Who Is Sarah Palin?

Until the Republican Convention, very few had ever heard of Sarah Palin... and now this mean-spirited campaigner is asking who is Barack Obama?

I'm asking who is Sarah Palin?

I know that she's a woman who doesn't believe in allowing women the right to choose their own reproductive health decisions even if they are victims of rape... but approves of these victims getting billed by the government for the rape kits used to examine them.

I know she's a beauty pageant runner-up who is a gun totin' extremist in her views on the environment, religion, women's choice and the separation of church and state.

I know she's a woman who along with John McCain would divide this country while pledging that she and the Senator are "mavericks" who know how to reach across the aisle.

I know that as mayor of the small town of Wasilla she increased spending by 63% and left behind a $19 million long-term debt, which was non-existent before she took office.

I know she hired the same good-ol'-boy network of Washington lobbyists she says she will fight if elected, in order to secure millions of dollars of earmarks for Wasilla.

I know that she's been found guilty of abusing her power as governor by pressuring a state official to fire her former brother-in-law and then firing the official when he refused... an investigation that began prior to her selection as vice president.

And I know that the American public has had less than two months to vet Sarah Palin, and during this time the press has had to fight tooth and nail to secure just two network interviews with her... while she still refuses to appear on the tougher Sunday news shows.

On the stump, Sarah Palin and John McCain continue to avoid addressing the critical issues facing our country. Neither of them provides any substantive conversation on what they will do to steer our country on a journey back to prosperity. Palin's sheer ignorance and lack of experience precludes her from speaking thoughtfully about the financial and foreign policy dilemmas we face. And John McCain's voting record forces him to change the subject.

McCain knows his policies have contributed to the unraveling of our financial systems due to excessive deregulation. McCain knows that he supported the war in Iraq since its inception, which has been a tremendous financial and military drain on our country. Both Sarah Palin and John McCain know that if this election continues to be about the housing market, the economy, healthcare, the environment, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- the issues that affect everyday Americans -- they will lose this election. And after eight years of Republican control that has left this country in deep distress... they should lose. So now that we know who Sarah Palin is... do we want her a heartbeat away from the presidency?

Comments

[JennyJay]

So far, the beauty queen runner-up has been pure teflon, and nothing is sticking. Probably
because so many idiots love that little wink, wink. Hopefully, the real scandal is coming up
next with - her big new house being built by the same man who just donated all that free house remodeling to Senator Ted Stevens, who thankfully, is on trial as we speak for corruption and
bribery.
I sure hope that 15 min phone call, vetting process, comes back to bite McCain in the buttooty.

[Cloball]

It's also the same contractor who was awarded the project to build the Wasilla sports center that Mayor Palin pushed through.

[MajorBarbara]

Sing it, Babs!

[carolinareb]

It was the police chief that wanted women to pay for rape kits. The woman used in the anti-Palin video was not even from Alaska. ‘gun totin' extremist’? Who is extreme now? McCain’s policies caused the crisis? Congress (as a whole) and greed are to blame. It is ludicrous to blame one person. There is enough blame for both sides.
Obama was a windfall recipient Freddie-Fanny. Obama was the one who trained ACORN staff how to extort money from the same failing banks.
The Democratic Party that has been in charge for the last 2 years and what have they done? They pushed for a $300-billion agricultural bill; the farmlands were at a high in production. They added large sums of domestic spending to Bush's $108 billion Iraq; War for gain? The country has seen many increases in spending under this Democratic controlled congress. They do not want a Balanced Budget Amendment. Clinton left office with a surplus, but never reduced the national debt. After leaving office, he states that the US needed to reduce its debts. LOL
Obama is a professed (lately) Christian, yet he mocked the bible in a speech. He calls the Sermon on the Mount a radical speech. You’d think he would know radical is after sitting in Rev. Wrights pews for over 20 years.
After 8 years in the political world, with 5 of them spent campaigning, there is one question that has not been answered yet:
Who is Barrack Obama?

[paris79]

Thanks Carolinare­b., well stated.

[treklady]

As mayor of Wasilla she signed off on the rape kit charges, as mayor I assume she knows what is happening in all departments. It may have well been the police chiefs budget saving idea, but she still should be aware of it, right?

