Palin's Record Of Commanding Alaska National Guard Is Greatly Exaggerated

Okay. Cast your mind back to two nights ago, when CNN's Campbell Brown, persistently and determinedly, went after McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds on a simple question: "Can you tell me one decision that she made as commander in chief of the Alaska National Guard?" Bounds didn't answer the question, and not because he needed to check with whoever is in charge of keeping count of McCain's homes, where the Alaska National Guard will be quartered after the Roberts court suspends the Third Amendment. He couldn't answer the question because the answer is that Palin has never personally ordered the state guard to do anything. Or, as this article from McClatchy puts it:

Bounds couldn't, because Palin has never personally ordered the state guard to do anything.

McClatchy's source for the reality of Palin's Commander-in-Chief acumen is Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell, the Alaska Guard's service commander. He points out what most of you already know, that when the AK Guard is deployed overseas, it's President Bush who commands it. But, when it comes to the Guard's in-state duties, Palin's been a little, shall we say, hands off:

Occasions in which Palin retains command authority over the 4,200-member Alaska National Guard are whenever the Guard responds to in-state natural disasters and civic emergencies, said Campbell, who also serves as the commissioner of the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

Some examples?

"We've deployed individuals in state service all over the state under Sarah Palin," he said. "We had defense men down in Seward for the (Mount) Marathon run doing security.

"Out west and northwest we had erosion problems, and the National Guard was involved in some of the protection out there. About three days ago, the Army National Guard picked up a lady from Little Diomede (Island) . . . at the request of state troopers."

Did Palin directly approve each of those activities?

No, Campbell said. The governor has granted him the authority to act on his own in most cases, including life-or-death emergencies -- when a quick response is required -- and minor day-to-day operations.

What about when the AK Guard sent a deployment to aid in Hurricane Gustav relief? "Chief of Staff Mike Nizich signed off on it." July's floods in Fairbanks? "Didn't require the governor's approval."

So there you have it. The Alaska National Guard is totally, totally sexist,

Comments

[wheelskeepturning]

But she has the power to do so. Does Obama?

[DaOne]

She abdicated that power.

[KMKY]

It's a little troubling that most people here aren't aware that by trashing Palin's role as commander-in-chief of the Alaska National Guard you are, ultimately, defending the current administration's steady wresting of power over the National Guard away from the governors. Gov. Bill Richardson spoke out against this in an article for the Huffington Post and in an address to the National Guard just last year.

Much of this argument has been specious. Palin has never said that she is the commander-in-chief of the Alaska Army Guard or the Alaska Air Guard overseas. (Those who are looking for that argument from her have no understanding of the structure of the National Guard, and if she does make that argument, then, I dare say, you got her.) She has the same authority over the Guard in her state as all other governors. And those of us who live near the Gulf of Mexico would prefer that our local and state leaders have the ability to put together a rapid response team in the time of hurricanes making landfall and high-water flooding and not wait on the larger bureacratic beast of FEMA to do it for them.

I am going to say it again: I disagree with most and abhor some of her policies, but those on the left need to focus their arguments against her based on reason not on anger and not on a desire for political revenge.

[TakingBackTheUSA]

I would say that "reason" would be served by seeking out the truth from an obvious spin, half truth or outright lie. McCain's campaign presented Palin as "Commander in Chief of the AK National Guard", so the fact should be substantiated.

[KMKY]

Are you being intentionally daft?

Her OFFICIAL title is, in fact, Commander-in-Chief of the Alaska National Guard. Why is it so difficult for both sides to accept that the issues we are facing do not involve arguing about titles?

The real questions here which should be asked are what has that OFFICIAL role required of her; what has she learned from working with the adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard; what does she believe the working relationship between the civilian commander-in-chief (aka the governors and the president) and the military/troops should look like; what lessons has she learned about the day-to-day operations of the National Guard that could be applied onto the national scene; and (on a more personal note) what was her experience when visiting the Alaska National Guard troops when she went to Kuwait and Germany to do so?

[scooperss]

All I can say is

YUP YUP YUP

[BitterInPA]

This mornings spin, "Palin has both hands on the steering wheel of the global oil market". Huh? Why so the MSM not call the spin machine out on this crap. She does not control the global oil market.

[Buddly]

Sarah just has not been the same after her Oosik collection was stolen. Lying and denying, is all she is good for, or maybe a job at the Bush Company

[Gjam]

The Bush Company...­..That's FUNNY!

I had my tires slashed in the parking lot there once!

[jaschrod]

If Palen was a sort of maverick before the speech, during and after the speech she became just another politician. Innuendos, half truths, and out right lies made her just another politician.

[TakingBackTheUSA]

Absolutely. The pseudo-mavericks have lost their ability to claim their mantle. They are the very thing that they claim to fight against. The oft-used cliche about the Emperor's Clothes fits them perfectly.

