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Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin greets supporters after returning to Anchorage, Alaska on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008. (AP / Al Grillo)
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Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.,left, delivers remarks on election night in Phoenix, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008. Joining him on stage are from right, wife Cindy McCain, Gov. Sarah Palin, R-Alaska, and her husband Todd. (AP / Stephan Savoia)
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Knives out for Palin: McCain aides tell tales of diva
Updated Thu. Nov. 6 2008 7:51 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Months of bubbling frustration with Sarah Palin from within the McCain campaign finally exploded in the wake of their ticket's crushing defeat as Republican insiders began making embarrassing allegations about the Alaskan Governor.
Unnamed McCain aides have told the media that Palin wasn't aware that Africa was a continent, and her family behaved like a band of "Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus (an upscale American clothing store) from coast to coast."
Newsweek magazine, which had insider access to the McCain/Palin ticket on the agreement not to report anything until after the election, said that Palin spent well beyond the US$150,000 on clothing that was previously reported.
Other McCain insiders told news outlets that Palin, the former mayor of small town Wasilla, Alaska, could not name the three countries in the North American Free Trade Agreement -- Canada, the U.S. and Mexico -- and that was from the governor who promoted negotiating experience with Canada throughout the campaign.
Jennifer Skalka, editor of The Hotline on Call, a political reporting blog, told CTV Newsnet that significant issues between the John McCain and Sarah Palin camps are just now coming to light.
"Obviously there was a lot of friction between them, and between their camps going into the home stretch,' she said Thursday.
"The losing campaign needs to figure out how to spin the loss and they'll hang a lot of it around her neck . . . but it comes right back to John McCain picking her without vetting her.
"She was very green, she was very inexperienced."
The embarrassing revelations come on top of a prank phone call played on Palin last week by a Quebec comedy duo who pretended to be French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
The prank, which showed Palin to be naïve and ill-informed, lit up the Internet on the weekend before Election Day and reportedly became a source of incredible tension between the already-dueling McCain and Palin camps. An aide to Palin, Steve Biegun, gave the call the go-ahead without contacting McCain's handlers or the U.S. State Department.
The Los Angeles Times has reported that McCain's top strategist, Steve Schmidt, organized a conference call after the prank and demanded to know why anyone would have agreed to the phone call and failed to clear it with top staff.
Biegun took responsibility.
"I was fooled," he told the L.A. Times. "No one's going to beat me up more than I beat myself up for setting up the governor like that."
More embarrassing revelations
The leaked stories about Palin are appearing in publications such as Newsweek, the New York Times, and even right-wing Fox News.
Among the revelations:
- Insiders say they become queasy after realizing she was desperately unqualified and ill-prepared.
- They say they tried to bring her up to speed on the political issues, but she refused to make any preparations leading into the devastating interview with CBS's Katie Couric.
- After that interview, Palin threw angry temper tantrums, which involved her throwing paperwork and making some aides cry.
- She met two senior male aides in her hotel room wearing only a towel.
- A senior aide told Newsweek that she was told to buy three suits and hire a stylist before the Republican national Convention, but instead Palin went on a shopping spree in costly stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
- Palin's husband, Todd Palin, received between US$20,000 and US$40,000 worth of clothing.
During the campaign, Palin's youngest daughter, seven-year-old Piper, was photographed carrying a US$790 Louis Vuitton bag.
Newsweek said that the purchases were provided by a wealthy donor, who was flabbergasted when he actually saw the bills. Aides also told the magazine that Palin staffers were instructed to buy her clothes on their credit cards, which only came to light last week when they went to the McCain campaign for more than $20,000 worth of reimbursements.
The allegations are in striking contrast from the self-proclaimed "hockey mom" who tried to blue-collar America as a common-sense, small-government spending politician.
But Palin insiders deny the claims, saying the governor was shocked by the high-prices of the clothing and that no aides were instructed to use their own credit cards.
On Wednesday in Phoenix, Palin said: "There is absolutely no diva in me."
Regardless, a Republican party lawyer is reportedly on his way to Alaska to inventory and recover the clothes still in the Palins' possession.
Election night tensions
When it became apparent that Obama had won the U.S. election, Palin met up with McCain at a Phoenix hotel with a concession speech in hand that she wanted to deliver.
She was told by McCain top two aides that a speech by her would be inappropriate as vice-president nominees do not traditionally speak on election night, which she reportedly did not take well.
By election night, the relationship between Palin and McCain had deteriorated so much that the pair were hardly talking according to aides.
"I think it was a difficult relationship," a top McCain campaign official told the New York Times. "McCain talked to her occasionally."
Comments are now closed for this story
honestly...can anyone say scapegoat?
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As some bloggers on CNN stated, she cost McCain supporters their votes. Poor choice on behalf of McCain.. a totally backfire.
I'm glad Obama won.
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The McCain camp has no one to blame but themselves for making such a reckless choice for VP.
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I wouldn't call her a scapegoat, I would call her a person who is setting herself up to run in 2012,,,,if she runs i hope she gets herself educated on domestic and world affairs.
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Absolutely she is a scapegoat. But she still is an ignorant idiot - and that is McCains fault for choosing her.
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How anyone could possibly think that Palin was suitable for the role of VP is beyone me. Denial is one thing but this goes way beyond denial. We are talking about one of the most important positions in the world.
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I really hope the Republicans make Palin the next choice for their party as a presidential candidate. This will be the death knell of the extremists in the party led by the likes of Rush Limbaugh. She will be so badly trounced, it will be laughable. Then and only then the more moderate wing of the party can take over and the Republicans can become relevant again. The loss of this election for McCain can soley be placed in the laps of the extremists in the Republican party.
