Sarah Palin Out of Touch and Out of Town.
17 04 2009Alaskans are picking themselves up and dusting themselves off today after dodging the bullet that was the appointment of Wayne Anthony Ross for Alaska’s Attorney General. Relief is the word of the day.
There were many factors leading to the demise of this nomination; the fact that he called gays “degenerates” in the Bar Newsletter, the condemnation by every major Native organization, the report of comments that can only be described as sexist and misogynistic at meetings and panel discussions, but the final nail in the coffin for several of those “nay” votes may have been the most awesome “gotcha” moment ever, by Sean Cockerham of the Anchorage Daily News. He reported that Ross had said, “it seems to me the most important thing that can be done by the Senate is not argue with legal or illegal but to appoint somebody to represent Juneau.”
After the appropriate reaction of disbelief and horror that pulsated through the halls of the capitol building like a shock wave, Mr. Ross did what we might expect. He made stuff up.
He circulated a letterto lawmakers in Juneau which said that this “rumor” was “totally false.” I would imagine that a journalist might be a bit irritated when someone accuses them of spreading a false rumor. And I also imagine Sean Cockerham doing a double take that gave him whiplash. And he did what you’d expect any good journalist to do. He told the truth. The whole thing reminded me of a good Columbo episode. Like when he says, “Oh….just one more thing.” and then he lays the murder weapon on the table. In this case the murder weapon was a tape recording of Wayne Anthony Ross saying exactly what he said he never said. Dang that new-fangled technology! I guess that’s how “rumors” get started.
And the governor’s absence throughout these proceedings has been a bit of a head scratcher. Not that Wayne Anthony Ross needs hand holding, but one would think that if the governor was doing her level best to promote and support her candidate, that she would have elected to be present. It’s hard to work on swaying votes, or explaining your position from Indiana. Just sayin’.
2010 gubernatorial candidate Bob Poe who will be seeking the Democratic nomination, had the same thought. In a press release issued yesterday evening, he said:
It is puzzling Governor Palin has chosen this time, when so much is at stake in the final days of the Legislative session, to be out of state attending an anti abortion fundraiser in Indiana. The Attorney General is critical to the effective functioning of State government. By her absence, the Governor is demonstrating she is “out of touch and out of town” when it comes to effectively governing Alaska ,” said Poe.
While Alaska is fortunate they will not be subjected to a divisive Attorney General as Mr. Ross, this also demonstrates something even more concerning. Governor Palin is simply disengaged with the day-to-day functioning of Alaska state government. This lack of engagement puts at risk so many critical initiatives to Alaska ’s future. If she is so unwilling to put her waning political capital behind her own appointment for Attorney General, what kind of effort is she devoting to building a gas pipeline, a bullet line, or even aligning Railbelt Utilities?”
Poe added, “Alaska is fortunate the Alaska Legislature is on the job though and that they did not let this appointment pass. Legislators are too often criticized, they have a tough job to do with little time to do it. This time they really did the right thing.”
There are many who had a hand in facilitating the crash and burn of Wayne Anthony Ross, whether by making difficult public testimony, sifting through records, calling and emailing legislators, or simply standing up and speaking the truth. But those who are primarily responsible for this ignominious defeat are Wayne Anthony Ross himself, and the woman who thought it was a really good idea to nominate him.
April 19th, 2009 at 7:00 AM
I’m sorry folks! My earlier post was completely off topic. But when I read about lynnrockets seeing the band, I couldn’t resist the stroll down memory lane. Please cut me some slack. I live in the Detroit area and things here are REALLY bad. Thinking about good times just got the best of me.
As for Sarah…
It’s truly unbelievable a movement hasn’t started to oust her. She is a divisive, manipulative, lying and grossly uneducated farce for the Republican party.
Not a day goes by that she isn’t embroiled in some sort of controversy, whether in appointing an AG or a Senator or explaining the birth of her so-called “son”, Twig. (BTW: What’s up with all the goofy names up there?)
While she supposedly “canceled” a mid-summer appearance for the RNC, due to “pressing State business”, it’s unfathomable that she would go to IN for completely NON-State business during the last week of Legislature with so much still not resolved (ie; stimulus funds, AG, Senator, etc.).
As for WAR, he was quoted somewhere in ADN about how he wonders if he’ll be placed with other AG’s in State archives since, after all, he was AG for 2.5 weeks. Ummm… can he really claim the title without having been confirmed?
And what AG is going to say “don’t worry about legal vs. illegal”? Isn’t that his whole JOB? To make sure things are done LEGALLY?
I shudder to think of how close Palin was to the White House. Even as close as she was to the Naval Observatory is enough to make one cringe.
I have a feeling even McCain shudders when he considers the consequences of such a thing.
She’d be “in charge of” the Senate!
April 19th, 2009 at 7:28 AM
I just watched all the Indiana speech videos. And I have to admit that, as much as it pains me to, I was surprised that she actually made that speech all about HER. Many of us probably assumed that would be the case, I was just blown away at the degree to which that is true.
I kept thinking that at some point SP would actually act like a grown up instead of a self centered child, act like a “politician” at least, but she just KEPT ON focusing on herself and her family, talking about ME ME ME and MINE. She barely addressed the focus of that poor misguided audience and the organization that invited her there.
I am embarassed to say I am surprised, because most of would have assumed she is just that self centered, I guess I just couldn’t imagine that she would be so self absorbed about it, and that she was SO blinded by the spotlight opportunity that she couldn’t see that her purpose there was NOT about HER entirely. A “politician” would have made it about the audience and the organization, ummm at least eventually.
My dismay & dislike for this woman has now reached a new low, a level I never thought possible. I couldn’t imagine I could like her less than I did before that speech. Wonders never cease. All I can do is hope that she continues along these lines, and that the media keeps hounding her for interviews. Eventually even the dimmest of brains will have to summarily dismiss her. And then peraps, eventually we won’t have to think about her anymore.
All I can say is Sarah, open mouth, insert shovel. PLEASE keep it up. Keep digging your own grave.
April 19th, 2009 at 7:45 AM
Dear Moderator:
OMG OMG OMG!!!!!
lynnrockets posted about seeing a band that we LOVE here in Detroit… she got me to researching their goings on these days. They haven’t been around in ages.
Turns out her beloved band (mine as well) has scheduled dates in Detroit for THIS WEEKEND!!!! I had no idea and the last time I saw them was in 1979.
Can you please give her my email address and ask her to contact me? I want to ask her some questions about the show (that would put me back $150 if I go). Basically, I want to know that it’s all the “old stuff” and not a “new dvd” promo thing.
MANY thanks!!!!
XOXO,
Samper
eerbeek@yahoo.com
April 19th, 2009 at 7:50 AM
lynnrockets: I’ve asked the moderator to put us in touch. A few clicks of the mouse reveals that J. Geils will be in DETROIT THIS WEEKEND!
OMG OMG OMG!
Many thanks to you for prompting me to research this! I can find tix, but want to know more about your experience. Was it all old stuff or was there alot of PW’s new solo effort?
Please contact me!
Samper