Two lawyers vs a hockey mom and a service man.

The election has come down to two lawyers versus a hockey mom and a veteran.

Hmmm, I wonder who would understand the needs of the common man more?

Palin smears burn out...

A certain someone who got in a certain situation, was hardly mentioned in the media today.  I guess having that person's significant other on state with her wasn't such a bad idea after all.

There is an email out there, supposedly from another hockey mom, criticizing Governor Palin.  What a great time for it to come out.  Any thing short of earth shattering is pretty much ignored.  People are burned out with the negativity.

Fun fact of the day:  Michelle Obama makes more money by herself than Governor Palin and her husband combined.

Governor Palin supports special needs contrary to left wing smears

As the Weekly Standard pointed out, there is an evil smear going about, which I was able to get retracted at Washington Monthly.

The Weekly Standard pointed to this article over at edweek by Sean Cavanagh which also disproved the notion.

Gov. Sarah Palin and state lawmakers have gone ahead with an overhaul of Alaska’s school funding system that supporters predict will provide much-needed financial help to rural schools and those serving students with disabilities.

The plan, enacted in the recently concluded session of the legislature, is based on recommendations issued by a legislative task force last year. It will phase in a greater flow of money to districts outside of Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, over the next five years.

Advocates for rural and remote schools have lobbied for years for more funding, in particular noting the higher fuel, transportation, and other costs associated with providing education in communities scattered across the vast state.

A second part of the measure raises spending for students with special needs to $73,840 in fiscal 2011, from the current $26,900 per student in fiscal 2008, according to the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development.

But I have even more information. The original smear is based on funding documents for "Special Schools". What they failed to note, besides for the movement of the Alaska Challenge Academy funding to a separate category, is that Alaska special education funding is also covered under the Department of Education and Early Development Student and School Achievement.

The Department of Early Development Student and School Achievement is responsible for special education for Alaska schools, gifted education, and the Special Education State Personnel Development Grant which provides money to train and recruit special education teachers. These are all state funded mandates per the budget document.

In 2007, the State contributed $5,429,000 in General Funds Receipts to the department.

In the 2009 Governors budget, this was increased to $6,253,800

This was an increase of $824,000 which is a 15% increase in state funding.

How much do you want to bet this was increased before the Governor even found out about her son Trig?

Update:  Soledad O'Brien makes a complete fool of herself, only she doesn't realize it.

We already know that I debunked this like in a few minutes, so we can only conclude that Soledad is either incompetent or a complete liar.  We also know what sort of blogs she reads as well.

The Washington Monthly Fact Checked

CREDIT:  The original fact checker was Stuart Buck.  Let's give him credit for being way on top of things.

He has a blog called The Buck Stops Here 

[UPDATE #2] Also see my latest post which shows that Governor Palin increased special needs funding by another 15%.

Washington Monthly makes false accusations against Governor Palin.

The Washington Monthly: Fact Checking Palin

Palin: "To the families of special-needs children all across this country, I have a message: For years, you sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters. I pledge to you that if we are elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House."

Sarah Palin might have changed her mind on this one recently. However, a comment here notes that Palin actually slashed funding for schools for special needs kids by 62%. Budgets: FY 2007 (pre-Palin), 2008, 2009 (all pdfs).

Now 45 seconds of googling led me to his comment over at the Washington Post blog, "The Trail"

A commenter (Jim Syar) accused Sarah Palin of reducing the special education budget by 62%. That is false. The special education budget actually increased by nearly 12%, as explained below.
As Syar correctly notes, the Alaska 2007 budget for special education was $8,265,300. But that included $5,352,000 for the Alaska Challenge Youth Academy.
In the 2009 budgetary document to which Syar links, astute observers will note that there is no mention of the Alaska Challenge Youth Academy. Instead, you have to look elsewhere. And guess what: There is now a specific document providing $6,082,100 for the Alaska Challenge Youth Academy.http://www.gov.state.ak.us/omb/09_omb/budget/EED/comp2837.pdf So combined with the $3,156,000 that Syar notes, the total is $9,238,100. A nearly 12% INCREASE, not a 62% decrease.
Posted by: SB September 3, 2008 3:38 PM

Burn. I posted in the comments. Check back to find out if a retraction is printed.

