When Palin Thought Wasilla Wasn't Cosmopolitan Enough

When is being cosmopolitan a bad thing? When you're in the bowels for the Republican convention.

One of the many memorable lines from Rudy Giuliani's convention speech Wednesday was the dig he took at Obama for an alleged condescension towards small town America.

Said Hizonner:

"Gov. Palin represents a new generation. She's already one of the most successful governors in America and the most popular. And she's already had more executive experience than the entire Democratic ticket combined. She's been a mayor. I love that. I'm sorry -- I'm sorry that Barack Obama feels that her hometown isn't cosmopolitan enough. I'm sorry, Barack, that it's not flashy enough. Maybe they cling to religion there."

Some Democrats I talked with after the speech drew racist undertones from the remark - the idea being that Obama, as Rudy was hoping to paint him, was the product of the inner city. Others simply noted the irony that the former mayor of New York was ripping the city life. But the most potent rebuttal offered was this email from another source.

Back in April 1996, it seems, Palin (not Obama) was the one bemoaning her hometown's lack of cosmopolitan glitz. From the Anchorage Daily News archives.

"Sarah Palin, a commercial fisherman from Wasilla, told her husband on Tuesday she was driving to Anchorage to shop at Costco. Instead, she headed straight for Ivana. And there, at J.C. Penney's cosmetic department, was Ivana, the former Mrs. Donald Trump, sitting at a table next to a photograph of herself. She wore a light-colored pantsuit and pink fingernail polish. Her blonde hair was coiffed in a bouffant French twist. 'We want to see Ivana,' said Palin, who admittedly smells like salmon for a large part of the summer, 'because we are so desperate in Alaska for any semblance of glamour and culture.' Ivana Trump, the former Czechoslovakian Olympic skier who found fame and wealth as the wife of the New York tycoon, came to Anchorage Tuesday to push her line of perfume."

Then there is this from New York Magazine:

After Rudy Giuliani cartoonishly suggested that Wasilla, Alaska, wasn't "cosmopolitan" enough for Barack Obama, we did some digging into his archives. Despite the air quotes and funny voice he used when saying the word, there was a time when a city's "cosmopolitan" nature inspired him. From a 1995 address to the U.N.: "After several days of being confronted with New York City's diversity, any resident or visitor will conclude that our many differences are vastly outweighed by our similarities. That's why New York is not only the world's most diverse city, but also the world's most cosmopolitan and tolerant city."

Comments

[VOTER]

ATTENTION, SARAH!

Please hurry to Chicago so you can SEE Obama's Community
Organizer Office.

The property is up For Sale by the Archdiocese of Chicago.

HURRY, SARAH, HURRY!

[BARRISTER]

McCain is buying it - his 11th. house!!

[long333]

"Some Democrats I talked with after the speech drew racist undertones from the remark - the idea being that Obama, as Rudy was hoping to paint him, was the product of the inner city. "

Reading this article I can only think if you want to make charges of racism for Rudy saying "cosmopolitan" for example you are going to look unhinged.

It actually means "So sophisticated as to be at home in all parts of the world or conversant with many spheres of interest" and hardly what SANE peolpe think of as refering to the inner city!

I really think you people don't get how this is playing with the sane people outside the far-left.

[Birdman]

I love that. I'm sorry -- I'm sorry that Barack Obama feels that her hometown isn't cosmopolitan enough. I'm sorry, Barack, that it's not flashy enough. Maybe they cling to religion there."


Nice try Maybe you should include the entire quote. The second comment the falshy comment is probably what people took as racists, and the last comment is well uncalled for, as well as taken out of context from 5 months ago. But that is ok we can wait for you to get up to speed.

[ThoughtAboutIt]

Obama needs to out the whole question and answer that contained the "clinging" comment. It has been used against him when it would be more innocuous if presented in its entirety.

[zizyphus]

Some smart journalist should ask Palin what she did to address Alaska's abominable child abuse record-they lead the nation in the highest rate of substantiated child abuse: three times the national average.

[puddle]

There is no measure spared to protect the unborn.
That includes waiting 13 hours, taking an 8 hour plane ride - whilst leaking amniotic fluid - to get said unborn child - with special needs, with a high risk pregnancy - to a hospital.
That, folks, is how unborn children are best protected.

After they are born, who cares?

[FORLOMC]

True, her son misbehaves so she makes him enlist in the military DURING WAR TIME. Says she really doesn't focus or pay attention to Iraq. I can tell you one thing, I can't imagine a mother who loves her son who is in the military NOT paying attention to IRAQ. As a matter of fact, I cannot imagine any American not paying attention to Iraq. She is a disgrace as a mother and an American.

[AbTomp]

I watched the whole thing and I don't recal any racism....people will make up anything to make drama about this election

[gaebolgaes]

when the GOP gave a home to the dixiecrats...KKK..white citizenship councils...and other racist organizations in the 1960 s..they joined themselves at the hip with the racist confeferate south forever.either people forget..or they don't know that in their rage over blacks being given the right to vote and use public drinking fountains..the racists migrated enmasse to the GOP.JOHN MCCAIN WENT TO AN ALL WHITE TOWN IN ALASKA..where people..grow old and die without ever seeing a black face unless they join the army or go on vacation. this is an insult to not only people of color..but to this country i fought for.george bush..mccains older brother did the same thing went he went to longbeach indiana..black population....04 percent to pick john roberts ...to be chief justice of the supreme court. have you ever asked yourself how you would feel being disrespected like that.in case you haven't noticed..america is not a homogenous all white country.do you have any idea how we hate when whites do crap like that? picking leaders from towns black people are afraid to drive through..engenders hatered for everything you stand for.if i were crippled and mccain made me walkj..i wouldn't vote for him.

