McCain’s ‘Hail Sarah’ Pass

Sarah Palin - The gift that keeps on giving!

The Washington Post reports today that, while Mayor of Wasilla, Palin oversaw the hiring of a lobbyist, Steven Silver -- a former chief of staff to now-indicted GOP senator Ted Stevens -- to help win federal earmarks for the city.
But Silver appears to have additional ties that could further undercut Palin's image as a squeaky-clean reformer. According to Senate lobbying disclosure reports examined by TPMmuckraker, from 2002 to 2004 Silver listed as a client Jack Abramoff's lobbying firm, Greenberg Traurig. On Greenberg's behalf, Silver lobbied the federal government on "issues relating to Indian/Native American policy," "exploration for oil and gas" and "legislation relating to gaming issues" -- the very issues that Abramoff headed up for Greenberg at the time. In other words, Silver appears to have been a part of "Team Abramoff."
Indeed, one specific bill that Silver lobbied on for Greenberg, according to the forms, was S.627, also known as the Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act. A former Greenberg lobbyist confirmed to TPMmuckraker that Silver would have been working to oppose the bill. And it was an earlier version of this very bill that Abramoff famously worked to spike, with the support of Christian conservative leaders Lou Sheldon and Ralph Reed.
There's additional evidence of ties between Silver and Abramoff. Emails released by a House committee in 2006 as part of a probe of Abramoff show the now-disgraced lobbyist scheduling a meeting with Silver in 2001.
Silver is a member of the Anchorage-based law firm of Robertson, Monacle, and Eastaugh, which the Post describes as having "close ties" to Stevens, and Alaska Congressman Don Young, who's under federal investigation for allegedly taking bribes. Since 2005, Silver has contributed $3500 each to Stevens and Young, according to campaign contributions records posted at CampaignMoney.com.
This is far from the first time that Abramoff's trail of corruption has led to Alaska. Last year, Mark Zachares, a former aide to Young, pleaded guilty to accepting tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from Abramoff in return for using his position to advance Abramoff's goals.

hall of fame jonjon disciple:

Posted By: Zig Zag @ 09/02/2008 14:31:22

"It is unfortunate that she got pregnant, and I respect her for holding herself accountable for that and keeping the baby (assuming it was really her choice).

I am just not sure how marrying a dunder-headed numb-nuts is going to help her situation. Odds are it will just end in divorce. Personally, I think she is better of (sic) single."

Such cavemen. jonjon you sure have your disciples everywhere. Here's another one"

posted By: Zig Zag @ 09/02/2008 15:25:09

"Chose to bear a child with Down Syndrome - I don't think she chose to have a child with Down Syndrome.

Need we say more?"

I think the biggest story here is the claim that she took on "Big Oil". She passed a windfall profits tax in Alaska and used to revenue to rebate to Alaska residents to offset rising energy costs. Am I mistaken or isn't the national Republican party firmly against that same program on a national level?

There is more to this so called toopergate story than just a nasty custody fight, and the media fails to bring out those issues. Not surprising given the fact that the news media loves sensationalism. Like Ferraro, Palin will unfortunately be attacked by the leftist liberal press and followers.

You can tell which way this magazine leans. I always was under the impression you were supposed to look at both sides of an issue. Not true in this case.. I am undecided but this makes me want to vote for her.

RaptureU2, i agree with you. Jonathan Alter wants to slam a VP for not enough experience but will back Obama, a presidential candidate with even less.

OMAAR IS AS ANTI AMERICAN AS IT GETS AND CLAIMS TO BE A RETIRED AIRFORCE SERVICE MEMBER BUT HIS LACK OF REASONING SUGGESTS A RECENT MENTAL IMPAIRMENT !! DID YOU GET HIT ON THE HEAD TOO HARD OMAAR ??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_career_of_Barack_Obama

109th Congress Pt 2

-------------------------

Partnering first with Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN), and then with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), Obama successfully introduced two initiatives bearing his name. "Lugar-Obama" expands the Nunn-Lugar cooperative threat reduction concept to conventional weapons, including shoulder-fired missiles and anti-personnel mines.

The Lugar-Obama initiative subsequently received $48 million in funding.[31] The "Coburn-Obama Transparency Act" provides for the web site USAspending.gov, managed by the Office of Management and Budget. The site lists all organizations receiving Federal funds from 2007 onward and provides breakdowns by the agency allocating the funds, the dollar amount given, and the purpose of the grant or contract.

In December 2006, President Bush signed into law the "Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act," marking the first federal legislation to be enacted with Obama as its primary sponsor.

As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Obama made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In August 2005, he traveled to Russia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan. The trip focused on strategies to control the world's supply of conventional weapons, biological weapons, and weapons of mass destruction as a first defense against potential terrorist attacks.

Following meetings with U.S. military in Kuwait and Iraq in January 2006, Obama visited Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian territories. At a meeting with Palestinian students two weeks before Hamas won the legislative election, Obama warned that "the U.S. will never recognize winning Hamas candidates unless the group renounces its fundamental mission to eliminate Israel."

