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Friday, January 28, 2022

Palin and the Statue of Socialism

We’re back for the third installment of our foray into the dark and bizarre world of the Glenn Beck/Sarah Palin 9/11 rally in Anchorage.  We return to the scene with Palin on stage talking about Beck.   My comments appear in red. The rest is right out of the mouth of the ex-half-governor.

***********************

He has such an infectious eagerness to learn and share. He was named one of the most influential people in the world by Time MagazineTime Magazine! And you know Glenn and I are big big fans of Time Magazine. (laughter)  But, anyway… he was named and I got to write the essay (riiiiight) to describe Glenn Beck.  Guess who got to write mine?  All of you Alaskans can appreciate that.  The bio that was written about me – it was penned by our blood brother, Mr. Second Amendment rights himself, Ted Nugent. (Was it actually written in blood?)

Anyway, what I wrote about Glenn was “He’s a self-taught man” (public socialist library cough cough) Hard, hard worker. He is tireless like a lot of Alaskans that I know.  You watch his show and you get this feeling that he’s this vivacious fun guy from down the street who maybe last night read this incredible thing, this amazing story that he just has to share it with you. (moment of thankfulness that I have no fun vivacious guys down the street who share things with me) He can tell a story, (oh, yes.  I think that’s fair) the American story that connects us with our past, our present, and he sounds a warning for our future.  By doing so he has inspired millions of Americans to really open our eyes and know what’s going on (in his own head)… know what’s going on in Washington, and learn about our founding fathers and our true history, (except for labor) and know why we are an exceptional nation (GOP buzzword du jour) and know why we never have to apologize for being American.

(cheers rise from the crowd, including a big Woo-hoo and fist pump from me, because I’ve been sitting strangely silent and my neighbor is starting to wonder.  My Woohoo gets a grin from Legal Eagle who begins to half-heartedly clap)

Now, last year I was in New York with Glenn and we were interviewing underneath the statue of Liberty, and I said to him, “Glenn, this is the perfect setting,” because just that day I was texting to my son and we were going back and forth about what we knew about the Statue of Liberty.  See, My son, like any good soldier – strong, independent, unique, nobody else like em, kinda different, but…  and what they do though to exert their independence and let people know they’re different, they do what every other soldier does and they go out and get tattoos, right?  To show their independence, right.

Track gets a tattoo right around that time – an image that he knows his Momma can’t argue.  He gets the Statue of Liberty on his forearm, so yeah, smart kid.  He knew too that I could never say no to the Jesus fish on his calf… that was nice.  Or the map of Alaska on his shoulder – clever, clever kid.

(I cannot help it… I think of what’s next for Track. Liberty Bell on his thigh? Apple pie on his other shoulder? Fife and drum corps marching around his ankle? And then I think… don’t men who want to please their mothers with tattoos get the word “Mom?”  There’s actually already precedent for the Sarah Palin tattoo. I remember it, and discreetly remove the top of my skull and scrub my brain with a Brill-O pad)

Anyway, I’m telling Glenn about this – on the forearm, Statue of Liberty, and he’s impressed. He sends my son a book.  Upon my son’s return from combat in Iraq, Track receives this hand-inscribed book from this busy busy man, Glenn Beck, and in it he writes “Read the Statue Chapter, Track.  You’re gonna love it.  God bless you, and stay safe. – Glenn Beck”

Glenn pointed out to my son what America’s symbol of freedom means in this book, and this is why he’s so passionate about protecting it, about protecting us, about protecting America’s exceptionalism, and it’s really sad today that we don’t hear our leaders from Washington talk much about that exceptionalism, do we?  And we even hear suggestions from them that there’s nothing to be proud of as Americans unless it has something to do with a politician and a political race, and I find that sad.  I don’t know about you but I am so proud to be an American! (cheers)  I’m just so proud!  Shoot!  If nothing else, so proud of America’s finest – our men and women in uniform who are a force for good!

So, the Statue chapter in the book [America’s Prophet] Moses and the American Story said when people arrived at the statue, the beacon of freedom to heal a broken world, they felt compelled to come here to the golden land and they have a sense of this place also views itself as having a special role, and being home to a special people.  (Is it me, or does this sound awfully… oh, what’s the word…. “elite?”) See, this foundation of something different, something exceptional.  The book points out that Ronald Reagan visited the statue in 1986 and made the connection to Lady Liberty’s foundation and purpose for those first landing on our shores. (That must be why he was all for amnesty for illegal immigrants, right?) Our purpose, friends.. our purpose today – Reagan talked about the need to keep faith with God, that the eyes of all the world was upon these people, the pilgrims of America – the eyes of the world on America.  There must be no forsaking of the mission God had sent them on and then Reagan said, “I have always believed that there was some divine providence that placed this great land here between the two great oceans to be found by a special kind of people from every corner of the world (even where they have brown people?) who have a special love for freedom and a special courage that enabled them to leave their past and come to this new land to build a new world of peace (except for war) and freedom and hope.

(HOPE? I turn to Legal Eagle. “So that hopey changey thing worked out for the immigrants, I guess.)

This symbol, friends, this symbol – this power is the American story.  With its grand themes, the Statue of Liberty was gifted us by foreign leaders (FRENCH – just saying) really as a warning to us.  It was a warning to us to stay unique and to stay exceptional (Better than France?) and to be different from other countries (like France?). Certainly not to go down the path of other countries that adopted socialist policies. (LIKE FRANCE?!)


