Don Surber, Refudiating Palin’s Journolist Critics

Don Surber posted a great piece today to 'refudiate' the former Journolist member, Greg Sargent for effectively blaming readers for the way he and other members in the media treat Governor Palin. Surber writes:

Consider the admissions by Politico and Greg Sargent that they regularly run items on Sarah Palin simply to drive traffic.

From Politico: “More traffic comes from an item on Sarah Palin’s ‘refudiation’ faux pas than from our hundreds of stories on the complexities of health care reform or Wall Street regulation.”

Perhaps if Politico were as vigilant in its coverage of health care reform and Wall Street regulation as it is every slip by Sarah Palin readers would be interested.

Come on, we should not have to wait 4 months after its passage to learn that by Obamacare means any business transaction of $600 or more must be reported to the IRS; just what that has to do with health care is beyond me. If Politico had reported that in March in as entertaining a manner as it covers Sarah Palin, maybe it would not have to go around sliming Sarah Palin just to get hits.

Then there is this from Greg Sargent: “Frivolous items about Sarah Palin do degrade our discourse, but we need to do them, because the simple fact is that people click on them in droves.”

Sellout.

Seriously, if it is all about hits then just run photos of Miley Cyrus — or Britney Spears nude.

That’s what Perez Hilton does, right?

No, Greg Sargent and Politico waste a lot of time mocking Sarah Palin because that is what they like to do — and they blame readers for it. Once again, a liberal refuses to take personal responsibility. What degrades our discourse is a lack of candor.

One more thing, is it not telling that 2 years after she burst on the world scene, people still cannot get enough of Sarah Palin? I don’t seem to recall John Edwards, Joe Lieberman or Jack Kemp working up that much excitement 2 years after their failed VP candidacies.

You can read Don Surber's piece in it's entirety here

Anyone who has followed the unfolding saga that is the fall of the left-wing listerv "Journolist," knows very well that ratings and internet "hits" where never the reason the media treated Palin so grossly unfair. There is no denying the fact that Governor Palin generates interest with the public. She does have the ability to draw attention to an issue, thereby drawing attention to any site covering that issue. However, these writer's are no longer covering issues, they are using their forums in an attempt to create negative perceptions in that public's mind about a political figure they wish to destroy. Such is the state of the modern day media.

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NY Times Effectively Concedes that Governor Palin is Fueling the "Mounting" Opposition to the Ground Zero Mosque

On its front page and in an above the fold article, the NY Times effectively concedes that Governor Palin is fueling the "mounting" opposition to the Ground Zero mosque (emphasis added):

But around the country opposition is mounting, fueled in part by Republican leaders and conservative pundits. Sarah Palin, the 2008 Republican vice-presidential nominee, has urged “peace-seeking Muslims” to reject the center, branding it an “unnecessary provocation.”

[T]he arguments against the Muslim center appear to be resonating. Polling shows that a majority of Americans oppose building it near ground zero.

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Concord Monitor Editorial Board Notes the Absurdity of the Media's Analysis of Governor Palin's Endorsement of Kelly Ayotte/Open Thread (Update)

If you haven't done so already and if it's possible, drop a donation to SarahPAC for the "2 Million on Facebook" money bomb. Here's the news for the day:

-Even though it won't be clear from the headline, the liberal Concord Monitor editorial board in New Hampshire is actually mocking the media analysis of Governor Palin's endorsement of Kelly Ayotte in this editorial.

-From the Wenatchee World: Tea Party’s rumblings are resonating here

-Rita Meyer, Governor Palin's most recent endorsee, leads the Wyoming GOP gubernatorial primary race.

What else is going on today?

Update: She's on Fox News Sunday tomorrow morning with Chris Wallace. PalinTV has the preview.

Don Surber: Refudiating Palin’s critics

She's on the most recent cover of NRA's First Freedom magazine with Glenn Beck.

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Robert Wiles: Why We Need Sarah Palin to Succeed

From Robert Wiles at Palin Promotions:

I am here not to dictate policy or say what has to be done in the political field of legislation, for I am not a political guru or pundit. I am not a writer, an essayist. I’m just an ordinary citizen who sees the attacks on Sarah Palin as attacks on me and America. As a member of society ,who has to express his thoughts on reason and common sense, I see Sarah Palin as being that only reason and common sense. She is the only one that I feel is of reason and common sense.

I have watched the political atmosphere for years and have been intrigued listening and evaluating, not just the candidates, but the people themselves. I have seen many candidates climb to the top and I have seen some fail. I have seen candidates just drift away to obscurity and some have their 15 minutes of fame. But I have never seen anyone, climb to the top and hold their own as Sarah Palin. Yes, I have seen some very successful political figures in my life, but as I watched them, they grew out of the ranks of their Parties and did not find that throne of success. I had never seen a politician whom was an unknown, raised to the forefront and capture a Country like Sarah Palin. I say capture because I have never seen a figure crucified and hated by so many (who hate her not just because of her policies or beliefs, but merely because of who she is) like Sarah Palin.

This is not just a political battle with Sarah Palin by the Left. This is also a cultural battle that is more deadly because of the Left’s agenda. I will say as a Republican, I am not very happy with my own Party as well. I have not seen my Party slash taxes, downsize government, cut Government Programs, yet alone Departments that are a waste of taxpayers money; therefore, I am not here to just criticize the Democrats. Yet, I fear the Left’s agenda is far more dangerous then the side I belong to. I fear the Left’s tactics in controlling our schools and changing history. I fear the left dictating history, bashing our Country, our heritage, our pioneers, our Forefathers and so on. I fear the Left’s agenda in displaying it’s support of a system called Politically Correctness. I fear their intrusiveness in how we ,as a people, should live, believe, function and learn. I fear the building of yet a bigger Government for the purpose of controlling our wealth, our freedom, our individuals liberties with the purpose of making us a more dependent society.

