Sarah Palin – The Republican’s Morning-After Pill

Next week as Republicans take center stage with their own Republican National Convention in Saint Paul, Minnesota, they too will be making history by having Sarah Palin, the 1st term Governor of Alaska, as Senator John McCain’s running mate.

On Friday August 29th, as McCain celebrated his 72nd birthday amidst 15 thousand strong supporters in Dayton , Ohio , when he made his long awaited veep announcement around 11 am eastern standard time. McCain says, “She” referring to Palin “is exactly who this country needs to help us fight the same old Washington politics of me first and second country.”

I was still in the middle of writing my last blog about Republican VP hopefuls Huckabee, Romney, and Pawlenty when it was confirmed by MSNBC during the morning’s telecast of Morning Joe of speculations that the three aforementioned men would be rejected and replaced by a woman in hopes that she could score points for the GOP against the newly formed “high octane” Democratic Obama-Biden team. I seriously thought that he would choose Lieberman. Did the McCain prove me wrong? It was even rumored that Fred Thompson’s name had been scratched off as a possible VP choice. Desperation is surely showing on the faces of the Republican Party, or could this strategy actually work for them?

McCain is indeed full of surprises for his bid on the property at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. McCain, as early as November of 2007, had been counted out by his opponents. His lack of campaign funds to continue on in the race was approaching the point where his “corner man” was about to throw in the towel. He was almost at a point of declaring bankruptcy but then how does a guy who cannot even a simple question “How many houses do you have” file for bankruptcy? That this former POW / U.S. Senator from the State of Arizona has surprised many people, especially the media, for his tenacity and true grit to hold his own.

His selection of Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, as his running mate may have serious consequences for him, but this ploy may give the opposing team reason to pause and to speculate. And with 2 months left, that may be what McCain needs most…more time to acquire additional funds to help keep momentum going his way.

Is Sarah Palin the GOP’s “morning-after” pill? If McCain’s goal was to take some of the breath away from Obama following his “grand pomp and glory” week in Denver, then I think he did. Every major broadcast and print media, journalist, reporter, blogger, and political pundit around town now is feverishly scrambling to discover more details about Sarah Palin rather than delving more into the after effects of Obama’s speech. One would wonder though, which way the “after effects” or “side affects” of his choice will tilt.

The Republicans have been “nipping” away at Obama like a pack of wolves. McCain and his surrogates all have been reverberating about his lack of experience and his unseemly associates. Obama’s readiness on day one (a volley place into play from Hillary) and the fact that Senator Obama has been in the United States Senate for only four years plus having no foreign relations experience has been their stump phrases.

Governor Palin will make history as the having been the first Woman Republican to ran for Vice President. During her introductory speech, she referenced how Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton (both Democrats) helped paved the way for her so that she could “shatter that glass ceiling” that Hillary fell short of accomplishing (a subtle rub in Democrats faces).

But what about Palin’s experience? Aside from being a model citizen of Alaska, a soccer mom, a runner up in a beauty pageant, what exactly do we know of Governor Sarah Palin? Very little!

While the Republicans claim that the choice was not really a surprise as everyone had been saying, Palin has been on the “shortlist” of possible women to be vetted as a VP pick all along. The media and pundits took all day to feast on the “get to know Sarah Palin” which was famine for Obama-Biden.

Aside for the fact that she is currently a first term Governor of Alaska, that in 2002 she ran unsuccessfully for the Lieutenant Governor’s office, this 44 year old-mother of five, was an All-Star high school basketball player, she claims that she loves to coach Hockey, and helps out in her husband’s fishing business. Yeah…after going down her list of “accomplishments” in front of 15 thousand Daytonians yesterday, it should fairly be pointed out the many other accomplishments on the young Governor’s sleeves.

In an article by Fred Barnes in 2007 at the Weekly Standard, Palin was described as the GOP’s newest star. She was quoted as the “hero” for different circumstances when given the opportunity. She is one of the most popular governors in our country, with a 90% approval rating. Her campaign and governorship has been known on how she “adheres to principles” – especially to transparency and accountability in government.

Barnes wrote on about how in 2005 Palin took on the Republican establishment by joining forces with Eric Croft, a Democrat, in lodging an ethics complaint against Renkes – who not only is the Attorney General but is also a long-time adviser and campaign manager of the former Governor Frank Murkowski. The former governor then reprimanded Renkes and closed the case. It wasn’t but a few weeks later Renkes resigned and Palin became the hero.

Barnes also pointed out examples of Palin’s courage and the “no fear” attitude to confront the “big guys” in government, which earned her notoriety in her state of Alaska and making her the “No-Nonsense Governor.” McCain stated in his introduction speech yesterday, “You cannot make her sit down.” Is it safe to say then that the McCain maverick found his “Lady Maverick?