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Palin had her 15 minutes of fame. She was a mutt in a high breed dog and pony show. It did no good to the McCain ticket that she was his running mate. Time for her to go home and re-stake her claim of being a hockey mom.
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I'm happy McCain did not win, but feel very sorry for him. Unfortunately, this is another example of him not being the maverick he likes to talk about.
The story goes that he wanted Joe Lieberman, but bowed to party pressure and chose Palin. What a dreadful mistake!
At 72 years of age, he will not get another shot at the big prize. After 8 years of disaster with Bush, the Democrats should have won this easily, but it ended fairly close, on the popular vote. With a better VP, the far more experienced McCain might have pulled the biggest upset in history.
Hopefully, the voters in Alaska will put that woman out of her misery and save the rest of us from the possibilty of her thinking she should be president.
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Sure glad she won't be picking up the phone at 3AM.
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Palin was and is a target of the media because the media who are generally humanists literally hate evangelicals and use every opportunity to discredit Palin using whatever means they can.
This is nothing new.
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Sarah who?
Yawn! I'm goin' back to sleep. Wake me in about four more years.
Next!
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I blame McCain aides in this mess - they are the ones who advised John McCain to take her on - Though I donot like Palin's politics etc I feel sorry that she was dumped in a hot fire ... but... she must take responsibility because she could have said no... the bottom line is responsibility lies with the team(s) - we all know that its not necessarily the individual but the 'hanger ons' who cause the problems(they forget they are NOT the candidate/leader etc!)
With respect to the clothes and $ - if she wore her hockey mom outfits the press and public would have gone for blood - so she cant win...
The issue here is policy, moral & ethics -
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Some day, hopefully, we will find out why an experienced politician like McCain chose Palin as his running mate. Was he hoping to grab the women voters who were supporting Clinton? Was he looking for someone malleable? Whatever his reasons, choosing Sarah Palin to be a heartbeat away from replacing the oldest man to run for the Presidency was a monumental error. The GOP has not only become irrelevant, they have become a political party that is despised by people across the globe. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for the USA to regain any kind of credibility on the world stage.
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Palin may well be a terrifying prospect on the world stage given her ultra-right views, but don't kid yourselves people. She's a smart cookie that knew what she was getting in to here, and acted accordingly.
She won't run in 2012, but she might in 2016. Personally, I think she'll wait until 2020 or 2024 to make a run for the Oval Office. Such would give herself enough distance from the stupidity of this campaign while maintaining the support of those in the Republican party that love her now.
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Michael (Ottawa) says Palin was and is a target of the media because the media who are generally humanists literally hate evangelicals and use every opportunity to discredit Palin using whatever means they can.
You're absolutely right. There's no bigger example than the phone prank. The article states "the prank -- which revealed Palin to be ill-informed and naive...". Her aides are the ones that were naive. She's probably doing a thousan different things, then told that Sarkozy is on the phone. What would you expect her to think?
Evangelicals have always been an easy target. I suppose they're the new "black"?
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People will say she was unfairly picked on or the press doesn't like her, or it was because she was an evangalist. This is just the denial another blogger spoke of. She is/was the worst choice for the job. To have someone so poorly informed, and someone with such a narrow view, as VP would have been a disaster.
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Hey maybe McCain's people should have done THEIR homework first. But who could blame her she looked HOT and thats all that matters in this day and age. Great legs
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The pace of the campaign the last couple of months was such that only experience could have made that work better. Mrs Palin didn't have it but someone on the campaign should have. Her lack of worldliness was obvious to everyone.
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Sarah Palin didn't know that Canada and Mexico are in NAFTA. No wonder so many Americans are highly uneducated. But Americans arent to blame as their media and education system is more focused on themselves and not about others.
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Palin should never have been appointed to that position. She's a money hungry moron, who has never seen a globe.
But, McCain should shoulder the blame - he's the one who chose her. Time to cut her loose, before she gets dillusions of grandure and aims for the presidency.
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Palin did not do the party in - it was Bush's policies that led to the demise of the Republicans.
Palin should have been better versed on American history. However, if you look at the results of Democrats elected to the senate and congress, it was the Bush policies that led to the defeat of Republicans. Palin was not campaigning for those individuals.
Palin is not the only one that needs to learn American history.
A number of Americans, on both the East and West coasts don't know or care what happens in those parts of the country and some don't even know who the President is. All you have to do is watch some tv interviews, which provide insight into their knowledge.
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To be honest with you, I don't think and I never did think that the McCain's pick for running mate was a very good one.
I'm not pointing fingers at anybody, but I could see that Sarah Palin wasn't exactly up to speed with what was going on.
She obviously failed Geography, history and has a difficult time understanding that her state is sandwiched in betweent he two largest countries in the world ...
I think that everyone within the McCain camp should be looking at themselves and wonder what went wrong and why their process of choosing a running mate was not successful.
Bottom line of this entire election, was that the American people wanted change and change is what they got.
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Whether you agree with her dark ages viewpoint on social matters or not, this woman was clearly in over her head from the start and had no real idea what a run for the vice presidency would demand from her.
Her knowledge of the world outside of her very narrow pervue was non-existent.
She was a "show pony" tapped by the McCain people to put a shine on him with the ultra conservative elements of the Republican movement to whom he did not appeal because of his considerably more low key presentation of his religious beliefs.
