Rendell: If I Was Palin You'd Be Calling For My Impeachment

Gov. Ed Rendell decried a double standard in the treatment of Sarah Palin on Monday, saying that if it was he who was at the center of the "troopergate" investigation, the press would be calling for his head.

"She [claims to be] a reformer," said the Pennsylvania Democrat. "And yet she is being investigated on the charge that she used her power as governor to fire someone who was going through a messy divorce with a relative of hers. Could you imagine if I was doing the same thing in Pennsylvania? You would be calling for my impeachment."

The remarks came at the end of a long list of criticisms that Rendell, one of the foremost supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary, launched against the Republican vice presidential nominee. Ignoring the directive of the Obama campaign to focus attentions on McCain, Rendell called out Palin on everything from ethics to earmarks.

"[The McCain camp] has tried to again obscure the facts about Gov. Palin. 'She is a reformer and against earmarks.' No she isn't, when she was mayor of that town she hired a lobbyist to get earmarks... 'She was against the bridge to nowhere.' No she wasn't. She was for the bridge to nowhere first... She is a budget balancer. But she left the town in greater debt then when she became mayor, so she is not a budget balancer."

"I like her," Rendell concluded. "She is a good person, she has tremendous potential but in no way shape or form is she ready to be president of the United States."

The Rendell call, organized to preempt a McCain appearance in Pennsylvania, was ostensibly on the topic of how the Arizona Republican has engaged in dirty politics when it came to discussing Obama's tax record. And on this issue, Rendell was again in vintage outspoken form.

"First of all, let me say it should be embarrassing for the Republican ticket that Rick Davis, Sen. McCain's campaign manager, said 'this election is not about issues.' Good lord, with all the challenges facing America it has to be about issues...They don't want to talk about issues because when the truth comes out about issues the American people will favor Sen. Obama tremendously."

The Republicans, he added, "would make the all time all-star team for spiders the way they can spin."

But most questions, as has been the case since the Palin announcement, were focused on the Alaska governor.

Would she siphon of Clinton supporters in Pennsylvania? No, said Rendell, who expected Obama to receive somewhere along the lines of "95,96, or 97 percent of the vote."

Was she qualified to serve as VP? Absolutely not, he bemoaned.

The McCain camp argues that, "Governor Palin, because of her executive experience as a mayor of a small 9,000 person town and governor of Alaska for 20 months, has that experience. Well, I refer you to a McCain camp document they put out when [Virginia] Gov. Kaine was considered to be vice president. They attacked his experience and derided Richmond [where Kaine was formerly mayor] because it was the 105th largest city ... I think Gov. Palin was mayor of the 50,000th [most populated] city in the America... It was fair game to say Gov. Kaine was not qualified because of his credentials. If they are going to be consistent then they believe that Gov. Palin is unqualified to be vice president."

Comments

[Justwonderings]

Enough of this already.
Enough manipulating the press and America.
Enough avoiding the facts and feeding us lines.
Palin is ridiculous and totally unprepared. If Obama gave answers like she gave charlie gibson he would be walked off the plank. This is an embarrassment.

By the way, saying you understand Russia and can handle the threat because you can see the edge of the outermost territory of Russia from an island in Alaska is like saying the governor of Guam protects the US because its in the Pacific and can protect us from China.
Oh and we are not at war with Russia. What is this 1985 watching the movie "Red Dawn"
What a joke.

[NYTIG1066]

Go Gov. Rendell ...it is about time someone stood up and said the truth! We need this information out now BEFORE the election..­..we've had eight years too much of "how'd they ever get elected".

[cat3]

Bravo, Governor Rendell. The thought of a McCain/Palin ticket is too frightening for me.
The last thing we need is a Maverick and a Pit bull running our beloved country. It's time for a real change .. I'm one of the crossover republican female voters, never voted democratic in my life (I have been voting 47 years). but I love my country and my family too much to trust them to McCain. His pick of Palin was his first major decision as a future President. This is the best he could do? If something should happen to him, just think we would have Palin as President. Tooooo scary.
I,m voting for Barrack Obama.

[lionsforlambs]

I agree with you. It is about time someone took the bull by the horns! I do not want another 4 years of George Bush through McCain/Palin.

[ReallyNowPgh]

Go Gov Rendell !!!! Pittsburgh is behind you !

WE NEED TO KEEP POINTING OUT THE HYPOCRISY OF PALIN AND THE REPUBLICANS !

[FaceofAmerica]

Finally, a Democrat with some true Grit. Hooray for the Governor..­. Mr. Obama needs more attack dogs like this one if he wants to win. Vote out all spineless democrats Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosy and replace them with some democrats with guts.

[SOFOROBAMA]

You go Ed! We just need to make sure this word is getting out to the people that count. Not just diehard Dems that are going to vote Obama anyway but Independents and potential cross-over voters who are being lured by the Republican's fear mongering.

