dodd in Connecticut and Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania are also in trouble.)

The majority of Independent voters in last weeks elections in New Jersey and Virginia voted Republican and they told pollsters their #1 concern is the economy - healthcare was fifth or sixth on their list.

Now the Democrats risk losing both the House and the Senate because they pushed their own agenda instead of what the majority of Americans wanted.

Of course, it's not too late. Blue Dog Democrats should read Sarah Palin's post and realize that if you push through a healthcare bill that Americans don't want right now - Sarah might just come a callin to your state or district.

Here is Sarah Palin's post called The Pelosi Bill Was Rammed Through on Saturday, But Sunday’s Coming

We’ve got to hold on to hope, and we’ve got to fight hard because Congressional action tonight just put America on a path toward an unrecognizable country.

The same government leaders that got us into the mortgage business and the car business are now getting us into the health care business.

Despite Americans’ decisive message last Tuesday that they reject the troubling path this country has been taking, Speaker Pelosi has broken her own promises of transparency to ram a health “care” bill through the House of Representatives just before midnight. Why did she push the 2,000 page bill this weekend? Was she perhaps afraid to give her peers and the constituents for whom she works the chance to actually read this monstrous bill carefully, if at all? Was she concerned that Americans might really digest the details of a bill that the Wall Street Journal has called “the worst piece of post-New Deal legislation ever introduced”?

This out-of-control bureaucratic mess will be disastrous for our economy, our small businesses, and our personal liberty. It will slam businesses at a time when we are at double-digit unemployment rates – the highest we’ve seen in a quarter of a century. This massive new bureaucracy will cost us and our children money we don’t have. It will rob Americans of more of our freedom and further hamper the free market.

Make no mistake: we’re on course to have government commandeer one-sixth of our economy. The people who gave us Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now want to run our health care. Think about that.

All of us who value the sanctity of life are grateful for the success of the pro-life majority in the House this evening in its battle against federal funding of abortion in this bill, but it’s ironic because we were promised that abortion wasn’t covered in the bill to begin with. Our healthy distrust of these government leaders made us look deeper into the bill because unfortunately we knew better than to trust what they were saying. The victory tonight to amend the bill and eliminate that federal funding for abortion was great – because abortion is not health care. Now we can only hope that Rep. Stupak’s amendment will hold in the final bill, though the Democratic leadership has already refused to promise that it won’t be scrapped later.

We had been told there were no “death panels” in the bill either. But look closely at the provision mandating bureaucratic panels that will be calling the shots regarding who will receive government health care.

Look closely at provisions addressing illegal aliens’ health care coverage too.

Those of us who love freedom and believe in open and transparent government can only be dismayed by midnight action on a Saturday. Speaker Pelosi’s promise that Americans would have 72 hours to read the final bill before the vote was just another one of the D.C. establishment’s too-common political ploys. It’s broken promises like this that turn people off to politics and leave them disillusioned about the future of their country.

But despite this late-night maneuvering, many of us were paying close attention tonight. We’ll keep paying close attention. We need to let our legislators in Washington know that they still represent us, and that the majority of Americans are not in favor of the “reform” they are pushing. After all, this is still a country “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” We will make our voices heard. It’s on to the Senate now. Our legislators can listen now, or they can hear us in 2010. It’s their choice.

- Sarah Palin

Here are the BlueDog democrats who held their ground and to their prinicples in voting against the bill:

Scott Murphy(N.Y. 20)
Bobby Bright(Ala. 2)
Frank Kratovil Jr.(Md. 1)
Walt Minnick(Idaho 1)
Eric Massa(N.Y. 29)
Parker Griffith(Ala. 5)
John Adler(N.J. 3)
Glenn Nye(Va. 2)
Chet Edwards(Tex. 17)
Travis Childers(Miss. 1)
John Boccieri(Ohio 16)
Larry Kissell(N.C. 8)
Jason Altmire(Pa. 4)
Harry Teague(N.M. 2)
Betsy Markey(Colo. 4)
Jim Marshall(Ga. 8)
Suzanne Kosmas(Fla. 24)
Dennis J. Kucinich(Ohio 10)
Lincoln Davis(Tenn. 4)
Allen Boyd(Fla. 2)
Heath Shuler(N.C. 11)
Tim Holden(Pa. 17)
Michael E. McMahon(N.Y. 13)
Brian Baird(Wash. 3)
Jim Matheson(Utah 2)
Ben Chandler(Ky. 6)
Ike Skelton(Mo. 4)
John Barrow(Ga. 12)
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin(S.D.)
Mike McIntyre(N.C. 7)
Dan Boren(Okla. 2)
Collin C. Peterson(Minn. 7)
Bart Gordon(Tenn. 6)
Gene Taylor(Miss. 4)
Mike Ross(Ark. 4)
Rick Boucher(Va. 9)
Artur Davis(Ala. 7)
Charlie Melancon(La. 3)
John Tanner(Tenn. 8)

Sarah Palin Says The Media Is Still Makin' Things Up

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:05:00 +0000

Sarah Palin posted a link, a photograph and a accusation on her Facebook page. Sarah Palin was widely criticised, even attacked, for not allowing any recording devices into her recent speech to a Pro Life group in Wisconsin.

Sarah is now making it clear - that wasn't her idea. Here is her Facebook Post -

Great Wisconsin Event (And Setting the Record Straight, Again)

Great event last night in Wisconsin! It was an honor to meet great Americans who are working so hard to remind us of life's sanctity and value. I commend this fine state for its efforts to make our nation a more welcoming place for all children.

Let me set the record straight on the media's follow-up reports of the great event: Despite what CNN reported, decisions about not allowing cameras at the event were the prerogative of the sponsors of the event, and I, of course, respected their decision.

I am about to set out on my book tour, where media will no doubt join us at many spots. In the meantime, I ask our friends in the media once again: please quit making things up.

- Sarah Palin

PS: Attached is a photo from the event. You can read more about the excellent work the Wisconsin Right to Life does here.

Sarah Palin to Nancy Pelosi - "Slow Down"

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:52:00 +0000

Sarah Palin posted the following on her Facebook Page - the Post is entitled: "Nancy Pelosi: Your Blue Dogs Are Howling" (A reference to the moderate Democrats who have shown reluctance to the Obama Healthcare package - and are now especially worried as they see what happened in the off year election and would could happen to them in 2010)

Like many Americans, I’m very concerned about the efforts underway to rush through the 2,000 page Pelosi health care bill this weekend. Why the rush? That’s a lot of pages to read. Why not give everyone the chance to read it and debate it?

How much will this bill cost us? It’s unclear because the figures coming out of Washington keep changing – and always in the direction of costing more, not less. The latest numbers show it will cost more than a trillion dollars over the decade, but when has a government program ever come in on or under budget?

How will we pay for it? Taxes, of course – and not just on the “rich” (you know, the people who spur the economy by buying goods and running companies that employ people), but also on just about everyone, especially small businesses – the job-creating engine of our economy. One of the points of health care reform was to help small businesses with the cost, but this bill hurts them – and right at a time when so many Americans are out of work and need the jobs that small businesses produce.

