Chapter Four – Going Rogue (Part 3 of 3)
Page 292
Before the debate a campaign consultant made a comment about her weird vocal inflections. She’s been talkin’ the same way for 44 years and she’s not going to change now. “Besides, I thought of all the money Tina Fey was making imitating me; I didn’t want to screw up her SNL thing by changing up on her midstream. I’m all about job security for the American worker.” (Yeees, that was an actual quote)
Page 293
Then there was an orchestrated photo op where they made her look like she was picking out a suit to wear. (So, if you saw that picture, remember it doesn’t mean she likes clothes. They made her do it.) “Cameras continued to flash.” The suit guy was called “the Candy Man” because his parents own some giant gourmet chocolate company. (Hmm. Sounds “elite!”) He kept the bus stocked with gourmet chocolate and everyone loved him.
Page 294 (previously posted)
Steve Schmidt drops the f-bomb while Piper is in the room sitting in the corner drinking diet soda. She was busy trying to focus on the economy and free-market principles and Israel, but people were mad and stomping around and caking makeup on her and raising her hair to new heights. So she had to pray. She called Piper over to pray with her that she’d win the debate and Piper said that was “cheating.”
Page 295 (previously posted)
The same woman that led her down the hall to the debate did the same thing for Geraldine Ferraro in 1984. She thinks Geraldine Ferraro is great and Ferraro called her during the campaign to thank her for the “shout out” to her contribution to political history because nobody else ever did.
Page 296
She was out on stage on her mark exactly on time. But no Joe Biden. He was late because he was still “on Senate time.” Or perhaps it was all planned…a rotten trick just to throw her off her game.
She tried to catch his eye to give him a friendly nod, just to acknowledge that “Hey, ultimately we’re all on the same team. Go U.S.A.!” But Senator Biden not only didn’t make eye contact but he had on a “game face.” (Oooooo.) Then she goes on to describe the Senator stretching out before the debate. “Then the neck rolls started, presumably to get rid of all that nasty tension from being the front-runner. After that the senator from Delaware began stretching his quads, grabbing his dress shoe and pulling it up behind his designer suited rear-end.” (Who would Jesus mock with a sharp tongued nasty venemous paragraph designed to embarrass and humiliate them in a best-selling book? And here I thought we were all on the same team… Go USA!)
Page 297
They pushed her out on stage five seconds earlier than they were supposed to so she could symbolically meet him in “his turf” on his side of the stage, and the staffer told her to remember, “hair plugs!”
Ended her final statement with a quote from Ronald Reagan. Again. Then she met Joe Biden and his family on stage afterwards. His wife and daughters and granddaughters are beautiful.
Page 298
Reporters asked her what she thought about the campaign pulling out of Michigan. She said she wished they weren’t pulling out of Michigan because every American counts…bla bla bla. She had no idea that disagreeing with campaign strategy to the press was a big deal. They thought it was a huge deal.
She still didn’t think it was a big deal and hoped “Headquarters” would just get over it. They didn’t. Some staffer told the press she was “going rogue.” (And poof! The title of the book. Guess the whole “it’s not a good thing” point was lost.)
Page 299
A VP stop that had been planned in Michigan was cancelled. She was disappointed and she suggested to the campaign that the next time they were near Michigan they should just “pass the hat for gas money” and do a pop in…you know, maybe hold a quick grass roots rally. She thought this would be a great idea and get more votes. She also thought it would be “mavericky.” (Yes, she used that word.)
But you can guess what “Headquarters” said. They said NO. It was really strange, this sudden push-back they were getting. What could be wrong? She thought about sneaking across the border into Michigan without permission. But after Nicolle Wallace said, “Welcome to the pirate ship,” she decided that if they “didn’t want their throats cut” they’d better stick with the script, whatever THAT was. Sheesh. (Stop for a second and imagine what a nightmare it must have been to work on the McCain campaign. If it weren’t for the fact that he chose this woman without bothering to vet her, I’d feel sorry for him.”
The campaign plane was full of signs now from people across the nation – “Heels on Gloves Off” and “Come Back to Michigan!”
Page 300
Her dad gave the pilots moose antlers to stick up in the cockpit. The Democrats got lots of attention because of the “steady stream of liberal stars beating a path to Obama’s door.” She wanted celebrities too, like Kid Rock because he is “very pro-America.” (As opposed to the liberal stars who are very…. what?) Name drops stars who may or may not be happy to forever be tied to her at this point – Robert Duvall, Jon Voight, Janine Turner, Gretchen Wilson, …
Page 301
… Hank Williams Jr., John Rich, Naomi Judd (not like that other Judd…), Lee Greenwood, Mike Ditka, Brady Quinn, Aaron Tippin, the Bellamy Brothers, and the Orange County Choppers.
She was tempted to ride away on a “hot custom-made bike” honoring POWs and MIAs, but Headquarters wouldn’t have liked it.
Page 302
She was showering one morning and Rick Warren called. She turned off the water so he wouldn’t know she was in the shower. (This is where all the Republican men are supposed to get an image of her standing in the shower. Note they’ve had a whole page to recover after picturing her on a ‘hot’ military-themeed bike.) He prayed for her.
She kept in touch with people on the trail, like another boy like Trig who had “scored an extra chromosome.” (Yipee) He asked that she not call him “darling.”
Page 303
More name-dropping – Dennis Miller, Gary Sinise, Kelsey Grammer, and John Ratzenberger. A vet gave her a bracelet that belonged to his buddy who was killed. Why couldn’t they pay less attention to celebrities and big donors and focus on everyday folks?
Page 304
She got tired of having her picture taken with Trig and party donors, and having people asking Piper to call their relatives on their cell phone. Why so much time with “friends of John?” She longed for the regular people.
Enter – Joe the Plumber.
Page 305
Joe reminded her of people in Wasilla. (Dear people in Wasilla who will now forever be compared to Joe the Plumber, I am SO sorry…) People started waving signs, “I’m Jose the Hairdresser,” etc. The media were mean to Joe the Plumber and tore him apart for not knowing anything. But guess who came to his defense? (drumroll please) Tito the Builder! He said, “Why the hell are you going after Joe the Plumber?” Someone from Mother Jones said the press coverage was reasonable. But Tito and a “feisty African American woman in the crowd hit back.”
