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Jon Soltz

Jon Soltz

Posted: November 24, 2009 04:15 PM

What Color Is The Sky In Palin's World?

What's Your Reaction?

I never thought Sarah Palin could say something that would leave me totally speechless, but this time, she's done it. Reports Politico:

Former Alaska GOP Gov. Sarah Palin on Monday accused President Barack Obama of not acknowledging the sacrifices made by the men and women in the U.S. military.


"There's been a lack of acknowledgment by our president in understanding what it is that the American military provides in terms of, obviously, the safety, the security of our country," Palin said during an interview with Fox News's Greta Van Susteren. "I want him to acknowledge the sacrifices that these individual men and women -- our sons, our daughters, our moms, our dads, our brothers and sisters -- are providing this country to keep us safe."

Hasn't acknowledged their sacrifices? Seriously? What's this look like?

It looks, to me, like more than the last president did.

This president also fought for, and got passed and signed advanced funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, so that we can honor the sacrifices from our troops and veterans, by properly taking care of them. Advance Funding has been a top priority of all veterans groups for a while. President Obama made it into law.

The president ended the Stop Loss policy, which involuntarily extended troops in theater past their commitment -- one of the most offensive policies to troops who made incredible sacrifice. The president ended the ban on photos of the return ceremony for the fallen at Dover Air Base and other ports of entry, allowing families to decide if their loved ones casket could be shown. Now, all of America can join in the solemn return ceremony, and see those who made the ultimate sacrifice be honored.

This president also ordered his Pentagon to re-prioritize their funding requests, to move away from high-end, unneeded weapons systems, and towards on-the-ground equipment that our troops in the field right now desperately need. One of those big ticket items, funding for more F-22s, was finally ended under the Obama administration, while funding for more desperately needed on the ground Mine Resistant Ambush Vehicles (MRAPs) was increased. Who opposed ending F-22 funding? Palin's party. I had a throwdown with a GOP Congressman on Hardball about it:

Where was Sarah Palin, saying Phil Gingrey wasn't acknowledging the sacrifices of our troops? I just checked my cell phone records, and no, she definitely didn't call me to say she stood with the troops on that issue.

Afghanistan? Yes, I want the president to make a call as much as anyone, and wish he could have started to formulate a new strategy earlier. But, at the end of the day, I'd much rather him take time to get the strategy right than just roll the dice on a gut feeling and hope for the best. Making sure the strategy in Afghanistan is right, and that we have what we need to get it done and leave, is much more respectful of our troops and the sacrifices they make. Only someone who had no concept of their sacrifice would shoot first, ask questions later.

Of all people, Sarah Palin knows what sacrifices troops make -- her son is one. That none of the above even remotely registers in her mind can mean only two things -- either her mind exists on an entirely different planet, or she knows she's being completely disingenuous for political reasons.

It seems many military people have made up their mind. As my colleague Richard Smith reports, prior to Palin's visit to Ft. Bragg, book stores couldn't give her book away. Wonder why?

Crossposted at VetVoice.com

 

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12:23 PM on 11/30/2009
Palin is the poster child for the new, totally fact-free world of Republican politics these days.

History will judge GWB as the worst USA president ever. Only now are we beginning to see how far reaching was the evil that he and especially Cheney committed during that administration. Obama has the thankless task of sorting all the mess out. He is not perfect (we liberals know that for sure!) but on the whole he is doing a pretty good job of it.

With the absence of any real scandals the GOP is manufacturing scandals and fear mongering to deflect attention from the evils of their own time in power. Without any real facts to back up these scandals they are just making stuff up.

How low have we sunk these days? The only real fear is for the future of America when one major political party is engaged only in partisan destruction for political purposes. How can we ever can anything meaningful done in such an atmosphere?

