Oh, please.
Any idiot can get a blog on DKos. And this ridiculous accusation is proof that many idiots do.
Oh, wait. That was Andrew Sullivan’s link.
Here’s the Daily Kos moron’s blog.
These unerring detectives have Photographic! Evidence! that will shock you!!
And they’ve been slammed to the mat by—facts.
Unless Bristol was pregnant for fourteen months, the baby is Sarah Palin’s. And it’s been confirmed by Kos Kiddie “Red Pen”:
Unless someone has counter evidence, we can drop this crap now. Yes, there are still some interesting questions, such as why she flew to Dallas and back when she was this pregnant, and why the Alaska Airlines crewmembers insisted that she was not visibly pregnant on the flight. Nevertheless, until this photo is debunked, we look stupid pushing this rumor.
That is all.
Morons. Sexist, misogynist sons of bitches. STUPID sexist, misogynist sons of bitches.
Way to prove how progessive you are, lefties. Way to keep women wanting to vote for your candidate. Just keep on slamming Sarah at every opportunity, sinking lower and lower as you go, and you will drive me firmly into the arms of the right. You’ve already lost me for two Presidential elections. That’s right, you lost a feminist who was a lifelong Democratic voter. At this rate, you will never get me back.
Update: Sarah Palin’s daughter is pregnant. Doesn’t change a word I wrote in this post.
It looks like this rumor has been debunked by Bristol herself, unless some biological miracle allowed her to get pregnant one month before giving birth to Trig. Palin’s office has announced that Bristol is 5 months pregnant now, and will marry the father of the child. It was also announced that the campaign was aware of the pregnancy before she was chosen for VP. Now we can concentrate on the real issues, like what would the country would look like if Palin falls into the presidency. I, for one, am praying that it never happens.
Not that it’s anyone’s business, but according to NYTimes Bristol Palin is actually pregnant now http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/01/palins-17-year-old-daughter-is-pregnant/?hp
As my wife says, athletic women like Palin (who runs marathons) often do not show pregancy to the extent that non-athletic women usually do. In any case, this was a very weird Kos exercise which mainly serves to show how desperate they are to save Barry’s campaign.
It does turn out that her daughter is pregnant. But that’s a whole different kettle of fish than saying she covered for her daughter. Dean Barnett did a really good takedown of Andrew Sullivan and Alan Colmes. Protein Wisdom was even better, but it was rather PG 13 and I (try to) run a family (friendly) blog.
Meryl, I have been quietly reading your blog for years and years … long enough that I thought I had some sense of where you stood on the issues. But your vociferous support for Palin surprises me. I am at least as surprised as you once were when liberals would not accept you for the centrist whom you once claimed to be.
Ms. Palin supports the criminalization of abortion, and her anti-abortion position is the same for instances of rape and incest:
http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/2006/governor/story/8372383p-8266781c.html
Just the other day, Pat Buchanan stated on “Hardball” that Palin had been an active supporter of his presidential campaign. Of course Palin is belatedly distancing herself from Buchanan, but she sported a Buchanan for President button to welcome him and his campaign to Alaska. It makes sense, since their hard-right politics align well.
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/jstreet/350730/sarah_palin_buchananite
I do not have a link at hand, but Palin has stated very clearly time and again that she puts Alaska and Alaska’s needs first. That sounds great for the Governor of Alaska, until you find out that she has been quite warm with the party looking to have Alaska secede from the U.S. That party’s leader is buried in Canada, because he refused to be buried under American sovereignty. America first?
As for environmental issues that will be critical over the next few years, Palin makes George Bush look like a tree-hugger in his administration’s protection of polar bears and has sued to overturn those protections … along with the American Petroleum Institute, an entity not noted for its support of Israel.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/30/AR2008083001538.html?hpid=sec-nation
My lack of comments here are because I have had very little to add to what you write. But the sexist attacks on Palin — yes, you are correct about that and I do not deny it — are the same from the Left as those from the Right were against Hillary Clinton. The fringes on both sides will attack with appeals to sexism, racism, religious bigotry, nationalism, Jew-hatred, and all the rest if they think that any of it will work. Because I have remained a liberal, I am even MORE concerned than you when those attacks come from this side of the aisle.