[duchessdorleans]

"Obama is a professed (lately) Christian,"

uou lost all credibility with that line. nice try.

[sgrl]

Isn't it about time for you to get to the View, Elizabeth? People who can't confront the truth immediately turn the tables. Is she qualified? No. Is it relevant? Yes. Every minute of every hour of every day, because she clearly is out of her league...a­nd he picked her anyway. BTW, when is she going on Meet the Press?

[Ginger5]

Charging victims $2000$ for rape kits is the accepted way for republicans to eliminate or decrease the incidence of rape. This is why the country is quickly dismissing rpublicans as potential leaders of this country. This year will demonstrate the shrinking of the electoral map for repubs. Wise up your C game is not working.

[sgrl]

I was offended by her smug sarcasm at the convention, and her pathetic attempts to cover her obvious lack of qualifications with a flirt and a wink. She has naively let the campaign use her to speak to gutter conservatives, and she has no idea that after this election is over she's toast. Get used to the "boos", Sarah, there will be no welcome wagons in Alaska.

[HalR]

Good article Babbs, there is absolutely no reason to vote for either McCain/Palin. Both have
no ideas's or solution for problems, both are outright serial liar's and only look to the extreme
right base voting on wedge issues. Obama/Biden provide the needed solution to meet this
countries major needs for financial,­health,edu­cation, the war effort,ree­stablishin­g our foreign
image. Vote to help all American's not just the Bush/Cheny -"Have More/1%er's" and eliminate
their corporate welfare. No more Dick Cheney golden parachutes from Halliburton.

[BeltwayBette]

Barbra: Who knew your analysis would be as crystal clear as your beautiful singing voice. Thank you.

Straight from Alaska:

WHO IS THE REAL ALASKA GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN?

www.mudflats.wordpress.com

[WeSeeYou]

Terrific article! Protesters should be shouting at Palin rallies: "WHO ARE YOU??"

[ahumbleopinion]

After hearing Sarah Palin’s response to the Troopergate report, we can see why she could not think of any newspapers or magazines that she reads. She seems to have a serious reading comprehension problem. Perhaps she would have benefited from No Child Left Behind?

[vkobaya]

If Palin's qualification is Trig, then McCain's single qualification is POW! POW! POW!
POW! POW! POW! POW!
POW! POW! POW!

[H2Opolomom]

Another key question is WHO is Todd Palin? Why is he everywhere Sarah goes? WHO IS MINDING THE KIDS? Thought that was his real role, but obviously, he can't let her out of his sight. Why was he so zealously involved in Alaska?

Something smells rotten here. Guess they are trying to assume the "Clinton" role - two for the price of one. Everyone thought if Hilary made it in, we got Bill for free. Problem with the Palins is that nothing plus nothing still equals nothing.

[pahpah25]

another thing to ask todd palin.....­.did the same contractor who biult the wasilia sports complex also biuld their house for free? their house is valued at 800k..wher­e does a small town mayor get that kind of money?

[ymuttley]

I listened to a tape,Concerning The AIP which Todd Palin says he was "once" associated with.
What I'm wondering Is this,If the chairman on that particular group says,"first infiltrate the republican party",Whos to say that isn't exactly what Sarah Palin did? Todd Palin was along with Palin all the time it seems,My theory is this,Todd Palin registers as Undeclared,His wife,Repub­lican,star­ts out small,and as time progresses,bigger and bigger offices.
this could account for TP being there all the time,meaning he's still involved,(AIP),I mean to these people, What better way to rise up than the use of a women,And Sarah Palin seems to fit that to a T.If you research, you will soon find out that,Her rallies,seem to fit in to,Less government ,guns,subservient women.Anyw­ay if you believe in the AIP's view(Alaskas),This is something to look into.just because someone says, They are not involved,doesn't always mean they aren't.

[malcolm77]

She's a hockey mom, a feisty fighter, a maverick and a reformer..­She's tough gutsy and smart...Sh­e has executive experience, she is the commander and chief of the Alaskan National Guard, did I mention that she's a maverick? Oh and also a reformer. She mopped the floor with Joe Biden. She's engaging and "authentic". She's real. Also she's a maverick and at times a reformer. She knows more about energy than anyone else in the country. She said "thanks but no thanks to that bridge to nowhere" She puts stuff on ebay. All the while she still manages to reform (as reformers often do) while being a maverick.

