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Palin Suggests Obama Would Re-Write Constitution
October 29, 2008 7:57 AM
ABC News' Imtiyaz Delawala Reports: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin went beyond her running mate's recent attack on Sen. Barack Obama -- inaccurately claiming that Obama called the lack of "redistributive change" during the civil rights movement a "tragedy" -- and used Obama's 2001 interview to insinuate that he wants to re-write the U.S. Constitution and appoint radical Supreme Court justices and judges who would confiscate the property of American citizens.
At two rallies in Western Pennsylvania last night, Palin referenced at the top of her remarks a 2001 public radio interview with Obama that surfaced this week, in which Obama discussed the role of the courts in the civil rights movement.
"There he was talking about the need for quote 'redistributive change,'" Palin said on the campus of Shippensburg University Tuesday night. “Sen. Obama said that he regretted that the Supreme Court hadn't been more radical. And he described the Court's refusal to take up the issues of redistribution of wealth as a tragedy. And he said he also regretted that the Supreme Court didn't break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers there in the Constitution”
Obama had in fact argued the opposite in the 2001 interview, saying that the civil rights movement had become too focused on making change through the judicial system, rather than from the ground up through community organizations.
But Palin used Obama's words to follow an argument Sen. John McCain has made this week that Obama has long-advocated for "spreading the wealth." "Obama says that he wants to spread the wealth," Palin said to boos from the crowd. "In other words he thinks that it's your job to earn the wealth and it's his job to spread it."
But Palin then went beyond any argument McCain has made, using the 2001 interview to insinuate that Obama wants to re-write the U.S. Constitution and appoint radical Supreme Court justices, while also suggesting that under Obama, judges would confiscate the property of American citizens.
Referencing the interview, Palin said, "So you have to ask, is this a suggestion that's he’d want to re-write the founding document of our great nation to accomplish his goals. And what does that say about his ideas on future Supreme Court justices?"
"Let me remind Barack Obama of something else. When judges don’t confiscate your property and your hard-earned -- all of your hard-earned money and then re-distribute that, he may call that a tragedy. But I call it fairness and adherence to our U.S. Constitution," Palin added later in her remarks.
In the interview, Obama described one of the "tragedies of the civil rights movement" was that "the civil rights movement became so court-focused".
"I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributive change, and in some ways, we still suffer from that," Obama said in the interview.
When a caller asked whether economic redistribution should come through the courts or the legislative process, Obama replied, "I'm not optimistic about bringing about major redistributive change through the courts. The institution just isn't structured that way."
Obama's 2001 interview made no mention of judges confiscating property. The Palin campaign did not provide clarification on what Palin was referring to with the remark.
Palin said the 2001 interview revealed Obama's "real ideology" and that his goal to "spread your wealth around" would only spread "scarcity and poverty and bureaucracy" and would stifle the country's entrepreneurial spirit. She asked those in the crowd to support the Republican ticket to preserve the "uniquely American system that our founding fathers created."
"Sometimes in politics it's those candid little moments that give us the whole picture," Palin said at a second rally on the Penn State campus in State College, PA last night. "But our opponent's ideological commitment to spread your wealth around has been tried in other societies, and the only thing it ever spreads is scarcity and poverty and bureaucracy, and it stifles the entrepreneurial spirit that made this country the greatest country on Earth."
The comments were similar to remarks Palin made at rallies this weekend in Iowa, where the Republican vice presidential nominee seemed to move from accusing Obama’s economic plans of having elements of socialism to also allude to the problems faced by communist systems.
October 29, 2008 in Biden, Joe, McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Palin, Sarah, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (685)
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She is really just a dummy.
Posted by: Joseph | Oct 29, 2008 8:35:35 AM
To gleen an image of what type of atmosphere an Obama presidency will bring to the face of American civility - just read the tone and respect shown in these posts by McCain's supporters and those of Obama.
Posted by: runCMD | Oct 29, 2008 8:36:25 AM
Oh, does she mean the way the W. rewrote the Constitution with his signing statements.
We got the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, the illegal IWR. We lost habeas corups and our right to privacy.
Give us a break. Obama will review all of W's illegal grabs for power and revoke the signing statements that break our Constitution.
Sorry Sarah, your 15 minutes are up.
And to all of you "Oh the scary Obama" posters, no one is fooled by your blatant racism.
By the way, fix this page. To have it jump over to Puke Malkins page when you click in the commentary field below made me lose my breakfast.
Posted by: jt | Oct 29, 2008 8:36:49 AM
"Palin is a whack job" a quote from one of her advisers traveling with her.
Palin is the only candidate in history to redistribute wealth by giving every man woman & child in Alaska a check from the government 'welfare'- most are non tax payers.
SHE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUTH THE CONSTITUTION OR HOW HARD IT IS TO CHANGE IT.
Posted by: watching | Oct 29, 2008 8:36:52 AM
Oh, does she mean the way the W. rewrote the Constitution with his signing statements.
We got the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, the illegal IWR. We lost habeas corups and our right to privacy.
Give us a break. Obama will review all of W's illegal grabs for power and revoke the signing statements that break our Constitution.
Sorry Sarah, your 15 minutes are up.
And to all of you "Oh the scary Obama" posters, no one is fooled by your blatant racism.
By the way, fix this page. To have it jump over to Puke Malkins page when you click in the commentary field below made me lose my breakfast.
Posted by: jt | Oct 29, 2008 8:37:08 AM
I misspoke, its 3/4ths of the state legislatures / ratifying conventions for ratification.