Page 306
The African American lady brought up William Ayers. People started shouting “I Am Joe the Plumber!” Tito the Builder did not sit down and shut up.
Headquarters told her to say that Obama was “palling around with terrorists,” and she was happy to be the one to deliver that message to the American people.
Page 307
The “left-wing nuts” accused her of “lowdown rhetoric unworthy of presidential politics.” (Yup.) When there was blowback, the folks at headquarters just ducked and let her take the heat, which of course she was happy to do because the campaign didn’t go far enough with that kind of talk, in her opinion.
She wanted to also bring up “Jeremiah ‘God Damn America’ Wright” but they wouldn’t let her. She will “forever question the campaign from prohibiting discussion of such associations.” (How about McCain and G. Gordon Liddy, or Todd and the Alaska Independence Party? Or Pastor Thomas Muthee, while we’re at it…since we’re talking about pastors.)
Page 308
They did a “Joe the Plumber Tour” in Virginia. Tito the Builder was there. Nguyen the Grocer, Theresa the Teacher, Tom the Real Estate Agent, Greg the Teleprompter Guy, Wendy the Waitress. She met Suzanne the cafe owner who gave her cookies. She’d been a struggling waitress and “had no doubt that she might someday be there again.” (Really? How’s the book deal working out for you? Or can I expect you to be serving my eggs over easy at Village Inn soon?)
She dressed up as Tina Fey for Halloween once. She had liked SNL and snuck around to watch it so her parents wouldn’t catch her. From the very beginning she liked the idea that she and John might appear on the show. “Let’s do this! Let’s go on and neutralize some of this and have some fun!” But of course, there was “massive back and forth haggling with the McCain campaign.”
Why the flaming pants? Because that claim is refuted by an actual campaign email from Palin herself that says the exact opposite.
Page 309
You can not only see Russia from Alaska, you can swim there. (Please, just let it go.)
Finally, when it was too late to say no, “Headquarters” FINally allowed her to do the show. (See flaming pants above) She didn’t have the script until the day of the show. She was really worried that it wouldn’t be funny, so she decided to write her own jokes where she could pretend to be a reporter and ask Tina Fey things like, “What happens if the moose were given guns? It wouldn’t be so easy then, eh?” “What do you use for newspapers up in Alaska, tree bark?” She sent in her suggestions but “somebody smacked ‘em down.” (Wow. And the moose joke was just hilarious. Those SNL people wouldn’t know brilliant comedy if it shot ‘em in the ass … like a moose with a gun. Get it?)
Page 310
They were afraid that Tina Fey’s liberal politics would make her ad lib something insulting that would “stick like a burr.” Palin wasn’t worried that Tina Fey would be unprofessional but heck, Lorne Michaels knew her better than she did, so…
Tucker Eskew laughed his ass off at the script but she didn’t think it was funny. They had actually turned “Drill, Baby, Drill” into a risque double-entendre! It was Bristol’s birthday so they got cupcakes and she ate six of them. (Who needs a dietician?! The Atkins bars and the cupcakes just neturalize each other out. Wash ‘em down with diet soda or a sugar-free Red Bull and there’s your meal!)
She and Tina Fey had a “mom moment” when Fey’s daughter got confused about who was who.
Page 311
They whisked her off to a “tiny windowless dressing room.” (I suppose all the sprawling palatial dressingrooms with sweeping views of Manhattan were taken)
Amy Poehler came in and she and Bristol compared pregnant bellies and talked about pregnancy stuff.
Page 312
She liked the Sarah Palin rap song they did. The guy wearing Arctic Cat regalia looked just like Todd. She still hears Piper wandering around the house rapping, “You say Obama, I say Ayers! Obama…Ayers! Obama….Ayers!” (Aww. That Piper is so sweet and percocious.)
Page 313
Oliver Stone was there. “Unbelievably he is a supporter of Communist dictator Hugo Chavez” who called Bush the devil! She did not shake his hand. (Yes, can you imagine showing such disrespect for the president of the United States? Next thing we’ll find out is that he let his 7-year old run around the house doing some kind of insulting rap song about him.)
Then there was Alec Baldwin. She came up with some real “gotcha zingers” that she wanted to say to him, but they wouldn’t let her. So, it was watered down.
Page 314
Wardrobe Gate. Lies all lies. Especially the part about her being a “pampered princess.”
Page 315
The evil Katie Couric talked about the wardrobe. Everybody did. People who knew her laughed out loud at the thought that anyone would call her a “diva.” Her family was made to sound like a pack of hillbillies who had come to the big city. She shops at Costco. She buys generic peanut butter. It was sexist because no other candidate was being asked about their wardrobe.
Page 316
When they were picking on her, nobody talked about the fact that she always wears a flag pin, and a blue star pin for Track. She wore a jacket that day that she bought in a used clothing store.
She would have been happy to wear her own closthes but when Charlie Gibson was interviewing her in Alaska, Nicolle Wallace went through her closet and hated everything and was mean and made her feel bad. But she snuck a couple things in the suitcase and brought them on the trail anyway.
She explained the whole clothing story on the trail to reporters, but went “off-script, and said it was all the RNC and that none of the clothes were hers.
Page 317 (previously posted)
The campaign was mad. They accused her of “going rogue” again and there was more yelling. The campaign knew how she felt about the clothes, but nobody defended her or spoke up for her. They just hung her out to twist in the wind. She realized that this was because some of the higher ups in the campaign were already “packing their parachutes” and she was going to be the scape goat.
Page 318 (Previously posted)
To this day, Randy Schueneman won’t say all the bad things about Schmidt and what he was saying about her. But she did find out that he thought she was screwing up and not doing her homework and might be suffering from post-partum depression. Randy said this was ridiculous and that he didn’t believe anything of the kind. So she figured out that all the McCain staffers were collecting half-truths and lies and saving them up so that when they lost, they could all blame her for everything. She just knew it.
Page 319 (previously posted)
CNN reported that her going off script “irked” McCain aides. Randy got mad and demanded to talk to Steve Schmidt.
Page 320 (previously posted)
Schmidt and Scheunemann argued. Schueneman good – Schmidt bad. Implies that Schmidt &/or Wallace was the leaker of the lies to make her look bad. Schmidt said she was an awful pick because of the clothes, the postpartum problems, and “legal exposure for Todd on Troopergate, whatever he meant by that.” (Could he have meant that Todd was found in contempt of the Senate for ignoring a legislative subpoena to testify in an ethics probe? And that he was asked to do this by the Attorney General of the state? Perhaps?)