[jedonspring]

Ed should go on the campaign trail with that stump - it's exactly what we need, calling the liars out!!!

[Veeve]

You gotta love Fast Eddie Rendell. I mean this as a compliment, the guy is a pol's pol; a real pro. I wish Obama would green light all surrogates to ravage both McSame and McCheney.. err, ah.. McPalin.

[RonNYC]

I never had much use for Rendell but he has redeemed himself in my eyes now. He is the only Democrat with a pair of balls.

[IRepTheKing]

Glad someone isn't afraid to say it. I like Obama, but he's gotta take off the gloves eventually.

[bedegre]

its great knowing that i am not alone in feeling this way. Thank you Rendell. I live in Va but am from Philly and remembered him as the DA and liked the way he spoke from the hip then and I like the way he speaks the truth now. FIGHT OBAMA PEOPLE. IF HE WON'T DO IT THEN IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TO GET THE FACTS OUT TO ALL THAT BELIEVE.

[Free2Speak]

It too late,surrogates are really afraid to go after McCain/Palin because they are afraid of Obama may swiftboat them.Ask Gen Clark,bloggers who went after Palin family values (teen pregnancy),Keating 5,

[MaryanneAZ]

You're talking sh*t and nonsense. The point of the article is that Obama does not swiftboat anyone, including those who should be swiftboated for their lies and distortions. He is too much of a gentleman and, dare I say it, a Christian in the view of many of his rabid supporters and would-be campaign advisors to put up his dukes. However, they seem to easily forget .... he WON the primary! He won it by employing the exact same high road and pragmatic approach that the campaign is using today. The campaign also has internal tracking and polling, as well as insider knowledge of their ground game on which they rely. I think we supporters worry for naught. Obama's the man!!!

[Changeizgood]

I know MaryAnne, the stakes are so high for our future and our childrens.

I HOPE AND PRAY THE Grandma's and Grandpa's are listening, it would be mighty hard to be Grandparents, if We women in order to obtain a education have to stop putting out to make them for the wars, they are supporting, by supporting John McSame as Bush and McCheney jr.

Nobody wants to give life for wars on resources, what's the point. Take your greedy money with you to your graves, the price of our future and lives is NOT WORTH IT.

YOU OLDSTERS WILL NOT HAVE US FORCEFULLY BREEDING FOR YOUR WARS FOR CORPORATE OIL CONTROL.

SHAME ON YOU!

[leftoflennon]

Go Rendell

Glad to have u back!

[londonrainbow]

The world is wondering 'WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH AMERICANS'

hOW THE HELL DID THEY VOTE BUSH X 2.

And guess what, they are wondering how the hell is SIDEKICK & CO. so high in the polls.

It is now official that a large chunk of Americans are the dumbest in the world.

CNN reported a few day ago that a new poll shows if the world votes Obama/Biden will win 70% of the votes.

[IRepTheKing]

Guess we should trade citizens and get rid of some dim brains.

[Changeizgood]

We have to keep the percentages lower in the polls by not voting in them.
If we give that away, the voting machine cheats will steal the percentage, as they did in Ohio in 2004, and you get another four years of Rethugs in charge, FINISHING OFF THE COUNTRY AND THE AMERICAN DREAM.

America, vote wisely, please, the world is depending on US to get this right.

[noblereno]

Thank you Gov. Rendell for your accurate assessment of the facts. We should all be taking your lead and I vow to continue to fight the overt lies every chance I get. We must all remember there is a "dictionary" term of Maverick and a TV series "Maverick". I believe John McCain meets the definition of the TV Maverick. Maverick, as I recall, was a western TV series and later a movie. I watched a little Maverick and want to remind all of you who have forgotten and those of you who just did not know that Maverick was a liar. His lies were part of his beguiling charm. He was also a cheater who never settled on one woman. Maverick always left his options open and lived by gambling. He did whatever he had to do to win because winning was everything. Is John McCain a Maverick ? Of the TV series, yes. He is a liar and a cheat and will say anything, do anything to survive.

[MoeB]

Way to go Rendell!! Call them out on their BS. This election IS about the issues, regardless of how much republicans try to gloss over that fact. We all have to keep bringing it back to the issues whenever these republicans try to change the subject.

[FreeExpression]

I agree completely - get McCain/Palin to discuss issues facing the American public. McCain/Palin remind me of the "Bait & Switch" routine so often used as a form of fraud by offering one product and then luring customers to buy something else. McCain/Palin are luring in the American public in by offering "Change", but in reality will be providing more Bush years.

I love the comments I have read that state "the difference between Bush and Palin - lipstick." It is very funny; however, I admit it is a distraction. Obama/Biden need to focus on the issues and we need more credible people like Gov. Rendell to call out the lies and distortions being made daily to the American people.