For the reasons listed above, I believe a Sarah Palin Republican nomination would be a nightmare for the Left and would reach a lot more then just a political spectrum. This is the battle for our future. In 2008, when Sarah Palin was introduced, there was an awakening by many on the Republican side. Up until then, we had given up and said it is over. Yes, we still lost the election, but the result was an awakening of the American people that basically said “We have been silent for decades, no more”. There was one reason for that sentiment; that reason was Sarah Palin. I loved President Ronald Reagan, but even he was a known figure throughout his life. He began in the movies and later moved on to politics. That’s what amazes me about the Sarah Palin phenomenon. She was virtually an unknown politician. Today, in less then 2 years, Sarah Palin is one of the most prominent politicians in America. Even as a private citizen, Sarah is still one of the most popular persons in America. Why is that? Here are some of the reasons: Sarah Palin is my neighbor, my school teacher, my grocer, my banker, my mechanic, my fellow church goer plus a lot more. Sarah Palin is America. The Democrats, Media and many in the Republican Party see that and they do not like what they see. Sarah has not “paid her dues” to the Republican Party and they do not like it. Well, maybe if they’d start paying their dues and actually cared about “we the people”, they’d might be up there with Sarah Palin. However, they haven’t, and Sarah Palin is who we’ve been longing for. She is one of us and is willing to give us a voice. She is opening the door for us, but also she is opening the door of the American culture. The Left hates that idea. When Sarah opened that door of culture, the Left saw it as a great opposition. Americans had been silent for so long and Sarah Palin woke us, now (according to the Left and some on the Right) she needs to be destroyed. For Sarah Palin has awoken the PEOPLE. We have been called Nazis, Terrorists, Right Wing extremists, racists, bigots, and homophobes. We are actually hated because we dare to believe in God, in sanctity of life, family, marriage between a man and women, the Constitution, the Bill of rights, our Forefathers, a smaller Government, less taxation and individual freedoms and liberties. They hate Sarah Palin because she believes like we do. With Sarah, it is a cultural and political battle. We believe in values, morals, character, integrity, conviction and faith. To believe in the aforementioned is to believe in yourself and others. It is a belief that one must not be chained to Government. The Left seems to have a different idea. They want control of society. Sarah Palin not only gives us hope in the political world, she gives us a voice of hope in the cultural world. The left believes it MUST destroy Sarah Palin; they must destroy the symbol that she has become. They want to silence “we the people” again.

Read the remainder of Wiles' piece here.

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Flashback: Rush Limbaugh Slams the Media

I thought you all might enjoy this. Rush Limbaugh takes great delight in slicing and dicing the media, from October of 2008:

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Saturday Open Thread

WSJ: The 2.4% Recovery

NYT: With Recovery Slowing, the Jobs Outlook Dims

Daily Caller: Clinton comptroller blasts government workers’ accrual of benefits at expense of private sector workers

Robert Gordon: The Reid Energy Bill: Another Government Land Grab

WaPo: U.S. takes a tougher tone with China

The Economist: The rising power of the Chinese worker

Telegraph: Russia approves massive defence budget increase

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Dan Fagan's Attack on Governor Palin and the Alaska Constitution

Dan Fagan, one of the earliest PDS sufferers and proponent of frivolous, baseless ethics complaints, had a guest on his radio show from the Tea Party Express who is in Alaska to show support for Tea Party Express and Palin endorsed Senate candidate, Joe Miller. Rather than focus on the issues of the upcoming primary election, Fagan decided to not just take gratuitous swipes at Governor Palin, but to re-hash bold faced lies from over a year and a half ago about her gubernatorial accomplishments.

First, Fagan used Obama administration like math to misrepresent one of Governor Palin's cornerstone pieces of legislation-- Alaska's Clear and Equitable Share (ACES)--claiming that the Alaska constitution-upholding revenue plan increased taxes on oil companies by 400%, which, of course, is a complete fabrication. Such lies are nothing new for Fagan, who has spewed them on several occasions before. ACES has been a business booster for oil companies. As was reported last summer, companies found Alaska's oil tax plan to be rather conducive for business--both for business to thrive and the Pt. Thomson leases to be appropriately utilized after 30 years of inactivity (emphasis mine):

Alaska oil and gas production makes up about 12 percent of ConocoPhillips’ worldwide output. In the first quarter of this year, Alaska operations earned the company $240 million, or 29 percent of its worldwide exploration and production income.

In an April 23 analyst presentation, ConocoPhillips’ top executives in Houston made a point of acknowledging Alaska production tax credits as being a significant component in the company’s profit.

[...]

[E]ven though, under ACES, ExxonMobil and its partners should be able to recoup more than 45 percent of their $1.3 billion cost of developing their phase 1 Point Thomson project, it is doubtful the Point Thomson partners would have made the decision to move forward with the high pressure gas cycling project under ACES if they were not in danger of losing their leases to the State of Alaska.

That hardly sound like the outcomes of a 400% tax increase on oil companies. Additionally, since ACES was implemented, the number of wells started has followed a positive trajectory, which would run completely contrary to Fagan's false assertions.


Another falsehood spewed by Fagan was that Governor Palin does not support school vouchers. Early in Governor Palin's time as governor, she expressed her support of the Constitution of Alaska. When asked by a reporter about her support of vouchers, Governor Palin replied:

They're unconstitutional in our state, so I can't support them. And I'm not proposing to change anything in that arena either. Our constitution mandates so few services that have to be provided [to] Alaskans, and a good free education for all Alaskan students is one service mandated. So, I'm going to make sure that we're doing that right, and we're adequately funding it. So, we'll have our hands full just with that public education that needs to be provided. My four kids [are] in public school; my dad, my brother -- lots of school teachers in my family; I have an affinity for public schools and want to make sure that we're providing the best service there. So, again, with my hands full there, I'm not going to start challenging our constitution on vouchers.

What prompted the ACES legislation was ensuring that Alaskans received their "clear and equitable share" of the profits of the resources they owned, as per the Alaskan state constitution. Governor Palin's stance on school vouchers was firmly on that of the Alaska constitution.

However, Fagan's attack on the Alaska constitution and the woman who chose to swear an oath to defend and uphold that Constitution didn't stop there. He also decided to attack the Governor on her choice for the Alaska Supreme Court in 2009. Alaska's constitution calls for judges to be selected by a modified version of the Missouri Plan in which Governor Palin was forced to choose between two nominees set forth by the Alaska Judicial Council. In this situation, Governor Palin had to choose between an envirostatist nominee, Eric Smith ,whose views would have severely hampered the development of the state, and a nominee, Morgan Christen, who had, in the past, sat on a Planned Parenthood board but possessed more moderate views on other issues. Governor Palin's predecessor, Frank Murkowski, had tried a "filibuster" of sorts when faced with a similar judicial situation, and it failed miserably. Governor Palin, on the other hand, followed a modified version of G.K. Chesterton's old statesmanship:

Compromise used to mean that half a loaf was better than no bread. Among modern statesmen it really seems to mean that half a loaf is better than a whole loaf.

While Governor Palin did not compromise her pro-life values, she was able to marry principle with pragmatism while remaining true to both the Alaska constitution and her pro-life values. Following the pick, SarahPAC shared the following on her Facebook page:

Gov. Palin is totally pro-life. Always has been. Always will be. She believes in a culture of life from cradle to grave. Her choice for Supreme Court judge was made in accordance with Alaska law. She chose the person most qualified from the names sent to her. The Governor's choice has a record of fairness. That is important as the courts sort out some very thorny issues. Governor Palin's choices were either a liberal or an independent. She went with the independent. And as the following article reflects - this selection process is flawed.

Following her appointment, Christen had removed herself from a case involving abortion issues, so her past associations have yet to be taken into account into her judicial decisions. Of further note, Christen wasn't on the Planned Parenthood board when the organization performed abortions in Alaska. Governor Palin's decisions have always been based upon the Constitution first. This decision was no different. As Governor Palin stated following the decision:

My job is to follow the Constitution. I try to appoint the nominee that is able to approach every case with an open mind and the best knowledge, skills, and ability to analyze the legal issues and apply the law to the facts of the case. It is often a difficult decision to make. In the instance of the most recent Supreme Court seat, both candidates had a wealth of legal experience to offer the state.

