Political Punch

One more comment for defenders of Palin:

Please explain to me why Palin is a better choice to potentially be President of the United States than EACH of the following people. The terms "maverick" and "reformer" and any related terms may not be used without specific, irrefutable examples. You may NOT fall back on the tired old argument that Obama isn't experienced, either.

Here is your list:
Tom Ridge (former head of Homeland Security)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Con)

If the candidate had to be female:
Dr. Condoleezza Rice (Sec. of State)
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R -Maine)
Sen. Susan Collins (R - Maine)
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R - Texas)
Fr. Gov Christine Todd Whitman (past New Jersey governor and former EPA secretary)

That's just my preliminary list. When you finish explaining away these choices, there are more.

I'll wait for your response.

To Palin fans in general:

Her comment that Joe SixPack is "finally" being represented in the vice-presidency means that she DOES NOT know her history! Apparently the names Harry S Truman, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, and Gerald R. Ford (all from poor or lower-middle class backgrounds) don't ring a bell with her... and those are just late 20th-century V-Ps.

To bosco5021:

Honey, those aren't US History AP questions by a long shot! I teach a "regular"-level US history class and I know my students could have aced them. Speaking of my students, here is the best quote ever from one of them (a 16-year-old girl): "Palin would be great as one of my friend's moms, but she is NOT ready to be vice-president!"

Amen, my child!!

Quite a few of you morons would support steak sandwich if it was the VP Nominee for the Republican Party. McCain has known for quite a while that Ifill was the moderator, but now that you have an unprepared candidate, you blame the refs before they play the game! You've been brainwashed from so many years of right-wing talk radio that you haven't even noticed what an abject failure the last seven years ago. Shame on you for wanting Joe Six-Pack to run the land-it's that type of thinking (or lack of) that is rapidly turning the U.S. into a third world country. Keep in mind that the office of the VP has been elevated substantially under Cheney/Bush-the vice-president helps to set policy. Seriously, Palin may have more "executive experience", but how relative it to the position she is vying for? I mean, W had oodles "executive experience"-how's that working out for his presidency? Palin NEVER CONSIDERED being president or vice-president, which means that she has NO PLAN. So, let's talk about who's better PREPARED, who's more level-headed in these troubled times, and who can formulate plans to help reverse our current course. In this election, the candidates are NOT evenly matched. I take my vote seriously, and I hope that all of you will, too.

Speaking of wacky clerics, Palin hasn’t distanced herself from the witch-hunting pastor Thomas Muthee. In fact, she credited him for her election as governor. “As I was mayor and Pastor Muthee was here and he was praying over me... He said 'Lord make a way and let her do this next step.' And that's exactly what happened."

I wonder if Muthee has been called in for another witchcraft-rebuking prayer session with Palin for the step up to VP.

Bosco,

Wanna know when the messiah gets caught without a prepared answer?

He say's things like, "I'm not opposed to nuclear waste."

Mike

You know I'm right. You bring up Gov. Palins church but ignore Sen Obama's. Is that all you got?

Ryan C

Censorship? These two newspapers have done no investigative journalism into Wright, Davis, Raines, Johnson,...

Sen Biden said the other day that President FDR went on television in 1929 when the market crashed. Problem: FDR wasn't president and tv didn't exist.

None of my lib friends knew of this gaffe till I told them. But there is no doubt that if Gov Palin had made this kind of error it'd led every news broadcast and been above-the-fold for three days, at least.

Their silence indicates their bias. They have no credibility. Journalism is dead.

Christmas must have come early for the Democrates.And the gift is.......Sarah Palin.

It is a myth Obama has been "Vetted"..ask him some gotcha questions. The media just coos up to him, and then turn around and ask Palin questions from the AP American history test. I don't care what she knows, I care about her character..who she is. Obama went to Rev Wrights church for 20 years..thats what kind of guy he is.

"No Republican could ever get away with having a ... minister like Jeremiah Wright"

Funny you should mention that just when Palin seems to be denying her membership in her church. Looks like she is getting away with the fact that she sits in church listening to anti-semetic rants.

"I will work to see both newspapers declare bankruptcy in my lifetime."

From the same group that screams about censorship

Exactly, Russ. Enough with gotcha journalism. Sarah’s accomplishments while in office are part of her biography & resume, and she might even know them by heart already. She would come across as able and confident and knowledgable. But the bias media keep shooting zingers at her instead, just hoping to trip her up on camera. Enough already! Start asking some hardball questions with Biden and Obama! Start off with what newspapers and magazines they read!

I like to think I'm pretty open to most of what's been going on- I can admit that Biden frequently says stupid things and recognize when Palin is painfully repeating the same talking points as answers to different questions. But reading that transcript, all I could think was, "Really Katie? With all that's going on in the world and America today, of all the relevant things that you could try to catch her off guard with, you decide that it's a matter of essential importance that we know what periodicals Sarah Palin may or may not read?" Great journalism, really top notch.

OMT, I had a politically diverse group of folks over for dinner this weekend.

