Guest post by Mrs. Tarquinbiscuitbarrel
It's been a whirlwind week in the alternate reality known as Palinlandia. In the past few days, the Palingates community has more than risen to the challenge of unscrambling the eggs that break every time a certain individual opens her mouth. This week, the seven posts garnered a staggering total of 3,779 comments!
Let's roll up our sleeves and flip the daybook back to where BlueberryTart left off on May 1:
Let's roll up our sleeves and flip the daybook back to where BlueberryTart left off on May 1:
Words count. Words have meaning. Words shouldn't just mean money in the bank for Sarah Palin. But the words that Mrs. Palin has tossed off so carelessly about the possible consequences of her "drill, baby, drill!" campaign mantram, in the form of her past speeches, remain available to us as evidence of her damning insouciance.
"We've got to let the federal government know we can responsibly and safely develop our natural resources," Mrs. Palin told the audience at a Lincoln Day Dinner hosted by Fairbanks Republican Women on February 14, 2009.
Todd. Palin's former employer, British Petroleum, "once downplayed the possibility of a catastrophic accident at an offshore rig that exploded, causing the worst U.S. oil spill in decades along the Gulf Coast and endangering shoreline habitat. In its 2009 exploration plan and environmental impact analysis for the well, BP suggested it was unlikely, or virtually impossible, for an accident to occur that would lead to a giant crude oil spill and serious damage to beaches, fish and mammals. "At least 1.6.million gallons of oil have spilled so far since the April 20 explosion that killed 11 workers, according to Coast Guard estimates. One expert said Friday that the volume of oil leaking from the well nearly 5,000 feet below the surface could actually be much higher, and that even more may escape if the drilling equipment continues to erode.
"BP's 52-page exploration plan for the Deepwater Horizon well, filed with the federal Minerals Management Service, says repeatedly that it was 'unlikely that an accidental surface or subsurface oil spill would occur from the proposed activities."
Regarding Mrs. Palin's "trust us" mentality, Palingates reader sdilmoak retorted:
"Trust the oil companies? Seriously, $carah, do you know there is still oil on the beaches in Alaska 21 years after the Exxon Valdez tragedy? Seriously Sarah, our citizens waited 20 long years for the litigation to be over all to get a measly $12,000 each. Seriously, Sarah, do you know how many fishermen commited suicide after losing their livelhood? Seriously, $arah, did you know the mayor of Cordova commited suicide after watching his whole community be devasted? Seriously Sarah, do you know how many people involved in the clean up of the Valdez are sick or dead from the carcinogens? Seriously Sarah do you know how many sealife species are gone from this part of the world and will never come back?"The people affected by the Exxon Valdez spill received $12,000 as compensation after the Supreme Court ruling. Sarah Palin was disappointed with the ruling before she decided to take credit for it (see clip on youtube).
According to Michael Tomasky, the industry-pleasin' energy policies of former Vice President Dick Cheney contributed to a regulatory environment ripe for the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe.
And while speaking at a BP-funded trade association, Mrs. Palin's pal, Texas Governor Rick Perry told a BP-funded trade association that he fears a "knee-jerk reaction" to the oil spill, saying that it could be, "just another act of God that cannot be prevented."
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Palingates thanks our amazingly stalwart reader Tildama for transcribing this entire speech regurgitated by Palin in Kentucky on April 16, 2010. Who are "Women of Joy"?
Those familiar with Palin's canned speech that she delivers again and again find our own joy (or something more sobering) in the subtle deviations from her standard memes that Jiffy-Pop out. For the Women of Joy, Palin used her "servant's heart" to offer up the fundamentalist-Christian variation of her already disputed "McCain's staff didn't want to pray with me" story. This story angered former McCain staffers, and this time, she spun the tale even further:
Tuesday, May 4
Timothy Crawford and "New Models": The shady "second life" of the treasurer of SarahPAC
Guest post by micmac
Looks like Timothy Crawford, Treasurer of SarahPAC, will be subpoenaed and deposed in Ohio regarding ‘soft money’ dirty trick campaign tactics connected to his “New Models” company in McLean, VA. That’s right. Sarah doesn’t keep him busy enough. Tim Crawford is moonlighting in Ohio.
Jennifer Brunner, the Ohio Secretary of State has sued Crawford’s corporation to determine the nature and the identity of some $1.55 million dollars transferred from “New Models” to the entity “LetOhioVote.org”, formed to thwart Democrat Governor Ted Strickland’s own plan to manage gambling in that state. Crawford and the other defendants refused to disclose the donor list. But a recent court order paved the way for depositions and subpoenas to proceed in this matter. See also this article at www.cleveland.com from April 30, 2010 with more details regarding this decision of Ohio’s Supreme Court.