And while two wrongs don’t make a right, I don’t remember your posting 1/10th as much about the Right’s attacks on the female Democratic candidate for President. Yes, I know that you did not support Clinton. Yes, I know that Obama was not the picture of feminist grrrl power during his campaign against Clinton. But I cannot get over the intensity of your support for a woman who seems to counter most of the principled feminist positions you have endorsed over the years.
Because I don’t comment, the next thing I write will surely seem strange. But I feel as though a long-time friend with whom I have found much agreement in the past (albeit recognizing that over-the-top is often your writing style) has gone off and joined a cult. Too many pro-Israel blogs I have frequented and cheered over the years are going in the tank and turning a blind eye to the other policies of any hard-right politician who will support us on Israel. And just as you claim that the nonsensical comments from the Left have driven you into the arms of the Right, our willingness to embrace the hard-right is going to cost us support.
Increasingly, as a strongly pro-Israel liberal, I don’t feel much at home in any camp. But I remain unwilling to come out swinging on behalf of a hard-right candidate, male or female.
Drew
I have to answer this in a post. Too long.
I’m sure Meryl will have more good answers for Drew but I have a few right now.
Palin’s alleged support for Buchanan: She wore a Buchanan button as a courtesy when Buchanan visited her small town in 1999. Shortly thereafter she came out in support of Steve Forbes, joining his Alaska campaign committee. She *may* have supported Buchanan in 1996, but the only source for this that I know of is Buchanan himself. Even Buchanan wasn’t deranged enough to run an antisemitic campaign when he was trying to win the Republican nomination so his supporters at that time cannot be automatically tarred with that brush – *if* Palin ever supported him at all which has not yet been proven to me.
Social conservatism: These issues are decided mostly at the state level. To take one striking example, during the eight years of the Presidency of “social conservative” George Bush gay marriage has gone from being a fringe idea to being the law in some states. If you are 100% focused on Roe v. Wade and fear its eventual overturn, that *might* be a reason to be skeptical of Republicans. But it has survived the administrations of Reagan and both Bushes. Furthermore, Palin vetoed a bill which would have denied partners’ benefits to gay couples. She may be a social conservative but this indicates she also has a streak of Western live-and-let-live libertarianism in her.
Middle East policy: This is too easy. Do you really want our nation’s stance towards Israel influenced by Brzezinski, Powers, Malley and McPeak? Case closed.
I appreciate that you will address my comments in a post. I appreciate that you published my comments. As a non-blogger who silently reads, it is a bit nerve-wracking to write something like that to a blogger whose work I have been reading and (mostly) enjoying for many years. (Ugh. Cats. Yuck. ) Getting back a deletion or getting flipped off would have been very disappointing. So thank you for your response.
Gary, I am no single-issue voter. And the U.S. stance wrt Israel is very, very important to me. And my politics on Israel are very different from my domestic political stances in a lot of ways for many very good reasons. That would go a long way toward explaining why I read Meryl’s blog and a lot of others that are not on the Walt and Mearsheimer approved list.
Having said all that, however, Roe v. Wade will be decided at the Supreme Court. And our next president is likely to replace Justices Ginsburg and Stevens. And THAT truly will be “case closed”!
What is not “case closed” are the advantages of the Bush / Cheney / McCain policies of marginalizing the importance of (a) replacing fossil fuel, (b) increasing renewable energy and conservation, and (c) kicking the Saudis to the curb. Go to Better Place — http://www.betterplace.com/ — to see how Israel’s vehicles are going all electric. No small part of the reason for that is Israel’s desire to stop doing as we in the U.S. do … funding our enemies.
Drilling in Alaska and all that will only prolong the inevitable and maintain our dependency on the petroleum standard for energy. How much more wonderful would it be to see a Manhattan Project that replaces petroleum! So, as Meryl would say, we can tell the Saudis and the Iranians and the Venezuelans and that whole lot “eff you.”
If McCain’s support for Israel is a given and Obama’s is suspect, then I do not expect Brzezinski, Powers, Malley and McPeak to have much say. I expect “Nixon to China” policies from Obama where Israel is concerned. There will be things that he can do that McCain & Palin cannot.
