Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: We also predicted the election date ...

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  • Paul Robeson,

    "She's a vindictive nutjob and a liar who has relentlessly pursued personal vendettas through official office"

    While shes no angel, pretty inexperienced, and has a belief system that probably doesnt well sit with most of the readers here, that seems rather strong comment based on one newspaper article.

    It's not one newspaper article -- albeit one based on deep archive searches and dozens of face-to-face interviews -- it's a quite well documented pattern of behaviour, from the moment she became mayor of Wasilla and foisted the creepy "loyalty tests" on half a dozen employees, right through the Jerry Springer action of "Troopergate", where she quite clearly abused the office of governor to pursue a family feud. She's a nightmare.

    I bet that John Banks leaves her in the dust. That would be a debate worth watching. Palin v Banks X : the New Nightmare

    Since Feb 2008 • 87 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    Heh, I was just about to run a tab on who would be the first NZ politico to compare themselves to Sarah Palin.

    So, John Banks *is* a candidate, but rather too obvious. I was thinking maybe Ron Marks.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Michie,

    Christchuch Art Gallery have a video that I found useful to understand what Russell was writing of...

    Auckward • Since Nov 2006 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • David Slack,

    Don,

    Surely the leader of the Jesus Loves A Pig Shooter party, Mr Dunne?

    Devonport • Since Nov 2006 • 599 posts Report Reply

  • Don Christie,

    David, yeah, I thought of PD also (or at least, that's my claim) but Ron Marks seemed funnier, not sure why.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    Shame Ross Meurant isn’t in politics any more.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    @Angus:

    No, I can't take credit. It is a meme that has quickly taken root amoung the right-o-sphere reviews of the NYT piece. It is seen as her being willing to make changes, by y'know actually making changes.

    That's an amazingly disingenuous piece of work. Let's take this:

    Then we get to the book banning. But if you read carefully there is no banning, no censorship, no list and no nothing other than someone became “scared” of Palin:

    Pardon? Should that not read "Someone continued to be scared of Palin after being summarily sacked and only reinstated after a strong protest by residents. Oh and by the way, her boyfriend the police chief was sacked without cause, and she was threatened with a 'loyalty' dismissal again."?

    The chilling thing is the possibility that the author, as a 21st century Republican, has, through the Bush White House, the US prosecutors scandal and any number of appointments and contracts in the Iraq project, simply become acclimatised to the idea of a culture of governance that values political loyalty over competence and integrity.

    I found that link kinda disgusting, actually.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I found that link kinda disgusting, actually.

    And, personally, I don't want North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams even asking how to go about getting books he finds objectionable removed from the local library.

    The irony is that Angus links to Commentary, a magazine that would be raising merry hell if Palin was a liberal feminist who wanted Huckleberry Finn not only yanked from library shelves, but verboten in schools, for racial and gender insensitivity; had staffers scolding conservative bloggers for impertinently disagreeing with the administration; and appointing rather dubiously qualified school pals to far from trivial posts.

    There was a time when Commentary espoused conservatism with some degree of intellectual honesty and rigour. No longer, I guess. "My party right or wrong" is the new standard.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Oh, and browsing Angus' new voice of the right-o-sphere, could John Podhoretz and Andrew Sullivan just get a room and fuck already? (I've sat through a lot of rom-coms, and this is always how it ends up.) Their running blog-feud has to be close to the most boring example of an already tedious form of bandwidth wastage.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    And it seems poor old Sarah now seems confused by her state's energy production levels.

    Angus, old buddy, in the politest possible way, can I ask if you actually read those two stories. Because it doesn't read that way, and it does seem like you're rather grasping.....

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Glenn Pearce,

    Warriors snatch a staggering NRL finals win over the Storm

    Anyone taking odds on how many politicians we'll see at Ericsson on Friday night ?

    Not many chances to get in front of 25,000 between now and Nov 8....