Timothy Crawford's McLean, Virginia home address in the SarahPAC filings matches with his home address in the "New Models" annual reports.
How awkward.
Crawford is no stranger to Ohio politics. He was a paid fundraising consultant ($115,000 plus expenses) for Republican Ken Blackwell – a pro-life, anti-gay, Religious Right candidate besmirched by Diebold election machine scandals -- in Blackwell’s failed bid for the governorship in 2006 against current Ohio governor Ted Strickland. According to Wikipedia: “Blackwell's campaign relied heavily on accusations that Ted Strickland was not a resident of Ohio, and later, that Ted Strickland was gay. Both of these accusations played heavily in campaign literature that failed to resonate with Ohio voters. Due to his poor management of this campaign, Blackwell's ability to compete on a national stage was called into question.” LetOhioVote.org was formed by former Ken Blackwell staffers.
You may recall Tim Crawford’s abrupt ouster as RNC finance director in March 2009, for allegations of “impropriety” – as soon as Michael Steele was named RNC Chair. Interestingly, Ken Blackwell (also African American) was one of the nominees for the Chairmanship, but was passed over in favor of Michael Steele. Both men having been roundly trounced by Steele, appear to be re-joining forces to challenge another old foe: Governor Ted Strickland.
Patrick adds, "Our brilliant reader ella found an article in www.courierpress.com from May 2008, which demonstrates the dirty practices and lies that Tim Crawford and his shady company "New Models" employs:
Our very own micmac gave progressive Ohio bloggers a tip about the fact that one of the other defendants in the court case we mentioned above, Norman Cummings, who worked as consultant for "LetOhioVote,"is a legal resident of that state, and not, as Cummings himself falsely claimed, in Colorado! The Ohio progressive blog "plunderbund," quickly turned this into a story today and expressly thanked micmac!
Think globally, act locally!
Wednesday, May 5
Sarah Palin's wildlife, right next to the mashed potatoes...
Got $150? Enjoy shooting animals and displaying their bodies as home-decorating "flair"? No problems supporting Arizona tourism these days? We have a speech for you, or rather, J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa does. Because nothing says "rugged outdoorsman" like "Resort & Spa."
"Former Alaska governor and vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is the keynote speaker for the Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation's second annual Heritage Banquet May 15...
Palin, an avid hunter and angler, will share her views on wildlife conservation and the importance of participating in the public process to protect and further hunting and fishing heritage for todays sportsmen and future generations.
As we already know, in the eyes of Sarah Palin and the Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation, "wildlife conservation" means making sure there are plenty of targets for trophy hunters. While governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin personally supported the appointment of Corey Rossi, a commercial hunter, to the State Board of Fish and Game. Thanks to Alaska Dispatch for the screenshots of the following e-mails:
Alaskan biologists in Alaska expressed their concern over Corey Rossi's appointment, as reported by KTUU. They biologists ask that Rossi be replaced as head of Alaska's Division of Wildlife Conservation "because he's not qualified for the position." " The biologists add that they are "deeply concerned about the direction the division is heading in managing Alaska's wildlife resources," noting that Rossi is a "single-issue advocate."
That single issue is far from subsistence hunting, or from careful stewardship of the land. The Alaskan biologists fear that "professional management will be replaced by a simplistic abundance management model where maximum production of wild game meat is the state of Alaska's single overriding objective." Their worries are well-founded, as Rossi owns a commercial hunting business called the Great Northern Safari Company. Here, Palingates reported on Rossi's business dealings: "Chuck Heath Sr. to little Billy Geerhart: No aerial wolf-hunting in Alaska - just the Russians do it!"
Sarah Palin's interest in wildlife seems to be focused exclusively on hunters, preferably those with deep pockets, not on the animals themselves. The Discovery Channel built its name with a very different agenda--to revere wildlife and to broadcast it harmlessly into our homes. However, they've chosen to forsake their image to bank on Sarah Palin's notoriety. The quick bucks they seek are green and folding, rather than the four-legged ones who deserve protection and conservation.
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First, Sarah Palin warms up the audience by claiming to read the story of Queen Esther from the Bible to Piper:
And given that her admirers are fond of invoking Sarah Palin as a latter-day Queen Esther, if Sarah doesn't beat them to it and make the comparison herself, one question is, what in tarnation has Sarah "risked," as Esther did? Her life? No. Her income? She's increased it more than tenfold in the past year. The survival of her people? Who are these people? They appear to resemble the "Women of Joy," and their husbands and children. Sarah Palin obviously believes that the United States is in danger of spiritual peril--of not being a majority-Christian nation in which Christian teachings trump civil law, and there are no boundaries between church and state. She believes she is just the person to tear down those walls, and since she's never afraid to mix metaphors to beat the band, that makes her a female Joshua, also, too.