She appealed greatly only to those voters but was doomed to fail at winning over anyone else.
In the end, the entire negative Republican campaign failed to resonate with voters and they really can't place all the blame on one person no matter how incompetent that individual was.
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Sarah Palin is an embarrassment and America should count its blessings that she is not a heartbeat away from the presidency.
I, too, am glad Obama won.
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I'd place my money on Palin over McCain's aides any day.
Everything they say about her proves ONLY one of two thing - either they are outright liars or idiots. Either these claims about Palin are the frabricated products of bitter, defeated strategists OR they were working their buns off for a guy who never should have been running for President. McCain chose Palin - she didn't choose herself.
They prepared her poorly. They wanted arm candy and got someone with an opinion. So, who are the idiots?
Palin worked tirelessly for a broken campaign. She gave it her all and they now blame her for the poor job they did.
Pathetic. If I were Palin I'd tell them to shove it and go back to Alaska to enjoy life among people who say what they mean and mean what they say. Shame on McCain if he let's this drivel continue uncorrected.
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Let's face it...she is a women and it will be another century before we see any level of equality....all this talk about change and we still exhibit chauvanistic attitudes towards women...and this exists not just in politics....if you can't play fair in the sandbox, go home....
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Two thoughts on Palin.
1)She was selected for one reason. No one else wanted the job. Most people in the republican party probably thought that Obama was going to win and didn't want to waste all that time and effort just to lose.
2) With the reports of her having no passport how did she fly from Alaska to the rest of the US. Her plane would have had to leave US airspace and therefore a passport would have been needed to re-enter the US.
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I do feel sorry for McCain; he was much more qualified to become President but, unfortunately, his campaining instincts were not great, and he obviously got sold a bill of goods with Ms. Palin (I suspect, by the fundamentalist wing of the Republicans who were never 100% happy with McCain).
Perhaps the moderates can regain control of the party in time for the next election and restore it to the fine tradition of Eisenhower and Reagan.
All that said, I still have a bad feeling about Obama; I hope I'm wrong.
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| Bill Manchulenko --------- Winnipeg |
Did Anyone see her in her Red bathing suit?? I did and that was McCains downfall his eyes were on her not the presidency
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Not surprised any man or woman who would put their own power hungry desires ahead of a pregnant teenager and severly disabled infant is not fit to lead. Any family should take care of their own first, man or woman. After watching her interview with Katie Couric, this lady is an air head. Can you imagine this person with their hand on the button? Scary!
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Scapegoat? No, I can honestly say she is ignorant. Just as she bamboozled her way to power in Alaska, she fooled even McCain with her double talk & non-answers. Look at all the people she suckered...apparently there isn't enough rednecks to vote her into power.
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We should all be so lucky that Sarah Palin is not any closer to that "black attaché case" that holds all the codes for a nuclear strike. She can see Russia from her house you know.
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I don't believe that she didn't know who was in NAFTA. ...Dosen't sound credible to me.
Any money she may have squadered pales to what Obama did. Thanks to the media bias you never hear about it...
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Is Palin educated? She does have a Bachelor of Science degree. And has been involved in politics since 1992. As governor of Alaska, which has anti-ballistic missile defense, she also has a higher security clearance than most other politicians. In terms of global affairs, she may have lots to learn.
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Palin is a total DIVA and much too ignorant to be anywhere near the White House.
Back to Alaska for her and good riddance!
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It must be great to keep picking away at her.it makes one feel much better about ourself, we are so perfect
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The problem is not that Palin is an evangelical. The media don't have to attack evangelicals because they are humanists. They attack evangelical ideas when those ideas are faulty. Then evangelicals complain that they're victims of hate. No. You're victims of your own poor critical thinking skills.
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Although I am happy Obama won, I feel bad for Palin. Not for what she's been through with the media, but for what she is STILL going through with everyone! She wasn't the best choice..I agree. However, that does NOT give any of us the right to judge her as a person or as a mother. All I can say is that it must be nice for you all to be living in such nice pristine glass houses!
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It's really too bad, that just because of her faith, narrow minded and religously prejudice people hated her, just because of her beliefs.
I thought that we have come a lot further then that. However, I see many people, even on this block, writing comments about her beliefs and calling her "extreme right".
I do agree, it wasn't the wisest thing to have someone as herself with very little experience as the potential next VP of the United States, but who are we to throw stones.
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I'm not surprised that Sarah Palin showed an appalling lack of knowledge of world geography. Even my American husband admits Americans as a group know very little about the world outside their own borders--and not a great deal about the world inside, either! That's generalizing, I understand, but really, I mean, look at the present President. Ya think W was all that knowledgable about the world when he became not vice-president, but president? Ya think he does now? And his FATHER was president before him! If that didn't help him, what could?
I'm thinking--hoping, actually, that Sarah Palin will fade into obscurity. She's had more than her 15 minutes of being famous--and infamous.
The woman will now obviously become a scapegoat for the Republican loss, whether the loss lies truly at her feet or not. If one were really, really cynical (or into conspiracy theories), one could theorize that Palin was brought in to take the fall because the Republicans knew full well they would lose to Obama and the good ole boys didn't want to be held responsible themselves. Kim Campbell comes to mind.
If Sarah DOES decide to make a run in future, I sincerely hope she uses the time in between to educate herself, though according to all reports, she thrust away all attempts to educate her in this campaign. Oh wait, no, I don't wish that. I'm a liberal and would have voted for Onama if I could have! Republicans, run Sarah next time. Obama will probably need a second term!!!!!