Governor Palin acted in accordance with the oath she swore to uphold. She defended the Alaska constitution. She acted with pragmatism, while not abandoning principle. It should also be noted that the use of the judicial selection process was challenged in higher courts a year later, but was shot down. There was nothing Governor Palin could have done to circumvent the process and still remain true to her oath of office. She was acting accordance with the law and the Constitution.

With all of Fagan's false assertions I'm wondering, could I suggest some reading material for him?

Fagan's Palin Derangement Syndrome coupled with his wistful longing for the days of the Murkowski administration blinds him to the truth of Governor Palin's constitutionally driven gubernatorial record. Despite the fact that Palin is no longer governor of Alaska, her gubernatorial record continues to become more and more impressive with the news of the progress made on the pipeline. Not the greatest of news for the Denali project supporting Fagan.

Thank you to Doug and Ian for their assistance.

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Palin Robo-Call for Todd Tiahrt (R-KS); GOP Rep Vying to Replace Senator Sam Brownback Against Fellow Republican (Aug.3) UPDATED: Audio Added

My congressman, Todd Tiahrt(4th District), got a nice boost with Governor Palin's endorsement recently, and now she has recorded a statewide phone call for him as he squares off against fellow Republican congressman Jerry Moran in their primary next Tuesday. Moran is currently representing the Kansas' 1st Congressional District. Republican Senator Sam Brownback is retiring and a shoe-in for governor in November. I'm patiently awaiting my phonecall from Sarah Palin. I hope I haven't missed it. Sometimes we screen the "out of area" calls because they're usually from Newt Gingrich or Mike Huckabee's fundraising team. Here's the email I received today from Michelle Shroeder in Tiahrt's press office.

We are getting a lot of media requests for the Sarah Palin transcript and audio file of the phone call she is making to Republican primary voters across the state on behalf of Todd Tiahrt.

The Palin transcript:

Hello, this is Governor Sarah Palin. Supporting conservative candidates in primaries is extremely important, especially because of the liberal agenda of the Obama Administration. Todd Tiahrt is a pro-life, pro-family, pro-Second Amendment, Commonsense Conservative who has never voted for a tax increase. Conservatives need Todd Tiahrt fighting for us in the United States Senate, which is why I am proudly endorsing his campaign. I hope conservatives in Kansas and across the country can count on you to support Todd Tiahrt, the conservative candidate for the U.S. Senate. Thank you. This call was paid for by Kansans for Tiahrt.

Audio file (9MB)

http://www.toddtiahrt.com/landing/audio/

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Palin's Pipeline Progresses!

When Sarah Palin was running for governor of Alaska in 2006, constructing a natural gas pipeline from the North Slope to fuel Alaska and the Lower 48 was one of her top goals:



When she took office as governor, the pipeline was one of the first things she addressed. She met with potential gasline sponsors on December 4, 2006--her first day in office. In her first State of the State address on January 17, 2007, Governor Palin said:

Of course, the primary focus of our long-term energy plan can be summed up in three words -- NATURAL GAS PIPELNE! This gasline will fuel our homes, our economy, and careers for Alaskans - for generations. The gasline is critical not just for our future, but for the nation’s future. It’s also an essential component of our nation’s energy policy. Truly, for energy independence, the nation will look to Alaska.

...

We’ll introduce “Agia” this legislative session. We’re scrutinizing its legality, strategy, and efficacy with top experts right now. With legislation this important, it’s more important to “do it right than to do it fast.”

We’re not limiting this review to our own hired experts. The day after I took office, Lt. Gov. Parnell and I began meeting with -- and we’re continuing to meet with -- potential applicants to ask their opinions. We want to be assured that this bill provides the best chance to induce the best project, and includes the right “must have” components for Alaska.

In her first month of office, the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) was crafted, as a transparent private sector-driven process. The bill was signed into law on June 6, 2007. Throughout her time as governor, Governor Palin made the pipeline one of her top priorities, both for the sake of Alaskans and for Alaska's contribution to the rest of the country. Last summer, Governor Palin spoke to Matt Lauer about the pipeline and what its impact would be on Alaska and the country:




Following Palin's resignation, Governor Parnell has continued to carry the torch of AGIA and energy independence, and further progress continues to be made on this project. Today, the end of the open season,there is good news regarding Palin's pipeline as the project has received bids from potential industry shippers.

Via the ADN:

The proposed multibillion-dollar natural gas pipeline from the North Slope took a step forward this afternoon with the receipt of bids from potential shippers.

"The Alaska Pipeline Project can report that we've received multiple bids from major industry players and others for significant volumes," said Tony Palmer, TransCanada Corp.'s vice president for Alaska projects, reading from a prepared statement. He declined to deviate from his text.

"We're encouraged about the future advancement of the project if key conditions can be resolved," he said. "Although we need to further assess the results, we're encouraged by the bids received, the interest expressed in our initial open season and shippers' willingness to take the ongoing steps needed to continue to advance the project."

The Newsminer has more here.

This follows up news from last month that BP-ConoccoPhillips joined in the project.

No word yet from pipeline opponents, State Reps. Mike Hawker and Jay Ramras.

Read more about Governor Palin's work on the AGIA here, here, here, here, and here.

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Palinistas Are The New Cultural Rebels

It occurred to a bunch of us C4Pers in San Diego recently that Tea Partiers and Sarah Palin supporters are the new cultural rebels. As we were strolling through Seaport Village discussing our various "community organizing tactics" and the latest goofy Nevada Senate poll numbers, we realized: we're anti-establishment, anti-status-quo, and we're butting heads against powerful forces that resist us at every turn. The media consider us dangerous and taboo. And with good reason. Look at us for crying out loud!

I'm the tall "rightwing radical" and mother of three on the far right of the first pic above. I dragged my kids across the desert and dumped them with my parents to attend this meet-up. And look at my new friends -- rabble rousers - all! Janne Myrdal (far left) currently has one petrified North Dakota Congressman hiding out in a Capitol Hill bathroom to avoid her aggressive pro-life "lobbying" techniques she is rumored to have honed in the Swedish Special Ops. Likewise, the C4P members known only as "hrh" and "amaze" (middle) have infiltrated the deep blue states of Connecticut and California to wreak havoc on innocent liberals and Yankees fans. We are all wildly unpredictable. Next thing you know we'll be burning our tax forms and tossing them into trash can like these bra burners from the 60s.