But pardon me, I am getting off track. Because remember I posted nothing when Meryl said that she would support Bush and when she said that she would support McCain. I understand her position and yours, Gary. I don’t have to agree with it to understand it and respect and recognize whence it comes. Rather, it is Meryl’s intense support for *Palin* that blew me away. The best we can say about Palin’s position on Israel is that it is largely unknown. With all due respect to Meryl, to me this is identity politics gone mad.
Drew
I should point out that the idea of separating a child conceived as a result of incest or rape from other children (with respect to abortion) is not the same as making an exception for the health of the mother. I do find it interesting that people who are against the entire concept of mamzerus will insist that abortion in that circumstance is correct. However, that entire subject is too much to go into in a comment and has been addressed in posts in many cases.
THe basic logic is that IF abortion is wrong for moral or religious reasons, then there is no logical reason to say that there should be an exception for anything other than the life (or of the mother. Arguments about mental health etc, are another matter. As long as the mother and child are healthy, talk of the situation under which the child was conceived is no different than any other differentiation of those circumstances (including those that we would not accept as valid such as interracial marriage).
Sarah Palin follows the logic of her beliefs to their conclusion and acts on them. I have more respect for her than for those who refuse to pay attention to the implications of their beliefs. This is the case whether she or others would be right or wrong in my view.
OOPS, typo
should have been
The basic logic is that IF abortion is wrong for moral or religious reasons, then there is no logical reason to say that there should be an exception for anything other than the life (or health) of the mother.
Sarah Palin gave birth to a baby with Down’s Syndrome at the age of 44.
Is anyone else appalled at this?
The risk of giving birth to a baby with Down’s Syndrome is extremely high in women over 40 (and even higher when the father is also over 40).
http://www.webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/news/20030701/dad-age-down-syndrome
Sarah Palin “opposes the use of birth control pills and condoms even among married couples”.
I am disgusted by this irresponsible behaviour. To give birth at age 44 to a baby with Down’s because you refuse to use birth control inexcusable. Ignoring the dangers that you expose yourself and your baby to by refusing to use birth control after 40 is negligent and careless. To believe that a woman like this has the opportunity to become Vice President of the United States of America in 2008 makes me ill.
Does anyone else share this opinion?
One last comment on Palin’s social conservatism: It seems to me that the description of her as a SC is based entirely on her adherence to evangelical Christianity and her strong personal beliefs. I am not aware, however, that she has tried to push these much in the public sphere. The one example I’ve heard about, the partners’ benefits bill, went the other way. It is true her career to this point isn’t long so we may not have enough “data points”. But the evidence is that her motivation for entering and rising in Alaska politics was primarily to fight corruption, not to peddle a SC agenda.
I’ve been reading that Bristol’s pregnancy was no real secret in Wasilla. This is what I like about Sarah Palin. Like her or hate her, she comes over very much as an open book.
Gary,
LGF had this about her. In other words, she doesn’t push her beliefs on others. (I have a commenter who says she belongs to the same church as Gov. Palin, and that that’s part of the program.)
Re Sarah on abortion, I keep reading MSM copy saying she’s against abortion “rights,” which I doubt is true. She’s opposed to abortion, yes, but it seems to be a personal stance. It doesn’t mean she’ll work to overturn Roe v Wade, which I believe the chief justice has said is established precedent now and therefore highly unlikely to be overturned.
Gary,
Another suggestion that she is live and let live despite her strong convictions.
I am disappointed at the disappearance of the healthy skepticism that I have come to expect from those of you (us) who know enough to call bullshit on over half the media coverage of Israel.
Suddenly it is all “benefit of the doubt” for this character whose foreign policy positions can most diplomatically be described as enigmatic. Suddenly the principled stands have evaporated, and we hear that the Mayor who pushed library censorship is “live and let live.”
Before we knew much at all, and as information continues to stream in that indicates Palin has been quite manipulative, political (in the worst sense of the word), and petty, she is described as an “open book” because folks in her teeny-tiny town were aware that her teenager was pregnant.
Never mind that Palin is against contraception, sex education, and premarital sex, and pushes abstinence as the answer while her own teenager demonstrates the weakness of that policy. Never mind that her daughter’s boyfriend described himself as an f-ing redneck who never wanted kids, but is now going to be a great teenaged dad/husband in Alaska to his child … in Washington? We somehow just KNOW that Palin is a great mother and doing a tremendous job at balancing it all. She gets the benefit of the doubt, and so does her church, her theoretical foreign policy, her family, her politics, etc.