UPDATE - Washington Monthly printed a correction. Yglesias picked up the story though, and hasn't.

Also stay tuned for a post where I prove that Governor Palin significantly increased the support for special needs children even more than I have shown here.

Michelle Malkin gives me props.

Screw politics, pee-chee folders are back!

Screw politics...

They are making pee-chee folders again!

My wife found them at Fred Myers.

I can't wait to start doodling on it.  All I need now is some brown paper to wrap around my text books to have a total 80's high school flashback.

p.s. I know I have no tan.  I live in Alaska!

More predictions...

The Obama campaign will try and divert focus away from Palin, and try and redirect it back to McCain.  He has a better chance against him.

On vetting...

Much is being made of McCain's vetting process.  Let's be real folks.  He went with his gut instinct, which is what the President must do in a crisis.  Weigh the options and make a decision.  Well I am here to tell you that the decision that the media has been decrying all weekend is starting too look like a brilliant choice.

Instead of asking, why did he pick her, we should be asking ourselves, what would of happened if he didn't pick her.  Hindsight is 20/20, but brilliance is often nothing but strategic luck.

In their own words...

Quotes from the comments over at Washington Monthly.

After tonight, I was so worried that I coughed up another $100 to the Obama campaign. And $10 to ActBlue.

This will test the Obama campaign.

Posted by: John O on September 4, 2008 at 12:02 AM | PERMALINK

I agree with the poster who said this will launch a comeback for McCain. This speech is going to be very well reviewed, and not just on wingnut sites. The MSM is going to cream big time, and tomorrow we'll see many, many Sarah puff pieces. At minimum, tonight will end all the distracting silliness about Palin leaving the ticket. She was everything they needed her to be.

On the positive side, Barack in his speech laid down a kind of gauntlet for the Republicans when he challenged them to run a positive campaign on the issues. Now that they've done exactly the opposite, no one can blame him for responding in kind. I only hope he's capable of actually doing so.

Posted by: mib8 on September 3, 2008 at 11:54 PM | PERMALINK

The chances of her leaving the ticket just dropped to approximately zero.

Yes that's true. I was wrong. She is in.
But thats the best news imaginable.

She is all about base.
But base isn't enough to win this time around.
She is an alienator and a divider.
That's the wrong tack to take in 2008.

Posted by: koreyel on September 3, 2008 at 11:00 PM | PERMALINK

This chick is good. But not good enough. Obama, just like in the Primary, will find another gear. Voter turn out. Voter turn out. Please don't let them steal yet another one. Please.

Posted by: getready on September 3, 2008 at 11:36 PM | PERMALINK

She is all about base. But base isn't enough to win this time around. She is an alienator and a divider. That's the wrong tack to take in 2008.

It worked before, it can work again.

Sorry, kids, Governor Palin is delivering. The RNC and the fascist machine are going to go "all in on Palin". How many low-information voters can the DNC reach before November?

What will be interesting to observe is how the trad media reacts. Brooks, Coulter, Limbaugh, Boortz, Hannity, O'Reilly, Krauthammer, Broder, Will, et al, aren't going on vacation for the next 9 weeks. How tightly they embrace this ticket, and how the rest of the crew (National Enquirer included) goes about the business of journalism is going play as big a role as in 2000, 2004.

Complacency for the Democrats puts McCain and Palin in the West Wing.

Posted by: GuyFromOhio on September 3, 2008 at 11:12 PM | PERMALINK

You're all wrong. This speech, despite its bullshit, is going to launch a huge McCain comeback.

Red meat for the droolers. Pitch perfect, and Biden will get hassled if he's too mean to her.

Did I mention that McCain was a POW?

I, for one, am worried. Most of the electorate doesn't give a flying shit about reality, nor do they view politics as having any impact on their lives. Think, "sporting event," or, if I may, "beauty contest."