****************************************

Yes, boys and girls, the French gave us the Statue of Liberty to warn us against socialism. Mon dieu!  My wine glass was empty, and there was nothing hard around to bang my head on, except the head of the guy in front of me who was now out of reach due to the fact he was on the edge of his seat yelling “woo” and clapping for the French… I think.

Andy by the way, does anyone remember that interview with Glenn Beck that she talked about?  You know, when she  told Glenn Beck that it was perfect timing that they be doing the interview at the Statue of Liberty because “just that day” she’d been exchanging information with Track about what they knew about the statue.

Here’s the transcript:

BECK: You were telling me before we went on the air stuff I didn’t know about the Statue of Liberty and the 24 windows.

PALIN: Twenty-five windows. Yes.

BECK: What is this?

PALIN: Gems, representing the natural resources in our nation.

BECK: Yes, I didn’t — I didn’t know that.

PALIN: Well, I had my son Google for me real quick. What does everything mean? What are the symbols?

BECK: Did you think there will be a test on this?

PALIN: Yes. I thought, oh, no, he’s going to do a gotcha on what do those seven points mean and that’s why I google — I had Track google real quick.


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No Responses to “Palin and the Statue of Socialism”
  1. karen marie says:

    I was reading elsewhere the other day and learned that the statue of liberty was originally designed for Egypt but their economy collapsed and they couldn’t afford it so it was gifted to the US. The Republicans were dead set against it, and the base was ultimately paid for small private donations.

  2. 5 dogs says:

    I dont understand they love the statue of liberty..but hate france and immigrants oh that makes perfect sense..love to be exceptional unless you attend any higher education and can think outside the box
    Please, please make then go away

  3. Irishgirl says:

    If anyone wants to listen to that portion of the speech…..

    http://www.mediaite.com/online/sarah-palin-has-apparently-graduated-from-glenn-beck-university/

    “Glenn Beck University apparently has its first graduate. Yesterday Sarah Palin was roundly mocked on Twitter when it was revealed she had told the crowd at her joint 9/11 event with Glenn Beck that the Statue of Liberty was “a warning against” socialist policies.”
    🙂

  4. Mo says:

    Heh – seems AKM and Legal Eagle hit a nerve:

    http://www.bobcesca.com/blog-archives/2010/09/palins_growing.html

    Her self-imposed bubble of protection from the regular press is beginning to develop into full-blown public paranoia. She spoke in Missoula, MT on Sunday and the Missoulian reports that she whining about “moles” sneaking into the event:

    During her talk, Palin at times deviated from her awe-filled words of faith to take swipes at the media – at one point proclaiming that “moles” were in the audience texting about her belief in prayer and taking it all out of context, as per usual.

    ThinkProgress adds:
    Palin also said, “Be careful. There may be some media that sneaked into the room.” In response, the editor of The Missoulian, which reported Palin’s comments, said her reporter had credentials to cover the speech and “didn’t sneak in or out.”

  5. LibertyLover says:

    For a little while now, Keith Olbermann has been referring to Glenn Beck as Lonesome Rhodes… I never knew why until last night when I came across the movie “A Face in the Crowd” on the old movie channel TCM– And boy, does the nickname of Lonesome Rhodes fit Beck to a tee. I hope everyone can see this movie. What an eye opener.

  6. Paula says:

    Her son is single handedly fightin’ terrorists so we can have our good ‘ole ‘Merican freedom and she interupts him in this great (God ordained) feat to google FOR her? Sweet.

  7. barbara says:

    i’m unnerved by the references to american exceptionalism. xenophobia anyone? scary. i have to get to work, i’ll finish later. 🙁

  8. libby says:

    Funny, I married a Soldier. He chooses to “show his independence” through his character. Integrity is the sign of a true Soldier.

    Nothing against tattoos…people choose to get them for lots of reasons. Having one doesn’t set a Soldier apart any more than it does anyone else.

    Why do we get to hear her spew about Track’s body art and not about what kind of a man he has become?

    ***on a side note…I can only wish that they were “underneath the Statue of Liberty”…

  9. OMG says:

    This is a thoughtful column by conservative David Brooks about the real fallacy about “small government” as the GOP is touting. He writes a condensed review of the GOP’s platform and a short review about the place of government in US history. The first part of his piece made my jaw clench, it might you as well, but read on because he made some good points. While I disagree with him on many, many issues, he is at least a centrist conservative, knowledgeable and articulate. (It’s important to note that he called Palin “a cancer on the republican party” and did not support McCain in the presidential election.)

    For all the Palin fans you might know, you might want to have them read it too. A little history lesson never hurt anyone.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/14/opinion/14brooks.html?_r=1

  10. Diane says:

    This was a speech for 9/11?

    This woman should never ever represent this country!

    And why is Track trying to please his mommy? Doesn’t he have a girlfriend?

  11. Oh, I think I would have screamed. I’m not a fan of tattoos – on anybody. Sorry to those of you who have them, but there it is – I’m just not fond of them. But just thinking of Track getting that particular assortment of tattoos nearly made me gag. Seriously. And no, she never said anything about that in that previous interview with Beck unless they had some conversation that wasn’t fit to be on the air. Oh, wait, that’s every conversation involving the quitter queen, but they still keep letting her talk.