Page 321 (previously posted)
Schmidt said if there were any more leaks critical of the handling of Sarah Palin, he’d leak more bad information about her. She didn’t know any of that at the time, and Schmidt denies it to this day. But even though Schmidt is a rat bastard and she’s been eviscerating him throughout the entire book, life is too short to hold a grudge and if she sees him again, maybe she’ll give him a “pretty white Peace Lily.”
(head bang)
Page 322
She wanted to give a speech on special needs families. Headquarters actually said OK. They had a special needs coordinator who wrote a speech. She was told not to say “speical needs people” because special needs people found it offensive. She rewrote the speech. “Too often state and federal laws add to their challenges, instead of removing barriers.” Her “little fella” sleeps through all the speeches and rallies.
“You know there are the world’s standards of perfection, and then there are God’s and these are the final measure.”
Page 323
“The truest measure of society is how it treats those who are most vulnerable.” (Socialism?) Wants to redirect $18 billion a year to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. (On a side note, Barack Obama’s dreaded stimulus package put $24 billion to the effort.)
The speech didn’t get promoted but that was OK, because “I didn’t want that for my own sake, Lord knows, but it needed to be shared.”
She gave two more speeches, one on energy and one on women’s issues. Neither were promoted by the campaign which she said was a “surprising stragegy.” She guesses Headquarters had already given up. (On her.)
Page 324
Piper wanted to be a snow princess for Halloween. (Is a “snow princess” the daughter of an Ice Queen?) She wanted to take the kids trick or treating, and the campaign sent them to a neighborhood of swing voters. She was upset that this might become just a photo op because the kids had been so patient, going to school in Alaska during the week and flying to campaign stops on the weekend.
Here’s the link to a Matt Lauer video interview with Piper who says the rallies were ”the hardest part,” she missed “a LOT” of school, and it was “really hard” to catch up.
Page 325
Halloween -
Piper the snow princess, Trig the elephant (GOP?), and her as Tina Fey again. (Does anyone else remember this? And what would the costume be?) They went trick or treating to a couple houses, but soon the phalanx of photographers and the secret service guys tipped people off and the crowd forced them to stop after a few houses. The Secret Service had to check Piper’s candy and take anything that wasn’t wrapped. Piper glared at him, and said it was “the worst Halloween ever.”
Page 326
But then they threw a Halloween party on the plane and the kids got candy and Piper was happy again and sat in the back with the reporters eating as much candy as she wanted. (At least she drinks diet soda.) She stayed up all night.
Page 327
Prank phone call from fake Nicholas Sarkozy
The phone call was all set up, and she wished she’d paid attention in French class. (Or to the fact that Nicholas Sarkozy doesn’t actually speak English) He said some strange things including that he wanted to go hunting from a helicopter with her. This, of course is ridiculous because everyone knows that people in Alaska don’t shoot wolves from helicopters like everyone’s been told. That’s a total myth. (They do shoot wolves from airplanes, but that wasn’t mentioned.)
She tried to play along. She kept laughing and giggling because she didn’t want to insult the president of France. She thought he was drunk.
Page 328
When she finally was told by the caller that she’d been pranked by a radio station, “the merde hit the fan.” One of the first calls was from Schmidt “and the force of his screaming blew my hair back. ‘How can anyone be so stupid?!’” (Actually it was done via email to campaign aides.
Oh those pesky leaked emails again!)
Page 329
Tucker Eskew was freaking out. Everyone was freaking out. She thought it was no big deal and they just needed to “dust off and move on.”
Page 330
There were lots of rallies in the final week. The family went off in all directions talking to people. She flew home to vote in Alaska. She voted in what used to be her second grade classroom, and wore the same wardrobe she often wore back then – “jeans, a Carhartt jacket and a relieved smile.” Others might think that voting in her classroom was coincidence. But she thought it was a Providential path and “a miracle.”
Page 331
Headquarters didn’t want her talking to locals or reporters and called to tell her to get back in the truck. She thought, “Nah, not this time,” and did it anyway.
She thought the election was still winable for the GOP. But God had a plan. So, she got back in the black Suburban and “consciously handed her future over to God.”
Page 332 (previously posted)
She worked on two speeches – one victory and one concession. Everyone else knew McCain was toast but the “B Team wouldn’t give up.” She just wanted to say thank you to John McCain and that she and her family are proud to be Americans and….. “also wanted to say a word – finally – in appreciation of the Bush/Cheney administration’s efforts.” (No, I’m not kidding)
Every possible relative and friend including Iditarod musher Martin Buser had flown down from little towns all over Alaska. They endured a long plane flight just to be together.
Page 333 (previously posted)
Some day she’ll be able to make it up to her family and friends for not having enough time for them during the campaign. They lost the election even though they had the better message for America. But at least, she had one thing….she knew that despite the heartbreak, she’d be able to stand before the American people and tell them to keep fighting for what is right as she delivered…her speech! But then…
Page 334 (previously posted)
The B Team was stunned! Was it possible? “Headquarters” said no speech! Unbelievable! She gets called to McCain’s suite and told by senior staffers, no speech. But the speech is great! No speech. But it honors John! No speech. Don’t think of it as a concession speech, think of it as… NO SPEECH.
Page 335 (previously posted)
It wasn’t her idea to write the speech. Matthew Scully wrote the speech. Everyone knew about it and thought it was great. But “Headquarters” micromanaged everything and botched it yet again, and kept her all bottled up right to the end.
Page 336 (previously posted)
John McCain tells her he’s going to thank America. She says “I want to thank YOU!” He says, NO SPEECH. She finally gets that there will be no speech. Time to get on stage, but she’s not ready and doesn’t know where the giant entourage from all across Alaska is. She wants to go on stage with the whole family – all five generations, and cousins, and everyone. She walks on stage with Todd and everyone she could find at the time and still has the speech wadded up in her hand.
Page 337 (previously posted)
No kids and no Todd allowed on stage, she is told. “Piper wasn’t thrilled when I had to shoo her and her cousins away. Todd came on stage anyway.” McCain gives speech and she embraces him in gratitude.
Page 338-339 (previously posted)
During the post-election party reporters who usually look for “inside stories” on the campaign already had them because McCain staffers had been leaking made up negative stories about her and her family to the press for use after the election.
