Weekly roundup
Guest post by Blueberry Tart
Hello again, Palingaters; Blueberry Tart here with a roundup of the news of the past week (or so) in Palin-la-la-land. My “week” actually began with my own first foray into guest-posting on Palingates, with my report and photos from the Tea(bagger) rally in Boston last week. It’s been a busy week at Palingates since then (as usual); here is a quick recap:
1. The roundup begins with mxm’s excellent guest post, providing a detailed analysis of the first quarter 2010 report from SarahPAC. Some of the key findings: the PAC took in a little less (~$400K) than it paid out in the first quarter ($409K+). The biggest expenditures were for consultants (almost $300K), with very little going to support political campaigns ($9500). Sarah’s promise that her fees from the Tea(bagger) Party Convention in Nashville seems to be another false promise, as there is no evidence that she reinvested her fee in that cause.
The updates to the post include questions about the legality of some of the expenses, such as the payments to Thomas Van Flein’s law firm (PAC funds cannot pay personal expenses). Also, there is a list of all the donors at the $5000 level. Great work sorting through and organizing this information by mxm!
2. This wealth of information about SarahPAC led to several excellent follow up posts. The first, by Patrick and Kathleen, was about Kim Daniels, one of the PAC’s payees ($21,000 this quarter), who is an evangelical attorney at the ultra-Christian Thomas More Law Center. The post has a chilling video about this organization; if you haven’t seen it, you should, but be forewarned that it might give you nightmares. Among other things, the TMLC has filed a legal challenge against the individual mandate provision of the new health insurance reform legislation. Kim Daniels is apparently paid by SarahPAC to write a daily briefing report for Sarah.
3. Next was a comic interlude by Danielle Crittenden (recently ousted Republican political consultant David Frum’s wife), who entertained us with tweets from Palin’s speech in Hamilton, Ontario. Her tweets were biting and especially fun to read, coming from a dyed-in-the-wool conservative. And honestly, if you have not read the transcript of the speech, you really should get yourself an adult beverage and indulge in an almost out-of-body experience (happily, you won’t have to listen to THE SHRIEK), bordering on the paranormal. Beginning with Sarah apparently confusing “Buenos Aires” with “buenos días,” this speech almost gives the resignation speech a challenge in terms of its pure chaos, random juxtapositions and lack of intelligible communication.
4. Back to business with Eye on You’s inquiry about how Krobar (Kurt Robar) earned $51,405 in the first quarter, when it appears that the websites that he designed are rudimentary and still “under construction.” Several commenters with expertise in the website design field offered differing opinions about whether these expenses were justifiable or not. There were theories that there may be websites already created but under wraps, awaiting the grand announcement of a run for political office (God forbid), versus other thoughts that these expenses were way out of line for any such services. One commenter who knows Mr. Robar personally vouched for him as a decent guy with a wife who is, among other things, a biting critic of Her Highness. To add another layer of confusion (so typical in everything Palin), it is not entirely clear that Mr. Robar is even aware that he was supposedly paid this much money.
5. Next, Mrs. TarquinBiscuitBarrel presented an excellent critique of Anne Kornblut’s underwhelming book, "Notes from the Cracked Ceiling", which covers Hillary Clinton’s and Sarah Palin’s failed candidacies for higher office and “what it will take for a woman to win.” Mrs. TBB gives an interesting insider view of why the MSM won’t touch babygate (or many other Palingates). She calls out the books flaws, including its apparent failure to recognize and call out the major differences in the qualifications of Hillary and Sarah – thus by implication equating them with each other. I cannot do justice to Mrs. TBB’s way with words in highlighting the books major weaknesses; my own take is that it is simplistic, primarily a regurgitation, offering nothing new in either information or insight. The commenters encouraged Mrs.TBB to work on a book on Palin, which she seems willing to do – oh, please do! There was also strong support in the comments for Palingates to pull its material together in book form – yes!
6. Rounding out my first week on the job (so to speak) is Patrick’s excellent post on the incredibly foul and disgusting, threatening messages received by California State Senator Leland Yee, due to his calls to investigate the way in contract for Sarah Palin to speak at California State University Stanislaus. His questions about whether public funds are being used for the speaking engagement apparently enraged some totally nasty lunatic fringe Palin-bots, who responded by making threatening calls and sending horrific faxes to his office. Our very own Patrick called Senator Yee’s office and received a copy of the fax and the audio clip of a highly abusive phone call, which he posted. Thanks to the efforts of PG and its readers, the story is being picked up by other sites. Hopefully PG’s great work exposing the disgusting underbelly of the radical rightwing will help to discredit these wingnuts and those who incite them.
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Thank you so much again, Blueberry Tart!
The weekly roundup had been written before the events of yesterday, but I am sure that you have all seen our post about Sarah's testimony in the David Kernell trial.
In addition, we have received an "on-the-spot report" and brilliant photos from our reader "Tyroanee" from the anti-Palin protests which happened yesterday in the liberal stronghold of Eugene, Orgeon. I cannot express how proud we are that so many people are willing to contribute to the Palingates community!
Also, click HERE for the special message of the week from our very own Palingates mascot!
Patrick
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Palin Protest Rally Eugene Oregon 2010
Guest post by Tyroanee
So on this beautiful sunny day in Eugene Oregon my family and I had a chance to stand along side such individuals. I decided to take my two teenagers, whom hadn’t been to a protest before so they could see and hear what it is that makes some of the Palinbots tick. I was ready to take video and ask questions as to what policies interested them and in what way? There were only 4 or 5 individuals in support of Palin, they only stayed for a short time and were gone POOF.
Many Sarah protesters showed up to voice their opinion on Palin Politics, some carried signs, and others had speaker-phones. Many milled about and took pictures or video and kept to themselves, until this one particular lady showed up wagging her finger across the street and holding this sign:
“The one without sin throw the first stone!!- said Jesus”
Now mind you I am not the one you want to start slinging bible quotes, as it has absolutely no plausible reason to be in a Palin protest… but to be honest I was looking on the ground for some stones. Was she serious? Oh very-very serious, but then so were the others, so we held our signs high because throwing rocks would be completely out of the question.
My two teenagers stood alongside with me holding up signs and cheering to the cars on 6th Ave. As the driving fans honked in support, we did have a few hand gestures directed at us, and the occasional Obama Sucks shout-out, but all in all it was a successful protest.
A few stories above us were the young waiters whom were obviously bored earning their $8.oo hr waiting to serve Palin and her merry followers $$$. As the sky literally filled with dark rain clouds as we walked to our car… Palin stood behind the transparency glass of hidden agendas, deep from the public eye they gathered to hear their queen speak; she had a roaring crowd of standing ovations from her paying admirers.
Nothing but the best…Hilton is the dirty old building in town holding only 800 people
As we walked to our car a block away, I stopped and had to take this picture, here on the same road, in front of the same building that Sarah was to speak parked this truck:
Eugene Oregon Has a Funny Sense of Humor
Parked right in front of the Hilton building (see windows in background) in this picture is Sarah Palin delivering her spew to her Republican supporters…?
This is why I love Oregon.
Peace to all
Tyroanee over and out for the night
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More pictures from the protest yesterday in Eugene, Oregon, taken by Tyroanee:
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