    Can someone just pull the plug on her microphone, please? And she’s so good at quitting everything else, I wish she would quit lying and thinking that no one will notice.

    Good grief.

    • twain12 says:

      i don’t think this woman knows how to tell the truth, which isn’t unheard of for an (ex) politician , but she has mastered making it up as she goes along and unfortunately she gets away with it. Except for a few brave (pj clad) bloggers nobody calls her on her BS.I find that scary

  12. CityKid says:

    Just speculating that folks who are express the veiw that they are “mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it any more,” might be branded as terrorists, “un-American,” anti Democratic, etc. I’m speculating of course, but propaganda can be powerful and the powers at be will brand folks as “right” and “left” as they see fit to manage the corporate agenda.

  13. Califpat says:

    Riverside: I agree with you completely! Many of these silly brain dead grey foxes need something to ramp them up and remind them of the good old days. It does not matter whether it is a good cause or good for them, just that it gets them riled up. They have been sitting in front of the television watching Fox Noise, Beverly Hillbillies, Archie Bunker, and Boss Hogg. Then along comes the anti- Americans draped in flags, spewing lies, divisiveness, and hate. These elders see Sarah , Beck, and their ilk as anti-establishment and they get more excited than they have been in decades. The Koch brothers funds their anger and have given them something to get up and out and about . They blindly get on the provided buses, go where they are told, and are given signs and this raises their pulses. Half of them do not even pay attention to the signs or what they are protesting. They just know they are feeling more alive than they have felt in years. It takes them back, wayyyyyyyyyyyy back and many think they are back to the sixties protesting.They have no idea that their livelihoods (Social Security and Medicare) are what they are protesting against. The uneducated youngsters are already in rebellion mode without knowing any of the facts. Yet, I could be wrong!!!

    • CityKid says:

      Califpat – I think I get your point, but you missed mine. You are assuming that things will be logical. My point is that things in the near future will not be logical (at least using the constructs that are considered normal). FWIW, the “cream of the crop” from the elite schools with PhD’s in Sociology and Anthropology get snarfed up by industry. A few, very few, stick to their guns and are later vilified for their views. It’s easy to throw a monkey wrench into the the works – assume, for example, that cooperatives are more efficient than sole proprietorships, corporations or other business entities. Check out PSFC for example: http://foodcoop.com/

  14. n djinn says:

    seriously crazy stuff!

  15. CityKid says:

    OK – I’m wigged out (and I quit smoking pot 30 years ago). Obama is enriching the bankers and ignoring Bush war crimes, while all the while committing war crimes of his own and dissing our civil liberties. The media is giving wack-job Newt Gingrich a rest for a while based on his recent comments – but I’ll bet he will be back (see Greenwald). Beck and Palin are getting press (but why???). ADN reported that are on shore as opposed to on ice, because there is no ice. I can’t keep up. And…lots of folks think I’m a whack job because I thought Ralph Nader was a better candidate than anything the Republicans or the Democrats had to offer; silly me.

    http://nader.org/index.php?/archives/2211-Democrats-Corporate-Cocoon.html

    • CityKid says:

      Just to clarify the ADN reference:

      “Melting sea ice forces walruses ashore”

      http://www.adn.com/2010/09/13/1452078/melting-sea-ice-forces-walruses.html

    • CityKid says:

      My heart is filled with fear (I know that many here – hugs and kisses – have urged me to fill it with love) and when I’m fearful, I’m angry. Irrational? That depends on how you look at things. If you look at me using the usual lenses popular with the press and popular with the academics I’m a raving loon (which means they have no idea of what might happen). FWIW, I suspect I’m not an anomaly, but have many fellow travelers, many of whom are unemployed and live right next door. Be careful with the logic that you use, when you try to figure out what is happening. If you use what might seem like common sense (same old), trying to asses how folks might react, while trying to feed their families when they have no income, you might be wrong. Obama is wrong, Begich is wrong, Lisa wrong, and Miller and Palin are over the top wrong. Something needs to change soon, or things might get ugly.

  16. aussiegal77 says:

    Best thing I read today below. I hope and pray more and more people point out Sarah Palin’s inability to tell the truth about ANYTHING.

    http://missoulaeditor.com/?p=2184

    And I hope the Editor of The Missoulian has the stomach to withstand the inevitable C4P backlash. Maybe, just maybe, if enough people and enough journalists and enough publications speak out against the base deception of Palin and of Beck then we will be rid of this wretched, wicked and thoroughly useless duo. I live in hope.

  17. dreamgirl says:

    Follow the money. who pays for this crowd? Idiots-r-us? just wondering. gah.

  18. Chris says:

    yikes. both people (well all three I guess) scare me.

  19. Lee323 says:

    Palin and her Statue of Social-schism. She even built it herself.

    Very entertaining post, AKM….except for Palin’s tripe.

  20. Riverside says:

    I had a flash this morning about the Tea Party crowd, wondering if they missed out on Woodstock and the Vietnam War Protests and Free Speach and rebellion and fun in the 60’s and are looking for that rebel group feeling, marching in the streets, hanging out with fellow protesters, having fun being dropped out and tuned in (to Beck and Palin) now in their sixties. In some aspects, they are looking like rebellious teenagers, defying authority, making their own rules, basking in the power of their peer group. I mean, what could be more audacious and revolutionary and fun than taking down the Republican Party, driving the Party Chairman out of his house, as they did in Delaware, and leaving the Republican Establishment in DC shaking in their boots as they wipe out one after another Good Old Party Statesman (RINO, as they would chant) in the primaries. The Tea Party is graying conservatives going wild in the streets and Beck and Palin are their drugs of choice. What fun they are having meeting up at one gathering after another! Beck and Palin events are turning into Grateful Dead Concerts for those who can aford to get there.