Post-election poolside moment with family, Kris Perry, Mike Nizich (her chief of staff) and his wife, and Meg Stapleton. Nicolle Wallace tells Todd to prepare for things to get nasty because of leaked stories. How would she know that?, Palin muses, fingering Wallace as the source of the leaky lies about her. (If Nicolle Wallace didn’t want to beat the stuffing out of her before, she certainly does now.)
(Less than 100 pages to go! The end is in sight!)
(Less than 100 pages to go! The end is in sight!)
You deserve a medal for this.
Aren’t we all glad this is almost over – ?
I read where Mccain said he enjoyed reading her book. Is there anyone but me that thinks this is a bold face lie? First of all, I don’t think he read the book, and if he did, would be too chicken to critize her.
Flaming pants for McCain! AKM
You’ve got a stomach of steel, AKM. I hope you had your blood pressure checked prior to taking up this task.
Love you!!
AKM, I’m sending you a medal for service above and beyond the call of duty!
Good gawd. Even the parts that don’t make sense don’t make sense for even being there. (I know, that doesn’t make sense, either)
One question though, don’t most runners do stretching exercises to loosen up? I really don’t see what’s remarkable about someone trying to release tension and/or stress (loosen up) with some stretches.
But what do I know, eh?
Lacy Lady (3)
Maybe he enjoys a good laugh every now and then? That’s the only thing I can think of.
AKM
this is way above and beyond any call of duty! Run, save yourself! At the very least, take frequent breaks!
I guess from reading this that Sarah was pity-potty trained at an early age…:)
.
Thank you AKM (seems so trite to say that, but I REALLY mean it).
I wonder if it is true that Piper kept flying back and forth – attending school all week and flying to campaign just on weekends. Seems like another “pants on fire” to me. I say this because she told Greta (interview at Palin home in AK) that she (Piper) had missed school and was having trouble catching up.
Methinks this passage was just thrown in to get back at the nasty bloggers who were concerned for Piper and all the school she missed.
what is wrong with mccain? why is he afraid of her? is he suffering from major guilt?
…”the end is in sight” was my favorite part to date…my other favorite will be “the end”.
“Snuck,” really? Ranks right up there with “funner” and “funnest” of uneducated things to say. You’re terrific for doing this for us, AKM. Thanks.
Wow, thank you so much. I’ve been refreshing Mudflats every day to read each new installment.
By the way, doesn’t it seem like Piper sort of runs the family?
Keep up the good work. So much more fun to read it hear than to actually have to read the book. I can’t wait to learn how it ends.
My favorite quote (sorry don’t recall where I read it) about the folks who like Palin is:
Followers of Sarah Palin are showing up in book stores this week, many for the first time.”
“Her dad gave the pilots moose antlers to stick up in the cockpit.”
uh-huh. What kind of throw away line is this?
Factually Incorrect.
No company allows any tchotchke’s, snow globes, antlers or whatever in the cockpit. It’s against company policy. In fact, their personal storage lockers wouldn’t fit them either.
Stick it up yourself, $’err0r!
Check your blood pressure occasionally, AKM, I don’t know how you’re doing it!
Thank you so much for this–you’re accurate about the book and honest in the reactions–cannot thank you enough for the detailed read for those of us who could not stomach it.
McCain is a coward.
Lori #9 you are so right. Sarah Palin is such a big lier. I watched that inteview too. she said Piper missed a lot of school. Poor kid was asked if they will do it again, she said yes.
I remember Piper saying she missed a lot of school.
“Pants on Fire”
Yes, you are all right! I added a pants on fire, and linked to the video of Piper talking about how much school she missed and how hard it was for her to make up the work. Thanks! AKM
There there AKM. Go lie down now and put a cool cloth over your eyes. I DON’T know how you’re getting through this. It’s a travesty.
We are eternally grateful to you.
McCain cannot risk losing the slim advantage he holds for his AZ Senate seat. See http://azdailysun.com/articles/2009/11/22/news/state/20091122_arizo_207936.txt
If he speaks out against Palin, he risks alienating her base to the likes of Hayworth.
There is no political upside for him in admitting this colossal misjudgement anyway.
i have never read a post-election book by any candidate — surely, no one acts this pathetic? maybe a few well-placed zingers…….but not 400 pages of mean girl slapfest?
i cannot believe anyone, any WOMAN, that wants to be a leader of anyone would spend so much effort being an asshoooole.
No wonder she didn’t do an index, you don’t need one!
Lies…………………………………………………………….Pages 1-413
Whining………………………………………………………Pages 1-413
People I Hate Because It’s All Their Fault…….. Pages 1-413
Bad Parenting……………………………………………..Pages 1-413
Showing Off Stupid & Proud Of It………………..Pages 1-413
AKM – no way Jose could I be you right now! Do you have a good supply of airplane “Occupied” barf bags? Are you in a soft walled room with no sharp objects? Is the room sound proof? Do you plan to take a CT scan when it’s over to make sure nothing popped in your brain while reading it?
I’m so confused about all the complaints she makes in regards to the campaign and how she was handled. Why would the McCain for President campaign want the VP candidate to fail? Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of the McCain campaign for president? Wouldn’t it be in their best interest to do everything in their power to make her shine? I’m betting she believes the McCain campaign wasn’t really about putting ‘Country First’ or actually winning the election, instead it was a plot to undermine her and her mavericky’ness…those fiends!
Sarah Palin is a liar and a bully.
Thanks AKM. I couldn’t have done it. Drinks on me.
I read the first quarter of the book. I know that I’m a glutton for punishment.
Seems her kids missing school to go on the campaign trail is not new. Started when she was running for mayor.
Also she dedicated two paragraphs to 9/11/01…seems she was very concerned for the safety of Wasilla, because we all know the key targets, NYC, Washington DC, then Wasilla.
Also,too, she uses a lot of words to say nothing.
F you S’error your time is coming. You are going down like Balloon Boy.
If McCain were a real hero, he’d admit he made a big mistake and totally dis SP.
He has served his country, done his duty. He should just retire and tell all! I would certainly respect him more if he did so.
Kudos to AKM!!
MarthaUYS #20–
LOL! So true! The farther AKM gets in this, the more in disbelief I am that she could 1) tell so many lies and 2) WHINE and BLAME so much! Has there been ANYTHING she approved of that the campaign staff did (so no, Joe Lieberman doesn’t count)?