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Most horrifying example of bad judgment I've ever seen, choosing her. This is what the Republicans think of women in power. Cute, curvy, and utterly dispensible. For me personally, I'd never trust anyone who isn't savvy enough to provide birth control advice to her own daughter. May she return to Alaska and be very very quiet.
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with all the fingerpointing going on its hard to say who is right and who is wrong. i believe they are all at fault in one way or another.
First her ideals of the big office she thought she could handle and the party members who supported her as well as the party members who voted for her and nominated her. They really must look at themselves and face the truth they all screwed up. After all there is no guarantee that at his age and with his health issues that McCain should have been running as the leader of the country anyway as he might not have made it for the four years and then his second in command would take his place so they really must vet this person and make sure that this person could handle this responsibility. Any candidate should be knowledgeable on world affairs, accountable, honest and trustworthy, personable and approachable as well as well spoken and have a good head on their shoulders to know when to say no to the party hardliners.
As for her not knowing more about the world that is an american thing they only really study about themselves but anyone who wants to be in public life in anyway shape or form must take the responsibility on themselves to learn all that they can.
It was great to see the winner that we saw as this was a history making moment. Race really shouldn't have a place in this day and age and lets hope that with this new development that Racial differances become a thing of the past with world travel as it is.
But lets remember that we are talking the US here but this could happen here in Canada to remember Kim Campbell???????
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Two things my mother used to say:
"Can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear"
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"You can put Tarzan in a tux, but he is still Tarzan..."
Palin was a Hail Mary pass that dropped the ball and she should never have been put in this position. She is not ready...yet
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Sarah didn't lose the election 4 Mccain - George W did. But Sarah was an unwise choice and choosing her underscored the "problems" the republicans had image-wise. fact is that there was always value in McCain himself .... I wud kinda like to see him as Secretary of State in an Obama administration.
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So that's "Republican Solidarity", eh?
And large numbers of voters want THESE people to lead?
Republicans, shake the hand of your Democrat neighbour and thank them for preventing the Apocalypse.
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I give my hat off to Sarah. Unexperienced, so is Obama. He also has very little back ground in politics and no more than sarah herself. Obama choose a vp who has been in politics for generations and knows the ins and outs. McCain choose someone who was liked and rewspected in Alaska, and has done alot for that state. you think a newly elected person understands all the things you need to. No way. Good for her and McCain. I wanted to vote for McCain just for her. I would of voted Hilary if she was running. woman deserve more credit and being in a position of power there is more woman every day.
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All good comments except for two. This is not about discrimination against women. Secondly, you do not need a passport to fly direct from Alaska or Hawaii to the US mainland. My only comment is that while I am an Obama supporter, all McCain had to do is the exact opposite of what he did. Obama raised the bar for politics and McCain should have raised yet higher instead it was just all those inane attacks. If his concession speech was the stump speech, and the VP the polar opposite of Palin, McCain would have won.
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If we look at things with any reality at all, no one thing could have made the GOP win. They had all the dogs on there back, Bush, wars, economy, etc. I am amazed they did as well as they did. No new signs here, the Dems made a lot of ground 2 yrs ago and trend continued as long as Bush was Prs. So don't blame him or his VP..they did good considering.
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I wonder what her qualifications will be like for 2012? How can anybody seriously consider her as a potential candiate based upon what we already know about her!!!
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What a surprise. The young eggheads who ran the McCain campaign up every dead end in the USA are trying to save their worthless hides by blaming Mrs. Palin. So what if she did attract bigger crowds than McCain? So what if she did attract some crowds as large as Obama's? So what if she did sweep Alaska, where people know her best? The button down shirts would throw their mothers to the lions to save their own worthless hides.
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This is precisely the kind of ignorance I would expect from someone who also believes in Creationism.....not a good choice for VP or Prez, as George W (a man with identical beliefs) has proven.
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Grumpy Old Man is mad at Caribou Barbie. That old fart lost the election because he has nothing on his mind but war and keeping Americans in poverty. He was too old to be doing the job to begin with and should have retired long ago. He need not make Palin his scapegoat -- he lost the election based on his own stupidity and hopefully she has balls enough to stand up for herself
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Evangelicals don't get trashed by the Media. Evangelicals do it to themselves. They work from a list of what to believe rather than using their brains. It is becoming obvious that their support for Palin was mindless. As Jesus said, "The children of this world are wiser than the children of light" his way of saying that people like evangelicals need to start thinking more clearly and grow beyond their naive assumptions about life and truth.
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This was my comment the day she was announced. She went on to be wrose (well better for Obama) than I expected:
Palin? This seems like a very bad VP pick.
Alaska has very few votes. It is not a bad idea to pick someone who will help you carry that state, but alaska? She is extremely conservative which will not pick up the middle of the road votes needed. Her age makes abusing Obama about his age difficult.
This was the response from a good friend.
This is an example of the republicans trying to be crafty. In their tiny minds they think that if they pick a woman then the can pick up a large number of women who support Hillary. This will not happen, instead they will now be stuck with the female equivalent of Dan Quayle.
In fact, I suspect McCain got saddled with Palin against his wishes. Either he made a very bad choice, or he got saddled and wasn't the Maverick he claimed to be.
Obama was very smart and claimed the middle ground. Palin secured the ignorant evangelical gun toting right wing. I am amazed that McCain got 45% of hte vote.