We are also breaking racial barriers. This makes liberals feel awkward because we didn't get their permission ... But, but, but, African Americans can't support Sarah Palin, can they? Why not ask Steven, a devoted Palin fan currently serving in the U.S. Navy in the San Diego area, pictured above next to the C4P member known only as "Mr. Clean" (who generously got us all drunk). Can't you just picture liberals standing in the doorway trying to block Steven (and Adrienne) and other minorities from attending a Palin rally? (If not physically blocking, then psychologically blocking with false accusations that Palinistas are racist). Afterall, Democrats have a proud tradition of blocking doorways. Just ask James Meredith (left), who served in the U.S. Air Force and then tried to attend the University of Mississippi only to be blocked by a Democrat governor in 1961. Not only did Meredith eventually graduate, he went on to become a stockbroker and was active in Republican politics, serving as a policy advisor to Senator Jesse Helms. Meredith ran for Congress himself on the GOP ticket, not unlike a slew of minority candidates this year.

Yes, we are rebels with a cause ... like Thomas from PalinPromotions (left) who wears his Palin button proudly in moonbat L.A. Hey, doesn't Thomas kinda look like ...

Why are we so bold?

Because we know who speaks for us ...

And we know who doesn't ...

Hey, I'm not anti-bicycles. But I'm anti government telling me I shouldn't ride or drive whatever I like. As Sarah would say: Let people "think for themselves." When you think about it, Sarah Palin is as controversial as Elvis was in his heyday ... People forget that the King of Rock 'n' Roll wasn't universally accepted at first by the "mainstream" public. He threatened established social morés and traditions, just like Palin and the Palinistas threaten the liberal dogma that has been a long time in the making. Indeed, look at what we Sarah Palin "fans" have the audacity to believe:

• The federal government should enforce our immigration laws and secure our borders, regardless of whether it hurts someone's feelings.
  
• Innocent unborn babies have a right to live.
  
• Members of Congress should have to read bills and live under the same laws they pass.
  
• Public servants should behave as servants, not rulers.
  
• Rights come from God, not government.
  
• Government should focus on national security and not spend more revenue than it takes in.
  
• Americans should have the right to procure whatever healthcare coverage or lack thereof that they so choose with their own money.
  
• Americans should be able to keep more of their hard-earned money to spend however they see fit.
  
• Climate change cultists should not have the power to hijack the American economy.
  
• America should be free to ethically and responsibly develop our God-given natural resources to create jobs and prosperity.

We are "radicals" -- some two million strong on Gov. Palin's Facebook page alone -- who believe in Constitutional limits on federal power. We have the audacity to believe in free markets and individual liberty.

In the late 80s and early 90s -- as a young, idealistic college student -- I sometimes believed I was born 20 years too late. Too late for the anti-war protests of the Vietnam Era. Too late for the social revolution that defined a generation. Now in my early 40s, I realize I was born at just the right time. There couldn't be a better time to be a common sense conservative. Thankfully, I figured it out before it really was too late.

Who would want to miss out on this????

How about pitching into the Mama & Papa Grizzly fund today with the amount of $20.10 or $20.12 or both.

Or becoming a volunteer news gatherer and guest blogger for your favorite candidates on Conservatives4Congress.

Or putting on your full-body armor, heading over to Huffington Post and Talking Points Memo, to do battle with the Palin haters.

Or wading onto your hometown newspaper's website, or any of the national news sites to leave positive comments about Gov. Palin or the Tea Party on news articles.

Or plopping down good money for a Palin-hating book so you can read it, and be prepared to refute every last lie. (Or pick up a Palin-lovin' book to send to your favorite swing voter.)

Or booking your flight to Chicago for the next C4P meet-up.

We're the vanguard of a movement that's growing stronger every day. We're the ones they'll be talking about 40 years from now, the ones who stood up to the establishment bullies, took on the system, and changed the world.

Heavens, we might just be the ones we've been waiting for! Or as our leader more intelligently says ...

I'm not a member of the permanent political establishment. And I've learned quickly ... that if you're not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some ... consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone.

But here's a little news flash ... I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion. I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this country. Americans expect us to go to Washington for the right reasons...The right reason is to challenge the status quo, to serve the common good, and to leave this nation better than we found it.

-- Sarah Palin, 9/3/2008 RNC, Minneapolis

The new rebels ... we're where the fun's at.

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Woman In Glass House Throws Stone.

"...maybe it’s just me. You can pipe up here. But doesn’t it look like the airbrush guy might have tied one on the night before?

[...]

The whole thing is just a little off.

Kind of like the “author".”

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Post "2 Million on Facebook" Open Thread

Thanks to everyone who donated to SarahPAC or who spread the word for the "2 Million on Facebook" money bomb. You can keep the momentum going here. Hopefully she'll hit 3 million soon so we can do this all again. Here's the news for the day:

-Regarding her going to campaign for Karen Handel, Mark Halperin writes "Palin's instincts remain pretty darn good. This is another case where if her candidate wins, she will be able to add a queen-maker notch to her belt. If Handel loses, given her long-standing underdog status, no one will blame Palin much."

-The real Republican runoff: Sarah Palin vs. the Georgia General Assembly

-Newt Gingrich expects her to run.

-According to Politico, Mitt Romney is apparently privately telling Lindsey Graham to push for amnesty.

-Chuck Todd makes a great point about why Marco Rubio is losing against Charlie Crist.

-Clint Didier continues to poll just as well as Dino Rossi against Patty Murray and has stronger personal numbers than Dino.

-Erick Erickson gets it right about Sharron Angle by noting that "some [Republicans] would actually like to see Harry Reid win so they can rub it in." But Angle remains in very good shape to win this election by a decent margin as both Harry Reid and Barack Obama remain very unpopular in Nevada.

Get in touch with Karen Allen if you want to help Karen Handel win her run-off election. What's going on today? Remember that she's on Fox News Sunday this Sunday to "discuss the 2010 midterms, the Obama Administration, and her own political future."

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Sullivan Shocked By Unexpected Alliance.....

Robert Stacy McCain thinks this line from The Daily Dish is as sweet as a rose because it must have frozen Andrew Sullivan’s unmentionables when he heard the news that the very liberal Jewish Anti-Defamation League had come out against the proposed Islamic Centre near Ground Zero.

The ADL Backs Palin Against The Cordoba Mosque

Boom – taste my nightstick.....

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Governor Palin to Hold Campaign Event for Karen Handel on August 9th; Update w/ RSVP Link for Tickets

Breaking news from The Atlanta Journal Constitution:

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will campaign for Karen Handel the day before the Republican runoff for governor.

Handel’s campaign said the details are still being worked out but that Palin would hold an event from noon to 1 p.m. somewhere in the “north metro area, most likely,” spokesman Dan McLagan said.

Palin’s endorsement on July 12 helped elevate Handel to the top spot in the July 20 runoff. Now, she and former U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal will face off on Aug. 10 for the GOP nomination.

A Palin visit has always been considered the best chip Handel could play and after weeks of speculation, her campaign confirmed Friday that it will happen.

The timing would appear to be planned for greatest impact. The day before the runoff, Palin’s visit will likely energize an electorate that turned out in low numbers for the primary.

In South Carolina earlier this year, a Palin visit for Republican gubernatorial hopeful Nikki Haley drew 1,000 people with only 24 hours notice.

Update: You can go here to order tickets for the event.