He left for his third official trip in August 2006, traveling to South Africa, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Chad. In a nationally televised speech at the University of Nairobi, he spoke forcefully on the influence of ethnic rivalries and corruption in Kenya.[36] The speech touched off a public debate among rival leaders, some formally challenging Obama's remarks as unfair and improper, others defending his positions.

I am puzzled by McCain's pick for V.P.  Hell of a risky gamble I'd say.  Palin seems perky, quirky, scrappy, quite the "character," but scarcely presidential.  My main complaint with her so far is that she didn't turn McCain down cold.  She seems bright enough to know that she is incredibly unqualified to run Starship America.  Or maybe she has George's problem and she isn't.  Well, time will tell. 
On C-span today, a group of republican strategists were asked, 'if Sarah Palin were Sam Palin, would HE have been selected.' To their credit the panel answered honestly that no , HE would not. So it appears that this is a gimmick to go after the female vote even at the risk of putting an unqualified candidate in the white house. McCain has put getting elected first above 'Country First.'

What a hatchet job. Barak Obama, the nominee for President, picked Senator Biden to offset his weakness in foreign policy. Yet Mccain, who has no such weakness, picks a running mate who at least has public executive experience - something neither Senator Biden nor Senator Obama can claim- and Newsweek is emphasizing her lack of preparedness.

Senator Obama has 2 accomplishments in his political life life: one is a speech for years ago and the other is getting elected to the U.S. Senate, a place where he has accomplished little of note. Yet, I don't hear Newsweek commenting on Senator Obama's lack of qualification and preparation for the presidency. And unlike Senator Obama, Governor Palin will be running for vice president.

How about at least the pretense of balance in your political coverage.

If you go back and check it out Palin supported the bridge to nowhere for almost a year and only rejected it after it became a viewed as ridiculous throughout the rest of the country. She also aquired many, many, earmarks for her small communtiy in Alaska. People are taking what she said at face value regarding her ideals and achievements. That is why is what so dangerous and disingenuous of John McCain to present such an unknown with so little vetting and so little time to allow the vetting process to give full disclosure. We don't know who her close associates are. We don't know what good or bad choices she has made. We don't know about her husband (Cindy and Michelle have been held accountable for many things). All we know is what she and MCcain have told us. Republicans in their eagerness to have a glamorous candidate have decided she will be judged on a much less stringent criteria than any of the Democratic candidates. As a Independent voter, undecided as of yet, I can attest to the fact that Obama has been scrutinized 24/7, Biden has been around so long people know about as much about him as can be known and Palen has been accepted as the perfect wife, mother, and political candidate in the space of two days, no questions asked. Scarrrrry.......

The argument is "What if John McCain was elected President and died during his administration who would you rather have in the White House".

An African-American Kansan-Kenyan with ties to Muslims in Kenya and Jakarta, Indonesia or a woman whose genealogy includes several ancestors who came over on the Mayflower?

A man who follows the teachings of the radical African American Jeremiah Wright for twenty years and only separated himself for political expediency, or a woman who did not follow the teachings of a raving racists, but followed the tenets of the Bible all her life and who still acts on those principles in her personal and political life?

A man who admitted to using marijuana and cocaine (thinking that being honest about it makes using these illegal drugs alright) or, a woman whose 17 year old daughter is pregnant.

A man who has never been a Commander-in-Chief of even one soldier, or a woman who is Commander-in-Chief of the entire Alaskan Military including the very important 49th Missile Defense Battalion?

A man who has never stood head to head against a corporate entity, or a person who stood firm, not against one giant corporation, but three mega-oil companies - Mobile-Exxon, Conoco, and BP??? and won?

A man who has simply put forth amendments and sat and voted (or decided not to commit himself either way on 129 separate issues by simply voting "Present"), or a person who commits herself wholeheartedly to every piece of legislation put before her?

A man who is a product of the corrupt Chicago political establishment and who has flip-flopped on almost every issue, or a woman who has stood firm against the powerful good-old-boys political regime in Alaska in favor of Alaskan residents?

Would you rather have Flip-Flop Obama or Stand Firm Palin?

Well, Mr. Alter, it seems you're still on the Barak Obama Band Wagon. Are you also being paid per word by his campaign? Maybe MSNBC can also pick you up to be a correspondent/pundit for them as you are so in the tank for Obama. Maybe you and Keith O. can share a cubicle together and invite Chris Mathews over and get that tingly feeling together. You make me sick.

Sounds to me like Mr. Alter wants her to fail. I, as a women, a mother, as a citizen who is troubled by the abortion culture in America and horrified by Mr. Obama's record and statements about aborted babies and their right to life, would like to see her succeed. We can have a black President or a women VP. Either way the race is historical. But then, all races for President make history. it is just that some slip into irrevelance.
Is she reasdy to be President? Perhaps not yet, but give her a couple of years with Mr. McCain. She is certainly nearly as ready as Mr. Obama..