As our resident sages Vera City, Trigmund Freud, and other respected commenters might say, a situation in which a person sincerely believes that God is speaking through them to save a nation represents grandiose behavior at best, delusional thinking at worst. But it's everyday chat for Sarah Palin, the woman who is "chosen by God," and who stands up against her "enemies" and "adversaries," as she calls them in her speech. Falling into those camps are those who don't believe that she gave birth to Trig, as they--we--are mentioned scornfully in her spiel. Sarah has told the story of her "pregnancy" with Trig so many times that though she evidently believes that she gave birth to him, but she's still referring to her notes when she tells the story. The details continue to vary in Kentucky:
As Sarah's hero Ronald Reagan famously said, "Facts are stupid things." Dang those facts! Let's talk about me!
Jesus wept.
Thursday, May 6
Bristol Palin's problem with the truth
Of the many parents who post at Palingates, not one has ever claimed that being a parent is an easy task. Unlike her comparatively seedy offspring, my own mother-in-law had a full-time, live-in housekeeper AND a nursemaid, ditto, to do the heavy lifting while her family was growing up. While grateful for the assistance, even the senior Mrs. Biscuitbarrel maintains that being a mother is hard work. But just as some of the residents of George Orwell's "Animal Farm" professed to be "more equal than others," some single mothers clearly have less trouble providing food and shelter for their little ones, not to mention tanning time for Mom. Yes, Bristol, I'm talking about you. This week was one of Bristol's highest-profile ever, as she gallivanted around the country without Tripp, while spreading her "message" seemingly intended more for a VCR than for teenagers in heat. "Pause before you play," says her PSA.
Reportedly flying alone in first class from Alaska, Bristol preached the gospel of the rigors of 24/7 motherhood on "The View" on May 5.
Though Barbara Walters called Bristol "the face of teen pregnancy," she did not mention the fees Bristol has received from Candie's Foundation for her services as a Teen Ambassador, and from participating in a cover-story in InTouch magazine for a six-figure sum, or what monies she's received from her "consulting" corporation BSMP LLC, or the $1,750 she's paid monthly in child support by Levi Johnston. Nor did Bristol disclose how she obtained the two-bedroom condominium in Anchorage in which she reportedly lives, who her "roommate" is (boyfriend? nanny?), or where she works her "eight to five" job, or who looks after Tripp while she works.
Bristol also demonstrated the unrelenting responsibility of single motherhood while watching an Arizona Diamondbacks game, before jetting to New York for her television appearance. She posed on the red carpet at the TIME 100 dinner gala in New York City before staying up long past a baby's bedtime. Not walking the floor with a wakeful, feverish Tripp, mind you, who was heaven-knows-where under the watch of heaven-knows-whom. At one a.m., "Bristol Palin was spotted Wednesday night testing her abstinence vow at the [Manhattan] hot spot 10ak. The Candie's Foundation ambassador was in town for the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy," reported Huffington Post.
Palingates commenters noted that 10ak is likely to be in trouble now with the New York state liquor board, as underage guests are not supposed to be admitted to the exclusive nightclub, even if they claim that they aren't imbibing firewater. "I hope I am not beating a dead horse here," remarked NebraskaNative, "but apparently NYC is pretty serious about keeping under-aged kids out of clubs (altho I am given to understand that fakes ID's are a dime a dozen) but it would seem the publicity about Bristol (mom of 2) in the club being under-aged and all, might bring some not so good publicity to that club... ah, the Palin curse at work!"
What happened to Bristol between 2009 and 2010? In the 2009 photo below at left, she is looking remarkably trim and glamorous for the single teenage mother of an infant, albeit one who says that her family makes it possible for her to visit her favorite gym and tanning salon. At right, well, who knows what is really going on with Bristol in 2010? Regina stresses, "Yes, it could be worse. Bristol could have a sudden urge to tell the truth (for a change) and risk the wrath of her oh so supportive mother!"
patrickpalingates@privatedemail.net
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"Women of Joy presented by Phil Waldrep Ministries is a conference ministry thoughtfully designed to enhance and energize the spiritual lives of Christian woman. With the very best speakers in the country, the brightest stars in the contemporary Christian music universe, and sound, biblical teaching, the Women of Joy conferences offer an exciting, spiritually fulfilling experience for today's women."The media was barred from this event, a fact that Sarah gleefully mentions at the beginning of the speech. However, an enthusiastic Palin fan taped the entire speech and posted it on YouTube. A national scandal erupted over Palin's distaste for the United States' Constitutionally mandated separation of church and state, after ABC reported that her speech included the statement, "Don't let anyone try to convince you that God should be separated from the State."