Yeah, thought so.
Thank you.
If only I could get a sense of humor about our two Senators Brownback and Roberts (who sent out a letter once describing his support for drilling in ANWR by comparing the area to western Kansas – mind you, he is a Senator for Kansas – saying that both are desolate wastes not good for much else. Ah, yes, and then there are all the Republican state senators and representatives (most from rural areas who want to cut all social programs – mostly education – and slash taxes. Sigh. The story never changes much, does it? Perhaps you’ve heard of one to the legislators in Kansas who did a denigrating rap on Obama and posted it on YouTube, was criticized and then did it again? I wonder if these folks have relatives in Wasilla (sorry, Wasilla, but Palin has truly undermined the reputation of your town). I don’t think we have to worry about anyone of our Repubs writing a book because they don’t seem to like that there thing called an education.
AKM, You’re a champ! I appreciate having this condensed version of GR with your commentary and wit and being able to avoid the severe side effects from a sit-down with the whole book.
If Palin family members were flying back and forth to AK, I think she may have gotten lazy with her APOC filing. I’m pretty sure her financial disclosure doesn’t reflect this.
Did she REALLY say, “…grabbing his dress shoe and pulling it up behind his designer suited rear-end” ??? REALLY???? REALLY??!?!?!?! This just gets more and more bizarre. The woman is certifiable. I am absolutely astounded that she thinks it’s okay to say these things. She has no respect for anyone, including herself. You don’t say this garbage about people if you feel good about yourself, and you don’t write a book that makes you look like a MORON. Somebody does have self-esteem issues, but it’s not Katie Couric. Get help, Scarah.
Better hurry up AK, the story is getting wilder by the minute while you fall behind with this late book report:
Graham’s son, Franklin, got to know Palin early this year in Alaska and he invited her to North Carolina. She accompanied him as Samaritan’s Purse, a Boone-based international relief agency he heads, delivered 44,000 pounds of groceries to Alaskan families who had been hit by a harsh winter in villages along the frozen Yukon River.
Palin Dines, Prays With Rev. Billy Graham in NC
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/11/22/us/AP-US-Palin-Billy-Graham.html
@the norwegian Blue – McCain is in hot water after unleashing “pandora’s box” on us and now he has only himself to blame. I wonder if he will ask the liar and quitter to campaign for him.
So… did Alaska pay Chief of Staff Mike Nizich and his wife’s way to AZ and all expenses? Inquiring minds want to know.
Hat tip to you Anon in Palmer! I was wondering who might pick up on that. Gold star. AKM
Why is she so immature?
Biden bent over to put on his shoes. $arah starred at his designer clothed #ss. She elbowed Piper and whispered, it looks like a full moon tognight. They gigled as only young girls can. They were bonding closer with this little secret of their. Good thing Joe, didn’t have moose chili, or he’d be leaving tracks in that expensive suit.
She figured she could beat that #ss. Let me show all the world of his socialist back #asswardness. He’s a socialist with no small town mayor, executive experience. $arah is more qualified than anyone in the race. Eight years of running a town of 5,000 in the last frontier. Golly gosh gee wiz, I’m the best Christian here because I was raised in Alaska, a miscrocosm of all that is good in America.
As she prepared to do her beauty pageant walk onto the hollywood lit stage, with all of the world watching, someone whispered, you can win this. It’s just like a beauty contest, remember he has hair plugs. She started to giggle again. She would make sure everyone noticed her staring at his hairline.
Can I call you Joe? Oh, so clever of her, she thought to herself. I’m the Governor and he’s just an elitist US Senator with the same name as Joe the Plumber. She started to giggle again…
McCain is just happy he lost and didn’t have to live in the same town as the Nit Wit Twit!
He dodged a bullet with the rest of us (heh heh, or a banana peel) and he knows it. However, he’ll never tell, never ever ever ever tell because his ego and ambition far outweigh his honor, no matter what he says. He only showed a glimpse or two of the McCain we thought we knew during their nightmare of a campaign – that McCain was either never real or is gone forever. He will only be looking after himself and family – to he11 with the country!
18 the norwegian blue Says: November 22nd, 2009 at 6:39 PM
McCain cannot risk losing the slim advantage he holds for his AZ Senate seat. If he speaks out against Palin, he risks alienating her base to the likes of Hayworth. There is no political upside for him in admitting this colossal misjudgement anyway.
——-
One thing about American politics is redemption. McCain is at that point in his career.
What he ought to do, since it will win him the election, is admit that he made a mistake in picking Sarah Palin for the VP slot.
“I did not know at the time what a big freaking idiot she is. And who would have thought that she’d quit her elected position? No governor in her right mind would bail out on constituents in that fashion. And this book? All Sarah Palin does is blame everyone on the planet for her own shortcomings. I am all about accountability. I admit my mistake. It is time for Sarah Palin to admit hers. Until she starts telling the truth, I will not support her for any future elected office.”
That, my fellow peeps, would seal the deal for McCain not only for his Senate seat but also for the title of political maverick.
AKM… you are a stud. No, not in that way (like I’d know
) but in terms of your strength and stamina in reviewing, synopsizing, and editorializing Palin’s half-ass, ghost-written, pseudo-tome.
I already know 3 relatives intend to buy me this book for xmas… someone sure was right when they said that a man can pick his friends but not his relatives. They are gonna be so disowned.
32 Wolf Pack Says: November 22nd, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Why is she so immature?
———-
Because her mother did such a poor job of teaching her the important things about life.
NYC girl: “F you S’error your time is coming. You are going down like Balloon Boy.”
Oh my, THAT would make a GREAT sign for those going to protest at the “book of lies” signings.
Umm, why was the speech wadded up in her hand when she went on stage for McCain’s concession speech. Seems strange to me that she was carrying it around with her, as every request to deliver the speech was shot down. Even stranger that she carried it on stage with her. Strangest of all that she mentioned carrying it on stage with her.
I read somewhere that McCain’s staff turned out the lights when she went back on stage. Now I can see why they would be worried.
Does Piper ever attend school? Seriously, I’ve wondered about that since last year and now again she has her children, or a couple of them, with her on the road. Anyone know the answer?