Posted by: Chris | Oct 29, 2008 8:37:23 AM
Palin reads all of the papers and magazines. She can't be expected to recognize humor from fact. She thinks Tina Fey is complimenting her style and substance. Maybe she was born with a silver snowshoe in her mouth. She doesn't undrstand her taxes will be reduced under Obama's plans while Ted Stevens' would have been raised.
Posted by: Larry | Oct 29, 2008 8:38:53 AM
Mike - "She lies without a second thought." I cannot tell if she is lying or just so uninformed that she thiks what she says is true.
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Oct 29, 2008 8:39:49 AM
Does she really think that we are that stupid? Or, perhaps we are. Did we not learn anything in Civics? Do we know what the job of the President of the United States of America is? Do we remember the system of checks and balances?
Was it not Palin who wanted to change the constitution when she said, "I'm thankful the Constitution would allow a bit more authority given to the vice president if that vice president so chose to exert it in working with the Senate and making sure that we are supportive of the president's policies and making sure too that our president understands what our strengths are."
I guess she really doesn't know much about civics after all. Honesty I haven't see this much poo tossed at me since my last visit to the zoo.
Posted by: Mr. Gecko. | Oct 29, 2008 8:40:20 AM
Sarah Palin has the right to seek office, but not the right to seek it by any means fair or foul. There is a distinction between truth and fiction which, after a certain point, it becomes criminal to ignore.
Free speech is not, as Sarah Palin seems to believe, a license to libel. On the face of commonly available references of fact, Sarah Palin is either willfully malicious in her speech or being completely careless of the truth. That is, assuming she is capable of understanding the content and implication of what comes from her mouth. Given the scripted nature of her performances, that very capability is in doubt.
I am extremely proud that Americans from all different political backgrounds -- having in common perhaps little more than a love of language and reasonable public discourse -- can agree that Sarah Palin is unsuitable, by her irresponsible ranting, for any public office, least of all that of Vice President of the United States.
I sincerely hope that others will join me, as a court of public opinion, and on Nov. 4, pass judgment upon her, in the form of a vote against her.
I urge you to consider the shame she brings upon the Republican Party, upon the concept of Conservatism, and upon the duties of a public servant which at a minimum should include respect for truthfulness and fair conduct.
Posted by: Citizen of Chicago | Oct 29, 2008 8:40:25 AM
Hands up anyone who takes Palin seriously.
Haven't you got it yet? She is a pathological liar and Obama is not "working closely with terrorists". Now make your decision on how to vote by looking at both sides. At least watch the half hour Obama's election address tonight with an open mind.
Posted by: Tim Simpson | Oct 29, 2008 8:41:22 AM
Wow. Palin is desperate...and clueless.
Posted by: Stephen | Oct 29, 2008 8:43:00 AM
I love how the McCain/Palin campaign pulls stuff out of thin air and people just eat it up.
If you want to know the truth you just have to go to http://factcheck.org/ and look for yourself.
Think for yourself people!!
Posted by: Mommy Vomitpants | Oct 29, 2008 8:43:22 AM
@ Lisa,
I feel really sorry for you. You must be in a really bad situation at home and at work. Otherwise why would you use such derogatory language towards women.
As long as you choose to put other women down, you will get a pat on the head by the patriarchy, but that is all you will ever get.
Thanks Lisa for helping to set women back 50 years.
Democrat for McCain/Palin
Posted by: Emma | Oct 29, 2008 8:44:28 AM
Palin I knew was an idiot and clearly not even in line with her own running mate. But those of you on this chat that repeat these lies and half truths amaze me. Are you really that stupid? Obama's comments were taken out of context. It was a discussion of the civil rights movement with regard to it's actions and laws and now all of a sudden it was a clue in to Obama's alleged marxist muslim past and the great conspiracy theory...
The conservative Christian Movement and the Right have become a joke that will grasp at anything to tear apart it's perceived enemies.
As a Christian, Gun Owning, Rural living Democrat...I am voting proudly for Barack Obama.
Posted by: SwiftyPA | Oct 29, 2008 8:44:39 AM
Palin is a know nothing wind up doll that repeats lies she has been told and has no knowledge of which she speaks. If I want to know how someone feels about the Constitution I will take the word of a first in his class Harvard Law Review President and distinguished Ivy League law professor over the words of a person who took six years between 4 no name colleges to get a bachelors degree.
This fool is not qualified to lead Alaska much less lead the United States.
Posted by: chris | Oct 29, 2008 8:44:40 AM
Please read the article before commenting on it.
The article is about Sarah Palin's innacurate comments and misrepresentations. SHE is the one who should scare us all...
Posted by: kittyo | Oct 29, 2008 8:44:44 AM
DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER!!! Could you imagine if any one of us, Repub, Independent or Democrat, ever said ANY of the crap that this hag has said?? We'd be slapped with a Slander/Defamation lawsuit so fast...would be nice if these loser politicians had to follow the laws us regular people have to. Maybe it would cut through all the bull**T and lies and get to the frickin' POINT!!!!
I bet this idiot can't even SPELL consitution!!!!
Posted by: yellowbmblbee | Oct 29, 2008 8:45:20 AM
republicans believe electorate is too ill-informed (by them) to even recognize the truth anymore. McCain/Palin is running a campaign without a moral compass. republicans have no shame.
Posted by: brian in nc | Oct 29, 2008 8:46:05 AM
AMEN - SWIFTY.
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Oct 29, 2008 8:47:58 AM
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