Those familiar with Palin's canned speech that she delivers again and again find our own joy (or something more sobering) in the subtle deviations from her standard memes that Jiffy-Pop out. For the Women of Joy, Palin used her "servant's heart" to offer up the fundamentalist-Christian variation of her already disputed "McCain's staff didn't want to pray with me" story. This story angered former McCain staffers, and this time, she spun the tale even further:
"But I’m heading out on stage looking around for someone to pray with and no one nearby on the campaign staff was real eager to (ah have/hold hands) ask the Holy Spirit you know to just fill us up. So I ran into Piper, at the time my seven year old. So I grab Piper and I say “Piper just pray for Mama. Pray pray that I win the debate” (I tried to keep it really simple for her but but you know just tried to keep it really simple for her) and I had to ask her “Piper, pray that God just speaks right through me”. And Piper looks at me and she says “God speaking through you? That would be cheating.”Hmmm. Here's how the story stands in all those copies of "Going Rogue" on pages 295 and 295:
Her Christian audience receives a version of the story tailor-made so that they can identify with her. Sarah wants her audience to think that God can speak through her, apparently seeing herself as a "modern-day Elijah." So what about Sarah's "scripted" answers during the Vice Presidential debate, were they meant to be considered the words of God?
We don't know what's going on in Trig's mind, but Sarah claims to:
Poor Tildama! Lucky us! Part II follows on Thursday.
We don't know what's going on in Trig's mind, but Sarah claims to:
"Trig wakes up every morning and he rubs his sleepy little eyes, and he looks around and he applauds *laughter* and I just think he’s thinkin’ “Yep. There’s gonna be some challenges today, but come on world, whatcha got? It’s gotta be good. I applaud this new day”. And I believe that that is what our Lord would want for us too, no matter what. Get up in the morning and even if we’re forcing ourselves *applause* give it another applause, we can handle it with God’s help. Trig has been teaching me that."A two-year-old who wakes up applauding is unusual enough, but Sarah's self-proclaimed mind-reading skills move her farther, and more disturbingly, into her fantasy world. Once again she compares herself with no mere mortal by proclaiming, "And if it’s good enough for God in Isaiah 49 write the name of us on the palms of his hand *cheering/laughter/applause* you know that I got to tell a reporter that and I think it made her go look it up."
Poor Tildama! Lucky us! Part II follows on Thursday.
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Tuesday, May 4
Timothy Crawford and "New Models": The shady "second life" of the treasurer of SarahPAC
Guest post by micmac
Looks like Timothy Crawford, Treasurer of SarahPAC, will be subpoenaed and deposed in Ohio regarding ‘soft money’ dirty trick campaign tactics connected to his “New Models” company in McLean, VA. That’s right. Sarah doesn’t keep him busy enough. Tim Crawford is moonlighting in Ohio.
Jennifer Brunner, the Ohio Secretary of State has sued Crawford’s corporation to determine the nature and the identity of some $1.55 million dollars transferred from “New Models” to the entity “LetOhioVote.org”, formed to thwart Democrat Governor Ted Strickland’s own plan to manage gambling in that state. Crawford and the other defendants refused to disclose the donor list. But a recent court order paved the way for depositions and subpoenas to proceed in this matter. See also this article at www.cleveland.com from April 30, 2010 with more details regarding this decision of Ohio’s Supreme Court.Timothy Crawford's McLean, Virginia home address in the SarahPAC filings matches with his home address in the "New Models" annual reports.
How awkward.
Crawford is no stranger to Ohio politics. He was a paid fundraising consultant ($115,000 plus expenses) for Republican Ken Blackwell – a pro-life, anti-gay, Religious Right candidate besmirched by Diebold election machine scandals -- in Blackwell’s failed bid for the governorship in 2006 against current Ohio governor Ted Strickland. According to Wikipedia: “Blackwell's campaign relied heavily on accusations that Ted Strickland was not a resident of Ohio, and later, that Ted Strickland was gay. Both of these accusations played heavily in campaign literature that failed to resonate with Ohio voters. Due to his poor management of this campaign, Blackwell's ability to compete on a national stage was called into question.” LetOhioVote.org was formed by former Ken Blackwell staffers.