Yes, again, thank you AKM.
to Lori in Los Angelos: NO … Piper did not fly back and forth from Alaska to go to school (and yes, I did shout the NO, but not at you). This is a topic having to do with Palin that also makes me mad. These kids seemingly NEVER go to school. THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF PALIN LYING. (PANTS ON FIRE). Google “Piper Palin on campaign trail 2008″ – in just a couple of minutes of doing that, I came up with the following : (these are AP photos on the campaign trail and in some of them Willow is also on stage meaning she was out of school: Sept. 21st (a Sunday) but then on to Penn on Sept. 22; Oct. 2 (Thurs.); Oct. 3 (Fri); Oct. 22 (Wed); Oct. 23 (Thurs.) Oct. 24 (Fri.) Yes, some of these are on Friday but you don’t just fly from AK to the East Coast, or Florida in a couple of hours and Friday is a school day too! I don’t remember seeing much footage of Palin campaigning when Piper and/or Willow were not there (on the stage) most of the time. Do you? Now, on the book tour, again they seem to be along for most of it, probably all of it. Sadly, too, when you google Piper campaigning you will also see more than one entry where her comment about being behind in school and it is hard to catch up referenced.
30 Blue in Kansas….Yeah for the Kansas Mudflat delegation. Maybe we should have a Mudflatters meetup at the Free State Brewery?? I got an email from Brownback this evening, responding to a communication to him I made months ago. STILL harping on tort reform and increasing the deficit. These guys don’t even listing to the CBO. Let’s work together to make sure his run for Governor is unsuccessful.
For all This is a really good take on ‘The Sarah”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marie-wilson/sarah-i_b_366472.html
Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! I am so glad that I came back for my daily dose of crazy. This “tome” is hilarious. Why are we in the least bit surprised? Hasn’t she delivered just exactly what we expected? We’ve known all along that she is the “mean girl”. She has just double dare confirmed it. Think how freaked out we would all be if she actually had something of substance to say. How many of the McCAin people are paying out the big bucks for psychotherapy right now?
They made me wear the designer clothes–held my perky little *ss down and forced me to put them on. They made me eat the cupcakes. Oooh, but they didn’t have to force the gourmet, designer chocolates down my throat. Hey, I drink diet Dr Pepper and so does Piper! Joe Biden is an elitist snob who wears designer clothes! And how dare he stretch before the debate, making me stand out there winking all by my lonesome. Oh-and he has hair plugs….gotcha’. Moose antlers. Moose and guns. Wolf hunts (helicopter-schmelicopter-we shoot ‘em from airplanes– even though Alaskans have voted this down at least three times). Tripp. Down’s Syndrome. “Too often state and federal laws add to their challenges, instead of removing barriers.” No- I never heard of the American’s With Disabilities Act-and I just don’t care. Piper, Piper, Piper. Poor pitiful Piper. But isn’t she cute? I can swim to Russia! (Here I-lovemydogs- inject- you can? The water is so cold that you would die in 6 minutes.) I shop at Costco. I wear Carhartts. I’m just a regular gal. What’s up with tiny, windowless dressingrooms backstage at a NY TV studio? Don’t they know who I am? Only working stiffs (that I support to give them jobs) should have to endure this. Everyone is trying to crucify me because I am wonderful, I am the best and they just can’t see that I am going to save America for the real Americans.
OMG- I keep coming back for the comedy. I am completely and shamelessly hooked. AKM you are my pusher. I cannot get enough. I think I am going to need a 12 step group when you finish the book. It will be one of those-oh come on, just one more page-I know you left out one more page-moments. And then I will have to stand in front of all the mudpuppies and say “Hi, my name is lovemydogs and I’m an SP trainwreck addict, it has been 2 hours since I refreshed mudflats….”
She keeps saying no one asked about Obama and Biden’s wardrobe, maybe because they didn’t buy theirs and their whole families clothes, glasses, makeup, toys, and even underwear with donors money. Who only packs an over night bag for a two month trip anyway? She sure has a history of not getting along with others and it’s always their fault she’s perfect. The only time I have ever had anyone lying about me was when I was getting a divorce from my crazy, drug and wife abusing husband. Oh and my brother and sister in-law when he got mad at my current husband for not giving him money when he wanted it, but they are right wingers, I should have known they would pull something someday.
The media was so mean to her, how dare they report some of lies and stupid stuff she says and does. She didn’t know how to handle it when she got on the big stage and could no longer control the media like she did in AK. What would she have done if they really did question her about her associations, the people she fired, her lies, and the way she ran her administration? I know lie some more.
The way she has treated people all her life I can image the team got a belly full of her real fast.
Lovemydogs says: I am completely and shamelessly hooked. AKM you are my pusher. I cannot get enough. I think I am going to need a 12 step group when you finish the book. It will be one of those-oh come on, just one more page-I know you left out one more page-moments. And then I will have to stand in front of all the mudpuppies and say “Hi, my name is lovemydogs and I’m an SP trainwreck addict, it has been 2 hours since I refreshed mudflats….”
I am laughing so hard that tears are running down my face and I’m afraid I’m waking up my family – it is so TRUE! ….it has been 2 hours (minutes) since I refreshed mudflats….
Thanks AKM for hosting this party. It is truly my lifeline some days to overcome my frustration and anger at what Sarah brings out in me. The pure stupidity of people worshipping her drives me nuts!
Dang, sorry! I forgot that it is still Sunday and thus I shouldn’t be mentioning her name.
page 302 … after the election, some people said she once met them at the door wrapped in a towel … is this mentioned in the book?? Just curious.
Anyway: this is just awesome. For me, anyway. I am loving this … you are an awesome writer.
lovemydogs! Your post literally had me laughing out loud…..
Omg…..thanks for the laugh and the most excellent “SP trainwreck addict” musing I’ve seen yet.
1smartcanerican: I know. It is just too funny for words. Hope you don’t wake your family up. If only I could have written all that in SP’s Yoda syntax.
If I went to one of her rallies I would say “I am lovemydogs the liquidator” and I brought a brain to show you….
I was listening to someone talk about the “executive function” of the brain (last thing to develop-first thing to go). It’s all in the frontal lobe. It includes things like inhibition, crital thinking, the ability to be flexible and change your thought in midstream. Methinks SP missed something in her neurodevelopment… But it’s OK because it’s making me laugh myself sick.