GO OBAMA
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If the anonymous McCain insiders are to be believed, Palin, a 44-year-old mother of five, was unaware that Africa was a continent
Give me a break, this comment is ridiculous. As others have said she is being made into a scapegoat totally. Obama could have been a mass murderer and the media would have glossed over it but everything little thing that Palin did was blown way out of proportion. She couldn't win. IMO she was the best thing in a long time to appear in US politics.
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What's the difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom? The pit bull can be put down if she bites her masters hand.
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In July Sarah Palin didn't know what the VP did. In early November, I don't think she does either. As a woman, I'm sad that the most recent female VP candidate ended under a cloud of rumours and disdain. They should have researched someone able to do the job, not Caribou Barbie.
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It's strictly my opinion, but Palin was a complete bobble-head. However, McCain has to take some blame for choosing her. But lets face it...McCain had to choose either a visible minority to counter Obama being non-white or a female to try and get the Clinton supporters, but surely, there had to be someone better! McCain is a genuine national hero who has served his country well, unfortunately he was too closely tied to the worst President the United States has ever seen, I just think he picked the wrong time to run and the wrong running mate!
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Sad. Most of the comments imply that being President, VP, Congressman, Mayor, etc., is an elitist position. Hardly a comment is objective.
I don't want an elitist (king?) in office, I want an American. Most Presidents, Vice Presidents didn't have any more 'ability' than Palin. Most embroiled themselves in the system to such an extent that they lost touch with their ideals and compromised their 'elitist' selves down the drain. Some 'great' presidents became great because they simply made wise decisions about delegating authority in a humble manner. Get the point?
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| John Connolly, Pitt Meadows |
I wonder what was behind securing the choice of the Republican Party Vice Presidential nominee, moments after Obama won his nomination? I wonder how long McCain thought long and hard for his running mate? Could it be that the Republican choice was to one up the Democrates?
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To GM:
1) Many (more qualified) Republicans were interested in the VP job, but McCain thought it wise to play the historical card as well by choosing a woman as running mate. Theatrics, and no more. He got burned, he deserves the loss. Palin certainly didn't help with her inexperience.
2) She's had a passport for over 2 years, ever since becoming Governor of Alaska where she's had to fly regularly to continental US for state business.
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Excellent choice on McCain's part! Seriously.
It was pretty clear he wouldn't win anyway, so why not pick someone you can blame for your eventual loss instead of taking the blame yourself? As a bonus, she managed to generate some media attention, too - something McCain couldn't pull off on his own.
Very smart move.
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The Republicans would have done better running Joe the Plumber than Palin....!!! she was a joke from the day McCain picked her...and was clearly not qualified to serve as Vice President.All she did was bring back some of the extreme right wing voters...like Russ Limbaugh..to the Republican Party. McCain was the best man for President...but he blew it when he choose Palin..!!!
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I'd like to know why anyone thinks Palin will be any better in 4, 8, or even 12 years. Putting aside the fact that she's attractive, she's already 44 years old. that's not young, that's middle age. If you don't have it together by that age, what's the hope?
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McCain or someone in the party chose her. It's too late to cry foul now. It shows that the American people were right. If McCain didn't do his homework choosing a running mate, what would he do as president.
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From the point of view of an American who lives in Canada, after scanning all these comments I was surprized no one seemed to pick up on the fact that Sarah Palin is from ALASKA. It seemed so blatantly obvious to me that in choosing Palin, McCain was attempting to get free rein over the precious resources in that state. And don't forget how many Canadians are kicking about the pipeline which I am told will have to go partly through Canada. Although it's been said how dumb and stupid Americans are, they are after all Americans, no matter where they live. And to the person who said the USA will be gone in 4 years, you do not know or understand the American Spirit. I was born and raised there, and I saw it on election day...truly the people spoke!
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it boggles the mind how these people think... when she first came out they critisised her on wearing clothes from JC Penney. So she went shopping to look more classy, more vice-presendential and they jump on her back for spending money on clothes! I mean, what the hell?
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i'm a Palin supporter, because she is a real person. Doesn't come from money, good family woman.
Obama is a good public speaker, not much different than a preacher. He'll tell you exactly what you want to hear with general statements. He can talk for an hour without really saying anything (a true socialist). All that with a sunday preacher tone of voice. And it worked. God help America now.
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I wonder who actually picked this "ALASKAN-AIR-HEAD" as McCains running mate ?
If it was McCain himself, we sould all "JUMP-4-JOY" that he didn't win !!!!!If he was that stupid to pick her, how bad of a President would he actually have been?
Thank God we will never know !!!!!
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The media ambushed Palin, and the McCain Camp did not prepare her well for that. That won't happen twice. She is very clever, and will bone up on the phrasiology for the next time she battles the media. She wil emerge a much more powerful candidate, and a force to be reckoned with. It is too bad the media didn't hold Obama,
and Biden to the same standard.
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Scapegoat, you say? Hmmm...this sounds mighty familiar. Anybody remember what happened to Stephan Dion? Same damned thing but less expensive wardrobe.
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Hmmm well I guess she learned one thing - what NAFTA stands for :)
Even I am more worldly and educated than this poor lady and I just a poor little country bumpkin. I do feel sorry for her as she was totally out of her element. I blame the McCain people for this whole fiasco.
One thing I have learned from showing horses - you cannot take a backyard pony and turn it into a national show jumper, no matter how beautiful it is...
BUT you have to admit people it was really really entertaining - a bit of comic relief during tough economic times...
Sarah go home enjoy being a grandma and hunt more moose.