  21. Jen in SF says:

    “because just that day I was texting to my son and we were going back and forth about what we knew about the Statue of Liberty” …. “Well, I had my son Google for me real quick. ”

    You mean that son who was on active duty in Iraq??

    • Jen in SF says:

      You know … I have never in all my life thought of the Statue of Liberty as a WARNING. Learn something new every day.

      • beth says:

        Hey, didn’t you know?…Be Afraid — BE VERY AFRAID!

        Doesn’t matter *what* it is, it’s a warning for you to BE AFRAID!
        Doesn’t matter *who* it is, it’s a warning for you to BE AFRAID!
        Doesn’t matter *where* it is, it’s a warning for you to BE AFRAID!
        Yuppers, constantly! — BE VERY, VERY AFRAID!

        You didn’t get the memo? 😉 beth.

      • slipstream says:

        Apparently the Worst Governor Ever didn’t see “Ghostbusters” . . . when the Statue of Liberty walked down the street and kicked the demon’s butt.

        Or maybe she saw it, um, too many times . . .

    • bubbles says:

      Ruh Roh…great catch there Jen.

  22. MinNJ says:

    I usually agree with my friends austintx and bubbles but not always. We’ve had our nuanced differences. But I would like to say now:

    JFUXKINGCXRIST WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE AND HOW CAN WE GET RID OF THEM? Their face deserves to be in mud…MUDFLATS EXPOSITION, I mean. OK, I’m off the charts…I really need to leave now. Blessings to all…

  23. CanadianGuy25 says:

    I am commenting only because I cannot in good conscience leave the following at the top of the comments:

    69 to “Palin and the Statue of Socialism”

    Immature. So sue me.

  24. tspey says:

    Wow, first Palin gives props to her racist compatriots Bob & Mark and next brags about her blood brother, confederate flag-wearing, Ted Nugent. Add her other racist friend Eddie Burke in the mix and what a round table of confidants she has. Imagine what her cabinet would be like? –shudder–Why doesn’t she just go all out and bust out with the old hail Hilter salute?

    This Palin blob is devolving into something beyond awful. She keeps repeating God as if she has a direct twitter feed to His mobile but her polarizing actions and her incitement of hatred reeks from the makings of a deal only made with someone who shares Palin’s proclivity in spreading fear and color of high heels.

  25. leenie17 says:

    While Palin and Beck were spreading their hate and intolerance in Wasilla and Anchorage, people were gathered in Rochester, NY to encourage religious freedom and interfaith dialogue. I am so proud of my city right now!

    “Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Episcopalians, Catholics and other Christians were all represented by leaders who offered prayers and songs.”

    (I just wish I had known about it ahead of time so I could have joined them for a ‘boots on the ground’!)

    http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2010100912017

  26. benlomond2 says:

    wait, wait… the Staute of Liberty interview… isn’t that the one where Beck asks her who her favorite Founding Father was… an she gave the Katie Couric answer…..”All of them!”….. and he called Bulls—! on her ??

  27. essjay says:

    Well, that section of her speech made me think maybe she does actually listen to Beck, sounded eerily like the Mormon belief that the lost tribes of Israel inhabit the land now called US (somehow they exclude Canada and Mexico) and that they, the Mormons, are meant by God to be in charge here. She’s basically almost saying the same thing but leaving out the Mormon name and instead using “Christian” to identify the lauded group. Wonder how many people it would take believing in the general idea to further that cause? Out of curiosity, anyone else here old enough to remember the time in the 50s when there was all kinds of angst over how many Mormons were working their way to the top of the federal government?

    That so-called Christian group she belongs to also has visions of taking over the government. What crocks. And what idiots are those who believe.

    Thank you for sticking it out long enough to bring the event/s to us. Maybe the next time you could make sure the white wine goes in her water bottle at the podium. That should be more fun.

  28. benlomond2 says:

    Wait, wait… wasn’t this the same interview where Glenn asks her who her favorite Founding Father was…. and she gave the Katie Couric answer…. “All of Them ” !!!!! ….and he called “Bullshit” on her ????

  29. LoveMydogs says:

    Any Coloradoans up for a minimudstock? I’ll be in Denver the first week in October.

  30. LoveMydogs says:

    And not once, not once, are the people who were already here and annihilated by white bullets and disease ridden blankets (as well as just plain old diseases) mentioned. But of course, that would put a bit of a stain on the “exceptional” now wouldn’t it? And what about the slaves who were brought here against their will?

    I am sick to my stomach. I don’t know how you can go into the belly of the beast and emerge anywhere close to sane AKM.

    It does make me laugh a bit though. I used to work in the technical end of theater. Worked for the Boston Opera Co. one year and remember the lighting designer standing on the tech table at a final, disasterous, dress rehearsal and yelling “More Lava…. more lava….. I want a hundred men who can swim and bleed and sing at the same time!!!” (The opera was The Flying Dutchman). It was hilarious in a moment of sheer panic. For some reason this palooza sounds like it needed something like this. I probably would have felt inclined to stand on my chair and yell some words similar to these. AKM and LE would have had to distance themselves quickly as the bullets (or at least plastic beer cups)rained down on me.