You may recall Tim Crawford’s abrupt ouster as RNC finance director in March 2009, for allegations of “impropriety” – as soon as Michael Steele was named RNC Chair. Interestingly, Ken Blackwell (also African American) was one of the nominees for the Chairmanship, but was passed over in favor of Michael Steele. Both men having been roundly trounced by Steele, appear to be re-joining forces to challenge another old foe: Governor Ted Strickland.
Patrick adds, "Our brilliant reader ella found an article in www.courierpress.com from May 2008, which demonstrates the dirty practices and lies that Tim Crawford and his shady company "New Models" employs:
"An out-of-state organization's last-minute attacks on state Rep. David Watkins has the legislator crying foul, while primary opponent Herb McKee is saying he has nothing to do with the mailings...How is it possible that Timothy Crawford claims that "New Models" is a 501(c)(4), but that at the same time this entity is nowhere to be found in the IRS database, as is required? Patrick and Kathleen's search in the Virginia state corporation database proves that "New Models" was already founded in July 2003, as proved by the screenshot from the database.
"There is no telephone listing for New Models in McLean, and Web searches turned up nothing. But the tax assessor's office in Fairfax County, Va., disclosed that the address given for New Models is the home address of Tim and Mary Crawford.
"Tim Crawford, when reached by telephone, said New Models is a non-profit organization formed about a year ago under section 501(c)(4) of the federal tax code, and that it represents no particular industry or interest group. That section of the tax code usually refers to civic leagues, social welfare organizations or local associations of employees. Such organizations are not prohibited from engaging in political activity, but that can't be the organization's primary purpose..."
Our very own micmac gave progressive Ohio bloggers a tip about the fact that one of the other defendants in the court case we mentioned above, Norman Cummings, who worked as consultant for "LetOhioVote,"is a legal resident of that state, and not, as Cummings himself falsely claimed, in Colorado! The Ohio progressive blog "plunderbund," quickly turned this into a story today and expressly thanked micmac!
Think globally, act locally!
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Wednesday, May 5
Sarah Palin's wildlife, right next to the mashed potatoes...
Got $150? Enjoy shooting animals and displaying their bodies as home-decorating "flair"? No problems supporting Arizona tourism these days? We have a speech for you, or rather, J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa does. Because nothing says "rugged outdoorsman" like "Resort & Spa.""Former Alaska governor and vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is the keynote speaker for the Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation's second annual Heritage Banquet May 15...
Palin, an avid hunter and angler, will share her views on wildlife conservation and the importance of participating in the public process to protect and further hunting and fishing heritage for todays sportsmen and future generations.
As we already know, in the eyes of Sarah Palin and the Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation, "wildlife conservation" means making sure there are plenty of targets for trophy hunters. While governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin personally supported the appointment of Corey Rossi, a commercial hunter, to the State Board of Fish and Game. Thanks to Alaska Dispatch for the screenshots of the following e-mails:
Alaskan biologists in Alaska expressed their concern over Corey Rossi's appointment, as reported by KTUU. They biologists ask that Rossi be replaced as head of Alaska's Division of Wildlife Conservation "because he's not qualified for the position." " The biologists add that they are "deeply concerned about the direction the division is heading in managing Alaska's wildlife resources," noting that Rossi is a "single-issue advocate."
That single issue is far from subsistence hunting, or from careful stewardship of the land. The Alaskan biologists fear that "professional management will be replaced by a simplistic abundance management model where maximum production of wild game meat is the state of Alaska's single overriding objective." Their worries are well-founded, as Rossi owns a commercial hunting business called the Great Northern Safari Company. Here, Palingates reported on Rossi's business dealings: "Chuck Heath Sr. to little Billy Geerhart: No aerial wolf-hunting in Alaska - just the Russians do it!"
Sarah Palin's interest in wildlife seems to be focused exclusively on hunters, preferably those with deep pockets, not on the animals themselves. The Discovery Channel built its name with a very different agenda--to revere wildlife and to broadcast it harmlessly into our homes. However, they've chosen to forsake their image to bank on Sarah Palin's notoriety. The quick bucks they seek are green and folding, rather than the four-legged ones who deserve protection and conservation.
+++Thursday, May 6
Sarah Palin and her "Women of Joy" speech--"Connecting" with the Christian Fundamentalists, Part 2
Our intrepid Tildama presents the second half of the speech delivered by Sarah Palin on April 16 in Kentucky before the fundamentalist Christian group, "Women of Joy." Although we know that Palingates' own mxm is made of stern stuff, she pleaded, "Please tell me that there is not a Part 3, I don't think I could bear it." Fortunately, Tildama was able to reassure mxm on that score. The alternate reality in which Palin dwells when speaking to receptive, paying crowds is one of the most enlightening and frightening insights that the complete, unedited speech presents us.
