It’s About The Children

The United States doesn’t fair so well in securing the well-being of our children. When you have people like WFTV anchor Barbara West who criticized Joe Biden for trying to turn the US into Sweden. As if that was a bad thing, we should be so lucky. Sweden is at the top of all quality of life and well-being charts. I guess you can teach people, but you can’t make them think.

Take a look at this study on the well-being of children in wealthy nations. Like Barack Obama said, we need to focus on stopping teen pregnancy. The United States has more than 45 births for every 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19. Significantly higher than any other OECD nation.

I don’t think we are going to solve this problem by teaching abstinence only sexual education and restricting access to birth control as the McCain team and particularly Sarah Palin has promoted.

Light blue is top third, dark blue is bottom third.

Alaska Planning War With U.S.?

The GOP sure is good at turning out creepy ads with spooky music and ominous subtitles. Thankfully the Obama camp has chosen the high road. With the help of the internet we the people can do our own dirt digging and “ad” making.

CLICK IMAGE to VIEW CLIP

via WATCH: Alaska planning war with U.S. – 236.com – The Feed

Not a Serious Campaign Effort

When I look at how the McCain campaign has been run, it seems like a half-hearted effort. Even John McCain seems to be uncomfortable or even embarrassed by it at times. 

So the question is, is McCain the disposable candidate the GOP felt they could sacrifice in a year they felt they didn’t have any hope of winning?

With the President’s approval so low and the country sliding into a deep recession, the chances for any Republican candidate were slim. Conventional wisdom is that an individual only has a few shots at running before they are considered inviable. He lost out in 2000 and at the age of 72 this is his last chance to run.

Perhaps the choice of Palin wasn’t so much a radical choice, as it was the only one left for him.

Imagine All That Brain Power in One Place

Apparently, Sarah Palin needed some help out on the campaign trail, so in the tradition of John McCain, she picked who she thought represented the best and the brightest…Elizabeth Hasselbeck from the View. Just think of all the talent McCain and Palin administration would surround themselves with.

Wardrobe Malfunction

Looks like Palin’s $150,000 wardrobe, hair, and makeup expenses may have more serious consequences than simply really bad P.R and an exposed phony image. 

A watchdog group filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission Wednesday alleging that the Republican Party broke federal campaign laws by buying Sarah Palin and her family about $150,000 in clothes for campaign appearances.

The complaint names as defendants Palin, the RNC, Larson and other operatives associated with the RNC.

The Federal Election Campaign Act specifically prohibits expenditures for such purposes, the liberal-leaning Center for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said in its complaint. (…MORE HERE)

Does She Get It From Her Mama

Behind backs and closed doors we know Sarah’s doing the same thing.

CLICK IMAGE to make LARGER – LOOK at the GIRL

Chris Matthews Hammers Pfotenhauer Over Palin Comments

Sarah Palin does NOT know what the responsibilities of the Vice President are. Palin thinks the job would involve being “IN CHARGE” of the US Senate. Truly an inexcusable flub. Pfotenhauer, through highly botoxed smile, attempts to defend Palin saying the media is “parsing words” from the Governor’s interview. Palin’s EXACT words were, “they’re in charge of the US Senate”. Not much to “parse” there.  Matthews thankfully just does not let up on Pfotenhauer. I swear at one point it looks like she might just say, “Screw it, your RIGHT!”

Hockey Mom No More

I love this one. This is going to dominate for at least 2 news cycles. First $150 mil for Obama. Then Colin Powell. Now this. Bye bye coverage, Johnny!

Or, as Andrew Sullivan says, “$5 grand for hair styling and make-up? As Americans face a depression?”

The Republican National Committee has spent more than $150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August.

Sarah Palin wears black during a rally in Reno, Nev., on Tuesday.

Sarah Palin on SNL. No, Seriously It’s Really Her.

Sarah Palin just appeared on Saturday Night Live in both the opening and Weekend Update skits. The appearance was completely, utterly, uncomfortable. Appearing on SNL sounded like it could be a great strategic move for Palin and therefore McCain. It didn’t work. Instead of seeming to be “in on the joke” she simply came off as “the butt of the joke”. If I were a McCain supporter I would be highly insulted by the Weekend Update skit especially. The fact that Palin seems to be “ok” with its content is a slap in the face of the whole campaign and party. During the song in the skit, while she’s sitting there bobbing and grinning and having a ball, it appears she agrees with the what’s being said and done. That sure would piss me off if I was a republican. Good move, Sarah! Thanks, Sarah!

Opening Skit

Weekend Update

It’s Official, Michael Palin Not the Funniest Palin Any More.

Legendary Monty Python Comedian John Cleese compares the McCain campaign to a Monty Python sketch. If only it were. (Via Seesmic Cafe)

Jethro Tull featuring Sarah Palin – Locomotive Breath (Live)

As voting day nears, I question posting silly, funny clips. That being said, this one was to good to pass up.

Busted

From the” I Wouldn’t Have Been a Racist A-Hole If I Knew You Were Going to Be Filming,” files. This guy thinks he is to being so smooth. From the CBS News Video site:

A man brought a stuffed monkey doll wearing an Obama sticker to a Palin campaign event in Johnstown, Pa. Realizing he was caught on camera, he passed it off to a child he didn’t know.

Busted

Hockey Vote, Not So Much

Self described “Hockey Mom” Sarah Palin just doesn’t seem to have her core constituency wrapped up. On Saturday Sarah Palin dropped the ceremonial first puck at the Philadelphia Flyers and was met with roaring boos. Apparently it got so bad they had to turn up the music to try to drown out the boos. You can see people in the background giving thumbs down some holding Obama/Biden signs. 

The New York Times has more on it here.

Sarah Palin: Abuse of Power

A bipartisan legislative council found that Sarah Palin violated state ethics law and abused her power when she tried to get her ex-brother in law fired. CNN has the breaking story here.

“Gov. Palin knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda,” the report states.

“I conclude that such claims of fear were not bona fide and were offered to provide cover for the Palins’ real motivation: to get Trooper Wooten fired for personal family reasons,” Branchflower wrote.

The Branchflower report states Todd Palin used his wife’s office and its resources to press for Wooten’s removal, and the governor “failed to act” to stop it. But because Todd Palin is not a state employee, the report makes no finding regarding his conduct.

Thank You For Being A Friend

Betty White is ready for change. Watch this clip of her on the Craig Ferguson Show.

“That is one crazy bitch.” –  Betty White on Sarah Palin