I thought the book was bad…but this is just beyond description
lovemydogs- thanks i needed that.
i must admit, i too am a mudflats addict.
AKM: Tomorrow is my 50th birthday….please, oh, please give us the next chapter…..(If it doesn’t hurt too much).
Lori in Los Angeles (@ 9) asks: “I wonder if it is true that Piper kept flying back and forth â?? attending school all week and flying to campaign just on weekends. Seems like another â??pants on fireâ?? to me. ”
[[And echoing what daisydem @ 44 posted]]
Lori ~ I count at least 5 days of school missed. (Don’t know when school takes in for the year in AK, but I’m presuming it’s the first week of September?)
Here’s what I found in a quick search:
Piper with “THE handbag” on 11 September 2008. A Thursday. http://www.godammit.com/2008/10/24/is-mrs-palin-a-human-life/
Photos of Piper (slide show) on the campaign trail: 20, 21, and 22 Oct 2008. A Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/23/piper-palins-makeover-sli_n_137291.html
And as an Ice Princess…on Friday, 31 October 2008 (Halloween!)… in Pennsylvania. Here: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/bYIa41ahZn6/Sarah+Palin+Campaigns+Battleground+State+Western/3IBY_I-P_9m/Piper+Palin and, here: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/bYIa41ahZn6/Sarah+Palin+Campaigns+Battleground+State+Western/pO6V7l3C0aR
The rally was held in the morning…in 30-degree weather http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/politics/17840128/detail.html
[Pp 324-25: She actually took her kids to 'strange' houses in a strange area just so Piper could Trick-or-Treat? And she wants us to buy that? C'mon; how dumb does she think people are? Heck, anymore, people don't even take their kids T-or-Ting in their own neighborhoods, let alone in a 'strange' neighborhood! Why does she think there are so many Carnivals and Spooktaculars held the evening of 31 Oct in every city and town of this country? What an IDiot! (OK, beth, calm down... ) And one more thing: Don't ALL parents check their kid's T-or-T bag for unwapped candy and such? Sheesh. Why is SP grumbling that the Secret Service did so for Piper?]
The above count of 5 is ‘giving’ SP the benefit of the doubt that having Piper at the VP debate was vital to 1) the debate and/or 2) to Piper’s education. Piper is there that evening. At the VP debate in St. Louis, MO: 2 October 2008. A Thursday.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2008/10/piper_palin_ultimate_uniter_no.aspin
Unless elementary school is not held on Thursdays and Fridays in AK, then Major Flaming Pants might truly be in order for Ms. Quitty Pants SPs blah-blah-blahing about the kids flying out to the campaign trail for ONLY the weekends. beth.
PS ~ here’s a good photo of the end-up bandaging needed after the infamous ‘Spill Caused By Cacti’ (have to blame it on *something*, don’cha know…couldn’t *possibly* take responsibility for own idiocy in running down hills on unknown terrain…) –the cut(s) on her hand Piper put a “Hanna Montana bandaid” on…riiiiiight. http://newshopper.sulekha.com/slideshow/alaska-gov///465134.htm
Thanks once again, AKM……you’re almost done.
<3
I was wondering if any of you know the rest of Sarah’s family. Are they all like her, or is she just the family bully? Chuck strikes me as having some of her not-so-nice personality traits.
Happy birthday lovemydogs. 50 is good. Enjoy!
The bit about Biden stretching in his designer suit is so, well beyond over the top that I was sure that AKM had made that part up! Of course none of us here are really THAT surprised by her immaturity & lack of self awareness but I thought this “book” was ghostwritten. I don’t know very much about Lynn Vincent, but from what AKM has summarized for us so far I am starting to think that Palin did indeed write this book.
BTW, Martha Unalaska Yard Sign was spot on with her index – hilarious!
I wish somebody would ask Cindy McCain about her.
The distain on her face at concessional speach says it all.
From AKM:
The Democrats got lots of attention because of the “steady stream of liberal stars beating a path to Obama’s door.” She wanted celebrities too, like Kid Rock because he is “very pro-America.” (As opposed to the liberal stars who are very…. what?) Name drops stars who may or may not be happy to forever be tied to her at this point – Robert Duvall, Jon Voight, Janine Turner, Gretchen Wilson, … Page 301… Hank Williams Jr., John Rich, Naomi Judd (not like that other Judd…), Lee Greenwood, Mike Ditka, Brady Quinn, Aaron Tippin, the Bellamy Brothers, and the Orange County Choppers…. She was showering one morning and Rick Warren called. She turned off the water so he wouldn’t know she was in the shower. (This is where all the Republican men are supposed to get an image of her standing in the shower. Note they’ve had a whole page to recover after picturing her on a ‘hot’ military-themed bike.) He prayed for her.
Page 303
More name-dropping – Dennis Miller, Gary Sinise, Kelsey Grammer, and John Ratzenberger. A vet gave her a bracelet that belonged to his buddy who was killed. Why couldn’t they pay less attention to celebrities and big donors and focus on everyday folks?
___
Yeah, after the list of names $P, dropped, why couldn’t she pay attention to everyday folks in AK when she got back and before she QUIT? How about the people freezing and starving to death in her beloved Alasssska? What, are they not everyday enough for her?
Page 310, I just had to go digging for the SNL Youtube. Yes, it starts out with Faux News surprised, but dang! Amy the super pregnant blew it out of the fairway.
Sarah Palin Rap on Saturday Night Live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-f9NVyM47Y&feature=related
One of the funniest experiences ever!
“Nicolle Wallace tells Todd to prepare for things to get nasty because of leaked stories. How would she know that?”
Maybe it’s because Nicolle, and probably everybody else reads the newspaper.
It’s been a year and Sarah still hasn’t figured out how much a person can learn from just reading a few newspapers each day.
Duh!
8 Oklad Says:
November 22nd, 2009 at 5:43 PM
I guess from reading this that Sarah was pity-potty trained at an early age…:)
My grandmother turned that around and said “get off the pity pot.” Under that version Sarah’s not yet potty trained and she’s a 46 year old mother of 5 who wanted to be VP of the largest military machine in the world.
I am ashamed to say this but she reminds me of my 38 year old son, nothing is ever his fault.
Grandparents dug him out of every wrong thing he ever did and says to this day that “if it were not for the rotten people in the world, he would be in a better place in his life”.