[Shashi0224]

Sarah Palin is an embarrassment to everything thinking Americans stand for.

I think a candidate should HAVE to go before the American people in interviews prior to being elected, anything else is an insult to Americans. The fact that they won't allow her to go speaks for itself.

I'm thrilled my city, Philadelphia, boo'd her big time on Saturday. They tried to drown out the boos with EXTEMELY loud music....b­ut it didn't work.

[carolinareb]

Then why has Obama dodged real interviews? His campaign manager laughed when asked if Obama was going to do a real interview. To top it off, he never answered the question. Most political analysts have questioned Obama's interviews since the convention. Soft questions and no hardball questions are asked. Are the screened? Even Bill O’Reilly was criticized for his lack of questions pertinent to a candidate. After the Freddie-Fannie fiasco, he has stopped interviews. Is this because he does not want to answer issues about his windfalls? When will Obama answer real questions? Pat Buchannan calls it a smart political move. Keeping the candidate from answering real questions means no one knows what the candidate really believes in. The public only has speeches to go by. To not proffer any information means the public does not know their true side.
During the debates Obama two-stepped most of the questions. The performance was worthy of dancing with the stars. When a moderator comments that you answered, but not the question then perhaps you should give the answer to the question. What is Obama hiding by doing the two-step around serious questions?

[YouThinkAndTalk]

You are joking, right?

[CubanVoice]

I'm assuking you're jokin because you wrote 'reformer' so many times you sounded just like Palin!

Was that a wink I saw?

[KevinGunn]

Thanks Ms. Streisand. Great post!

[truthfulfact]

My gut feeling was Palin was chosen also due to her obscurity which would facilitate spinning a fictional
persona about her. The media was immediately set up vilified which facilitates to discredit most to all information learned about her to be dismissed by the public to control only what the campaign, Palin and talking points claim which we learned quickly was false about her official record.I noted her RNC speech scripted and debate scripted talking points were declared awesome by the GOP defined as "the real Palin". Their distortions were to con the public the "real Sarah Palin" is the scripted one and the two interviews were not "the real Palin" blaming Couric laid traps for her continuing the "elite media" slander to manipulate people dismiss and disregard the media. The recent projection of Obama is not real sikens me. It's vile Palin and McCain change their personas so often of Straight Talk, then Maverick, then Reformer, Hockey Mom switches to Joe Six Pack as if this is not serious and a comedy sketch show.

[HRP]

I've been watching and listening so I have no doubt who Sarah Palin is. What amazes me the most, however, is the number of people still asking 'Who's Obama?' He's been around a lot longer than this Palin woman and I sure as hell know who he is because I have been watching and listening. Why do most people only see and hear what they want to see and hear? Given the 4 candidates, if you have seriously been listening and hearing, there should be a clear choice: Obama/Biden. This country sorely needs these 2 right now to get us out of the quagmire of the present regime so let's just get them to where they need to be and say a fond farewell to the other 2.

[Pupadup4oBama]

I don't get it either HRP.
Obama has been in 20+ debates, he's given speeches all over the country, his website is accessible and easy to read.
Is it the fear of having a black man in the white house? I mean how much worse could it be than the nincompoops we've had for the past 8 years. Besides the fact that he's half white!
Is it the fear of the unknown? His "inexperience". Again, we've HAD experience and look what that's got us. No one in this whole entire WORLD has the experience to be president of the United States with the exception of these people: Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. That's IT!

Oy, it's just such a mindboggle.

[Shashi0224]

Those folks are just using that excuse to not vote for the Democrat..­..or even worse, to not vote for a Black man. Those folks are ignorant and that's why thinking Americans need to come out and vote in LARGE numbers so the republican party can't steal another election from us. Bush was never fairly elected, and look what we've had to suffer through...­.the worst terror attack on American soil, Katrina, the worst economic downturn since the depression, a destruction of our reputation around the world, a costly, in terms of both lives and money, unnecessary war, and the further deterioration of our environment. We can't let these things continue for another 4 minutes let alone another 4 years!!
OBAMA/BIDEN '08 and '12!!

[MJJ]

I can't wait to hear Ms. Streisand sing "Happy Days are Here Again" at the inaugural ball!