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The best comment I heard about Palin was from Sheryl Crow on Larry King when she said 'the scary thing about Sarah Palin is that she doesn't know what she doesn't know'. That is scary about a person because Palin didn't even know that she shouldn't have accepted the V-P candicacy in the first place because of what she DID NOT KNOW. Talk about bad judgement - McCain really showed it when he picked her in the first place. 'Country First' - I think not!
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If she didn't know that South Africa was a country, I wonder what other things she doesn't know (apart from the Zillion already mentioned)Maybe it's time for Sarah Palin to go back to High School and take some Geography and History lessons. She's gonna need that if she ever decides to run for President in the future.
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McCain was done from day 1, too much like his Bush, he has supported him all along. Palin has ethic issues using her influance to get back at people she does not like. Not a great pair to lead a country!
Now let Obama show us what he can do on top of making good sermons. It,s a lot easier to critic what is being done than doing something on your own, he knows how to spend money that we know already! Go Obama Go!!!!
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Sarah Palin was a bad choice by McCain but let’s face it the GOP had no chance of winning regardless of any GOP nominee choice. The Obama campaign was a machine coupled with the poor performance and standing of the current GOP administration. Once I saw that the Dem ticket was between Hillary and Obama I like many others new and predicted that the GOP would be routed. Anyone who couldn’t see this coming it out of touch and should seriously consider getting that CAT Scan you’ve been putting off.
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These stories can only be credible if the sources are anyone except "anonymous." If McCain aides are going to trash on her and label her a dunderhead, they they shouldn't be such cowards as to withhold their names. Let's put THEM on the hot seat so they can offer evidence. And then we can ask them how THEY could run such a disastrous campaign in the first place.
Palin's job was to re-energize the base of the Republican Party and she did that. Before she arrived, the right wing had no interest in voting for McCain.
I also wonder how one would need a passport to fly from one U.S. state to another even if Canada is between them....that makes no sense.
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We all need to stop being so critical of Palin. Can anyone here claim to be perfect? I know I can't. I am sure she is an excellent Governor, and with a bit more experience & polishing, she may make an even better statesperson in the future. I don't think we've seen the last of her.
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Regarding the price tag on Palin's clothes, I think she would have been criticised if she spent modestly. It's all about image. Can you say rock and a hard place....
Schroeder
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Palin isn't the only American politician who is naive and/or ill-informed...remember during Obama's campaign that he stated he would sit down with the Mexican and Canadian Presidents to discuss NAFTA issues???? I won't even bring up Joe Biden's slip ups...or George W for that matter!!!
The Dems won it because Bush and his Republicans left the U.Ss in a state of chaos, not because Palin was McCain's running mate.
Good luck to the U.S....If experience is the main theme I hope you made the right choice. Time will tell, won't it? ;)
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She is getting trashed because she is a women. If she was a man, it would be okay. Remember the 'PM Poutine' stunt Rick Mercer pulled on Bush? And some of the other stunts he pulled on College Profs in the US? Dan Quail spelling potatoe?
Its all the way it is spun.
She was not part of Washington. The Republican Bus was going south, with or with her. It slowed down to let her on.
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| G. Gravelle, Ottawa, Ontario |
Most Americans don't know that Canada is a country and not a state so Ms. Palin not knowing that Africa is a continent should not come as a surprise.
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Having had time to let it all soak in helped to clear the head as we were all caught up in a great election. I remember being on McCain's side a long time ago and when he first named Palin I was in total agreement. All I could see was Hillary votes coming his way to counter black votes going to Obama. Then she started to screw up and I was upset at the media for ripping her apart. How could she have become mayor, governor, then VP candidate if she wasn't qualified? Well now it's over and they can write their books. She will never be back. That would be pure stupidity on the Republican's part to even consider it. Back to hollywood to find another contender for 2012.
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I think Sarah Palin had many more plusses than minuses for the McCain campaign.
Let's remember, they got creamed by the credit crisis which wasn't their fault.
The last weeks, they were all going flat out and everyone is bound to get tired and testy - both the candidates and aides.
And the things she did wrong - give us a break. She bought some nice new clothes while running for Vice President? She answered the door in a bathtowel? Well maybe that's because in Alaska it's customary to do things like that because you don't want to leave people standing outside your door at 40 below.
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Sarah who.
Its too bad that McCain who has fought long and hard to become president should make such a bad judgement call as his running mate. I guess you could say his demise was the religious right because they would have been the driving force to bring on Palin however she was unacceptable to most Americans as someone who coud fill the president's shoes.
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| The bigots speak for themselves |
"They attack evangelical ideas when those ideas are "faulty". Then evangelicals complain that they're victims of hate. No. You're victims of your own poor critical thinking skills.....".
"Faulty" of course includes opposition to abortion, gay marriage, redefinition of marriage, capital punishment etc etc ... so in other words whenever evangelicals hold an opinion which differs with mainstream then they are not using their critical skills is that it?
Hmmm.... sounds a little bigoted and intolerant to me.
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I sincerely hope that Ms. Palin has had enough of Presidential politics and will find her way back forever to the state where she can see Russia. I think that is all she can handle regarding the national/international stage. I am glad that the majority of Americans did not take her seriously and made sure that her ticket with McCain failed. I hope that she forgets about 2012 because America cannot have the likes of another Dubya running that country. But for now let us focus on the present and enjoy the glow of an Obama win.
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While I have to think there must have been more qualified people to run as VP,I don't think anyone can deny that Palin mobilized a large numer of voters in the Republican party.Mainly,the ones who use the issue of abortion as a litmus test for their votes.