What’s in this bill? The “death panel” provision is in it. Medicare cuts are in it. Coverage of illegal immigrants is in it. And federal funding for abortion is in it. I commend the many Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats who are taking a principled stance to fight this.

I had a message for Speaker Pelosi in a speech I gave last night for the Wisconsin Right to Life – “please, please don’t break the ‘transparency promise’ by prohibiting at least a vote of your colleagues on funding abortion-on-demand.”

Speaker Pelosi has already broken many promises thus far in this “reform” exercise. She promised that this would be a bi-partisan effort, but the bill she’s pushing isn’t bi-partisan. She promised that the final version of the bill would be posted online 72 hours before it comes to a vote so that the American people could clearly see what’s in it and how we will pay for it. But she broke that promise too when she decided to rush the bill to a vote this weekend.

The speaker must be held accountable for her broken promises. Now is the time for Americans who believe in the free market and who believe that we need policies that promote job growth instead of job loss to say once and for all, “Enough!” Stand up and make your voices heard before it’s too late. Call and email your representatives and tell them to vote “no” on Pelosi’s train wreck of a health care bill, or else we will vote “no” to sending them back to Washington when we go to the polls in less than 12 months.

- Sarah Palin

PS: For an idea of the bureaucratic maze that the Pelosi bill would create, take a look at this new chart put out by the Joint Economic Committee.

More on Sarah's Wisconsin Right To Life Speech

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:41:00 +0000

From the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Jourmal Sentinal:

Less than two weeks before the release of her memoir "Going Rogue," former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was on message during a Friday night speech to anti-abortion activists at State Fair Park.

"Let's simplify, we're pro children," Palin told thousands of people who attended a $30-a-ticket fund-raiser for the Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund.

In a personal and passionate speech, Palin lauded the state's anti-abortion movement for legislative advances achieved over time.

"We were told to sit down and shut up," Palin said. "Wisconsin, you went rogue."

Palin spoke movingly of her youngest son, Trig, who has Down syndrome. She recalled that when she was pregnant, she underwent an ultrasound and the technician told her, "I see boy parts."

Later, the technician told her that the baby's neck "is a little bit thicker," an indication that there might be an extra chromosome. A few days later, Down syndrome was confirmed.

"I was scared," Palin said, adding that she asked her husband, Todd, "Why us?" He responded, "Why not?"

"My family life is much richer thanks to this beautiful baby boy Trig," Palin said. "He is awesome."

Security was tight at the Wisconsin Exposition Center. Spectators were told beforehand that prohibited items included cell phones, recording devices, video and still cameras, as well as strollers and car seats. A line stretched across the length of the facility and out to a parking lot as spectators waited patiently to pass through security.

Once they got inside, spectators didn't have to wait long for what they came for - Palin's speech. The address began with Palin asking for a moment of silence to remember those killed in Thursday's shooting rampage at Fort Hood in Texas.

She used President Barack Obama's mantra of change to make her political points.

"Let's talk about change we can believe in," Palin said. "Friends, a majority of Americans identify as pro life, and thank God for that."

She called health care reform a "government takeover" and called on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to at least allow a congressional vote to prohibit federally sponsored health insurance plans to pay for abortions.

"I feel real change is just up ahead," she said. "Wisconsin, we need to ramp it up."

She brought the crowd to its feet with a simple closing line: "Don't let anyone ever tell you to sit down and shut up."

In some ways, the Wisconsin event was a dress rehearsal for Palin's book tour, which kicks off with a Nov. 16 appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show. The book has been a bestseller for more than a month on Amazon, the online bookseller.

And another Book Tour Date - November 19 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

From FortWayne.Com

Sarah Palin, the former candidate for vice president and ex-governor of Alaska, is scheduled to return to Fort Wayne as part of the promotional tour for her book, “Going Rogue.”

Palin is expected to be at the Meijer at 10301 Maysville Road on Nov. 19. Store manager David Smith could not confirm Palin's visit, saying plans are currently “up in the air” as Meijer officials attempt to determine if they can handle crowd-control measures. Smith said a decision will be made Monday.

Palin came to Fort Wayne in October 2008, while she was on the GOP ticket with Arizona Sen. John McCain. That race was ultimately won by Barack Obama, who is the nation's 44th president.

First Report On Sarah Palin's Wisconsin Speech

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:27:00 +0000

From the Associated Press:

Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin told about 5,000 supporters in Wisconsin to continue to press lawmakers on abortion issues.

Wisconsin Right to Life officials say Palin's low-profile stop in the Milwaukee suburb of West Allis on Friday night was more than a year in the making.

Palin told the crowd they ``went rogue'' _ a reference to her upcoming memoirs _ with their support of the cause.

She didn't mention President Barack Obama by name in her 25-minute speech, but briefly touched on health care reform legislation and pressed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to make sure all voices were heard on the issue.

Organizers said media wouldn't be allowed to cover the event. General admission tickets were $30. The former Alaska governor's stop comes 11 days before ``Going Rogue'' is released.

Soon Saah Will Be Everywhere

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:13:00 +0000

A couple of more Sarah Palin appearances confirmed:

Washington, Dec. 5

From Politico -

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will be the Republican speaker at the Gridiron Club's Winter Dinner on Dec. 5, the club announced Friday.

Meg Stapleton, a spokeswoman for Palin, confirmed that Palin planned to address the dinner in an e-mail to POLITICO: "The Governor was honored to accept the invitation."

Also speaking at the dinner will be Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), whom the club invited to represent his party at the event.

Palin's attendance at the exclusive event – put on by a group of top Washington journalists – will mark the second time the former Alaska governor has flown to the capital to mix with the city's political elite. Earlier this year she attended the annual dinner put on by the Alfalfa Club, an insiders' organization that exists to throw an off-the-record winter bash.

Her planned appearance at the Gridiron also follows in the footsteps of another ambitious young politician: President Barack Obama spoke at the dinner in 2006

Dallas Area, Dec. 4

From DallasNews.Com -

Sarah Palin will do a book signing from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 4 at in Plano, according to Kyle Hall, the store's director of marketing and events.

It'll be strictly a signing (Palin won't be speaking), with no personalization. No memorabilia will be signed; books only. Books must be bought at Legacy, either in advance (bring your receipt) or that day. As with all Legacy events, if a patron can't come but wants a signed book, Legacy can arrange that over the phone.

The Speeches Sarah Palin Never Gave

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:14:00 +0000

Shushannah Walshe, who covered Sarah Palin for Fox News during the 2008 Presidential campaign, and Scott Conrol, who did the same for CBS News, have a new book out called Sarah From Alaska.

It details some of the tension between Sarah palin and the McCain campaign staffers. Tension that grew to a crescendo on election night when Sarah Palin was banned from giving a concession speech. The book alleges that even when Sarah Palin walked on the stage to take pictures with friends and family, staffers shut off the stage lights to make sure she didn't give the speech.