  31. AK Raven says:

    Who got the money for this event? They said Palin didn’t get a fee. Beck said he is donating his fee—-to what? So who made the profit for this circus?

  32. AK Raven says:

    EEEEWW AKM! How did you do it? The wine helped, I hope.

    White Trash is all I can say. Li’l Abner & Daisy Mae in designer clothes.

    People are so gullible.

  33. leenie17 says:

    Kudos to you, AKM, (and Legal Eagle) for bearing this excruciating torture like a trouper. There is not enough White Zinfandel in the world to get me through that experience.

  34. AK Born and Raised says:

    My head hurts.

  35. curiouser says:

    Palin opens her mouth and ‘the stupid’ spews out…and people applaud??? Creepy.

  36. physicsmom says:

    Wow. Just wow. How the hell many times did she say the word “special” in that diatribe? These teabaggers are so hung up on American exceptionalism that it’s ridiculous. And yes, she’s told the tattoo story many times. Nothing she’s said so far in these postings has been new (the Wasilla speech is the same one she’s been giving all over the country). She can’t have journalists at her speeches, because then people will know that once you’ve heard it, you don’t need to go to another; they are all the same.

    With regard to Track, I think he’s too valuable a commodity as “combat veteran” to dilute his cred by going on the “Bachelor” or another reality show. However, like Joe Miller, I’d like to know how he ended his service early?

    Thanks AKM for distributing this info in “small bites.” It’s just too disgusting to partake all at once. Hope the wine helped you manage in real time.

  37. ibwilliamsi says:

    Even with your comments, reading her speech was a hard slog…

  38. Trini says:

    What did her screech have to do with 9/11? What was her point? Was she salivating like a rabid dog at the time, because her speech sure sounded like it.

  39. Sourdough Mullet says:

    Although many of my ancestors sailed to America on the Mayflower, Sarah Palin wouldn’t consider me a “Rill Amurikun” since I don’t look, think, or worship like her. But I have a few thoughts for her, anyway.
    First, this country was founded by people who were fleeing religious persecution. They found, and fought for, the right to worship the way they see fit. Sarah Palin and her minions would prefer to see those of us who don’t subscribe to “her” version of religion either leave, or finally “see the light” and convert. So much for our “freedoms” that she says she “so cherishes”. I guess the only valid freedoms are HERS. I think I’d rather keep my freedom FROM religion, especially her brand of it, thank you very much.
    Secondly, in all my years living in this country, I’ve never NOT been proud of it, nor do I know anyone else who apologizes for their country. Where does she get this crap that she throws in President Obama’s face? I can’t imagine any thinking person not understanding that he is very proud of his country and protective of its foundations. Why the hell ELSE would he put himself through all the scorn, backlash, and outright hatred that he is experiencing?
    But I’ll tell you – the one thing that I AM embarrassed about lately is the likes of Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and the rest of these batsh!t crazy neocons who have showed us just how ugly, hateful, un-Christian, and destructive to our society they can be. Whenever I traveled abroad in the past, I used to proudly tell people that I was an Alaskan. Not anymore. I don’t want to take even the chance of being associated with the likes of someone as ignorant, hateful, and destructive as Sarah Palin. Too bad we can’t send Ms. Palin and her like-minded (i.e. simple-minded) minions off to a place where they could live with each other in perfect clone-like harmony, without having to worry that anyone else of a different race, ideology, religion, or persuasion might want to live freely as well. Mighty Christian of you, Sarah.

    • 1smartcanerican says:

      well said, sm. Surely there is an island somewhere that can be populated by the Becks, Palins, and all their followers – and one where no boats stop.

      • benlomond2 says:

        Devil’s Island ???

        • Sourdough Mullet says:

          Hey, I hear they’re looking for a new use for Plum Island (formerly used for testing biological weapons on animals). I’d be worried that even it might become contaminated by the deadly brain-sucking virus of neoconservatism/neoChristianity, though.

        • bubbles says:

          Little Diomede?…or perhaps Big Diomede?

    • Marilyn says:

      I have only one ancestor from the Mayflower, a lowly man-servant. Thanks for saying how I feel so eloquently.

    • Nan (aka roswellborn) says:

      The one thing that could throw a wrench into the works is that those who came for that wonderful religious freedom, really didn’t wanna give it to anybody else.

      Early on, in some of the earliest settlements, Quakers were required to pay a fine for not attending Sunday meetings (and ditching their own Sunday gatherings). A few were even branded with a “Q” for Quaker in some areas.

      Seems like some things really don’t change

      sigh.

  40. dreamgirl says:

    The owls screech. Who actually listens to that verbal cacophony? are they paid like Bristol ,Gerta, meg stapleton, MeganMcMain (poor girl) and idiot Levi?