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Obamanomics: Economic Growth Slows to an Anemic 2.4% in 2nd Quarter; UPDATED

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released its advance estimate of 2nd quarter economic growth this morning. Via the AP:

The recovery lost momentum in the second quarter as growth slowed to a 2.4 percent pace, its most sluggish showing in nearly a year and too weak to drive down unemployment.

Weaker spending by consumers, less growth coming from companies restocking shrunken stockpiles and a bigger drag from the nation's trade deficits were the main factors behind the second quarter's slowdown.

The Commerce Department's report released Friday shows the economy grew at a 3.7 percent pace in the first three months of this year. That was much better than the 2.7 percent pace estimated just a month ago. Even so, the recovery has been losing power now for two straight quarters, raising concerns about whether it will stall.

After accounting for the latest revisions in their previous estimates, the BEA reports that economic growth in the first 4 quarters of the "Obama Recovery" has been as follows:

2009 - 3rd Quarter: 1.6%
2009 -4th Quarter: 5.0%
2010 - 1st Quarter: 3.7%
2010 - 2ng Quarter: 2.4%

The BEA also provided this helpful chart:


Can you spot the latest trend? The evidence is clear that Obamanomics has failed miserably, and his signature stimulus package didn't stimulate anything but the national debt, as Governor Palin and others predicted all along. After growing at a rate of 5% in the 4th quarter (and that was primarily due to the inventory effect), growth has since slowed to a rate not even sufficient to materially lower the unemployment rate. The concern over whether or not the economy will stall and perhaps slip into a rare double dip recession is a real one.

How do the first 4 quarters of economic growth during the Obama Recovery compare, for example, to the first four quarters of economic growth during the Reagan Recovery? The economy grew at 5.1%, 9.3%, 8.1%, and 8.5%, respectively. Why such a dramatic difference? Obama is hostile to business, Reagan supported business. Obama is taking over industries, Reagan deregulated them. Obama has huge tax increases planned, Reagan cut taxes.

None of this is complicated. Obama has no idea what he's doing and seems hell-bent on following the failed Keynesian policies that have worked so "well" in Greece. In a post on this topic last summer, then C4P reader (now contributor) Whitney forwarded an email to me which I included in the piece. It's worth a second look because it perfectly captures the futility of Obamanomics:

Shortly after class, an economics student approaches his economics professor and says, "I don't understand this stimulus bill. Can you explain it to me?"

The professor replied, "I don't have any time to explain it at my office, but if you come over to my house on Saturday and help me with my weekend project, I'll be glad to explain it to you." The student agreed.

At the agreed-upon time, the student showed up at the professor's house. The professor stated that the weekend project involved his backyard pool.

They both went out back to the pool, and the professor handed the student a bucket. Demonstrating with his own bucket, the professor said, "First, go over to the deep end, and fill your bucket with as much water as you can." The student did as he was instructed.

The professor then continued, "Follow me over to the shallow end, and then dump all the water from your bucket into it." The student was naturally confused, but did as he was told.

The professor then explained they were going to do this many more times, and began walking back to the deep end of the pool.

The confused student asked, "Excuse me, but why are we doing this?"

The professor matter-of-factly stated that he was trying to make the shallow end much deeper.

The student didn't think the economics professor was serious, but figured that he would find out the real story soon enough.

However, after the 6th trip between the shallow end and the deep end, the student began to become worried that his economics professor had gone mad. The student finally replied, "All we're doing is wasting valuable time and effort on unproductive pursuits.

Even worse, when this process is all over, everything will be at the same level it was before, so all you'll really have accomplished is the destruction of what could have been truly productive action!"

The professor put down his bucket and replied with a smile, "Congratulations.You now understand the stimulus bill."

Update: Via Ed Morrissey:

This is a political disaster for Democrats. There’s no way to spin a 2.4% GDP rate as a positive step in a recovery. Worse yet, the pattern has been to revise these numbers downwards when Commerce firms up its data. The next statement of Q2 GDP will come on August 27, just before Congress comes back in session and right at the prime time of summer campaign season, just a week before Labor Day. If this drops much lower in the next iteration, Democrats will have to explain the failure of their economic program to angry voters across the nation — and they’re not going to want to hear “It’s Bush’s fault!” two years after electing Obama and four years after giving Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid control of Congress.

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Friday Open Thread

IBD: Obama's Myths on the Economy

WSJ: Son of TARP

NYT: Fed Member’s Deflation Warning Hints at Policy Shift

Washington Times: OMB nominee got $900,000 after Citigroup bailout

Stephen Spruiell: A Dead-Letter Energy Bill?

CNBC: Chinese Economy Strong? Depends Who You Ask

Blackfive: Following in the Footsteps of Rogers' Raiders

Time: The stakes in Afghanistan

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Sarah Palin: Rita Meyer for Wyoming

From Facebook:

I am proud to endorse a straight shooter for Governor of Wyoming. Rita Meyer is ready to put her years of valuable public service to good use in the state’s beautiful capitol.

Before serving Wyoming with distinction as State Auditor, Rita served our nation as a combat veteran of both Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom who achieved the rank of Colonel during her 23 years of service in the Wyoming Air National Guard.

Wyoming is a beautiful, resource-rich, independent state that is ready for Rita. She may not have millions of dollars to campaign with, but she has enough volunteer human resources and is running her campaign the old fashion way – grassroots and gritty! Voters know that Rita has a unique blend of steel magnolia and mama grizzly. Her true grit has not escaped the eye of other Americans who know that at every level of political office we all benefit with commonsense constitutional conservatives in service.

Please join me in supporting Rita by visiting her website at www.ritameyer.com and following her on Facebook and Twitter.

- Sarah Palin

In case you missed it, Governor Palin hit the 2 million mark on Facebok today. Join the money bomb in progress. E-mail your donation details to moneybomb@conservatives4palin.com!

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Palin Endorsee Michael Grimm's Opponents Suffer Mental Breakdowns

On Wednesday Governor Palin endorsed Michael Grimm in his bid to be the next congressman from New York's 13th Congressional District. This has resulted in some rather bizarre behavior on the part of his opponents. Grimm must first defeat the establishment candidate, Michael Allegretti, who had a bit of a mental meltdown when informed that Governor Palin had endorsed his opponent:

“I find it amusing that my Republican opponent has had to go from Washington to Alaska to find an endorsement,” said Allegretti, who is clearly not star-struck by Palin’s blessing. "I want to give some advice to Sarah Palin and I doubt she's ever taken the ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island, but you can't see Russia from the ferry, but you can see Brooklyn so I hope she gets a chance some time."

Heh. In a post last night, Ian noted that the 13th District voted for the McCain-Palin ticket in 2008. It's hard to understand why this moron thinks attacking the most popular Republican in the country with discredited liberal talking points will endear him to Republican Primary voters. The good news is that after September 14 he'll have plenty of time to contemplate his do*chebaggery. Once Grimm defeats Scozzafava Allegretti, he'll face incumbent Democrat Mike McMahon in November, whose campaign suffered a mental meltdown of its own:

Mike Grimm, a G.O.P challenger for Mike McMahon's Congressional seat, took in over $200,000 in his last filing.