The only maverick quality that either retain is the maverick fashion with which they are trying to suppress information and the maverick fashion with which they are trying to railroad this entire country.

[TakingBackTheUSA]

Absolutely. The old phrase concerning the emperor's clothes fits them both nicely. The "maverick" card is no longer theirs to play. Neither of them can assume that mantle.

The only thing these "mavericks in name only" have borne that quality toward is the maverick-like way they are suppressing information that concerns them in an effort to railroad this country further.

[QuicksilverKW]

Yes, let's put her in charge of our military!! Scary, isn't it? The direction his campaign is going in is beyond comprehension. It's sad when you will try anything - anything - because you know you have nothing to lose and will never have another chance anyway. He wasn't going to win with the way he had handled his campaign - so why not do something this bizarre? So sad when old men act like little boys - and when middle-aged women start acting like beauty queens.

[SailFree]

In this country we have a long tradition--indeed, it is the rule of law--that the military is under the command of civilians. We don't have a military junta running the country.

One could note that someone who was so wrong about the success of the surge, so much so that he says "it exceeded OUR wildest dreams," someone who obviously holds the military in disdain, if not actual contempt, someone who passed up a visit to wounded soldiers at Landstuhl, where I was once on the staff, because it was not permitted to make it into a photo op, someone who would have surrendered in Iraq, weakening out position in the world and endangering all of western civilization, would be a poor choice to head up the military. I'll take governor Palin any day.

Not to mention that Joe Biden has been wrong on almost every foreign policy and military issue in the past 30 years.

[Tobiasism]

As the media report more and more of the inconsistencies (AKA LIES) that have been put forth the people who actually knhow how to read will see the light that their lives and the future of our kids is becoming more bleak.

[helonias]

So the queen of pork awes her lily white audience

[RushLiberal]

McCain = Bush - dumb and Dumber

Palin = Cheney but with PMS

[Whinger]

It's diplomatic and foreign policy skills that are important in todays world, the ability to persuade rather than crush devloping nations with overwhelming military force!

Having the intelligence and the foreign policies to repair the tattered reputation of America, and the ability to cultivate trust with nations like Russia, China and the Arabic world, that's wnat counts!

Given the blustering rhetoric and battlefield diplomacy we hear echoing from GOP puppets, they can only offer this nation more of the same diplomatic, foreign policy and economic failures of the past

[ehartsoe]

She's a joke and it's amazing how dumb the RIGHT is now

[nirek]

If you don't want her to be pres. in the event McSame passes on then VOTE OBAMA !

[plooger]

Any feedback on how members of the Alaska National Guard feel about Palin's saying she hasn't thought much about Iraq -- given that 70+ Alaskans, or those based in Alaska, had died in Iraq prior to her incredibly disinterested comment?

"I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq,"

Anchorage Daily News report of Iraq casualties
April 14, 2007
http://dwb.adn.com/news/military/iraq/story/8793294p-8693350c.html
Thirty-one 4th Brigade paratroopers have been killed in the war. ... In all, 78 military men and women who were either stationed at Alaska bases or Alaskans posted to bases outside the state have died in Iraq since the war began in 2003.

[xac00fm]

Most US women voters 'unimpressed' by McCain's VP pick
"When women voters learn that Palin opposes abortion even in cases of rape and incest, opposes stem cell research and, as governor, opposed funding for state pre-kindergarten programs..­. a majority say... (they) feel less favorable toward her," the poll showed.
"Women voters see the choice of Governor Palin as being driven by politics rather than by any sense of conviction on Senator McCain's part that she has the experience and qualities to make a good vice president," the research group said in a statement.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080903/pl_afp/usvotewomen_080903150342;_ylt=AoPm5_jVeTaCnjRVkac3nDJB5494
Six in 10 women voters see McCain's choice of a female running mate as a calculated political decision rather than one based on Palin's experience and qualities, the poll conducted by the Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group showed.

McCain More Likely to Drop Palin, Bookmakers Say
http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20080902/pl_bloomberg/azjwbcginwsg;_ylt=Aij2y7k.Lf2Fh3GN3vYsejytOrgF
"Shocking' Sarah's days are numbered,"

Palin wasn't interviewed by vetter until day before offer
http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0908/Palin_wasnt_interviewed_by_vetter_until_day_before_offer.html

Palin's pork requests confound reformer image
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080903/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_palin_earmarks;_ylt=AqcYha.YYGcZu4cWtxFPv6Os0NUE


Alaska and Palin gettin drilled by mccain
http://www.salon.com/tech/htww/2008/08/29/sarah_palin_and_anwr/

[Gjam]

Another little know buried fact is, that AK accepted the ~$500M earmarks originally scheduled to build 2 bridges, one in Seward, one in Ketchican.­....so, they killed the bridge projects, yet took the money. Isn't it supposed to be all about the money? (graft that is). Shameful distortion of the facts, at best.