  41. beth says:

    BTW – Reagan was *also* the guy who never kept a diary until he took office [the Presidency] — glad he took the practice up, though — we have a real corker coming out of his nightly writings…

    “Morris: This was around October of 1987. He writes in his diary, “Dick and Patty came after dinner and things immediately livened up as soon as they arrived.” That’s on a Friday night. The following day he writes in his diary. “Oh, I was mistaken. They didn’t come down until lunch time today.” He’s talking about his wife’s brother and wife, intimates who visited the White House a lot. They were members of the family circle. The schedule said, Mrs., Dr. and Mrs. Richard Davis will be joining the first family after dinner tonight. So Reagan writes it down after dinner as though they showed up. He says, things livened up when they came. In other words, he was so divorced from real… reality at that time that he didn’t even realize that these people did not show up. Which is funny, but it’s also scary.” [emphasis added. b.] full transcript and video here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/video/reagan_26_qt.html#v154

    Fascinating guy. He –and his mental state– was Sooooooooooooo protected. Makes one wonder what *other* politicians [and/or political aspiring-wannabes] are being similarily protected. beth.

    • Sourdough Mullet says:

      I remember watching one of Reagan’s presidential addresses with my mother when I was a teenager. This was during his FIRST term as President, mind you. I remember my mother looking up from the T.V. and saying “Hmm.. watch and listen to him closely – he seems like he’s getting senile dementia”. And sure enough. She spotted his Alzheimers many years before it came out in the public.

      I had a similar experience with the first term of G.W. Bush. Back before I couldn’t even stand the sound of his voice, I said “Listen to him closely. He’s a complete and utter moron. How the he!! can anyone that stupid get elected President?” 😉

  42. manyamile says:

    that speech is just about the most retch inducing , transparent, ‘propaganda for idiots’ I have ever read.
    the repeated reference to exceptionalism ….
    and the audience lapping it up?
    worse than any doomsday sci-fi i could come up with

    i can definitely picture Rod Serling narrating this event

  43. Lori in Los Angeles says:

    She is speaking about Track more and more lately. Yet, we don’t ever see him. If he is overseas (which I doubt), then why don’t we ever hear from him? Letters, e-mails? He is a prop.
    I think she is setting the stage for him to cash in ala Bristol – look for him soon on “The Bachelor,” or “Dancing With the Stars.”

    • Molly says:

      My suspicion is that he is either in no condition to appear in public, or refuses to do so.

    • BearWoman says:

      I figured Bristol’s next gig was “The Bachelorette” teen-mommy style!

      Track is not overseas. He has been spotted many times in around Anchorage doing what many young soldiers do — getting drunk off his ass.

      Maybe he’ll become Bristol’s partner when her nice gay instructor suddenly gets hurt. I mean who else can she blame but that bad partner….

  44. dreamgirl says:

    If I Google “Insanity” will Palin and Beckistan appear?

    F-tards the lot of them and their mentally unstable followers.

    AKM, you own my stomach!

  45. Lacy Lady says:

    Think we can add Newt Gingerich’s name to the fracas , after hearing his BS on CNN tonight.
    When Newt, Beck , Palin and others have really nothing to say that is postive–they come up with BS
    Newt’s statement tonight on the President of the United States America, was truly out of the ballpark.–Newt divorced his wife while she was dying of cancer in a hospital–now he thinks he is pure as the driven snow. . .

  46. leu2500 says:

    Sarah’s recycled this story of Track & the Statue of Liberty. Pretty sure the bit of Track Googling, finding the number or windows, etc was used when she was on Leno or Letterman during the campaign.

    • boodog says:

      She mentioned it when she was being interviewed by Beckers in front of the Statue of Liberty. Remember? That was when he read his diary about meeting her for the first time!

  47. Jen says:

    Jeebus, does that woman ever put that friggin’ Blackberry down???!!! She just doesn’t get it. Her twitterer and googlerer brainstem has no ability to differentiate between “crack” info and “verifiable” info. Has the woman ever attempted accessing a library — or an expert? I swear she just channels Art Bell every night.

  48. seattlefan says:

    Perhaps $P neglected to google enough. The New Colossus, the poem by Emma Lazarus, engraved on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty might have popped up and possibly opened her eyes.

    http://www.libertystatepark.com/emma.htm

  49. Mudflatsfan says:

    Just wondering, is she the “new” Gretchen Carlson on Fox? Another happy google woman. I love google and man oh man do they deserve royalties.

    When someone starts off by saying they “google” for answers…

    I guess her next best seller can be (Google For Something Smart To Say). But I don’t think it is working out so well for her. She might just have to stick to hijacking Reagen quotes.
    Oh wait “google quotes.” Got it.

    • Gimme-a-break, Sarah says:

      Google is a great tool; don’t knock it. I’m a professional researcher and use it all the time. It is not my sole source of information, however. And one does have to know, as always, how to separate the wheat from the chaff.

      • CO almost native says:

        I doubt Ms. Quitter would recognize chaff if it bit her on the butt, let alone separate it from the wheat. I’m sure she thinks Google is the Truth and Nothing but the Truth…

      • Mudflatsfan says:

        Separating the “wheat from the chaff” is my exact point. I would say she ultimately is stuck on chaff and hasn’t found the wheat.

  50. beth says:

    “There must be no forsaking of the mission God had sent them on and then Reagan said, “I have always believed that there was some divine providence that placed this great land here between the two great oceans to be found by a special kind of people from every corner of the world who have a special love for freedom and a special courage that enabled them to leave their past and come to this new land to build a new world of peace and freedom and hope.” — what Glenn/Palin *say* Reagan said.