    Auckland • Since Feb 2007 • 504 posts Report Reply

  • sagenz,

    did you see the impact sarah palin is touted as having on Obama donations, from the Times no less

    Barack Obama pulled in $66 million last month, smashing his previous fundraising record amid clear signs that Sarah Palin has mobilised many grassroots Democrats against her as much as she has energised the Republican Party.

    uk • Since Nov 2006 • 128 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson,

    Craig,

    The irony is that Angus links to Commentary, a magazine that would be raising merry hell if Palin was a liberal feminist...

    ..."My party right or wrong" is the new standard.

    The "new" standard, you are joking right?

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Ashby,

    The chilling thing is the possibility that the author, as a 21st century Republican, has, through the Bush White House, the US prosecutors scandal and any number of appointments and contracts in the Iraq project, simply become acclimatised to the idea of a culture of governance that values political loyalty over competence and integrity.

    There does seem to have been a deliberate move by the Republicans, especially the fundies to replace a politics where the idea was to win an argument based on who has the better arguments to one where 'you arguing with me? you fired!' is the order of the day.

    Remember the dictum that fascism will come to America carrying the cross and wrapped in the flag? Does Palin look like any sort of democratically inclined person to you?

    Dundee, Scotland • Since May 2007 • 425 posts Report Reply

  • sagenz,

    uk • Since Nov 2006 • 128 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    check out sullivan having an emo</quote?

    Indeed:

    <quote>Right now, we are being subjected to an absolutely disorienting blizzard of lies and absurdities (Palin is a lying absurdity) from the McCain campaign. The idea is to so disorient people, to throw so many new concepts, brands, lies, images, marketing and distortions at them that they will not be able to focus on the issues in this election, and the real choices serious people have to make.

    This, coming from the guy who onsold the Trig grandma conspiracy theory by innocently pasting an email sent to him by one of his readers. My heart goes out to him.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • WH,

    More credit crunch for fun and profit:
    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/15/opinion/15krugman.html?hp

    Conservatives rejoice in their idiotic cultural politics while the institutions that comprise American power are diminished and eclipsed.

    Since Nov 2006 • 797 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson,

    Russell,

    The chilling thing is the possibility that the author, as a 21st century Republican, has, through the Bush White House, the US prosecutors scandal and any number of appointments and contracts in the Iraq project, simply become acclimatised to the idea of a culture of governance that values political loyalty over competence and integrity.

    Yeah I am inclined to agree, but sooner or later some author is going to come out and say that the "the most honest, the most open, the most ethical Congress in US history" is any of those things, whilst in the real world its approval rating is 9%.

    With some of the stuff I read about Palin, I prefer to think that the person is saying it out of a feeling of political loyalty. People have being crying "wolf!" about Palin.

    Attacking Palin is a no win, several alleged facts have been challenged successfully - that built up a precedent that makes new facts seem more doubtful. And people like the woman, she has a public profile and appears to be a normal person. And she is the Veep.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    is any of those things, whilst in the real world its approval rating is 9%.

    Whilst it's nothing to get excited about the figure, in the real real world, is about 100% higher than the one you tout.

    With some of the stuff I read about Palin, I prefer to think that the person is saying it out of a feeling of political loyalty. People have being crying "wolf!" about Palin.

    Attacking Palin is a no win, several alleged facts have been challenged successfully - that built up a precedent that makes new facts seem more doubtful. And people like the woman, she has a public profile and appears to be a normal person. And she is the Veep.

    God, this is like going around in circles, playing Angus says: Angus says..gets rather badly shot down; Angus says again..gets rather badly shot down and so on. I'm not sure why you bother, but bother you do.

    I can't find it now, but today the numbers today on one polling, which still had McCain ahead by a point or so, had the negatives outrating the positives on the woman by five points for the first time. A few days back she was at 59% positive. So I guess they don't like her quite so much, eh?

    Just because you say these things over and over ain't gonna make them true. Really....

