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

[Deparis]

This is the most eloquent and effective line of attack against Saint Sarah and the 72 years old man so far. Enough with Barack not going against the former wannabe Miss Alaska.

[lionsforlambs]

I love this line of attack. The public would be calling for his impeachment. Obama is trying to take the high road and unfortunately, the Republicans are playing dirty politics. The Republicans know that Sara Palin is not ready and completely unqualified to be vice-president much less president. None of the spokespersons for the McCain campaign can really defend her. Everytime a question is asked they want to say that the media is mistreating her. This is reverse sexism. She is making it worse for any woman that comes after that wants to run for office.

[AnitaBreak]

Can the governor get a witness! Amen.

[teemo777]

Thank you governor for your speech. Obama needs you. I stopped contributing to his
campaign, because he is too slow to attack.

[Betty23]

Does this mean you now support McCain? If not,you have just cut off your nose to spite to your face.

[leftoflennon]

Tut Tut.

That is too bad.

Change doesn't come easy.

Don't quit when the fight gets a bit tough.

[jlc0426]

I think every Democratic Gov. in all 50 states should be out there telling voters the truth about the Rep. ticket just like Rendell. I just don't understand how people can be so stupid and believe what the Repubs are dishing out!!! To me this shows a real disrespect to the american people. Unfortunately, alot of voters are buying it hook, line and sinker!

[VetKor51]

If truth were important, Obama would be leading 90% to 10%.
To paraphrase Jack Nicholson:
America, you can't stand the truth!

[WoodyIV]

Way to go Ed!!!! Here is an advantage the repubs can't counter. We have so many smart, capable, experienced leaders that can surrogate for Obama, they can't counter them. Ed Rendell, Hillary Clinton, Sabillius (sp?), Kaine, etc etc etc

[Vermontah]

In the movie Primary Colors, based on Clinton's 1992 campaign, there was a debate on whether to expose John Travolta's opponent as a gay cokehead. "We don't do that!" was the objection of one of the aides. They went and did it anyway, won the election, and the aide killed herself.

This is the dilemma we face now. The Republicans are lying, cheating and cynical and are already using everything they can make up to smear Obama. But "we don't do that."

Maybe we should.

McCain lost to Bush in 2000 because of a slime campaign implying that his adopted black daughter was actually his illigitimate child. Maybe it's time for us to throw fairness and democracy out the window and start lying and cheating to steal this election. We need a Karl Rove, perhaps.

Let's follow Republican leadership for a change. Let's make stuff up. Let's attack their family. Let's invent scandals. Let's lie. McCain's GAY! Palin is a COKEHEAD! Try it! It feels pretty good!

I know. We don't do this. But maybe we should, so at least the playing field is even.

[dragonfly65]

If you're from PA, like me, you know Ed tells it like it is.

[All in All]

Governor Ed Rendell has a gift for words indeed, I've always liked the way that He puts the facts out there, even when it was during the Democratic Primary. The facts are the facts, even our own Personal facts that some others may not want to hear & know at times.

I laughed when some People called Governor Ed Rendell racist during the Democratic Primary, don't get Me wrong... it really wasn't funny how People would call Him that just because He was pointing out a Personal fact that He & others believe, I just laughed at the whole thing since it really doesn't matter to Me as a Black person if a Person has some views that may seem racist, what really mattered to Me in Governor Ed Rendell's situation was what has He done as a Governor and what will He do as a Person overall moving forward.

It 's People like Governor Ed Rendell that helps to make America a better place to live, even if one was lead to believe that Governor Ed Rendell is a racist; since He seems to be able to work towards a greater good no-matter what may or may not reside in His self and others as-well .

[worn]

Rendell great job!!!! We need more truth like this.

[lionsforlambs]

We need more. I think that they are waiting on the word from Obama. Ed Rendell just couldn't wait. I am glad that he didn't. We needed it.

[reliant1]

more on the lie -

congress stopped the bridge. they let the state keep the money for other useful projects. she built a road with it - to where the bridge to no where was supposed to be. a road to no where.

Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Hearst Newspapers
Thursday, November 17, 2005

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/11/17/MNGF5FPI7N1.DTL&type=printable

Alaska 'bridge to no where' funding gets nowhere

Law makers delete project after cri tics bestow de risive mo niker

2005!!

[worn]

Go Rendell!!! I respect Obama stance on being above the fray, but this is too important to end up with four more years of the same. I know I can't afford it. Tell it like it is as Rendell is doing, so these undecided can see Obama is the only choice!!

[Softnsweet]

Go Rendell!! Why can't Obama be forthright like that. I love him!!!

[ltva]

Obama or his wife cannot come out and slam Palin like she slammed him at the RNC. If they did, he would be called sexist and his wife would be called 'an angry black woman'John Mccain is betting on that fact to keep Obama at a disadvantage; sort of making him fight with one hand tied behind his back. That is why it is so important for all the democratic governors, senators, and especially Hillary Clinton to come out swinging. Thank you governor Rendell!!!!!

[JackieW]

Man, this is just what I wanted to hear someone say. Leave it to plainspoken, pull-no-punches Rendell to be the one to say it.

[Bradgrp]

Now that's what I'm talking about!!! It's about time that somebody in the Democratic party called Mccoo-coo/Palin on their BS. The good Governor from Penn. State is absolutely right. How is it that someone who is under investigation for abuse of power violations can be CONSIDERED QUALIFIED to be the next VP of the US. That's simply unfathomable when most employers won't even hire you if you have a ticket. This is exactly what every state Democratic Party should be doing whenever those two clowns show up in their state.

[sherbug]

Because the Bush-McCain crime family think that abuse of power is just part of the job.

[MikeCanada]

I really hope the Democrats keeping hitting back hard. To not to so would be like conceding defeat now.