But in an effort to show that Grimm lacks support among voters in the district, which covers Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, the McMahon campaign compiled a list of Jewish donors to Grimm and provided it to The Politicker.

The file, labeled "Grimm Jewish Money Q2," for the second quarter fundraising period, shows a list of over 80 names, a half-dozen of which in fact do hail from Staten Island, and a handful of others that list Brooklyn as home.

"Where is Grimm's money coming from," said Jennifer Nelson, McMahon's campaign spokeman. "There is a lot of Jewish money, a lot of money from people in Florida and Manhattan, retirees."

Er...with enemies like this...

You can help Michael Grimm defeat these two buffoons (Allegretti and McMahon) by visiting his website here and making a donation. You can also follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

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Type, Type, Type, Send...to Two Million - UPDATE

I'm not sure what I can add to this occasion that hasn't already been laid out by my fellow barbarians, but here goes.

Two million people now follow Governor Palin on Facebook, and that number is steadily climbing. Two million plus hear directly from Governor Palin without the biased filter of the lamestream media. 

If you can't go through 'em, go around 'em:

"You go through the gate. If the gate’s closed, you go over the fence. If the fence is too high, we’ll pole vault in. If that doesn’t work, we’ll parachute in. If the other side tries to push back, your attitude should be “go for it.” Get in their faces and argue with them. (Sound familiar?!) Every possession is a battle; you’ll only win the war if you’ve picked your battles wisely. No matter how tough it gets, never retreat, instead RELOAD!

Most politicians are on Facebook, but none wield it like Sarah Palin. She's Facebooking the Revolution:

She's controlling her message; a Facebook phenomenon. In the words of Mary Matalin:

“I can’t answer what her strategy is, but I can say that it’s working.”

Having been the Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin knows what it is to have to go directly to the American people. Back in July of 2008, it was about getting out the message of drilling in ANWR. She said:

We're doing things differently; we're not just talking to those on the Hill, we don't have...a lot of the movers and shakers, the high paid lobbyists...

We are shifting gears away from the conventional way of trying to get a message out, and we're going right to the people of America.

This strategy causes some in the media to get their underpants all wound up in a bunch. After all, they're the ones who are supposed to tell the American people what to think. She should have to go through them! She's not playing by the rules!

She's doing very poorly in this war. Tsk, tsk.

Sarah Palin knows that the media plays a very important role in this republic, and it's a crying shame that many have chosen to sacrifice their journalistic integrity to protect a pipe dream.

Thank goodness we live in America where new innovations are making it easier and easier to go around the lamestream media filter and to get out the truth. In any other age, the media would have succeeded in their campaign of deception and destruction. This is still a battle, but it's a battle we can win.

Now, as you well know, we're holding a Money Bomb for SarahPAC to mark this occasion. Since she's hit 2 million followers, some have suggested donations of either $20, $200, or whatever you can afford. No amount is too big or too small.

So go here and donate if you can. And if you have an extra second, drop by the Governor's Facebook page and leave some comments encouraging others to do the same.

As the 'Cuda would say, "Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America."

UPDATE: Or, as Tammy Bruce says, "She typed. She sent. She conquered."

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Governor Palin Hits 2,000,000 on Facebook

Governor Palin has reached two million Facebook friends. Two million! Now, to grasp the enormity of such a feat, let's digest for a moment exactly how much two million is by looking first at some fun facts. Via True Knowledge:

* There are 20,000 centuries in 2,000,000 years.

* There are about 5,475.8 years in 2,000,000 days.

* There are 83,333 1/3 days in 2,000,000 hours.

* There are 33,333 1/3 hours in 2,000,000 minutes.


* There are 1,136 4/11 miles in 2,000,000 yards.

* There are 666,666 2/3 yards in 2,000,000 feet.

* There are 166,666 2/3 feet in 2,000,000 inches.

It's hard to wrap one's mind around that number, yet Governor Palin--a woman who holds no official title anymore--already has over 2,000,000 Facebook friends! How long would it take to count us all? In answer to the question of how long it would take to count even half that amount, Big Site of Amazing Facts states:

Naturally, that depends on how fast you can count.

But if you can count from 1 to 100 in one minute, and you keep counting every minute, without stopping, for eight hours every day (taking time off to eat, sleep, and go to school), you would reach 1,000,000 in 20 days, 6 hours, and 40 minutes, or almost 3 weeks.

If, however, you give up eating, sleeping, and school, and just count every minute of every hour of every day, you would reach 1,000,000 in 6 days, 22 hours, and 40 minutes, almost 1 week.

Being an English teacher and not a mathematician, I would guess it would take more than twice that to arrive at two million, as one would surely slow down during the process of all that counting--not that one would even dare undertake such a tedious task. But I'm celebrating the Governor's success, so you'll simply have to excuse me.

On a more serious note now, let's examine the number of Facebook friends of those whose names get mentioned alongside Governor Palin's in the ongoing 2012 conversation.

Mitt "Flip-Flop" Romney, whom Bill O'Reilly just divulged to Jay Leno is his 2012 favorite, has a whopping 468,436 Facebook friends.

Mike "They Like Palin Because She's Cuter than I am" Huckabee has 371,959 friends on Facebook, which is listed near a plea that states, "Help me reach 375,000 likes." O...kay...

Newt Gingrich, who has recently stated he is seriously considering running in 2012, has a total of 70,311 Facebook friends.

And wouldn't I be remiss if I left out Ron Paul who boasts hordes of very vocal young and, I would imagine, internet-savvy supporters? This "Ron Paul Revolution," as they have been called, has fortified him with a 239,427 Facebook total.

Let me state the obvious. Governor Palin's common sense conservatism has grabbed both the hearts and intellect of women and men who want to see order restored to our government. Two million is a huge number, but it in no way is the sum total of those who support the work she is doing. Many of her supporters don't do Facebook, just as many don't do Twitter. But most every one of us can do the Governor and America a huge service: we can donate to SarahPAC so that her influence can not only continue but accelerate.

Is there any other voice out there sounding the alarm for you, your family, your businesses, and your freedoms as is Governor Palin's? She is traveling the country garnering support for others who are following her lead in taking back our country. She doesn't cower in fear before putting her name to a candidate's face or to a controversial issue, even when it earns her the acidic vitriol of the Left--and some on the Right. It takes finances to do the job she's doing. We've already established how big a number two million is, so two million people giving whatever they can will go far distances and reap even far greater rewards. You can read more posts about our SarahPAC money bomb here and here.

Congratulations, Governor Palin, on The Big Two--and thank you to all who helped get her here. Now, let's BLAST the Money Bomb! E-mail your donation details to moneybomb@conservatives4palin.com!

* Facebook stats appears as they were at the time of this writing.

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Governor Palin: Keep The Momentum - Message to C4P

Governor Palin posted this short message on Facebook:

Two million! Wow! That's more than some cable news shows. Thank you all and let's keep the momentum!