In addition to the alternate reality--a version of events that largely exists only inside Sarah's head at the time she is speaking--this talk before the "Women of Joy" illustrates her efforts to boost her evangelical "street cred" before her Christian fundamentalist base. In December 2009, Palingates presented an article with a documented example of this alternate reality which Palin re-packaged "Going Rogue": The real version of events is on video tape! This post is always useful to illustrate what Sarah Palin has continued to present, again and again, since the book was published, fashioning for her public a highly distorted version of events--and to sell it as the "rill dill." McCain campaign adviser Steve Schmidt didn't fall for it when he called her book "100% fiction," though many others don't, either, many Palin supporters take her words as gospel, especially those who think that God speaks through her.
Sarah Palin and her "Women of Joy" speech--"Connecting" with the Christian Fundamentalists, Part 2
Our intrepid Tildama presents the second half of the speech delivered by Sarah Palin on April 16 in Kentucky before the fundamentalist Christian group, "Women of Joy." Although we know that Palingates' own mxm is made of stern stuff, she pleaded, "Please tell me that there is not a Part 3, I don't think I could bear it." Fortunately, Tildama was able to reassure mxm on that score. The alternate reality in which Palin dwells when speaking to receptive, paying crowds is one of the most enlightening and frightening insights that the complete, unedited speech presents us.
In addition to the alternate reality--a version of events that largely exists only inside Sarah's head at the time she is speaking--this talk before the "Women of Joy" illustrates her efforts to boost her evangelical "street cred" before her Christian fundamentalist base. In December 2009, Palingates presented an article with a documented example of this alternate reality which Palin re-packaged "Going Rogue": The real version of events is on video tape! This post is always useful to illustrate what Sarah Palin has continued to present, again and again, since the book was published, fashioning for her public a highly distorted version of events--and to sell it as the "rill dill." McCain campaign adviser Steve Schmidt didn't fall for it when he called her book "100% fiction," though many others don't, either, many Palin supporters take her words as gospel, especially those who think that God speaks through her.
First, Sarah Palin warms up the audience by claiming to read the story of Queen Esther from the Bible to Piper:
"Now I was trying to make a point about preparation with Piper the other night and I’m reading her the book of Esther out of the Old Testament. And I’m telling her all about Esther. See honey, I’m telling her, she’s the underdog, and she’s the orphan, she’s working hard preparing to be judged by others. Essentially Esther, she was out there on the stage wondering if she’d be chosen to have opportunity to really help change her world and Piper’s listening and she’s kinda dozing off and finally she rolls over and she says “Wow, that’s just like ‘American Idol’”.Queen Esther's story is "just like 'American Idol,'"? I was tempted to call my rabbi and run that by him, but I hate to make the poor man claw at his breastbone and hyperventilate, so we'll spare him. (Patrick says LOL!) In fact, Queen Esther is brought to King Xerxes of Persia as a replacement wife for the banished Vashti, who has displeased the king by refusing to, ahem, get naked for his friends. Esther is not asked to do so by her new husband, but he doesn't know she's Jewish and she doesn't tell him, until--poorly served by his bloodthirsty advisor, Haman--he decrees that on a certain day, all Jewish men, women, and children will be murdered. Despite the risk of being put to death herself, Esther's courage foils the plot and saves the Jews of Persia. Scaffolding is erected, Haman and his sons are strung up and left hanging, as an example. Despite what we may think about Simon Cowell's abrupt demeanor, nobody on "American Idol" has been sentenced to death on stage by hanging. Yet. (LOL again!)
And given that her admirers are fond of invoking Sarah Palin as a latter-day Queen Esther, if Sarah doesn't beat them to it and make the comparison herself, one question is, what in tarnation has Sarah "risked," as Esther did? Her life? No. Her income? She's increased it more than tenfold in the past year. The survival of her people? Who are these people? They appear to resemble the "Women of Joy," and their husbands and children. Sarah Palin obviously believes that the United States is in danger of spiritual peril--of not being a majority-Christian nation in which Christian teachings trump civil law, and there are no boundaries between church and state. She believes she is just the person to tear down those walls, and since she's never afraid to mix metaphors to beat the band, that makes her a female Joshua, also, too.