Palin is the poster child for all that.
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Ipanemagirl
progressive
05:52 PM on 11/28/2009
Arent we expecting too much from Palin? The nitwitt can only spit out lies or total nonsence from her mouth as that is all her brain can produce....why do we even bother to care what she says anymore?
Important is that the left block all her comments with the truth, so she does not get away with it. Make her the laughng stock she already has established for herself.
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missyme
Just me
07:10 PM on 11/27/2009
I apologize JanP. I was referring to news stations. Neither Oprah nor Fox are news stations. As far as both being shows, Oprah as a show personality is well-balanced.
09:22 AM on 11/27/2009
You know, if I were Ms van Susteren, I would have asked first, "Can you tell me first, exactly in what countries are our troops right now?"

So it's not enough to drag her youngest son all over the country, she has to utilize her son fighting in the war for her personal gain, too. In response to your ponder Mr Soltz, I think she hasn't been paying enough attention to what's been going on with her son's fight - that was why she didn't know the President has done what he has.

No mother would have attacked someone who does things to help her son.
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lambdin1
What's this?
09:43 AM on 11/26/2009
Someone once said that "publicity bad or good, is still GOOD publicity!" Quit giving this woman and others like her the publicity and she and the others will wilt and fall from the vine!!
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michelesda
My micro-bio is empty.
08:09 AM on 11/26/2009
What would you expect, from somebody who doesn't read?
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DuncanONeil
07:41 AM on 11/26/2009
"Hasn't acknowledged their sacrifices? Seriously? What's this look like?

Three photos

It looks, to me, like more than the last president did."

Looks to me like the kinds of things all Presidents do. Just because there are photos published prove very little. And to say that the previous President did not is a combination of selective memory and, perhaps, media bias.
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MJinCanada
Safe from zombies until my 2nd cup of coffee
03:25 PM on 11/26/2009
Maybe the Mission Accomplished photo op kind of tarnished the previous president's image.

But please also read the article, which cites several items of real material support for troops and veterans.
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DuncanONeil
07:37 AM on 11/26/2009
This kind of diatribe is just sad! Were these interviews from a proponent of the left we would being told how brave, insightful, and honest they were. But because you disagree with the position and knee-jerk react to defend your position immediately attack the person. There are those that say such attacks are the result of a lack of a reasonable defense of the actual position you hold!
02:06 AM on 11/26/2009
Sorry Purple Haze. Every time Palin speaks it's a haze.
02:00 AM on 11/26/2009
Color of sky in Palin's world? Thats easy, Pruple Haze.
07:57 AM on 11/26/2009
and visions of Unicorns dance in her head.....
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liberalOrgonian
10:59 PM on 11/25/2009
Thoughtfully written,
I appreciate Jon speaking up with valid concerns.
If you asked this GOPr if he was pro life he would say, yep, pro life.
Don't need no stinking armor vehicles, just air to air, not used in the TWO wars
we are in, have been in for 8 years.
If you asked this GOPr if he was Conservative in spending , he would say ,yep, conservative.
I am confused.
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funserious
I have not yet BEGUN to procrastinate
10:44 PM on 11/25/2009
At age 67 I know, and freely admit I am not the brightest star in the firmament. I'm saying that to say that in my opinion, sarah palin (note the lower case) is a complete disgrace as a person and needs to be shunned by all people who have a shred of working intellect and decency.
09:39 PM on 11/25/2009
There IS no color in Palin's sky. She is totally in the dark.
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JBS
Part time misanthrope & full time curmudgeon
08:42 PM on 11/25/2009
I'm not sure I buy the line about "Palin knows what sacrifices troops make -- her son is one."

If I remember correctly, her son came home early, completing only half his tour.
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jeanwny
08:40 AM on 11/26/2009
If that is the case, not finishing a job seems to be a family characteristic
08:23 PM on 11/25/2009
What color is the sky in Palin's world?? White, of course. You don't see any other color at her rallies
08:49 PM on 11/25/2009
And it's sooo white...she can see Russia from her house.