The blame game is a useless exercise at the best of times.Quite frankly,I am surprised that the popular vote was quite close.While many will suggest that McCain could have won with a different choice for VP,it also has to be considered that the "pro-life" people in the Republican party probably would not turn out for a "pro choice" VP.
It does make me wonder if the voters in the USA might want to consider adding another party to ballot.But it also makes me think the Obama win was more of a "fluke" than anything. For McCain to be that close in popular vote, after running such a poor campaign, in the midst of a crisis of confidence in the USA, and following a very unpopular president,it looks to me like Republicans lost, rather than Obama won.
I think he will be a big disappointment.He has promised to be all things to all people.Not possible at any time.
Frankly,I think the Republicans expected to lose this election.Palin was just brough in to keep the "pro life" base on side,thus mitigating the damage to the party.In fact,the party may have thrown McCain under the bus.
Too bad. He is a man of character,extreme dedication and immense loyalty to his country.
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If people are scapegoating Sarah Palin, it's only because she deserves it. She refused to prepare for the Katie Couric interview and the result was a disaster for McCain. She continually went against the advice of the McCain campaign by bringing up issues like William Ayers and phony Obama audio tapes. She used McCarthy style tactics at her rallies by implying Obama was a communist. And when I say her rallies, I mean HER rallies. At one rally in Florida near the end of the campaign there wasn't a McCain sign to be seen, all the signs said PALIN.
She also deserves to be criticized for the way she spent money that didn't belong to her. Tens of thousands more than the $150,000 originally reported. She may have been shocked at the prices, but it didn't seem to stop her shopping sprees. And even before the dead body that was John McCain's dream of the presidency has had a chance to cool, she's already hinting to the world that she'll be back for a try at the top job. The woman. The woman has no class and no principles.
But that should not come as a big surprise considering the state she represents. Alaska, the red neck capital of America. Only in Alaska could a 7 term senator and recently convicted felon by the name of Ted Stevens (he took bribes of around $250,000) be re-elected. So Sarah's spending habits probably won't raise too many eyebrows.
I to hope that Palin runs for the Repeublican nomination for president. Her candidency would split the party wide open. And anything that's bad for the Republican Party is good for the rest of the world.
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Sarah Palin was a breath of fresh air..they lost the election because old man McCain couldn't cut the mustard. I hope we see Sarah in the future, running on her own..bring her up to speed on US & world affairs, she'll be a force to be reckoned with.
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| Hypocrites lash out at Palin! |
Most writers here just don't get it. If it were not for Palin there would have been a Democrat sweep in the House and Senate and Republicans would not be able to filibuster. The problem with the Republican party is the lukewarm McCain. He is so boring, he makes my stomach turn.
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What a bunch of poor losers and "finger pointers". They need to take responsibility for their choices, good or bad. In this case, Palin could have been political perfection itself and the Republicans would NOT have been voted in. That was obvious to anyone who took a few moments to check their "reality monitor". As for ignorance about other parts of the world,the Democrats share an equal level of ignorance, in fact Americans in general are ignorant about any country outside their own borders - with the exception of tropical vacation spots. Case in point - which high ranking Democrat (which shall remain unnamed) threatened to call the "President" of Canada - their NEAREST neighbour - and rip up NAFTA? As much as I (and many other Canadians) would be very happy to see NAFTA ripped up, the last time I checked, we had a "Prime Minister" running this country.
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I don't believe all these stories about Palin. Of course, she had to spend money on clothes and spruce up her image.
If McCain had won, Palin would be cheered.
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To be a scapegoat, you have to be accused of something. No one in this article is accusing that I see. I don't buy the scapegoat moniker, but I do think she was a naive choice for VP. McCain got what he deserved!
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Marc sequin
He is going to do more than you think. And a true socialist? An American socialist is still right of Harper.
And they expected reasonable shopping, you know, $25,000 goes a long ways.
Lots of people on here still keep talking as though Palin has a future. She made a laughing stock of herself and the GOP. I suspect she was foisted on McCain; if not then he has no one to blame except himself.
Go Obama!
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Let’s assume the rumor-mongers are telling the truth for a moment. Who does it damn more: Sarah Palin or McCain and his vetters who green-lighted her for the vice presidential nomination? Don’t need an Ivy League degree to figure that one out.
Sarah Palin worked her heart out. She energized tens of thousands to come out who would have otherwise stayed home. She touched countless families. I didn’t agree with everything she said on the campaign trail. But two fundamental conservative stands she took mattered greatly to me: She vigorously defended the Second Amendment and the sanctity of life more eloquently in practice than any of the educated conservative aristocracy.
And she did it all with a tirelessness and infectious optimism that defied the shameless, bottomless attempts by elites in both parties to bring her and her family down.
Thank you, Sarah Palin. Thank you for stepping up the plate and serving your country.
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Re Evangelicals: sorry, but forcing women to give birth to a baby fathered by her own father has no place in secular society, neither are the twisted interpretations of the original bible ie: passing judgement, denying forgiveness & ultimately showing no mercy by imposing the death penalty. Marriage? In a church is fine, but under the frame work of city hall (secular) that should be fine.
Your religion is your business but make sure it stays on your side of the yard...in other words, play in your backyard and stop playing on public streets or you'll get hit.
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I have found it very difficult to believe that Bush was able to gain support for a second term. But the fact that some posts here, still support her, is beyond comprehension.
For those saying the media turned against her because she is an evangelical... please do not lower the majority of believers to the level of foolishness she portrays. There were many reasons to mock her, but I did not hear one negative comment about her beliefs.