As our resident sages Vera City, Trigmund Freud, and other respected commenters might say, a situation in which a person sincerely believes that God is speaking through them to save a nation represents grandiose behavior at best, delusional thinking at worst. But it's everyday chat for Sarah Palin, the woman who is "chosen by God," and who stands up against her "enemies" and "adversaries," as she calls them in her speech. Falling into those camps are those who don't believe that she gave birth to Trig, as they--we--are mentioned scornfully in her spiel. Sarah has told the story of her "pregnancy" with Trig so many times that though she evidently believes that she gave birth to him, but she's still referring to her notes when she tells the story. The details continue to vary in Kentucky:
"And here all along after I finally got to tell Todd and it was a few weeks after I had the test results (of the baby having DS) I finally got to tell Todd, and he had come home (I didn’t want to tell him over the phone). And my first question to Todd after he looked at the sonogram pictures too, I said, aren’t you asking “Why us?” and Todd looked at me and he says “Why not us?” And right from that moment *applause* my destiny began to change."In "Going Rogue" Todd didn't come back after a "few weeks", but after a "few days" (p. 178).
As Sarah's hero Ronald Reagan famously said, "Facts are stupid things." Dang those facts! Let's talk about me!
"If we take the time to look around we get outside of ourselves and remember it’s not about me. We’re not here on this earth for me, me, me. And that’s a problem with our culture, it’s all about me have to get away from that *applause* get outside of our selves *applause* and know that it is about glorifying God that is our main purpose and we’ll find that there is more than enough inspiration from God and from others that is our purpose and we’ll find that there is more than enough inspiration from God and from others to see us through."Since Sarah is so fond of co-opting a Jewish heroine for her own purposes, she might be interested in the Yiddish expression, "Love is fine, but love and noodles are even better." Sarah has gone far past that, insisting on love, noodles, and acting as God's mouthpiece. At no point in her public life has Sarah Palin ever been content with merely "glorifying God," or getting "outside of" herself, or for that matter, feeding her family rice and bedding them down on air mattresses so that the hungry residents of Emmonak can have rice, too. Dare we say that to invoke the Holy, to say that God speaks through her, while one of her many advisors specifies what size Learjet she'll consider boarding is a tad, well, blasphemous?
"Maybe it’s about trying to be the best parent that you can be in these challenging times and raising kids, maybe you’re feeling like a “crap shoot” you know you’re doing the best you can in these challenging times in our culture but these are the times when we lean on His word and we draw nearer to God and then He draws nearer to us and he announced that promise in James 4. And when we truly say with the psalms(?) that we may endure for a night the joy comes in the morning. That’s what God taught me."*applause*
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Thursday, May 6
Bristol Palin's problem with the truth
Of the many parents who post at Palingates, not one has ever claimed that being a parent is an easy task. Unlike her comparatively seedy offspring, my own mother-in-law had a full-time, live-in housekeeper AND a nursemaid, ditto, to do the heavy lifting while her family was growing up. While grateful for the assistance, even the senior Mrs. Biscuitbarrel maintains that being a mother is hard work. But just as some of the residents of George Orwell's "Animal Farm" professed to be "more equal than others," some single mothers clearly have less trouble providing food and shelter for their little ones, not to mention tanning time for Mom. Yes, Bristol, I'm talking about you. This week was one of Bristol's highest-profile ever, as she gallivanted around the country without Tripp, while spreading her "message" seemingly intended more for a VCR than for teenagers in heat. "Pause before you play," says her PSA.
Reportedly flying alone in first class from Alaska, Bristol preached the gospel of the rigors of 24/7 motherhood on "The View" on May 5.
Though Barbara Walters called Bristol "the face of teen pregnancy," she did not mention the fees Bristol has received from Candie's Foundation for her services as a Teen Ambassador, and from participating in a cover-story in InTouch magazine for a six-figure sum, or what monies she's received from her "consulting" corporation BSMP LLC, or the $1,750 she's paid monthly in child support by Levi Johnston. Nor did Bristol disclose how she obtained the two-bedroom condominium in Anchorage in which she reportedly lives, who her "roommate" is (boyfriend? nanny?), or where she works her "eight to five" job, or who looks after Tripp while she works.
Bristol also demonstrated the unrelenting responsibility of single motherhood while watching an Arizona Diamondbacks game, before jetting to New York for her television appearance. She posed on the red carpet at the TIME 100 dinner gala in New York City before staying up long past a baby's bedtime. Not walking the floor with a wakeful, feverish Tripp, mind you, who was heaven-knows-where under the watch of heaven-knows-whom. At one a.m., "Bristol Palin was spotted Wednesday night testing her abstinence vow at the [Manhattan] hot spot 10ak. The Candie's Foundation ambassador was in town for the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy," reported Huffington Post.