Walshe and Conroy also obtained copies of the Concession speech and the Victory speech that Sarah Palin had with her that night. She penned them with speech writer Matthew Scully, who still remains loyal to Sarah Palin.

The two wrote a great post for the Daily Beast, where they pulled the best lines from the speeches and then posted the speeches in their entirety.

Best Lines from Palin’s Undelivered Victory Speech:

•“And I said to my husband Todd that it’s not a step down when he’s no longer Alaska’s ‘First Dude.’ He will now be the first guy ever to become the ‘Second Dude.’”

•“Had it gone the other way tonight, we would not have returned in sorrow to the great State of Alaska. We would have carried with us memories that are forever, and joyful experiences that do not depend on victory.”

•“This is a moment when principles and political independence matter a lot more than just the party line.”

Best Lines from Palin’s Undelivered Concession Speech:

•“If [Obama] governs America with the skill and grace we have often seen in him, and the greatness of which he is capable, we’re gonna be just fine.”
•“Now it is time for us go our way, neither bitter nor vanquished, but instead confident in the knowledge that there will be another day.”
•“It would be a happier night if elections were a test of valor and merit alone, but that is not for us to question now.”
•“I told my husband Todd to look at the upside: Now, at least, he can clear his schedule, and get ready for championship title number five in the Iron Dog snow machine race!”

VICTORY SPEECH

Thank you all so much. And thank you, America, for the great responsibility that you have given to President-elect John S. McCain.

My fellow Americans, tens of millions of you shared our convictions and gave us your votes. And I thank you for your confidence. We were facing tough odds and formidable opponents.

It’s not always easy in politics to see the best in our opponents. But we have seen the grace and skill of Barack Obama, and the grit and determination of Joe Biden. By his nomination and extraordinary campaign, Barack Obama has achieved a great thing, for himself and for our country, and for that America will always honor him. I say God bless you, Senator Obama, and your beautiful family.

As for my own family, well, it’s been quite a journey these past 69 days. We were ready, in defeat, to return to a place and a life we love. And I said to my husband Todd that it’s not a step down when he’s no longer Alaska’s “First Dude.” He will now be the first guy ever to become the “Second Dude.”

Along the way in this campaign, it was Todd, as always, who helped with the children, gave me advice, and kept me strong. There are a lot of men in this world could learn a few things from Todd Palin, and I am so lucky that he is still my guy. And my luck began long before then, in having parents like Chuck and Sally Heath…and then blending into an accepting, loyal, fun, and diverse family.

Had it gone the other way tonight, we would not have returned in sorrow to the great State of Alaska. We would have carried with us memories that are forever, and joyful experiences that do not depend on victory.

I will remember all the young girls who came up to me to our rallies, sometimes taking off from school, just to see only the second women ever nominated by a major party in a national election. They know that in America there should be no ceilings on achievement, glass or otherwise. And if I have helped point the way for these young women, or inspire them to use their own gifts and find their own opportunities, it has been a privilege.

I will remember all the people who said they were praying for me—you prayer warriors have been my strength and my shield. I will remember all the Blue Star Moms, and the special bond we share…all the veterans of war and former POW’s I had the honor of meeting. I will remember the working people of this country who put their faith in us…the folks who run our factories, grow our food, teach our children, and fight our wars… men and women like the construction worker and new American citizen who said at one of our rallies: “I was born in Columbia, but I was made in the USA.”

And for their example and their love, I will remember with gratitude all the families with special needs children. How could I ever forget the sight of a banner held up high to say “We Are Here For Trig”? How could I ever forget a boy like Charlie, a fine young man we met at a rally in Florida who has Down Syndrome? Charlie and I swapped email addresses, and the last time he replied he said, “By the way, please don’t call me ‘darlin’—it’s not tough enough.” So, tonight, a special shout-out to you, Chuck…darlin’. And let me repeat what I told you, because it applies to you and to all children and adults with special needs across America: You are beautiful, and I am so proud to know that my boy Trig will grow up to be just like you.

And I promise you: These next four years, families with special needs—and every family in America—can know that they have a friend and advocate in the White House.

In this campaign, we held to the belief that our country is still that “shining city on a hill” that Ronald Reagan spoke of so many years ago. And tonight, we have chosen a man ready and worthy to lead such a country.

This is a moment when principles and political independence matter a lot more than just the party line. And tonight, we have elected a man who can bring us together, because he always puts his country first. America, he has always fought for you.

This is a moment when great causes can be won and great threats overcome. And we have chosen a man who will rise to the moment, as he has done before, with clarity and resolve.

In this campaign, I’ve had the rare enough privilege of praising a candidate whose story, character, and personal heroism require no embellishment. I said things about him—about how he has served and what he has overcome—that he could not say about himself, because he is that kind of man. He has faced long odds before, but he has never quit, never relented, and tonight America rewarded a lifetime of service, honor, and valor.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have the distinct privilege of being the first to introduce him as the President-elect of United States of America—John S. McCain.

CONCESSION SPEECH

Thank you all so much. It’s been just 68 days since that afternoon in Dayton, Ohio, when Senator McCain introduced me as his running mate. And at the time, for me, it felt that such a moment could never be matched…that I would never again feel so proud to have been chosen. But it turns out I was mistaken. Tonight, in hard and honorable defeat, I am more proud than ever to be the running mate and friend of a great man, Senator John McCain.

My fellow Americans, tens of millions of you shared our convictions and gave us your votes. And I thank you for your confidence. For us, it was not our time… not our moment. But it is our country… the winner will be our president… and I wish Barack Obama well as the 44th president of the United States.

If he governs America with the skill and grace we have often seen in him, and the greatness of which he is capable, we’re gonna be just fine. And when a black citizen prepares to fill the office of Washington and Lincoln, that is a shining moment in our history that can be lost on no one. Barack Obama has achieved a great thing, for himself and for our country, and I congratulate him. God bless you and your beautiful family, President-Elect Obama.

I spoke this evening to the gentlemen from Delaware. And let me again congratulate this good man and his fine family on a wonderful moment in their lives. I wish Joe Biden only the best as our 47th vice president.

As for my own family, well, it’s been quite a journey these past 69 days. And we are ready to return to a place and a life we love. I told my husband Todd to look at the upside: Now, at least, he can clear his schedule, and get ready for championship title number five in the Iron Dog snow machine race! Along the way in this campaign, it was Todd, as always, who helped with the children, gave me advice, and kept me strong. There are a lot of men in this world could learn a few things from Todd Palin. And I am so lucky that after a couple of decades, five kids, and a presidential campaign, he is still my guy.

Among Todd’s many winning qualities are the gift of optimism and thankfulness in all situations. And I suppose I’ll be counting on those qualities a little more than usual in the days to come. But far from returning to the great State of Alaska with any sense of sorrow, we will carry with us the best of memories… and joyful experiences that do not depend on victory.