Currently Palin is under fire and is caught between being the governor of Alaska and just being Sarah, the sister to Molly McCann.

On July 11, 2008, Palin dismissed Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan for not adequately filling state trooper vacancies, and because he “did not turn out to be a team player on budgeting issues.” She instead offered him a position as executive director of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which he turned down.
Her power to fire him is not in dispute, but Monegan alleged that his dismissal may have been an abuse of power tied to his reluctance to fire Palin’s former brother-in-law, Alaska State Trooper Mike Wooten, who had been involved in a divorce and child custody battle with Palin’s sister, Molly McCann Palin is currently being investigated by an independent investigator hired by the Alaska Legislature to determine whether she abused her power when she fired Monegan. Palin has admitted that her staff had made at least 25 contacts with public safety officials about firing her sister’s ex-husband, including one where an employee claimed to speak for her although she has stated that he acted without her permission or knowledge (Wikipedia)

The story above is still under investigation. Yesterday this story was a “state” and a “personal” issue. Now that Palin is McCain’s running mate, this story will soon become a national issue as well. We are only into the “morning after” of McCain’s announcement. McCain’s VP selection not only puts the off-shore drilling issue into the spotlight, but now the entire State (Alaska) that is known as the largest State in the US and the wealthiest state per capita, whose state nicknames are as The Last Frontier” and the “Land of the Midnight Sun” will force Alaskans to brace themselves for what is to come of Sarah Palin being on the Republican ticket. Alaska will no longer be known as the “last frontier” state because it will slowly find their main streets and their side streets completely filled with paparazzi, news crews, secret service personnel, and more and more site-seers (curious seekers)…and trust me…your midnight Sun will be much longer too.

Barack Obama –Presumptive No More!

- This election has never been about me. It has been about you-

- It is time that they own their failures, its time for a change in America, that is why I am running for America -

I made sure that tonight everything will be put on hold in my home, dishes will just have to wait until later – my daughter will get her bath and will be tucked in earlier than usual. I was going to get myself ready with my notepad, my husband’s laptop and zapped between, CNN, MSNBC and TVONE with anticipation of the culmination of the Democratic National Convention with the speech of the presumptive nominee Barack Obama.

Leading to this historical moment not only for the DNC but for all Americans – was a series of speeches, endorsements from Senator Edward Kennedy, Michelle Obama, Senator Hillary Clinton, and President Clinton. The roll-call drama on day 3, with the “official handing over” of delegates by Senator Clinton and officially “acclamation” of Obama and later that evening “sealed the deal” speech of President Clinton, assuring the “worrisome” Obama campaign and supporters with the fear that the former president won’t “go all the way” with his support.

Denver, Colorado, 8:56 p.m. Mile High Field – And under the cool, clear Denver skies with the 76273 seat INVESCO Field filled to the rafters of the democrats from all of the country, Barack Obama became the America’s promise!

On the 45th year anniversary of the “I have a Dream “ speech of Reverend Martin Luther King, the junior United States Senator from Illinois Barack Obama accepted the Democratic National Party’s nomination for the President of the United States.

The speech described by Reverend Jesse Jackson as a “liberating speech” or MSNBC Political Analyst and Republican Strategist Pat Buchanan, described Obama’s speech “genuinely outstanding speech – the greatest convention speech ever made” Buchanan added, “a speech came out of the heart of America and went to the American Heart”.

For the past four days in Denver, Colorado speculated whether America’s first African American Presidential Candidate what kind of a speech will he delivering on the final day. How much “meat” will he throw towards the Republican presumptive nominee, John McCain. Obama whose message of hope and change – reminded the Americans “we are the party of Roosevelt, the party of Kennedy’s”. He called on to the “reclaiming the American dream”. Or whether he will be able “out do” his keynote speech during the 2004 in Boston, Massachusetts.

“This election is not about me – it’s about you” he told the over seventy thousand supporters. “The change doesn’t come from Washington – it comes TO Washington”

Barack Obama in the past few months, who has been questioned, criticized for not being so “specifics” of his own platform – intelligently, explicitly, reiterate, clearly stated his 29 specific points when he will be president.

Political pundits and television commentators were completely awed and were lost for words for the well written – “you” oriented speech.

Tonight, I believe that if you are one of the eight million cracks in the glass ceiling Hillary supporters – you would have fallen down the ground and will be one of the obamatics chanting “Yes We Can” or if you are one of the independents who have not really decided whether Obama is ready for president on Day 1 or if you are one of those skeptics questioning his patriotism – well I guess after the fifty minute speech your questions have been answer and doubts have been reassured.