So let’s all throw away our skepticism and save the Lashon Hara to fling at those who would dare question the obviously right, er … I mean obviously correct choice for Vice President to the oldest first-term presidential candidate. Yes, a few of those folks questioning Palin may be the same nutjobs we must continually battle about Israel and the media coverage of the Matzav.
But even a stopped clock is right twice a day, and the fact that you approve of McCain’s policies and disapprove of Obama’s (for clearly articulated and supportable reasons) does not change the fact that Palin is, to be kind, unfit for the office. Nor does it change the fact that McCain showed himself (once again) to be rashly decisive, but that’s a discussion for another day. And, as I have noted a few times, I am not questioning support for McCain here; it’s the intensity of support for Palin that amazes me.
Drew
Drew,
I don’t think for one moment you’re trying to be kind dnigrating Gov Palin.So,I’m not going to be kind to you-but I will be polite.
Which offices do you deem Gov Palin unfit to hold?And why?
Certainly Gov of a state is a more demanding role than,say Congresswoman.Or would you disagree?
Do you have doubts on Gov palin’s intellect?(John von Neumann was generally thought to be the greatest mind of the last century.He was a ‘polymath’.Let’s contrast this with someone who has math trouble-or maybe is simply not too bright.Sen Biden stated in an interview (His famous,”I’ll compare IQ’s with you interview) that he finished in the top half of his law school class.There were 85 people;he finished 76th.Do you feel someone who finishes in the bottom 15 % of his law school class is,well BRIGHT enough to be president.Of course,he may not have been smart enough to remember where he finished(see above argument) or he may have been ‘fibbing’.But,do you think Sen Biden is bright enough to handle complex issues? And why?
I think Palin is a very admirable person.She is honest and has accomplishments,both professionally and personally.
and frogcatcher 912,I’m not ill at a person setting their own standards on whether or not they want to keep a pregnancy going.I’m amazed someone would be so cosmically stupid to say someone’s reproductive choice is “inexcusable”.To whom?
And because someone’s reproductive choices are ‘inexcusable’to you,they are unfit to be VPOTUS? In the immortal words of Buffy,who died and elected you Elvis?
PS.Iattended what we call a ‘prestigious’ med school*.Where did you
find your source re’ male chromosomal fragilty and age?
*Where I graduated 76th in a class of 85
Corwin –
While I did not find your post unkind OR impolite, my finding fault with a politician running for national office hardly places me in the same category of “public persona” as that (or any other) politician. I am merely some guy adding a comment to a blog, and being quite civil about it. I think that I have stuck to the issues here.
Moving along to your questions, I deem Governor Palin unfit to hold the office of President of the United States. And with the oldest first-term potential President in office, that becomes a real possibility.
As for which of the jobs named is more demanding, IMHO that is the wrong question. Perhaps being a brain surgeon or rocket scientist is more demanding than any of these jobs. But that does not necessarily qualify the surgeon or scientist to be President of the U.S. My comments are not, however, aimed at the experience of Governor Palin or any other candidate in the race. Rather, I am merely baffled by why a self-proclaimed centrist has become so gung-ho about defending a right-wing extremist who has demonstrated NO particular resonance with the centrist’s key issues and principles.
And this certainly is not about who is the most intelligent. Lest we forget, Jimmy Carter reportedly tested as having one of the highest IQs of any POTUS. Did that make him our best President while in office? Or is he now our best former President? Is he razor sharp and right on target wrt current foreign policy issues? I think not. Do you?
Drew
Drew,
I think you are avoiding my questions.So,I will restate and amplify.
1)Given Sen Biden’s weak academic record(and/or math problems)-do you think he is intelligent enough to be POTUS.