I will remember all the young girls who came up to me to our rallies, sometimes taking off from school, just to see only the second women ever nominated by a major party in a national election. They know that in America there should be no ceilings on achievement, glass or otherwise. And if I could help point the way for these young women, or inspire them to use their own gifts and find their own opportunities, it was a privilege.

I will remember all the people who said they were praying for me—you prayer warriors have been my strength and my shield. I will remember all the Blue Star Moms, and the special bond we share with our loved ones at war, fighting for all of us. I will remember all the veterans of war and former POW’s I had the honor of meeting. I will remember the working people of this country who put their faith in us… the folks who run our factories, grow our food, teach our children, and fight our wars… men and women like the construction worker and new American citizen who said at one of our rallies: “I was born in Columbia, but I was made in the USA.”

And for their example and their love, I will remember with gratitude all the families with special needs children. How could I ever forget the sight of a banner held up high to say “We Are Here For Trig”? How could I ever forget a boy like Charlie, a fine young man we met at a rally in Florida who has Down Syndrome? Charlie and I swapped email addresses, and the last time he replied he said, “By the way, please don’t call me ‘darlin’—it’s not tough enough.” So tonight, a special shout-out to you, Chuck… darlin’. And let me repeat what I told you, because it applies to you and to all children and adults with special needs across America: You are beautiful, and I am so proud to know that my boy Trig will grow up to be just like you… it’s time America shows you her good heart.

Above all, I am grateful to the man who took a chance on me. From that moment to this, I have had the rare enough privilege in politics of praising a candidate whose story, character, and personal heroism required no embellishment. I said things about him—about how valiantly he has served and what he has overcome—things he could not say about himself, because he is that kind of man. It would be a happier night if elections were a test of valor and merit alone, but that is not for us to question now. Enough to say it has been the honor of a lifetime to fight at the side of John S. McCain.

To the Senator, Cindy, and your amazing family—thank you. I honor you. I love you.

America has made her choice. As for me, my convictions, my loyalties, and my hopes for this country remain the same. Now it is time for us go our way, neither bitter nor vanquished, but instead confident in the knowledge that there will be another day… and we may gather once more… and find new strength… and rise to fight again. Thank you all. May God protect, guide, and bless America!

Palin to Start Lower 48 Speaking Tour Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:45:00 +0000

A record crowd is expected tonight at the Wisconsin Exposition Center as Sarah Palin addresses Wisconsin Right to Life. The speech is simply being called - The Sarah Palin Event.

Once again, Sarah Palin is frustrating the media who has been told in no uncertain terms - keep out! Also, to eliminate the chance of anything leaking out - no cell phones, cameras, laptops, or recording devices of any kind.

The democrats in the state and the media are making a big deal about the restrictions. Haven't they learned by now? Sarah plays by her own rules.

Also, on December 2, Sarah Palin will speak at the College of The Ozarks about patriotism, citizenship and civic engagement.

Those seeking tickets may call 690-2240. Tickets are limited, and they will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Sarah Palin is a great example of an individual who became involved in her small town community and whose efforts and success eventually placed her in the national spotlight,” said Sue Head, executive director of College's Keeter Center for Character Education told a local newspaper. “We are looking forward to hosting her at the college.”

And finally, on February 5, Sarah Palin will speak to the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce...and they are having a little trouble.

From Salina.com

Because of an overwhelming number of requests, the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce has suspended the sale of tickets to its annual dinner, which will feature former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

"At this point, I am not saying that we're sold out," Chamber president and CEO Dennis Lauver said early Thursday afternoon. "If you've already called us or contacted us, either electronically or by phone, or stopped by our office, what we're asking is that you be patient and not initiate a new request at this time. We are processing those requests at this time."

Chamber officials have also -- at least temporarily -- quit taking phone, e-mail and walk-in requests for tickets to the Feb. 5 annual meeting, Lauver said.

Lauver said all 1,408 dinner seats have been spoken for. The chamber determined, including gallery seats, that they will have 4,000 seats available for the annual meeting. Once workers have processed the requests that have been made, he will know whether further ticket requests can be filled.

Lauver didn't know when the number of tickets to be made available would be established. He said chamber officials were meeting at the Bicentennial Center on Thursday afternoon to try to establish a seating scheme.

Lauver said a record number of ticket requests already had been received, and his office had been overwhelmed.

The previous record for ticket sales for a chamber annual meeting, he said, was about 1,500.

"We are at more than double that right now," he said.

To paraphrase the famous line from the movie "Jaws" - "You're gonna need a bigger building."

Courting A Palin Endorsement

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:56:00 +0000

Chicago Congressman Mark Kirk saw the writing on the wall and that is why he reached out to Sarah Palin for and endorsement.

If I were Mark Kirk, I wouldn't expect to get it.

But the story shows where the Republican party is headed and the power that Sarah Palin holds. She, more than any other possible 2012 candidate, is seen as the keeper of true Ronald Reagan Conservative values. her endorsement brings money, attention and a likely victory, especially in a Republican primary.

She is being called the Republican "Endorser-in-Chief."

We told you here that Republican Candidates would now be forming a line from Alaska to the lower 48 to get her endorsement. Mark Kirk jumped to the front of the line when a memo to powerful GOP operative and Palin friend Fred Malek was leaked to the press. Chris Cillizza first reported the story on The Fix blog for the Washington Post.

After noting that Palin will be in Chicago later this month to appear on "Oprah", Kirk writes that "the Chicago media will focus on one key issue: Does Gov[ernor] Palin oppose Congressman Mark Kirk's bid to take the Obama Senate seat for the Republicans?"

Kirk goes on to write that he is hoping for something "quick and decisive" from Palin about the race, perhaps to the effect of: "Voters in Illinois have a key opportunity to take Barack Obama's Senate seat. Congressman Kirk is the lead candidate to do that."

Chris followed up his Wednesday post with this nugget about the fear Palin is sending through Republican moderates.:

The news that Illinois Rep. Mark Kirk (R) is actively seeking the backing of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin in his Senate primary race is the latest evidence of the power the 2008 vice presidential nominee carries -- thanks to the fact that she has become the voice of the angry right. The rumor that Palin is considering weighing in on a race is enough to set a candidate on edge; witness the nervousness of Gov. Charlie Crist (R-Fla.) at simply the whisper that Palin was likely to endorsed former state House speaker Marco Rubio in the Florida Senate primary. (It's not happening, according to Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton, who says an it's too early for an endorsement of either Rubio or Crist.) Palin is, by all accounts, focused heavily on her book, which hits shelves on Nov. 17, and isn't jonesing to throw herself into a series of primary fights any time soon.

And that is good news for Mark kirk.

The best Representative Kirk could hope for is that Palin endorses neither leading Republican candidate candidate in the Illinois primary because it is highly doubtful that he would get her endorsement.

Mark Kirk's voting record shows him to be a moderate Republican. In the primary for the US Senate Seat formerly held by Barack Obama, he is running against real estate developer and anti-tax advocate Patrick Hughes, who is a staunch conservative.

