Thursday, September 4, 2008

Saradise Lost - Chapter Twenty-Six -- Putting Lipstick on a Pitbull

The bizarre audience, watching Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's speech, begged for a whole sheaf of drawings done on-the-spot by Ralph Steadman, the political caricaturist made popular by his relationship with the books and articles of Hunter S. Thompson. Progressive blogger Howie Klein gives his description:

The Republican convention, which was overwhelmingly male and overwhelmingly white (93%), was a horrible scene of self-righteous anger, greed and self-entitlement. It was a dark place filled with ignorance, fear, empty bravado and hatred, That came alive only when red meat dripping with blood was tossed their way.

They snoozed through speeches about helping people and went apeshit when something was mentioned about cutting their taxes. When Huckabee said something about the disgrace of racism, you could have heard a pin drop-- or maybe people waiting for a punchline. But he saved himself by turning on the internal hate machine and going after Obama, having made sure in advance everyone knew he wasn't attacking him for his race. But why not? This was a crowd that accepted at face value Mitt Romney-- a man who has pocketed at least $400 million as a predatory vulture capitalist and serial outsourcer-- denouncing "eastern elites."

This was the worst of what America has to offer-- and they're damn proud of it. And they were just waitin' for their gal Sarah, or at least for whatever the speechwriters had put in her mouth. No one in the hall was disappointed.


The National and Alaska pushback on Palin's meretricious speech, and its exaggerations and outright lies is going to be assisted by the increasingly focused products of the legion of local, national and international reporters looking into Palin's record, and the Palins' past. The Alaska press, already on overload trying to cover the continually unfolding and expanding saga of the Corrupt Bastards' Club, are going to be confronted with fielding the results of investigative journalism that refuses to go softball, and is unattenuated by editors and publishers, who just want to get along with the still-healthy core of Alaska's corrupt political paradigm.

The pushback is concentrating on six areas:

Palin's history on "integrity."

Palin's history on "earmarks."

Questions about the couple's family life and "family values."

Palin and "science and the environment."

Palin and her role as "Commander-in-Chief" of the Alaska National Guard.

Palin and the corrupt bastards themselves, especially Wasilla Rep. Vic Kohring, and Palmer Sen. Scott Ogan. (no links yet, and I've been asked not to discuss the reporters working on this explosive story)

Oh, yeah - number seven - Palin and her religious views.

Oh, Yeah - number eight - Palin and assistance to women and children...

image - Dennis Zaki

17 comments:

Scott McMurren said...

Gosh, Philippe. Methinks ye protesteth too much. HA!

Philip Munger said...

gee, gee, why?

Anonymous said...

When Palin took on the 'community organizers' she may have stepped over an invisible line....I can only wonder what the greatest 'community organizer' of all time would think of Palin's remarks. And who is that you ask? ......Jesus Christ.

Anonymous said...

Palin recited her speech like the good little woman was paid to do. Now she will go back into a corner until they let her out again. The coming debate? with a real politican? and good parent? will be the one that defines her. I have popcorn ready and then? the blood thrown to the republicans? will be Palins I think.

Unknown said...

Regarding Sarah Palin's claim that Obama has not passed any legislation nor been legislatively active, and regarding Senator Joe Lieberman's claim that Obama has not acted in a bipartisan manner, both of those canards may be addressed together.

Obama introduced the Lugar-Obama Cooperative Proliferation Detection, Interdiction Assistance, and Conventional Threat Reduction Act of 2006, bipartisan legislation subsequently passed into law. Obama also introduced the Coburn-Obama Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, also bipartisan legislation subsequently passed into law. In December, 2006, the Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act, with Obama as sole sponsor, his first, was signed into law. Obama and Lieberman both signed onto the Lautenberg-Lott AMTRAK Bill ‘Passenger Rail Improvement And Investment Act Of 2007' along with over 30 other Senators of both parties.

In total Obama has sponsored close to 300 bills and co-sponsored almost 1000 bills during his four years in the US Senate. Obama's Senate record is both productive and unusually bipartisan. Lieberman and Palin need to get their facts straight.

Anonymous said...

I was shocked at the ugliness and hatefulness of the Republicans last night. If nothing else, this country needs to get past fear and loathing and hate, and get back to the strength and hope that made us great. You can't soar when you're buried in a bunker.

Alaska, I know you might be glad to get rid of her, but would you please consider taking your trash back?

Anonymous said...

We certainly didn't foist her off on you. Everybody here was as shocked as you were at this pick, and I personally think she'll be a lot less popular when she returns to the state in November than she was before she set out on this "excellent adventure." I saw a side of her last night that raised the hair on the back of my neck. Yikes.

Anonymous said...

Wow...talk about thin skin. Making any negative comment about the candidate running for POTUS and you people come apart.

Palin took about as much as the Dem sharks could dish out for several days and then launched a few good natured jabs.

If that little bit hurts, your candidate better throw in the towel now cause the next punch will be a roundhouse.

All she was pointing out is that the big O is an empty suit. Your party nominated the wrong guy...or "gal", as the case may be.

Unknown said...

Phillip: With regard to Palin and her religious views and theocratic rhetoric:

http://www.reuters.com/article
/topNews/idUSN0441271720080904

Anonymous said...

What's the difference between Sarah Palin and Dick Cheney? Lipstick.

E. Ross said...

Number Nine: Palin and Gay Rights. She has a clear anti-gay record (against same-sex marriage, against health benefits, and against civil rights) but many MSM reports call her moderate on gay issues!

Pamalah MacNeily said...

Hey be nice to pit bulls, guys. Pits don't have it in their genetic makeup to attack humans. That is an abberation.

How about blood sucking tick?.. the kind I like to throw in the fire.

Pamalah MacNeily said...

ONe other thing... Can you Wasilian's look into the report that Sarah had an affair with TOdd's business partner. THat would be one amazing piece of family values. Can y'all scope it out, pleaze.

Anonymous said...

See Presentación - Traducción

jennifer rose said...

See http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2008/09/the-witch-of-wa.html

Anonymous said...

They are already coming up with t-shirts that say:
Jesus was a Community Organizer.
Pontius Pilate was a Governor.

Anonymous said...

Mudflats, I want one of those. :)