He has never learned what it is like to pay for anything he has ever done and blames others for the ills in his life, and I am the one under the bus because I will not pander to him and unlike others in his life, tell the truth about him.
So, I think I really understand where Sarah is coming from, she is a spoiled rotten child that never grew up, pandered to her whole life and when something went wrong, others did it to her and she honestly believes that to be true.
She has winked her way to the top, but looks will fade, the cuteness will wear off and soon she will be the little old lady of Wasilla muttering to herself.
What scares me the most about her is her juvenile way of speaking, thinking and reacting to…everything.
The Daily Show had the best take on the Palin book when correspondent John Oliver read excerpts to a group of small children. It was a wonderful way of showing how just how petty and mean spirited Palin is…. the children were sitting there and having to listen to this junk. Hilarious.
Sarah b*tches and moans (all the way to the bank) about McCain’s terrible B Team staffers.
Doesn’t Sarah ever wonder why, in any previous presidential campaign, nobody has ever “leaked” things about a candidate or wrote a Jr High School Book backstabbing her handlers?
We’ve had some pretty nasty Veep candidates before. I’m sure there could have been drama from some of them.
Does she ever wonder why she’s the only one?
Palin’s pity party is a pathetic joke.
How could anyone…if they actually make it through this book….NOT see that this woman is really disturbed?
What grown women (who thinks she is qualified to the the leader of the free world) whines and snipes and snarks and attacks like Palin did in this book?
It’s just not……errrr…..normal.
49 Archivist1000 Says:
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:59 PM
page 302 … after the election, some people said she once met them at the door wrapped in a towel … is this mentioned in the book?? Just curious.
I don’t remember if it was in AKM’s review or somewhere else. But I did read that Sarah wrote that somebody, her top Ak aide or one of McCain’s men (She did mention his name.) came to her door when she was in the shower. She didn’t want them to see her in the shower, or know she was in the shower. (Why would it matter if she were showering.) (Seems like she said her hair needed washing.) So she got out of the shower. (no I’m not making that part up)
So, was Sarah in the shower with the bathroom door open and the hotel or bedroom door open? No mention of Todd being there. Not mention of the “Hi, boys, I’ll be right with you.” that has been mentioned a year ago.
It’s just like Audacity of Hope. Obama spent page after page talking trash about all his colleagues and teachers, commenting on lunch always on their tie, or how one was the gyro-guy.
Can you imagine?!
Peculiar she would write so disdainfully of someone stretching – isn’t she a runner? You would think stretching would be a daily habit for her, so why would she make fun of someone else doing it?
What’s with the contradictory business about the speech. She says it’s her idea, she wanted to say this and wanted to say that, but then it wasn’t her idea it was Matthew Scully’s? Which I don’t believe for a second; speech-writers don’t outline the entire program. But it looks like now she’s trying to pass the blame for yet another thing.
Did it occur to her that McCain was trying to distance himself from GWB, and to give a “shout out” to the Bush administration would have been counter to that strategy? Is she that big an idiot?
Here’s a great post on Daily Kos
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/11/22/806996/-I-am-more-important-than-Sarah-Palin
So, let me see if I understand this book. It contains 413 pages of nothing? Yet, all the Palinites line up for hours to buy said book of 413 pages of nothing?
And they say you should never judge a book by it’s cover. This time that may not be true.
What I find interesting in her constant reference to the supposedly unknown “HQ”. Who did she think they were???? Did she not realize SHE was not the candiadte — that the REAL campaign was actually for John McCain and she was just supposed to support his message???? She mentions him and his campaign so rarely — one would think she somehow thought the whole “show” was just about her. Her self-centeredness is totally unreal!
AKM, thanks for doing this dirty job in such a fine fashion. I hope you recover quickly and don’t suffer any permanent brain damage.
Happy Birthday lovemydogs.
Dear Wasilla,
Please accept my condolences for the ration of gratuitous turkey poop that is coming your way because of dear Sarah. I grew up and lived the first 30+ years of my life in a small town in Montana, population about 8,000. For quite a few years my cousin by marriage was the mayor, succeeded by my mechanic. We knew all the cops by name, as well as the bankers, the broadcasters, the city councilmen, the county commissioners, the merchants, the basketball players, the real estate sales people, the ministers, the railroaders, the ranchers, the drunks, the freaks, and the mentally ill “characters.” That’s the best part of small-town life, and it’s also the worst part.
My home town was known for having the next-to-the-last operating whorehouse in Montana (at least as far as was publicly known). Small-town life is something that the native city-dweller cannot comprehend, any more than we small-town denizens can comprehend living in a place where the 8,000 people you know live within a few city blocks. Does that make us superior? Hell, no. I’ve lived in a lot of places since those days. Sarah may think she speaks for “real America,” but she doesn’t know “real America” at all, at all. Her naivete and her hubris reveal nothing more than her small-town isolation. And the focus she has brought to Wasilla, unfortunately, helps to cement the unfortunate view of small towns as backwaters full of rubes.
I love small towns. I am crazy about big cities. I enjoy living in those “middle” places that are neither and both of the above. But I hate the version of Wasilla, of Alaska, and of America that Sarah portrays. We are so much more than that, aren’t we?
Thisby Yes we are so much better. I grew up in a very small town smaller them Wasilla and yes everyone knew everyone else and also knew everyone’s business and what was going on.If a neighbor saw you doing something they thought was wrong they brought it to you parents attention.You couldn’t even sit for a few minuets in a car after a date but the tongues were wagging,But at least you were safe.I now live in the same village but with subdivisions and such it has grown considerably,a few people remember my parents and our home most are so called outsiders that moved in and now crime has sky rocketed.We all pay a price.I only lived in a big city for about 3 years in different states,Wi and CO. and I have to say except for the lack of work i prefer the small or midsized towns or cities to the large.Denver CO. was a nightmare for me as was LA. I don’t know what I would ever do in a city like NY..At least in Chicago I lived with and Aunt that knew the area so it wasn’t so bad,
I grew up in a small town in Ohio, and rising to political prominence was not that difficult. In fact, it was kind of hard to avoid it. The mayor held office for 20 years, always running unopposed because no one else wanted the job. My dad was on the school board and our next door neighbor was a state senator.
And something else, members of the Republican Party and the Democratic Party in the town got along just fine. There was no demonizaton of The Others and everyone sat together in church on Sunday no matter what our political affiliation.