[veganphoto]

seems like there were a number of 'winks' to racists, like lieberman's talking about obama being too young, etc.

[tsesee]

Regarding Ms Palin's experience as an executive (mayor and governor), there is a great comment to Eugene Robinson's article in the WP from a resident of Wasilla. Here is the link to it

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2008/09/_meanwhile_back_at_the.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

If this is executive experience, I'm glad that Obama is not in Palin's league.

[10cats4me]

This article is a must read. Absolutely fantastic. I have not liked this woman since I first read about her. Was leaning towards McCain until she showed up.

[andhakari]

Content and truth are not important features of Republican speach. They're just trying to put together a coalition of anybody and everybody who can find it in their cold little hearts to vote AGAINST Obama. Finding a reason to vote for McCain and Palin is entirely secondary.

[MrPragmatic]

Oh brother. This is news or some kind of smoking gun on SP? Things are not black and white folks...you can love small towns and once in a while bemoan their lack of accoutrements.

[VOTER]

True, Sarah doesn't look a thing like Ivana Trump.

I am still concerned by Sarah's bitter words about Community
Organizers and her ignorance about their work and benefits to individuals and their communities.

What kind of Mayor of Wasilla was Bitter Sarah?

She totally forgot about Habitat for Humanity in Wasilla as well
as various groups of volunteers to help those troubled by
alcohol abuse and the numerous Food Banks to feed the hungry.

Didn't she ever leave her office?

Ooops, I'm sure she did leave her office to go shopping.

[SeafoodSoop]

Rudy is just getting ridiculous these days. As long as he's not bragging about 9/11 every speech he gives, I guess that's progress.

[truthbrigade]

Sarah Palin and her family define "White Trash Goober Nation"; a uniquely UMERCAAN creation, just like tobacco, and genetically modified food. Nobody would care if its effect is limited to those who created it; but no, this country has to shove its culture and morality on the rest of the world.

[GeoLee]

Opportunism at the core.

[tsloan]

Makes sense now.....her hair up-do is a knock off of Ivana Trump's.

[Elrancho]

You're right - she's the sort who would aspire to someone like Ivana Trump.... (nice..)

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

I get more of a Professor Quirrell vibe from it. When you see it from the side it looks like Voldemort is living up under it.

[JulianJons]

Trust me, she aint Ivanna Trump, to say nothing of Hillary. She is just an hillbilly with a PTa chair, they just call it governor in these parts. There are more people in my city of Largo, FL and mind you it is a small town, than the state of Alaska. It feels so wrong. What an IMPOSTOR.

[AbTomp]

oooooohh your city is bigger, you win!

[prdamericanmom]

Speaking of the PTA, if she is still a member or on her local board, she may have made a boo-boo...

According to the PTA's bylaws, Article IV: Basic Policies states:

g. The organization or members in their official capacities shall not, directly or indirectly,
participate or intervene (in any way, including the publishing or distributing of
statements) in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for
public office, or devote more than an insubstantial part of its activities to attempting to
influence legislation by propaganda or otherwise.

She keeps selling herself as a PTA mom, and well, since she is the VP nominee for the GOP...

[oscartucker]

Rudy was so busy being a stand-up comic, grinning and enjoying himself when he gave his speech. He didn't even write the stuff he was saying. Chris Matthews congratulated him on his speech and asked where did you get that stuff. Rudy just laughed and shrugged his shoulders. I am so glad he did not get either nomination. He hopes that he will get some kind of appointment. Ofcourse he will not; Obama will not look at him.

[ThePublicRecord]

http://www.pubrecord.org/politics/304-palins-office-scrubs-documents-from-governors-website.html

Palin's Office Scrubs Documents From Governor's Website

On July 18, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin made the unusual decision of posting two documents accompanied by a harshly worded statement on her website following reports that her husband, Todd Palin, and officials in her office leaked her ex-brother-in-law’s personnel files.

The documents: a release signed by Wooten in May giving his ex-wife's attorney access to his "entire employment file including but not limited to any and all disciplinary action(s) and complaints, and personnel records," and a letter from her attorney addressed "To whom it may concern," stating that any records obtained were done through proper channels.

On Thursday afternoon, Palin’s office removed the two documents from the governor’s official website following a news report that the law enforcement union representing her ex-brother, Mike Wooten, filed a formal complaint alleging the documents were accessed illegally and leaked. (PDF files of those documents can be found here and here).

[Elrancho]

Giuliani has zero credibility for me. Ever since I saw him glibly make excuses for the 4 policemen who murdered the un-armed African student on the steps of his home, I knew Rudi was a racist and not to be trusted. What also astonished me was the adulation he received just for 'turning up' on 9/11. Surely, if you're mayor of a city that is attacked, the least you can do is turn up? Why the American public heralded him as some kind of hero I will never undertand. Perhaps, compared to Bush & Cheney who were hiding in some underground bunker Giuliani 'seemed' to be brave..? It did nothing for me especially considering he lapped if all up as if he were deserving of hero status.