She also tweeted the following message to C4P:

Thank you @C4Palin for celebrating our 2 million mark on Facebook!

That's right, let's keep up the momentum, donate to SarahPAC today. E-mail your donation details to moneybomb@conservatives4palin.com!

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SarahPAC: Sarah Reaches 2 Million Fans

Just got the following message from SarahPAC:

On behalf of Sarah and SarahPAC, I want to thank everyone for their support and encouragement, especially on Facebook, where Sarah has just passed 2,000,000 fans.Over the last year and a half, we have received an outpouring of encouragement and support from people across this great nation. During that time, Sarah has used her Facebook account as an outlet to express her hopes and concerns about the direction of the country. We want to thank all of Sarah's supporters for their participation in the ongoing discussion of American politics on her Facebook page and for their generous contributions to SarahPAC.

SarahPAC has been able to give outstanding conservative candidates the financial support they need to send liberal Democrats packing from coast to coast.This money goes to support the campaigns of strong, conservative leaders across this great land. It’s possible for SarahPAC to assist these great Americans because of generous contributions from SarahPAC supporters like you.

To show how much we appreciate your donations, we are proving that every penny makes a difference by collecting two cents for every fan Sarah has on Facebook. Make a donation of $25, $50, or $100 and help us reach our goal of $40,000 today and help elect the next great generation of conservative leaders to office.

With the help of SarahPAC supporters like you, we will send the liberal Democrats home and replace them with conservative leaders that understand the ideas and values that make this the greatest country in the world.

Please help us make sure that Governor Palin has the resources to campaign and contribute in this crucial election by making a donation today, so that we can bring common sense and traditional values to all levels of government.

Sincerely
Tim Crawford
Treasurer, SarahPAC

E-mail your donation details to moneybomb@conservatives4palin.com!

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A Message from Manajordan on the "2 Million on Facebook" SarahPAC Moneybomb

The following is a message from C4P all-star Manajordan

Right now we face in our nation an hour of decision, do we sell our freedoms for supposed security? Do we choose liberty or ease? Do we sit apathetically by or do we stand with courageous leaders?

There exists within the hearts, minds and talents of each one of us the desire to change our communities, country and our world for the better. There exists in this beloved nation of ours the greatest opportunities and ability to do so. Once in a while an individual comes around who uses their God given freedom and God given capabilities to lead, to inspire and to effect positive change in such a way that their presence is felt resoundingly strong by both supporters and detractors alike. Sarah Palin has chosen to live a life of service, to use her gifts to stand up and defend our freedoms to choose how we live and to choose, if we wish, to effect positive change ourselves.

Justice Clarence Thomas has said :

I do believe that we are required to wade into those things that matter to our country and our culture, no matter what the disincentives are, and no matter the personal cost. There is not one among us who wants to be set upon, or obligated to do and say difficult things. Yet, there is not one of us who could in good conscience stand by and watch a loved one or a defenseless person-or a vital national principle-perish alone, undefended, when our intervention could make all the difference. This may well be too dramatic an example. But, nevertheless, put most simply; if we think that something is dreadfully wrong, then someone has to do something.
(Francis Boyer Lecture Feb. 13, 2001)

Governor Sarah Palin has proven time and time again that she will stand up and serve and be the person "to do something", anything that she feels is required of her, for the benefit of others.

I believe one of the most important things that we can do in standing up and defending our nation and our liberty is to stand by and sustain those leaders who are doing their utmost to stand by and defend us. Sarah Palin has said that she has our backs, lets continue to prove we have hers. I find it truly humbling to think of how much she has given for all of us.

Conservatives4Palin is using the 2 million Facebook Supporters mark as a chance to show our continued support of Governor Palin with a SarahPac Money Bomb. What an excellent idea and an excellent opportunity. As we acknowledge and celebrate her growing support, lets give whatever we can and when it seems as if we've given enough, then let's give a little more. I trust that she will use whatever means we can provide her to continue to effect positive change.

God bless Sarah Palin and her beautiful family. God bless the C4P community and God continue to bless and shed His grace on this nation.

E-mail your donation details to moneybomb@conservatives4palin.com!

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SarahPAC Moneybomb

The following is a guest post from C4P all-star Nancy

The Governor has reached 2 million fans on her Facebook page!! Let's celebrate by donating $20 or $200, or whatever you can, it will all go to a great cause, to www.SarahPAC.com. The Governor has been leading the fight for us, we now have an opportunity to give something back so she can continue the fight. She needs us so she can continue to fight for us. Let's give her a boost for the November elections!!

Let's go Palinistas!!

E-mail your donation details to moneybomb@conservatives4palin.com!

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Even the Left Concedes Governor Palin "Won the Battle" With "Death Panels" Metaphor/Open Thread

"2 Million" is coming any minute now. Until then, here's the news:

-Even the left concedes that Governor Palin "won the battle [over "death panels"] because the provision was removed."

-The Washington Post has debuted its "Politics of Palin: Endorsement Tracker."

-Here's more from the Staten Island Advocate about Governor Palin's endorsement of Michael Grimm.

-'Don't Blame Me, I Voted for Sarah Palin'

-WorldNetDaily talks to Scott Rasmussen and the Quinnipiac pollster about Governor Palin, Clint Didier, and the Tea Party.

-The National Review has an article out titled "The Incumbent Hunter: Joe Miller looks to upset Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska."

-Open season for the Palin pipeline concludes tomorrow. Keep in mind that "[n]o news may be good news for Alaska's decade-long hopes for getting the state a way to finally get its huge natural gas reserves to markets where it can be sold."

-My thoughts on the cover to "America By Heart" (which Ken Vogel picked up on as well): doesn't it seem like she's morphing from "icon" to "candidate?"

What's going on today?

Update by Doug: Governor Palin wields her nightstick via Twitter:

President w/no time to visit porous US/Mexican border to offer help to those risking life to secure us,but lotso' time to chat on The View?

I'm headed to border in near future... let's see how quickly his travel schedule will allow that border visit after all.

Here's another look at that press conference in which Governor Palin admonishes Obama to do his job and secure the border, something he has thus far been unwilling to do:


Watch CBS News Videos Online

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Cover Photo for Governor Palin's New Book Revealed

Via ABC News, Harper Collins has released the cover photo of Governor Palin's new book, America by Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith and Flag:

The cover photo for Sarah Palin's new book is a portrait in red, white, blue and gray.

The Alaska ex-governor and former Republican vice presidential candidate is photographed in close-up, wearing a gray sweater and American flag pin, which matches her flag bracelet. Her book, "America by Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith and Flag," comes out in November.

HarperCollins, which also published Palin's million-selling "Going Rogue," revealed the cover design Thursday.

(h/t Kelsey and Sinistar)

Update: You can pre-order America By Heart at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Borders, and Walmart.