    Oooops…DANG The Googles! What Reagan *actually* said — and Glenn/$P decided *not* to include…

    Call it mysticism if you will, I have always believed there was some divine providence that placed this great land here between the two great oceans, to be found by a special kind of people from every corner of the world, who had a special love for freedom and a special courage that enabled them to leave their own land, leave their friends and their countrymen, and come to this new and strange land to build a New World of peace and freedom and hope.” [emphasis added. b.]

    [8th paragraph of Reagan speech: “Remarks at the Opening Ceremonies of the Statue of Liberty Centennial Celebration in New York, New York – July 3, 1986”
    Full text here: http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1986/70386d.htm

    Mayhap if either of them had actually READ Reagan’s comments, they would NOT have come to the conclusion they did about what he’d said… ‘sides which WInthrop [the original US Talibangelical ‘leader’] held G-d as a threat/weapon over his charge’s heads a good 250+/- years *before* Liberty Enlightening the World ever even showed up on Ellis Island. Just sayin’…

    ““““““““““““““““““““““`

    A couple of questions:
    1) There are tattoo parlors in combat zones? Where was Track when his forearm was Statued?

    2) Glenn couldn’t *mail* the book to Track? $arah couldn’t? Oh, wait…Glenn sends it but Track doesn’t get it until… whaaaa?

    3) Could there have been any *other* reason the French ‘gave’ us the Statue of Liberty? Like, maybe it was just a wild idea of a Frenchman for a Centennial Celebration gift that, well, kinda ‘took off’? http://www.endex.com/gf/buildings/liberty/libertyfacts.htm

    4) Is $P capable of making a statement that does NOT have at least *one* factually incorrect portion to it? *Verifyably* incorrect?

    5) Why do the likes of Glenn and $P insist on rewriting US history?

    6) Why do “Conservatives” hate America? beth.

    • Chaim says:

      #4 — Actually, yes. You can ask her concerning her name, or the present state of the weather. Yesterday’s weather is something else.

      #5 — They aren’t insisting on rewriting it. They don’t know they’re “rewriting” it because they never read it. Part of what they come up with is misremembered bits and pieces, and part of it is made up as they go along.

      #6 — They love America as it was before it was corrupted, when Americans had real individual freedoms, like the freedom to own field artillery, freedom to employ child labor, freedom to sell spoiled food, freedom to refuse to sell to people of other races, freedom to sell people of other races, etc.

      • BeeJay says:

        You mean I can’t get my 105mm Howitzer now? Rats! How am I going to keep the heathen Meksicans at bay? Just when the hordes are all crossing the desert around about here, I’m without heavy weapons! Absolutely scandalous! 🙂

        Glenn Bucks and $arah Failin have no idea of history. As a history teacher, I’d say they both handily flunked their high school civics courses; since we know GB never went to college he never had any level of political science, and as for $arah, she had a hard enough time getting her alleged sports journalism degree.

        The real barbarians are not at the gates, they’re on FOX!

      • g says:

        To quote Mary McCarthy – “Every word she says is a lie, including ‘and’ and ‘the.'”

    • overthemoon says:

      Of course Reagan left out the part about killing millions of ‘savages’ to get to the lumber, gold, and the other 23 precious minerals.

  51. g says:

    I’m sure if someone searches for the Reagan speech, we’ll find that what he said had a completely different meaning than what Palin attributed to him.

  52. Simple Mind says:

    ah yes, once again Palin invokes St. Ronald, the patron saint of wingnuts and wackadoodles. During 1982, as he orbited about in his growing cloud of dementia, Reagan stood up with Efrain Rios Montt, the evangelical preacher and military dictator of Guatemala. Amnesty International and other organizations had already reported that Montt’s death squads were killing several thousand indigenous Guatemalans a month in an insane genocidal campaign that ultimately resulted in over 200,000 deaths, making Montt arguably the bloodiest Central or South American dictator in recent history. Ronny’s take on this? “President Ríos Montt is a man of great personal integrity and commitment. … I know he wants to improve the quality of life for all Guatemalans and to promote social justice.” As American-provided helicopters were strafing Guatemalan civilians, Ronny finished his public statement and waltzed off into lala land. So, now let’s think about President Palin?

    • ks sunflower says:

      Every time I hear someone praise Reagan, I want to either cry or shout “wake up!” For those who were adults in the 80’s, there is no excuse for such sheer lunacy. For those weren’t born yet or were children then, they must be in the lowest IQ segment, intellectually lazy or have been brainwashed by dimwitted parents. How anyone who can read or think could praise Reagan is beyond me – except for one group: those who made money hand over fist at the expense of the rest of the country. That point still holds true with today’s crop of robber baron Republicans.

      At least Reagan could read his lines and pretend to be reasonable, and speak and write in complete sentences even as he descended into the empty darkness of dementia. I see no excuse for the dark empty space that lives within Palin. She is merely a human version of a cheap 8-track tape that loops continuously on the same foolish, trite messages.

      • Simple Mind says:

        “could read his lines and pretend to be reasonable” ….. This was St. Ronald, a man who told us that his aides carried out an illegal war in El Salvador without him knowing about it – a man whose administration paid off Iranian terrorists with weapons to buy back our hostages. The irony here is that one of the few good things I can recall of St. Ronald was his stated belief in the immigrant dream – that America remained the land of opportunity for the poor, the downtrodden, the huddled masses, even brown ones who spoke Spanish – unlike the diametrically opposed view of Palin/Beck. Yet it was this single issue where Palin completely “refudiates” St. Ronald that she hangs her 9/11 hat on.