    But all this is overshadowed today by what's happening on Wall Street. It's the economy, stupid (and that's a turn of phrase not personal BTW) and it's fucked.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • sagenz,

    Paulsen has handled things pretty well. With the shareholders in Bear Stearns and Lehman completely screwed and those of Merrill Lynch mostly screwed whilst freddiefannie assets/liabilities have been protected so the average homeowner is protected this kind of makes a mockery of the capitalise the profits and socialise the losses meme.

    uk • Since Nov 2006 • 128 posts Report Reply

  • sagenz,

    God, this is like going around in circles, playing Simon says: Simon says..gets rather badly shot down; Simon says again..gets rather badly shot down and so on. I'm not sure why you bother, but bother you do.

    what palin really said about Russia.
    Go back through the link to see the bits that were cut to make Palin sound like a buffoon. This has been linked but ignored on this thread previously so chunk post you get

    GIBSON: You believe unprovoked.

    PALIN: I do believe unprovoked and we have got to keep our eyes on Russia, under the leadership there. I think it was unfortunate. That manifestation that we saw with that invasion of Georgia shows us some steps backwards that Russia has recently taken away from the race toward a more democratic nation with democratic ideals. That’s why we have to keep an eye on Russia.

    And, Charlie, you’re in Alaska. We have that very narrow maritime border between the United States, and the 49th state, Alaska, and Russia. They are our next door neighbors.We need to have a good relationship with them. They’re very, very important to us and they are our next door neighbor.

    GIBSON: What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you?

    PALIN: They’re our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.

    GIBSON: What insight does that give you into what they’re doing in Georgia?

    PALIN: Well, I’m giving you that perspective of how small our world is and how important it is that we work with our allies to keep good relation with all of these countries, especially Russia. We will not repeat a Cold War. We must have good relationship with our allies, pressuring, also, helping us to remind Russia that it’s in their benefit, also, a mutually beneficial relationship for us all to be getting along.

    so she was only referring to how it is a small world then expressing an attitude that Obama would be completely comfortable with. Shame those bits were dropped by a media deadly keen to present her in a bad light.

    uk • Since Nov 2006 • 128 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    This, coming from the guy who onsold the Trig grandma conspiracy theory by innocently pasting an email sent to him by one of his readers. My heart goes out to him.

    Well, Giovanni, I'm a little more worried about the actual candidates that on the one hand are running ads about their opponent and making public statements about their own records that can only rationally be described as blatant lies (and if that makes me "emo", Sage, well whatever), but screaming "sexist" and "ageist" at any degree of scrutiny.

    Or the Reader's Digest Version: Andrew Sullivan isn't standing for the Presidency of the United States. He can't. John McCain and Sarah Palin are.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    Paulsen has handled things pretty well. With the shareholders in Bear Stearns and Lehman completely screwed and those of Merrill Lynch mostly screwed whilst freddiefannie assets/liabilities have been protected so the average homeowner is protected this kind of makes a mockery of the capitalise the profits and socialise the losses meme.

    Sage, I've been reading your posts for a while trying to see if you are actually making some valid points, but all I'm getting is a rather irritating background static, like someone mumbling into their beer behind you while you're trying to have a conversation with someone else.

    Can you:

    1) please learn how to use puntuation.

    2) actually make an argument rather than drop what you condier to be a few key words into a sentence and expect us all to immediately go 'wow, never thought of that. He's so totally right!'.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    1) please learn how to use puntuation.

    Please learn how to spel.

    Or the Reader's Digest Version: Andrew Sullivan isn't standing for the Presidency of the United States. He can't. John McCain and Sarah Palin are.

    I was merely commenting on how comical his angst and anger for the truth are, in light of his jumping onboard the viletrain. And surely the fact that a journalist is not running for office shouldn't mean he or she is immune from criticism?

    Besides, you know how I feel about McCain et al., it's not as if I'm losing sight of the big picture. But Sully would do well to tone down the outrage for a couple of weeks perhaps.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    Kos tracks Palin's rapid fade.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

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