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Karen Handel Goes All Mama Grizzly on Deal

Governor Palin gets a mention in the ad:

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A Plurality of Adults Under 65 Believe that Obamacare has "Death Panels"

A very left-leaning pollster has found that despite the mainstream media running to protect Obama, almost the same percentage of adults believe there are "death panels" in Obamacare as the percentage of adults who do not believe there are "death panels" in Obamacare . In fact, a plurality of adults under the age of 65 believe that Obamacare has "death panels."(see question 7i)

Allow a government panel to make decisions about end‐of‐life care for people on Medicare:

Yes law, does this: 41% (Under 65+: 43%)
No, law does do this: 43% (Under 65+: 42%)

This is exhibit A of how Governor Palin wins political arguments. Seniors are voting for us anyway, so it appears that the "death panels" metaphor that she used persuaded groups that are typically less favorably disposed to Republicans and conservatives.

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Governor Palin On Fox News Sunday

Governor Palin will be appearing on Fox News Sunday this Sunday with Chris Wallace. Check your local listings. Fox News Sunday is also replayed Sunday afternoon on the Fox News Channel at 2pm and 6pm ET. You can visit the Fox News Sunday web site here.

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Bob McConnell Receives Major Boost From Palin Endorsement

Governor Palin's endorsement of Bob McConnell in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District has given his campaign a major boost. Via Mike Lawrence at the Steamboat Pilot:

Within 10 days of receiving an endorsement from former vice presidential candidate and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, Bob McConnell said, he received interview requests from Time Magazine and the RedState conservative news blog, financial contributions from across the country and a huge increase in page views to his website.

“It’s been pretty incredible,” said McConnell, a Steamboat Springs resident running against state Rep. Scott Tipton, of Cortez, for the Republican nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives.

[...]

Tipton could not be reached Wednesday, but he touted his small business experience in a news release. In his second campaign across the Western Slope — he lost to Salazar in 2006 — Tipton holds a huge fundraising lead against McConnell, with more than $204,000 on hand as of June 30 compared with the more than $24,000 on hand McConnell reported July 21.

McConnell implied Wednes­day that the Palin endorsement could narrow that gap.

McConnell said he and his campaign team initially approached Palin through e-mails and phone calls that eventually resulted in outreach from Palin’s staff.

“We worked hard for that, and I pursued that endorsement because she represents values that I respect,” McConnell said Wednesday. “We need conservative, constitutional leaders.”

McConnell said he was in Cortez earlier this month when he got a phone call telling him about Palin’s upcoming endorsement. In a sign of the times, it happened on her Facebook page.

“We watched it go live on her Facebook and watched the almost immediate reaction,” McConnell said, referring to hits on that website and his. “The feedback has been, ‘Wow.’”

Bob is considered the underdog in his race against the establishment candidate, Scott Tipton, who has a significant fundraising advantage. We can help Bob overcome that advantage by contributing to his campaign here. You can also follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

(h/t Roy)

Update: (h/t DougC101) More on the Palin endorsement of Bob McConnell from Marilyn Barnewall here.

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Thursday Open Thread

Hot Air: Video: Helpful government employee teaches you how to use federal health-care website

NRO: Do You Trust Your Government to Be Competent to Run This?

IBD: CBO's Grim Diagnosis: Enemy Is Us

Daniel Henninger: Taxes: A Defining Issue

The Economist: American railways: High-speed railroading

NYT: Russia to Sell Off Stakes in State Companies to Fill Budget Gap

Blackfive: Congratulations, Rear Adm. Tyson

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The Globe and Mail: "Obama Will Have to Fight Sarah Palin for Their Support"

That's not my quote but a quote from the following article in the Globe and Mail:

Mr. Obama attracted the support of 46 per cent of white women in the 2008 election, compared to 41 per cent of white men. But the latest NBC-Wall Street Journal poll puts his current approval rating among white women at an abysmal 35 per cent.

Proportionately, white women in their 40s and 50s are expected to vote more than any other group in the Nov. 2 midterms...

Mr. Obama will have to fight Sarah Palin for their support. The former vice-presidential candidate, and potential Republican contender for the Oval Office in 2012, has been aggressively wooing “mama grizzlies” as she steps up her campaigning on behalf of GOP candidates running this fall.

In one of the last polls conducted of the hypothetical matchup, Governor Palin was winning the female vote against Barack Obama.

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Does Richard Flanagan from the College of Staten Island Understand that Governor Palin and John McCain Won Staten Island?

Shushannah Walshe from the Daily Beast has an article about Governor Palin's most recent endorsement of Michael Grimm in New York's 13th Congressional District (h/t militantfeather). Quoted in the article is Rebecca Mansour:

"I’m humbled that she has chosen to support me of the thousands of candidates that she is inundated with. I am very, very proud and very humbled,” Grimm said in an interview with The Daily Beast...

Palin’s team, unsurprisingly, disagrees, saying those candidates she’s endorsed—including Grimm—are going to barrel through the country come November. “People are claiming Sarah Palin is a polarizing figure,” says SarahPAC staffer Rebecca Mansour. “I laugh because we are in the process of electing numerous candidates just like Sarah Palin. We are about to elect dozens of Sarah Palins so polarize that.”

(McMahon’s camp had no comment on the endorsement.)

This disdain by the establishment for Grimm mirrors Palin’s own standing with the GOP in Alaska. The party didn’t back her in the primary in the Alaska governor’s race in 2006. It’s unclear if either Grimm or Palin know the extent of their shared histories though Mansour says, “She makes her decisions very carefully.”

“When you see the candidates [Palin chooses] they share Sarah Palin’s values. They all are commonsense constitutional conservatives,” Mansour added.

For his part Grimm is hoping that Palin follows up on her endorsement by making an appearance on his behalf. But he doesn’t know if the Republican superstar, whom he calls “a real fighter” like himself, will come to the district to campaign with him, although he’s “very hopeful.”

“I think it goes without saying I would be thrilled to have her come and the residents of Staten Island and Brooklyn would give her a tremendously warm welcome.”

Also quoted is some hack named Richard Flanagan, a professor of political science at the College of Staten Island:

“It’s such a miscalculation,” Flanagan said. “At this point it looks like he has the primary pretty much locked up and he’ll win, but setting himself up for general election he’s got Palin around his neck and McMahon spent the whole year running away from Obama and he’s in a much stronger position. It is primary tunnel vision.”

Does this guy who teaches at Staten Island college know that Governor Palin and John McCain won the 13th Congressional District in New York, which includes Staten Island? Why would voters on Staten Island not approve of an endorsement from Governor Palin when 52% of them already voted for her as vice president? Keep in mind too that Al Gore won this district by 7% in 2000. What that tells you is that Palin and McCain must have been a hit for them to win a district that had strongly voted for the Democrat Party presidential candidate in 2000 in a year that was rough for all Republicans.

Grimm doesn't have an easy road ahead of him in the general election against Democrat Party hack Mike McMahon. McMahon pretends to be conservative during the election but then votes like a liberal Democrat while in office. What we need is for everyone in the district who voted for Governor Palin to be vice president to vote for Michael Grimm.

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