A new analysis of polling shows Republicans in the state are overwhelmingly Conservative.

The ideological background of the primary electorate appears to favor a candidate such as Patrick Hughes. Seven in ten respondents (69%) described themselves as ideologically conservative, compared to only a quarter (25%) of respondents describing themselves as ideologically moderate

Hughes quickly used the Kirk story to his advantage:

"I believe Mark Kirk, who has consistently supported President Obama's legislative agenda, including cap and trade legislation, is quickly realizing that Republican Primary voters do not share his extreme views," Hughes said in a statement. "In a desperate attempt to prove otherwise, he is seeking the endorsement of Sarah Palin, a true Reagan conservative, to help disguise his liberal voting record."

It will be interesting to see what Sarah Palin ends up doing when she travels to Chicago in two weeks to tape the Oprah interview. My guess is that she will stay out of the Illinois race.

It seems apparent that Mark Kirk sent the request because he feared Palin might endorse Hughes. It was a preemptive strike after seeing the results of the 2009 General Election - a republican conservative sweep in state races - and the power of a Palin endorsement in NY-23.

But his attempt to preempt may have backfired. With all the attention that any Palin story gets, he has been outed as a desperate wanna-be Conservative. Watch the polls in the next week as Patrick Hughes goes ahead and Sarah didn't even have to lift a finger on her Facebook keyboard.

More from Rush on Sarah Palin

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:38:00 +0000

Rush Limbaugh - "You can't tell me that after what we've been through with Obama, Sarah Palin wouldn't be a welcome change."

A Republican Candidate Asking For Palin's Help to Win Obama's Senate Seat

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:32:00 +0000

A Republican running for Senate in Illinois can feel the political winds blowing. Congressman Mark Kirk billed himself as a moderate, but is ready to swing to the right and wants Sarah Palin to help him.

From The Chicago Tribune:

U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk asked a national Republican power broker to secure an endorsement by conservative former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin when she hits town later this month to appear on the "Oprah Winfrey Show," according to a memo obtained by the Tribune today.

The request came a day after Kirk, who has long billed himself as a moderate, dodged questions from reporters about whether he would want Palin, the controversial 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate, to raise campaign money for him.

According to the memo, Kirk asked the power broker, Fred Malek, if he could have Palin “say something quick and decisive” to back Kirk’s candidacy during her scheduled Nov. 16 trip to Chicago to appear on Oprah.

“The Chicago media will focus on one key issue: does Gov. Palin oppose Congressman Mark Kirk’s bid to take the Obama Senate seat for the Republicans,” states the memo, which was first reported by the Washington Post.

Sarah Palin will be kick off her book tour on Oprah November 16.

It was also announced that on November 17, Barbara Walters will air the first installment of her interview with Sarah Palin on Good Morning America. The interview will be broken up into a five part series

Sarah Palin posted more about the upcoming "Going Rogue" book tour on Facebook:

I am very, very excited about the upcoming road trip for my book. It will be an honor to meet as many of you as possible!

“Going Rogue” publisher HarperCollins is working hard to schedule book signings across the nation, and we’ll be announcing the locations in the next day or two. I’ve decided to travel to cities outside of the typical book tour venues, and I hope to cover as much of the country as I can.

We’re in the process of arranging interviews with local and national media. An interview with Oprah Winfrey is already scheduled, and I’m also hoping to have the opportunity to talk with Bill O’Reilly, Barbara Walters, Sean Hannity, Greta Van Susteren, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham, Dennis Miller, Tammy Bruce, and others, including local Alaska personalities Bob & Mark and Eddie Burke. (Variety is the spice of life!)

Can’t wait to hit the road. Can’t wait to see you!

- Sarah Palin

Facebook Message From Sarah Palin

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:49:00 +0000

Congratulations to the new Governors-Elect of Virginia and New Jersey! I’d also like to offer a special word of support to the new Lieutenant Governor-Elect of New Jersey, Kim Guadagno, the first woman to hold that office.

Of course, the real victors in this election are the ordinary men and women who voted for positive change and a return to fiscal sanity. Your voices have been heard.

The race for New York’s 23rd District is not over, just postponed until 2010. The issues of this election have always centered on the economy – on the need for fiscal restraint, smaller government, and policies that encourage jobs. In 2010, these issues will be even more crucial to the electorate. I commend Doug Hoffman and all the other under-dog candidates who have the courage to put themselves out there and run against the odds.

To the tireless grassroots patriots who worked so hard in that race and to future citizen-candidates like Doug, please remember Reagan’s words of encouragement after his defeat in 1976:

“The cause goes on. Don't get cynical because look at yourselves and what you were willing to do, and recognize that there are millions and millions of Americans out there that want what you want, that want it to be that way, that want it to be a shining city on a hill.”

The cause goes on.

- Sarah Palin

The Delusional David Axelrod

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:29:00 +0000

After being embarrassed by Gubernatorial losses in Virginia and New Jersey - two states that Barack Obama won in 208 - two states where Independents chose Conservative Republicans over the Democrats - two states where the President spent political capital - the White House chose to stay silent and claim that the President wasn't even watching the returns.

But big mouth David Axelrod just can't help himself. The delusional one said:

“I don't think these elections reflect any particular national trends, other than the situation within the Republican Party. I certainly think to the extent we're involved, the president probably had something to do with Corzine's revival. … I think the big news in the race was the one that occurred before anybody voted, which was that the Republican nominee was booted off the ballot by the Palinistas. It sends a chilling message to moderate Republicans. ... They're driving folks our way."

Um, David, Independents went for the Republican candidates, you lost two whole states and a Conservative third party candidate almost beat you in NY-23. You may want to shut up now. And you need to get your mind off of Sarah Palin - it's just too weird.

A Bad Night To Be Barack Obama

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:53:00 +0000

This is probably not the change he had hoped for.

Southwest Airlines runs television ads that show someone in an embarrassing situation and then the announcer asks "Wanna get away?" President Obama took that suggestion today and got out of Washington:

As the headline on the Politico44 site blared:

After a disappointing election night Tuesday, President Obama heads to Madison, Wis., to deliver a speech on education. He'll meet with middle school students, along with Education Secretary Arne Duncan, before making remarks.

But let's face it: We all know what the Wednesday news cycle's going to be about …

John Harris and Jonathan Martin saw it this way in their coverage entitled Democrats, Incumbents Get Wake Up Call for Politico:

Eager to drain the 2009 elections of drama and import, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs claimed Tuesday night that President Barack Obama was “not watching returns.”

You can be sure that he is studying them closely now: The off-year elections were in two big races an unmistakable rebuke of Democrats, reshuffling Obama’s political circumstances in ways likely to have severe near-term consequences for his policy agenda and larger governing strategy.

Independents took flight from Democrats. They suffered humiliating gubernatorial losses in traditionally Democratic New Jersey, where Obama lent his prestige in a pair of 11th-hour campaign rallies Sunday, and in Virginia, which had been trending leftward and just last year was held up as an example of how Obama was redrawing the political map in his favor.