NONE of the liberals or "moderates" knew of Rezko, Ayres, Johnson, Raines, or Frank Marshall Davis till I told them. You should have seen the look on their faces. It was like I just kicked them in the gut.

Nearly all of the conservatives knew. They'd all heard of Wright.

I've talked three people this week into cancelling their subscriptions to their local socialist rags. Two cancelled their Wichita Eagle-Beacon subscriptions, and one Denver Post. I will work to see both newspapers declare bankruptcy in my lifetime.

No Republican could ever get away with having a mentor like Frank Marshall Davis, a minister like Jeremiah Wright, "business partners" like Bill Ayres and Tony Rezko, have the looters of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on their campaign team, and still be a viable candidate. EVER!

If Obama were a Republican with this kind of STINK around him, the Democrats could nominate the corpse of Jeffery Dahmer and still win.

Journalism is dead.

PS: Ifill MUST be replaced. MUST!

I see above wherein readers claim that they don't know Sara Palin . . . and then make insulting comments that absolutely prove they don’t.

Question: Do you guys really want to get to know the candidates, truly?

That’s easy. Evaluate them on their accomplishments, not the words.

At the upcoming debates ask them to reveal their greatest accomplishments while in office?

And by accomplishment, I do not mean what title they’ve achieved, but what they’ve actually done.

Being Chairman of a Senate committee for the last twenty years is of little importance if you’ve just been warming a seat. What have you actually accomplished?

The specific accomplishments a candidate is most proud of provide true insight into their highest priorities, thinking, governing philosophy, ability to work with others, and so much more.

Don't snake-oil me with platitudes, hopes, and dreams. Give me something I can really sink my teeth into: real accomplishments. Money talks, bull**it walks. You know, I’m precisely lookin’ for “where the rubber meets the road” kinda stuff.

If ABC’s Charlie Gibson and CBS’s Katie Couric are going to hold themselves out as true journalists then why did they not ask Gov Palin a single question about her accomplishments? Perhaps its because she isn’t their preferred candidate? Okay, I can understand that; but shouldn’t they have disqualified themselves from participating in the interview then? I mean, that what a real professional would do.

Right on, moderate! The bias media tries to paint Sarah as a far right fanatic. But she explained herself beautifully to that rude pushy Katie Couric. She would counsel a child who was the victim of rape to choose life. The product of that horrific horrific situation could then go on to be adopted into a loving home and everybody wins! The choice should always be life. But, she would allow for abortion if the mothers life was in danger. If Sarah was a far right winger like the haters say, she would let the woman die! And even though Sarah would like abortion to be illegal, she wouldn’t even put women behind bars for having abortions! She knows the meaning of forgiveness. But haters refuse to see that. God bless you, Sarah.

So what level of specificity are you after, Jake? You actually expected Sarah Palin to say exactly what sources of news she uses? As someone else noted below, would you ask that of Barack Obama? No, you would assume that he peruses the usual suspects, like the New York Times and the Washington Post. But that would not be an interesting thing to ask him. So why ask Sarah Palin? Well, to insult her, it seems to me. She says she reads broadly and I believe her. Katy Couric clearly did not, and neither do you. How strange. If the questions had been brought up some different way, in some less confrontational, less condescending way, I think Ms. Couric would have gotten a much different answer. Why not ask, for example, "Alaska is pretty remote from the lower 48 states. Do you have ready access to the New York Times there, for example? Do you read it in print, online, or do you ignore it entirely?" Pose the questions as if you expect an intelligent, positive answer and maybe you'll get one. Pose the questions as if you are trying to shine a spotlight on what you have decided is someone's ignorance and you will meet resistance. Get Real.

To all those who believe it is appropriate to have Gwen Ifil (author of a pro-Obama book) "moderate" Thursday's VP debate I have a proposal.

Let's appoint David Freddoso (author of another Obama book) as the moderator to the October 7th debate.

I'm sure Mr Freddeso can pose the insightful questions the media has refused to ask over the last 18 months.

Then, and only then, can we begin to even consider the possibility that Obama has been "fully vetted."

And in Thursday's VP debate, let's talk about Biden's and Palin's actual accomplishments rather than who they know and how long they've keep their seat warm.

POLITICAL PUNCH By: Jack Tapper is my number one read every day. I make it a point to read every one, often commenting on at least one. Further go on and post tem to: Mixx, Digg & Twitter; when I without exception post a comment.

Thank you Mr Tapper keep up the great work and I look forward to reading you again tomorrow.

Gov Palin is a joke. That said has any one counted when she is asked a question that you get a valid Answer; or do you get a dance. Here when asked what she reads she could not name one, does she have a STM {Short Term Memory} problem, I do not think so.

Facts are facts, and she keeps digging a deeper hole. Digging away from proving she knows the fact: Or anything.

militarymom: You know after reading most of your posts I'm becoming very suspicious of you. I'm beginning to wonder WHAT MILITARY are you associated with. I'm starting to think things like the PLO, HAMMAS, ALQUIDA, IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD, etc. Could you help us out a little bit and be a little more spicific, hhmmmmmm?