Palingates commenters noted that 10ak is likely to be in trouble now with the New York state liquor board, as underage guests are not supposed to be admitted to the exclusive nightclub, even if they claim that they aren't imbibing firewater. "I hope I am not beating a dead horse here," remarked NebraskaNative, "but apparently NYC is pretty serious about keeping under-aged kids out of clubs (altho I am given to understand that fakes ID's are a dime a dozen) but it would seem the publicity about Bristol (mom of 2) in the club being under-aged and all, might bring some not so good publicity to that club... ah, the Palin curse at work!"
What happened to Bristol between 2009 and 2010? In the 2009 photo below at left, she is looking remarkably trim and glamorous for the single teenage mother of an infant, albeit one who says that her family makes it possible for her to visit her favorite gym and tanning salon. At right, well, who knows what is really going on with Bristol in 2010? Regina stresses, "Yes, it could be worse. Bristol could have a sudden urge to tell the truth (for a change) and risk the wrath of her oh so supportive mother!"
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Friday, May 7
Heroic Media: An Evening with Sarah Palin, and another attempt to distort history
"Heroic Media" invited their supporters to an evening with Sarah Palin on April 29, 2010, in Austin. As previously reported, "Heroic Media" is an anti-abortion organization. They openly admit that their billboards are designed in a way that it's impossible to tell whether "they are pro-life or pro-choice." They add:
"That’s intentional because women in crisis respond best to photos of women they can relate to."
We extensively reported prior to this event, and it didn't escape our attention that the President of "Heroic Media", Brian Follett, was a leading "Swift-Boater". Follett is also a prodigious donor to GOP candidates. When it comes to major Republican office-seekers, he casts his bread widely upon the waters:
One of our brilliant spies, known as Palingaters, sneaked into the venue after the event was over and snagged one of the programs distributed at the event. Containing a lot of useful information, this program brilliantly exemplifies the "illness" affecting so many Palin supporters. Diagnosis? "Negation of reality and Palin delusion syndrome." Download the program HERE.
In addition to Half-Term Ex-Governor Palin, and Follett, the speakers also included four squeaky-clean-looking white men who will never, ever have to host an in-dwelling, unplanned pregnancy:
As the program demonstrates, this was not a "heroic" event, but just another meeting for those people who would like to turn the USA into a theocracy--with the "pure" Sarah Palin as the poster girl. As we know, Sarah Palin maintains her "purity" with Wite-Out!
Patrick also announces an exciting new feature at Palingates:
Heroic Media: An Evening with Sarah Palin, and another attempt to distort history
"Heroic Media" invited their supporters to an evening with Sarah Palin on April 29, 2010, in Austin. As previously reported, "Heroic Media" is an anti-abortion organization. They openly admit that their billboards are designed in a way that it's impossible to tell whether "they are pro-life or pro-choice." They add:
"That’s intentional because women in crisis respond best to photos of women they can relate to."
We extensively reported prior to this event, and it didn't escape our attention that the President of "Heroic Media", Brian Follett, was a leading "Swift-Boater". Follett is also a prodigious donor to GOP candidates. When it comes to major Republican office-seekers, he casts his bread widely upon the waters:
One of our brilliant spies, known as Palingaters, sneaked into the venue after the event was over and snagged one of the programs distributed at the event. Containing a lot of useful information, this program brilliantly exemplifies the "illness" affecting so many Palin supporters. Diagnosis? "Negation of reality and Palin delusion syndrome." Download the program HERE.
In addition to Half-Term Ex-Governor Palin, and Follett, the speakers also included four squeaky-clean-looking white men who will never, ever have to host an in-dwelling, unplanned pregnancy:
As the program demonstrates, this was not a "heroic" event, but just another meeting for those people who would like to turn the USA into a theocracy--with the "pure" Sarah Palin as the poster girl. As we know, Sarah Palin maintains her "purity" with Wite-Out!
Patrick also announces an exciting new feature at Palingates:
"At the right-hand bar, under our email addresses, I included a link to to a new service called 'Palingate-Wikileaks.' I don't know whether there is a need for such a service, but it's meant seriously, and it works. It is a service which was invented by people who are at the forefront of the 'privacy protection' movement in Europe. It allows us to receive messages in complete confidence-- outside the reach of any authorities. No logfiles are being kept. For more of the technical details see HERE.
If there is any information you always wanted to send us, but which is so "hot" that you never dared, now is your chance! Nobody will ever be able to find out who sent us the info.
"You can leave messages anonymously here (without sending an email):
https://privacybox.de/patrickpalingates.msg
"You can leave messages anonymously here (without sending an email):
https://privacybox.de/patrickpalingates.msg
Or send an email directly to our new address which is hosted outside the USA and Europe:
patrickpalingates@privatedemail.net
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