Tuesday night’s trends were emphatically not in Obama’s favor. Among those paying closest attention are dozens of Democrats who won formerly Republican congressional districts in 2006 and 2008 and are up for re-election in 2010. Many of these pick-ups that powered the Democrats’ recapture of Congress came in Southern and Border states, or the Ohio River Valley, where political conditions are similar to those in Virginia.

But perhaps John Dickerson put it best in an article for Slate entitled How Last Night's Elections Were Bad For Obama:
Voters are very jittery about the economy. In both New Jersey and Virginia, voters listed it as their top priority. Those voters overwhelmingly voted for Republicans. That's not good for Obama or his party going into the 2010 elections—unless, of course, the jobs picture turns around. A Democracy Corps poll sounded a warning on Election Day. In the 60 closest congressional districts, Republicans scored somewhat better than Democrats on the economy, particularly with messages that focused on the deficit.

Here's more bad news for Obama and Democrats in 2010. Turnout for Democrats wasn't very good. Everyone knew that the Obama Democrats of 2008 wouldn't turn out. But the president visited both New Jersey and Virginia at least in part to help turn out the Democratic base. The number of young voters and African-American voters, both of whom were such a strong part of Obama's coalition, were down in both contests. In Virginia, African-American turnout was 15 percent, down from 20 percent in 2008. Voters aged 18 to 29 made up only 10 percent of the vote, down over 50 percent from last year.

Yep, it was bad night to be Barack Obama. And if the economy doesn't come around, 2010 will be a bad year for the same.

Sarah Palin Comes So Close To Pulling Off A Miracle in NY-23

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:02:00 +0000

Congratulations to Democrat Bill Owens in NY-23. He ran a great campaign and took advantage of the Republican bunglers who put up an awful candidate, who eventually was forced to drop out.

Of course, Bill Owens still had a race on his hand against a third party candidate who was carried on the wind of a Facebook posting by Sarah Palin.

Think about that - ONE FACEBOOK POSTING brought Doug Hoffman one million dollars, 10 points in the polls, forced the Republican to drop out and something that is unheard of in the days of two party dominance - a strong third party candidate based on Conservative ideology. All that from ONE FACEBOOK POSTING.

In the end third party candidate Doug Hoffman got 45.2% of the vote, but did not have the organization to defeat the money and the organization of the Democratic party and the traitor Dede Scazzafava who endorsed Owens. (Scazzafava ended up with 5.5% of the vote.)

A referendum on Palin? Maybe, but what is the lesson? - that she can attract unprecedented National attention to anything she focuses on - that she can force a liberal Republican out of the race - that she can raise money quickly - and that she can make a third party candidate viable. And she can do all of that with a Facebook Post.

She did everything but pull of the miracle of a win....but she still came close enough to get every one's attention.

Joe Biden Can't Get His Mind Off Of Sarah Palin

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:05:00 +0000

Joe Biden's obsession with Sarah Palin would be funny if it wasn't so sad. Poor Joe has become little more than a punchline since becoming Vice President; ridiculed by Saturday night Live and Late Night Talk Show Hosts.

Your probably heard that crazy old Uncle Joe was campaigning in NY-23 for yet another Democrat who is going to lose tonight. It must hurt Biden that the only reason his trip to New York got any national news coverage at all is that he mentioned Sarah Palin's name.

And Joe brought up Sarah out of nowhere, like he has Palin Tourettes' Syndrome. And then said - "This isn't a cheap shot" and then made a cheap shot.

Poor Joe seems to still be reeling from the debate last year when Sarah Palin got all of the ink and people praised her performance. The same debate where Joe Biden made two dozen huge factual errors.

Our friends at the American Power Blog put it best:

This is almost a cathartic release of some long-suppressed anger and frustration for Joseph Biden. Palin's not on the ballot anywhere tomorrow. Sure, she's a player, but it's inescapable that this man is harboring a lot of pain from last year's whoopin' in the V.P. debate -- indeed, it's clear Biden's been nursing a grudge.

But, of course, the best response was from Sarah Palin herself on Facebook.

Response to Vice President Biden's Comments Today About My Position On Energy Independence

As the vice president knows, I have always advocated an all-of-the-above approach to American energy independence. Among other things, my alternative energy goal for Alaska sits at 50 percent because Alaska reached more than 20 percent during my term in office. The Obama-Biden administration, on the other hand, recently announced a renewable goal of only 25 percent. However, domestic drilling should remain a top priority in order to meet America’s consumption and security needs.

The vice president’s extreme opposition to domestic energy development goes all the way back to 1973 when he opposed the Alaska pipeline bill. As Ann Coulter pointed out, “Biden cast one of only five votes against the pipeline that has produced more than 15 billion barrels of oil, supplied nearly 20 percent of this nation’s oil, created tens of thousands of jobs, added hundreds of billions of dollars to the U.S. economy and reduced money transfers to the nation’s enemies by about the same amount.”

This nonsensical opposition to American domestic energy development continues to this day. Apparently the Obama-Biden administration only approves of offshore drilling in Brazil, where it will provide security and jobs for Brazilians. This election is about American security and American jobs.

There’s one way to tell Vice President Biden that we’re tired of folks in Washington distorting our message and hampering our nation’s progress: Hoffman, Baby, Hoffman!

- Sarah Palin

This, as ABC News pointed out, is Biden versus Palin: the rematch. The winner will be announced tonight. Sarah Palin endorsed Conservative Candidate Doug Hoffman. Joe Biden flew to upstate New York to campaign for Democrat Bill Owens.

Sarah Palin's Appeal To Virginia Voters

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:57:00 +0000

Sarah Palin is pumping a robocall into Virginia urging voters in tomorrow’s gubernatorial election to vote — not for GOP candidate Bob McDonnell, but for “our principles.”

Here is the audio of the robocall:

Again, the script makes no mention of McDonnell, who is expected to defeat Democrat Creigh Deeds easily today, but is a direct appeal to Conservative voters to get to the polls. Here is the script:

“Virginia, hello, this is Sarah Palin calling to urge you to go to the polls Tuesday and vote to share our principles. The eyes of America will be on Virginia and make no mistake about it, every vote counts. So don’t take anything for granted, vote your values on Tuesday, and urge your friends and family to vote, too.”

Meg Stapleton, a spokeswoman for Palin, confirmed the authenticity of the calls.

According to the call, the phone blitz is being paid for by the Virginia Faith and Freedom Coalition, the state branch of a national conservative group founded by former Christian Coalition director Ralph Reed.

Sarah Palin Calls 2009 Candidate a Liar!

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:27:00 +0000

Sarah Palin is now involved in another big 2009 race. This time she is accusing one of the candidates of an outright lie!

Three races will be getting a lot of attention on Tuesday, the Congressional race in NY-23 and the Gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey.