As the excitement dies down, cheers are silenced – the Democrats real work starts with the Obaiden (Obama-Biden) tandem taking the bus tour the battle states starting with Pennsylvania.

The Clinton Phenomenon: Magnanimous at the end while leaving their political footprints in the sand

If there were any thoughts that the Clinton political dynasty had come to an end, you would be dead wrong. During the first Saturday of June of this year while on the steps of the National Building Museum in Washington D.C., Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton officially suspended her presidential bid to the White House. But to everyone’s amazement, quiet talk had been going on about what Bill and especially Hillary planned to do in 2012 and beyond. So let me remind everyone…and I mean everyone…especially those who are talking about the “end” of the Clinton dynasty. I for one am not counting them out yet.

Webster defines the word “dynasty” as the succession of powerful families. Chelsea Clinton maybe an only child…she maybe your sweet unsuspecting daughter who would stand in the background and let her mother and father rise to the occasion, but her succession still has yet to be determined. So don’t just write the Clinton names onto a political tombstone. The Clinton’s were magnanimous at the end and they left their political footprints in the sand of the political beaches.

The Clintons are like the Carringtons or the Ewings in politics. The media loves every minute of them. BTW…I stand corrected…WE all love every minute of them. You either love them, or hate them. However, with the kind of campaign that Senator Hillary Clinton ran, she deserves to be considered for Emmy nominations.

By far, the Clintons did bring a lot of excitement, intrigue, and drama for many of us in the media. The media were all reporting about it right up until the very last minute just before former President Clinton took center stage yesterday evening in what is being described as adding the “cherry on the top” for the Democratic National Convention. The journalists, reporters, bloggers, pundits, and the satirists/comics…whether you agree with them or not…whether you had busted your butt to cover their campaign or not, all have to admit that the Clintons’ “made-for-television mini series” created a lot of discussion and furor during these past eighteen months. We all drooled over them, took time to watch them, took time to write or fight about them, and took well over twenty thousand hours worth of media coverage to present them to the public.

After tonight’s acceptance speech by the newly nominated Democratic Nominee, Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic National Convention will be able to claim two historic moments under it’s belt – having the first African American (Barak Obama) nominated for the highest position in this country and having the first woman (Hillary Rodham Clinton) ever to place second as a candidate for POTUS.

Just in the past 48 hours, the Clintons, with elegance, style and magnanimity showed not only the people inside the Pepsi Convention Center, the nation, and also the world why they “are THE Clintons.” In a supposedly “surprise” appearance by the presidential nominee himself last night, Barack Obama reminded an excited crowd of thousands inside the center how Senator Clinton “rocked” the house the night before, then gave accolades about how President Clinton, during his administration as a democratic president, had put the “American People” first.

When everything is said and done…after all of the debates are over…when political ads are no longer airing…after Americans have cast their votes…and when you have another president elected (provided we don’t have to go through another recount) the Clintons will still be THE Clintons. They are a permanent fixture on every life of every American. After this year, we may ask ourselves if the Clintons still have political clout. In some political circles, that belief is slowly diminishing. We all saw a glimpse of that during the democratic rules committee meeting. The Clinton supporters did not get their way, but had to make compromises.

When President Clinton took office in 1993, many of his “enemies” constantly tried to find things that would question his integrity and his administration. Whitewater surfaced and everyone including Hillary knew about Bill’s past philandering. However, when it came time to address his critics and the public, the pointing/wagging of President Clinton’s finger and the categorical denials were repeatedly played over by the media. The squelched impeachment is historic and will become connected to his legacy.

People are now asking about the legacy of Senator Hillary Clinton. Many will say that her run for the White House, along with the garnering of over 18 million votes, and the way that she exited, suggests that she will endeavor to keep her clout and her political future possibilities open. And let’s not forget about Chelsea in 2020.

Word Play – Reading Between the Lines

We have heard probably some of the most phenomenal speeches ever delivered during this convention – the combination of the pen, paper and minds – with goals from humanizing Barack Obama, taking back the White House, how John McCain and George Bush were “twins” (twin cities) – sound bites like “power of our examples not example of our power” – “18 million cracks in the glass ceiling” – “living the dream” – yet still these are all just a prelude of what is yet to come later on tonight when Senator Barack Obama accepts the Democratic Nomination from his party.

It would seem that the speeches done by candidates should convey more about themselves and what they personally think than what is pleasing to hear or what is “politically correct” to say to the public. Politicians are graded more on how they say it, than what they say…but to an extent, when politicians say something that is considered incorrect they become “meat” and truly victims of media scavengers and other media “birds of prey” looking for a juicy story.

Let’s face it…the public loves to hear about someone falling from grace…right????