What I would like to hear some day is a clear explanation of how low taxes, unprovoked war, wire tapping, limited international aid and many other Republican policies are in any way related to the words of Christ.
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Palin became a joke, when she let Saturday Night Live make a joke of her. She should of stood up and take a stand to show her country who she really was. (wich is not much)
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There are THREE people to blame. 1) Republican party for having George Bush as their leader 2) McCain picking Palin as his running mate, only because he thought he would get the Hilary voters. 3) Palin not being ready for the position.
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@ Reece: "Your religion is your business but make sure it stays on your side of the yard..."
That's the usual mindless rebuttal. Religion is man made... one's spiritual beliefs form who one is and are very inseparable to who you are what you do, speak, and act.
As for religion, atheists have a man made religion called secular humanism and they are constantly preaching here on these forums - you are one of them. Its only right others be allowed to express their free speech to espouse their opinions or do you is that against YOUR rules too?
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The Republicans are behaving poorly after this defeat. Shame.
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Palin: A scapegoat. A bad choice for vp.
We almost got her for president, considering McCain's health!
She alone could put us into 4 trillion worth of debt with a spending spree, probably!
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"This is not about discrimination against women."
Shawn, is that the final voice of male authority that we women get so very tired of hearing? Who are you to assess which comments have redeeming value and which do not and announce same publicly?
If sexism did not play a role in this campaign, why was mention of the cost of Palin's attire even made in the first place? How many of all the men who have run for high office have had their clothing and, according to some of the comments here and elsewhere, their legs and "hotness" as well, examined in any detail at all?
Why does the media get so excited about the civil rights of 12% of the population while paying no mind to the lack of civil rights of 52% of the population?
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I really admire Sarah Palin. I bet not one person on this thread has a resume like hers.She has accomplished a lot in her life.
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Poor Sarah,
Exiled back to Alaska, Just about as far away from Washington as she can get. The only thing between her and Washington now is not Obama but Canada!!!!!
Kelowna
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The choice of Palin was a desperate one, to draw attention away from 8 years of bubba. I wonder who the second choice was?
The Republican party never stood a chance. People showed up in droves to vote because of the way the goverment had been run, not because of a shopping spree.
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The Republicans ran the worst campaign I have ever seen, now they need a scapegoat to blame it on.
It looked as if they were trying to lose right from the start.
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People talk about McCain bowing to party pressure and being an experienced politician.
The fact is, that the President of the US needs to be more than a politician, he needs to be a diplomat and a statesman. Something that McCain simply could not be. He followed the party line, changed his entire way of speaking and went from a moderate to a radical all in the hopes of getting the big seat. In the end, he was his own worst enemy.
Imagine if you will a McCain-Julianni or McCain-Liberman instead of McCain Palin. It would have been a whole different election. Seeing the real McCain would have also been what would have been needed.
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Sarah Palin got a free ticket to the chance of being in The White House. She has to prove herself in the next four years that she's presidential material. Right now, she's no Hilary Clinton.
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It's hard to believe that there are people out there who consider Sarah Palin a "scapegoat", or feel sorry for her. Talk to those in Alaska who know her and her husband...they are unrelentingly self-centred, and vicious in their own pursuits.
It is a blinding flash of the obvious that she was 100% unqualified for the role. I don't mean this to be cruel, but Americans by-and-large are very insular. With less than 1/3 of Americans holding passports, they simply are not worldly, Palin included....and stunning facts regarding her total ignorance of the world are now surfacing. George W. Bush had been outside the borders of the U.S. "once" in his life prior to his election...how's that working out?
The woman was a political disaster in a role that mandates a global perspective, and if there are those who believe that she was qualified, then it's time to change the American credo from "God Bless America" to "God Help America!"
McCain gambled and lost...you should frankly be thankful.
I truly believe that America has a chance now to re-build and regain some of it's stature in the world, because trust me, it is in seriously sad shape.
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Wasilla Hillbillies!! Hahahaha!!!
They have a senate race in debate with the guy that has seven indictments against him and they are still counting votes??
Kinda makes ya wanna go get the part of Canada they stole from us back don't it?
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Lifetime member of the NRA? I'd vote for her anytime...
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Stooping to innuendoes and nameless aides has certainly brought out the worst in people and the media which I already thought had hit the bottom.
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She is such a piece of "ART"
Why, how and where do they pick her at the first place.
She has no brain. She just try to use her look to get into the power.
If she is 44 years old, she should know who signed the "Free Trade" back on 1991 and which three countries are involve in this. This is supposed to be a common sense question. As for Aftica, another common sense question. Obseriously, she has a IQ. of less than a Grade 10 student!
Her selfish and stubborn destory her completely. If she doesn't like to listen - be open minded and not answer any question, how can she get this Governor job at the first place?
I strongly suggest her to take some night school - Accounting, Taxation, Global Economic, Geography, Political Science. Anything that comes with a Degree.
For whoever wants to hire her down in the role, please give her a test/quiz before hiring her. Don't forget she could be BIG TIME TROUBLE expecially WHEN SHE OPENS HER MOUTH! She also like shopping for herself and all her family members.
Please stay away from all of us. She is truly a shame for all women. She earn NO respect from me. All goes to Hillary Clinton!
So glad it's all over. We don't have to see her and watch her make a fool out of herself!
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Scapegoat nothing. The fact that the campaign didn't leak all of this is a miracle. Palin has earned every lol for her total trashing of the institution.
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