In Virginia, Republican Bob McDonnell now has a double digit lead in the polls and is expected to win easily over Democrat Creigh Deeds.

In the Congressional race, Sarah Palin has played Kingmaker. She endorsed Conservative Party Candidate Doug Hoffman over liberal Republican Dede Scozzafava and forced the Scozzafava out of the race.

Right now the race in New Jersey is a toss-up. Unpopular Democratic Governor John Corzine gets 44 percent of the vote in a new Farleigh Dickinson Poll to 43 percent for Chris Christie and Independent Chris Daggett gets 6 percent. Some recent polls have had Daggett as high as 15 percent.

Many in New Jersey have questioned why Daggett even stay in the race, since he doesn't seem to be able to win. Daggett was asked that question On MSNBC today and this is what he said:

"I have had Republicans come in from Rudy Giuliani to Sarah Palin to Christy Mihos, who's running for governor in Massachusetts -- people in the New Jersey Republican Party. And to be honest with you, they don't understand. I'm not running as a disgruntled Republican. I'm running as a person who believes that neither party has been willing or able to step up to the issues that face the state and make the tough decisions."

Well, that statement sent Sarah Palin to her computer to type the following on her Facebook page:

Despite what candidate Chris Daggett is claiming, I have never contacted him or his campaign. I have never asked him to drop out of the NJ Governor's race. Now, if a politician is going to play loose with facts like this, the electorate needs to know it.
So, to the good people of New Jersey, please know that Daggett's claims are false. I've never even suggested he should drop out of the race. But, come to think of it...

- Sarah Palin

As Talking Points Memo put it -

"Palin took issue with Independent candidate Chris Daggett's assertion that she tried to pressure him to drop out of the New Jersey race -- and then implied that he should."

If Daggett were to drop out of the race, Christie would win easily. Corzine's approval rating is about 37 percent and New Jersey is in bad shape.

Dagget has been pushing hard in the last few days. During last night's World Series, he ran ads in both the New York and Philadelphia markets. Where does an Independent candidate get enough money to pay for World Series ads? Many think Corzine, who is indepenently wealthy frm his days on Wall Street, is financing the Daggett campaign.

Still, it does not see like Daggett is going to bow to pressure to drop out. Chris Christie was afraid to have Sarah Palin come in and campaign for him in a state where Conservative candidates traditionally don't perform well in statewide races.

If he loses Tuesday, he may regret that decision. Sarah Palin could bring him much needed crowds and media attention for the final push. Maybe its not too late.

As it stands right now, this race is too close to call - thanks to Daggett and his mystery money.

Rush Says Sarah Ready to Be President

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:36:00 +0000

NY-23: Sarah Palin Wins, Again

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:46:00 +0000

It is fascinating to see how the special election in Congressional District NY-23 is influencing the 2012 Republican Presidential race. More importantly, it is a real test of political influence. Once again, Sarah Palin showed real leadership by being the first of the 2012 candidates to endorse the Conservative Party Candidate over the Moderate, Pro-Choice Republican.

And now that the Republican has stepped aside, Sarah Palin action's have been vindicated - once again. The AP has a nice, concise look at the happenings and players in NY-23:

In a class move, Sarah Palin has reached out through Facebook to thank Dede Scozzafava:

I want to personally thank Republican Dede Scozzafava for acting so selflessly today in the NY District 23 race. Now it's time to cross the finish line with Doug Hoffman so that he can get to work for District 23 and the rest of America.

With Congress poised to overhaul one-sixth of our economy with so-called health care “reform” (which is really a government takeover of health care) and with plans to enact a cap-and-tax bill just as our economy struggles to recover, Doug Hoffman will be a voice for fiscal responsibility and common sense in Washington.

We need candidates like Doug now more than ever. In these final days of the campaign, it's vital that Doug continue to receive the enthusiastic support of those who want to bring common sense to Washington. Let’s help make it happen! You can help Doug by visiting his official website today and offering your support: https://www.doughoffmanforcongress.com/donate3.html

- Sarah Palin

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who seems to trail behind Sarah palin in everything, also endorsed Doug Hoffman - right after Sarah Palin did. The Minnesota Independent blog reminds us that Governor "Me Too" also had a reaction to the Scozzafava withdrawal on Twitter:

Republican @DougforCongress now has clearest path to victory yet. Time for all to join the fight. #tcot #rs #biggovt

Other 2012 Republican Candidates, including Governor's Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, showed no leadership by sitting the race out and endorsing neither Hoffman or Scozzafava.

But the most interesting NY-23 move by a potential 2012 candidate came from Newt Gingrich, who endorsed Scozzafava, abandoning his Conservative base.

Don Surber in The Daily Mail has an interesting post entitled Newt supports Hoffman (now that Scozzafava is out)

Surber point out that New Gingrich reacted to the withdrawal in the National Review online with this statement.

Hoffman Emerges [Newt Gingrich]

The emergence of Doug Hoffman as the only alternative to a pro-tax increase, pro-Pelosi liberal is a victory for Mike Long and the Conservative party, in alliance with the national conservative movement and talk radio.

The challenge for the next three days is to convince every Republican who opposes Pelosi and opposes tax increases that Doug Hoffman is the only vote that can stop the Left on Tuesday.

In a district that has double-digit unemployment, tax increases are a threat to further crush the economy.

If taxes are the key issue, the Democrats will suffer a significant defeat.

In all three elections Tuesday the Democrat is going to run ten to twenty points behind Obama's share a year ago.

That is dramatic decay for a brand in 12 months.

— Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House of Representatives

Surber then reminds us of what Newt said at a book signing jut a few days ago:

The Washington Independent sums it up best in an article entitled NY-23: What happens? Who Wins? Who Loses?

Would-be Republican leaders such as Newt Gingrich, and to a lesser extent Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, have done themselves some damage by not getting on Hoffman’s bandwagon when it counted. Gingrich, in particular, who appeared on Fox News to make the case for Scozzafava, has quickly become a ridiculed figure among Tea Party activists.

The big winner here is Sarah Palin who's endorsement received the most attention and attracted over a million dollars in campaign contributions to Doug Hoffman and catapulted him to the front of the public opinion polls. In NY-23 Sarah Palin flexed her political might - you know, the same political might that detractors claim is non-existent - and proved, once again, she is a powerful force in American politics. And what frightens the old guard of the Republican party and the Democratic opposition the most is - she doesn't have to play by the old rules. Sarah Palin is paving her own way. And as Newt Gingrich found out, much to his own embarrassment, ii is best to either get behind her or get paved over.

How The Media Gives A Negative Spin To A Palin Story

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:56:00 +0000

The headlines caught my eye:

"Iowa Group Winces At $100,000 for Palin Speech"

"Palin's 'Really Odd' Fee"

"Iowa Group Says 'No Thanks' To Expensive Sarah Palin"

Those headlines last week, and dozens of others, would lead one to believe that Sarah Palin was trying to soak a Conservative group in Iowa for her $100,000 dollars speaking fee and that the group turned her down.