  53. g says:

    and what they do though to exert their independence and let people know they’re different

    Isn’t the whole point of boot camp and military service to bring “independent” soldiers together as one unit, so they will fight to defend one another?

    • I See Villages From My House says:

      That’s what I was thinking too. Can’t expect many “Yes Sirs” with indy servicemen.

      Blackwater or Halliburton contractors more than likely fit that bill.

      That woman is an idiot.

    • vyccan says:

      Don’t worry. To continue the excerpt, “….they do what every other soldier does and they go out and get tattoos, …….?” This is not really an example of the soldiers showing independence

    • LoveMydogs says:

      Different from whom? All those teenage girls with tats just above their whale tails?

    • Baker's Dozen says:

      If he’s such an independent soldier, I expect to see him in a pink pi’s, blogging!

    • libby says:

      There is that new slogan (a couple of years old anyway): The Army of One

      • VillageReader says:

        LOL! I was scrolling through the comments really quick and read yours as ..’ There is that pink slogan (….): The Army of One’ . I thought ‘wait a minute’, pink? Thoughts of ‘Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell’ in my head, I quickly wondering if there was a new campaign and and scrolled back up and… I was wrong. LOL

  54. slipstream says:

    Hey! I know what would be a great tattoo for Track to get! That clever, clever kid!

    44 big yellow school busses with their brake lines cut!

    Or is that supporting domestic terrorism?

  55. seattlefan says:

    All together now.!….en francaise:

    Cette femme est une idiot!!!

    AKM…I don’t know how you endured sitting there during this fiasco without breaking out in laughter and busting a gut. Thanks for your exquisite written account of this travesty. Your humorous documentation should be read by all!

    • seattlefan says:

      Where is that edit button? 🙁 exquisite = exquisitely.

      Just came back and read my atrocious sentence. Yikes! Should be…..

      Thanks for your exquisitely written account of this travesty. 🙂

  56. NativeSonKY says:

    I just threw up a little in my mouth…yuck! And what’s Ted “Never Shot Anything That Could Shoot Back and Kills Deer Too Young” Nugent, washed-up guitar wanna-be trying to prove? He was a has-never-been WAY before Damn Yankees! I really gotta go finish throwing up and brush my teeth now.

  57. I See Villages From My House says:

    You remember that scene in Airplane! when the woman starts to go hysterical and the people line up to smack her and shake her and tell her to calm down? That’s what a sane crowd would do, a sane crowd that knows what the true meaning of the Statue of Liberty is.

    If it weren’t for AKM to take these egregious hits for us, we’d all be none the wiser to the fact that Sarah is not growing any more mature or wiser despite a multi-billion dollar power making machine propping her up everyday.

    I’d be a sloppy angry drunk in this crowd, and I’d still be the most exceptional freedom loving patriot there.

  58. Seagull Junker Palin says:

    There’s a trick for the next time (hopefully not) You double up on the wine glasses. It’s a struggle to get to your seat, but it’s well worth it.

    Oh my, how did you manage?

    • bubbles says:

      we need to send AKM one of them cute beer hats. you know. the ones with the cans upside down on either side and bendy straws? well, what we do is switch out the cans for bottles of her favorite LaFitte Rothschild and this way she can carry her bread and cheese and olives in one hand. no problem. thanks AKM you really are very brave.

  59. benlomond2 says:

    why , oh WHY did I have to read that word salad right before dinner ???????
    aaaa and I thought the interview was in a studio with a VIEW of the Staute of Liberty ???? chortle… and someone correct me if I’m wrong, please wasn’t the model for the statue the artist’s Mistress ??? how does THAT fit in with her Christian morals ??

  60. Smokey Mountain Blue says:

    And people paid money to hear this! I just do not understand.

    • SouthernYankee says:

      Here I thought that people from AK were very intelligent. Boy was I wrong. I have relatives living in AK and they can’t stand the quitter. I am so surprised by Aksn are so afraid to stand up to the quitter in Wallisa. Get some damn backbones you wimps in Wallisa.

    • Blooper says:

      Yep. And Ed McMahon can’t wait to give away a million dollars to these people. 😉

  61. Winski says:

    I’m moving TO France because it IS socialist…

    You guys can have beck and the swag-hag…. If you want this loon speaking for you, which she does by default, have at it.

    • Molly says:

      Hey, there’s an idea–apparently I’m a socialist/liberal, and I am of French/German descent, so it would make perfect sense to move there once President Palin is sworn in.

      Seriously. I made my husband promise that we would move to a different country if that awful thing should ever come to pass. France sounds swell. Sweden looks awfully nice too, socialism-ly wise.

    • AKMuckraker says:

      I don’t. Therefore I blog.

      • BS says:

        And you do it so well! I wonder if you know how many people appreciate your perspective on things. And your taking one for the team is well above and beyond the call of duty. Thanks.

      • goodboypaschal says:

        Rarely ever comment but want to give my thanks for your insight. And for sucking up that awful mess that was brewing at the Dena’ina Center this weekend.

      • bubbles says:

        thank goodness you do.

      • Blooper says:

        AKMuckraker: But you do so much more than blog. You actually put your rain boots on the ground, attend events like these and do real muckraking. And it’s greatly appreciated. 🙂

      • VillageReader says:

        I like your blog, expecially the ones with your ‘views’ in red. LOL! Thank you!