Secondly,Why do you think it’s a “very real” possibility Sen Mc Cain will die in the next 4 plus years?Someone who is getting regular skin exams is probably getting a feww un necessary dysplastic nevi(bad looking moles) removed-but he was tortured for 51/2 yrs.he can take it.And THE great success of American medicine is Wal mart’s $4/month program.Oops-I meant to say it’s cardiovascular prevention.A guy who has ,say $12/month (pravachol,aspirin,fish oil,lisinopril hctz) is pretty much in good hands re heart attacks stroke prevention.Someone with US Gov insurance who can add Plavix and Crestor may live forever. I think you’re conjuring (Dungeons and Dragons stuff) possibilities to justify your opinion.John O Hara is a not well remembered novelist these days ,but a character in “Elizabeth Appleton” told her husband,who was worried about disliking a more popular professor,”Just be alert for reasons to justify your dislike of him.If you look hard enough you’ll find them.”
But thanks for answering.
PS,I never heard of Jimmy Carter being thought of as exceptionally intelligent.I do know he claimed to be a nuclear engineer(he wasn’t),but other wise i’d like to know where the idea of his ‘high IQ’ was found.His naval Academy rank was OK -but nothing special.(But not 76th out of 85 either)
1. Yes, Biden is politically intelligent enough. Query whether you considered Ronald Reagan intelligent enough…? There are many forms of intelligence, which is abundantly evident if one were to compare Reagan, Clinton, Carter, Biden, Obama, et al. Many geniuses are socially inept and many outstanding politicians lack any standard measure of genius.
Again, I am not avoiding your questions; I am stating that they are irrelevant to my point. But I have answered them, nonetheless.
2. Google “Jimmy Carter” and “High IQ” and you will get plenty of hits. It’s well known, but remains utterly irrelevant to my question (repeated below).
I do not have to find reasons, but I will make my own opinion more explicit. My dislike for Palin is ideological and principled, and has from little to nothing to do with her intelligence, appearance, sex, race, religion, or weight. Moreover, I consider her poorly-suited in many respects for the position of President.
I will be happy to bet you any amount of your choosing that John McCain will not, in fact, “live forever.” He may live out two terms as president or he may be cut down by a right-wing extremist who is overly eager to see President Palin take office. But this is not an exercise in actuarial science. Rather, it’s a simple statement of fact to say that the Vice President should be prepared to become President immediately upon necessity.
For all the digressions, my question has been and remains as follows. What reasons does a pro-Israel self-described centrist have to be thrilled by McCain’s selection of Governor Palin at a time when her record demonstrated extremist views without any particular affinity for Israel?
Drew
Drew,
I will be frank(even though I’m corwin)
1.)I don’t think Biden is bright.Maybe he just had a bad testday every time there was a test in law school.And Reagan’s ‘amiable dunciness’ was promulgated by his political /philosophical opponents.(I did get to watch Ms Couric entreating Edmund Morris on Today not to say,”Oh my God;of course he’s very bright”.And I don’t think there’s more than one type of intelligence,nor do i understand the social ineptitude of geiuses(sic)
I’m sorry,but I reject Jimmy Carter and Google.I’d like some hard data.A better comment for you would have been to point out Mc CAin’s abysmal academics at Annapolis.(However,he didn’t lie about it)
2) The reason …..etc is twofold.One ,Christian evangelicals have an emotional attacment to Israel.(Gov Palin seems to be exceptionally strong willed in other areas.I think her word would be god in this.Another reason is today’s Dem party is anti Israel /anto Semitic in much of it’s left wing.And the candidates for Pres and VP are very suspct in their steadfastess.See belows post for Sen Biden and Iran’s upcoming nukes.(Perhaps you’d care to comment on whom you believe in this story.)And BOb changes his views about his support in a f..’ day.
So,if one’s support for Israel is a fundamental for your support,I suggest it’s no contest.
Obviously,I don’t know how well read a stranger is,but I will quote the fictional detective,nero Wolfe;”No Sir.I made an allusion as a form of verbal shorthand.We all do that.”I understand quite a bit a bout actuarial tables and even more about melanoma.I will bet $1,000 that Sen Mc Cain will be alive on Jan 20,2013.We can send the money to Meryl and The loser donates to charity.(And I consider the comment re’ right wing terrorist murderers to be sophomoric.Again,from literature,”That was unworthy of you,Holmes.”
TO summarize.
1)I don’t think Joe Biden is smart enough to have made a success of himself in non political activities.
2)I question both his honesty and whether he has a firm committment toward’s Israel’s existence.
3)Don’t bet.You’ll lose.
Best wishes-and I mean it.
COrwin