As usual, that is not the story at all. I have learned from past Sarah Palin appearance stories to give it a few days and let it play out. The truth always comes out, albeit too late.

The credit for getting the truth out this time goes to Politico.com This is what Ben Smith wrote to clear things up:

The Iowa Family Policy Center makes official what Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton suggested to me earlier this week: that the former Alaska governor won't be appearing before the social conservative group later this month.

Apparently, issuing a statement before she commits suggesting she may be coming and dangling $100,000 at her isn't the way to coax Palin into an appearance.

The group's statement today:

Iowa Family Policy Center ACTION received word this morning that Governor Sarah Palin is unable to accept our speaking invitation due to her book tour contractual commitments, which cannot be changed.

We extended our invitation knowing she would be in the middle of her book tour and the chances of her being able to accept any invitations were extremely slim.

In the meantime, some Iowa Republican activists had complained the policy center and a pro-Palin group based in Washington, D.C. were raising money for her to attend the fundraiser.

"She has asked if she could speak at a future mutually agreeable date. She will not accept any fees for her appearance," English said in the statement.

So here is the truth - the Iowa Family Policy Center did want Sarah Palin to speak at its convention on November 21. The group was told that Sarah Palin had other commitments because of the November 17 release of her book "Going Rogue" and the following book tour. The group persisted and attempted to raise the six figure fee that The Washington Speakers Bureau is asking for a Palin appearance. Because the group is in Iowa, a key state for 2012 presidential contenders, some of its members were offended that the leadership was trying to raise money for a speech by a potential candidate, who should be happy at the chance to speak in the state. Sarah Palin's people told the group that it is not about the money, she would be more than happy to speak at a later date for no fee. She just cannot in late November. End of the non-story.

But in the world of Sarah Palin, everything is a story, even the in-fighting of a small Republican group in Iowa.

Here is why the media jumped on the story - it allowed outlets to perpetuate the same false narrative about Palin that started a year ago. The headline and the accompanying stories would lead you to believe that A) Sarah Palin was just after the money - making her a hypocrite who quit to cash in and even turned down a group she believes in because they couldn't pony up the cash; B) Sarah Palin again is a "no show" to an event because of miscommunication from her not ready for prime time Alaskan staff; and C) That Sarah Palin is such a political neophyte that she clumsily insulted Conservatives in Iowa, thus hurting her chances for a run in 2012.

All story lines the media has been promoting - All untrue, especially with this story - or non-story.

Even today when the story was exposed as bogus, the headlines continued as Reuters asks "Is Palin's Fee Too Steep For Iowa?"

Again, just to be clear, it has nothing to do with the fee. She's on her book tour. She will be back later - for free. *Sigh*

Big Kudos to Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin from Politico and people like Tom Beaumont from the Des Moines register and Holly Bailey from Newsweek who got the story right.

Sarah Palin's Candidate in New York Special Election is Now a Shoo-In

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:53:00 +0000

Sarah Palin spent some political capital by endorsing Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in the special election for the open 23rd Congressional district in upstate New York.

Palin backed the conservative Hoffman over the Republican endorsed candidate Dede Scozzafava, a moderate.

The move received a lot of national attention and was seen as a test of Palin's political power.

Palin must now be given an "A" on the test - as we have this from the CNN political Ticker:

Republican Dede Scozzafava dropped out of New York's 23rd District special election Saturday, citing a slip in the polls as a factor contributing to her decision.

"In recent days, polls have indicated that my chances of winning this election are not as strong as we would like them to be," Scozzafava said in a statement released by her campaign.

"The reality that I've come to accept is that in today's political arena, you must be able to back up your message with money, and as I've been outspent on both sides, I've been unable to effectively address many of the charges that have been made about my record."

The announcement was made as the latest Sienna Research poll shows Scozzafava trailing Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman and Democrat Bill Owens by 15 points. Hoffman and Owens are locked in a neck-and-neck battle in next Tuesday's contest.

With Scozzafava out of the way, Hoffman is expected to now win by a landslide in the traditionally Republican district.

In short, Sarah Palin once again bucks traditional political wisdom - the national media takes its shots - and Sarah wins again.

The line of Republicans, Blue Dog Democrats, and Conservative Independent candidates now seeking Sarah Palin's endorsement is lined up from Alaska to the lower 48.

Sarah Palin and Levi Johnston To Square Off in Court

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:58:00 +0000

It seems impossible, but the battle between Sarah Palin and he almost son-in-law is about to get even uglier.

In an interview with the a London newspaper (they are just as obsessed with Sarah across the pond), Levi Johnston says he will take the Palin's to court

"The dispute is over Tripp, his infant son by Palin's eldest daughter, Bristol: he claims Palin is preventing him from seeing the child.

'I'm up to the point where I can't see my kid again. I'm done. I'm sure we'll end up in court. We're definitely going to court,' Johnston, 19, said in an interview in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city.

In the past few weeks, Levi Johnston has been selling himself to every and any buyer. He embarrassed himself by allowing comedian Kathy Griffin to use him as a prop for publicity and laughs. And just recently he agreed to pose nude for Playgirl magazine.

Is it no wonder the Palin's may not want him around?

"Johnston said his relationship with the Palin family was entering another bad phase where his calls were not being returned, even though he said he was now paying child support.

He has not seen Tripp for several weeks, and he blamed Sarah Palin personally for that: 'Bristol listens to her mom. Sarah says something, Bristol is going to follow."

Levi Johnston has been leveling outrageous accusation after accusation directly at Sarah Palin, accusations that even the main stream media has decried as despicable. Levi now says he did it to get even.

Palin has responded to Johnston's recent criticisms by using the American media to accuse him of peddling flat-out lies and exaggerations, adding it was unfortunate that he chose to exploit his former relationship with Bristol than care for the well being of their child.

Sarah Palin's lawyer, Thomas Van Flein, said: "Other than noting that Tripp's father is always welcome to visit his son, we are unable to respond to these allegations as it is inappropriate to discuss child custody matters publicly."

Johnston admitted to the Guardian that comments he made to Vanity Fair and other outlets calling Palin a distant mother and a political hypocrite were partly made in retaliation. "If they had let me see my kid, I wouldn't have done any of that."

Asked whether he worried that his outspoken remarks about Tripp's grandmother might be harmful to the child, he replied: "I don't know. I hope not, but what else are you going to do?"

You can read the entire article in the guardian by clicking here.

You can also listen to the phone interview with Levi Johnston by href="Link to this">clicking here.

One final note, as Sarah Palin gets ready to campaign for 2010 candidates - go on an extensive book tour starting with an interview with Oprah - make six figure International speeches - and possibly begin a 2012 campaign for President - a court fight with Levi Johnston is something Sarah Palin does not want.

This must be settled before it gets even uglier - and as impossible as that sounds - if it goes to court it will get uglier.

Palin Obsession

noreply@blogger.com (Editor) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:11:00 +0000

Interesting debate about America's obsession with Sarah Palin