You'll see. McCain will keep her away from the press (that groundwork is already laid) and it will be another nail-biter, despite any objective evidence for what it should be.

Posted by: john O on September 3, 2008 at 11:09 PM | PERMALINK

God help me, I can't stop watching (train wreck, maybe).

She's likable. Cute. Perky. Might play well with some mom's in the midwest. She has that upper midwest twang (which I have to say is getting to me. I didn't realize Francis McDermond from Fargo was on the ticket). Too bad she's as full of shit. But this is their convention so it's to be expected.

Posted by: MsJoanne on September 3, 2008 at 10:56 PM | PERMALINK

You get the point.

I tried to warn them.

Prediction.  Democrats will start saying "Nice speech, but wait until the press conferences."  She will rock at press conferences too.  Then Democrats will say "Wait until the debate.".  After Biden's defeat at the debate, it will resort to stuff like "She's lying, she has no experience, wahhhhhhh."

Folks, you watched the launch of a super start tonight.  She will be President some day.

No gloating...

America sees what the Alaska already knew.  Whether you support her politics or not, she is good.

I believe we have a race.

Oh, ok, I can't resist... I told you so part 1.

Suggestion for McCain and Obama

Obama and McCain should refuse to talk to any reporter representing a news organization that has anything currently published about Governor Palin's daughter.

The media would be free to report, but no questions would be answered.  I bet the media would get their act together pretty quickly.

Politics

I would never, ever, ever survive a media vetting even 1/10th as intense as Governor Palin.

Seriously, I have skeletons people.

Remind me to never run for political office.

Is There a Particular *Reason* that Former Elementary Student Barack Obama and his Surrogates Refuse to Acknowledge that Sarah Palin is a Governor

Is There a Particular *Reason* that Community Organizer Barack Obama and his Surrogates Refuse to Acknowledge that Sarah Palin is the Governor of Alaska?

LINK DELETED

NOTE: Original post deleted because Independent George pointed out I was out of line, which I was. I apologize.

I told you so

This post is a preemptive "I told you" so for me to link to in the future, after the following events take place.

1. Sarah Palin's speech at the RNC kicks ass.

2. Sarah Palin performs awesome at her first interview/press conference.

Oh, and to really enjoy it, I am including this video for all my doubting thomas readers.



Oh, it's going to be so enjoyable. Feel free to use it as well.

Big yawn over Sarah Palin smear campaign

Folks, it looks like the smear machine is running out of oil. Fortunately the left wing outsmarted themselves. They piled up so much shit in such a short period of time, they forgot to realize that it all gets ignored for the big scandal of the daughters pregnancy. In the long term, the only thing that the public is going to remember is that a poor 17 year old was put through the ringers because of the left wings invasion of privacy.

Prediction: The heat will intensify out of desperation on Thursday after Governor Palin's highly successful speech.

Obama has nightmares about Palin

You know it's true. Obama lies in bed at night thinking about Palin. In the last few days, the only argument that the Obama campaign can make against McCain is that he picked Sarah Palin.

I say, yes, yes he did choose her. She isn't going away. He should be scared.

It's pretty sad when a Presidential candidate finds himself running against a VP candidate, and still loosing.

Irony of left wing attacks of Sarah Palin...

Let's be absolutely honest here. McCain gambled. I am not denying it. I understand the left wing attacks on her. They recognize that she is charming, and has the potential to destroy Obama/Biden in the election, but here is the irony in their concentrated attacks.

McCain can not cut her loose period. If McCain cut her loose, nothing short of capturing Obama on video having crumpets with Osama Bin Laden would be enough to win the election. That is a fact.

All the attacks and dirt dug up in the next week (I doubt it will take longer than that, and I suspect most of the major dirt has already been found), and unless they come up with a true smoking gun, it will all fade into memory within two to three weeks.

At that point, the McCain/Palin ticket will simply rest on how well she handles the media.

Now I am going to wait right here, but go over to youtube and watch every Palin video you can find. Go... now... I'll be here when you get back.

Ok, your finished finally.

Now honestly, what were your opinions.

Exactly. "Wow" is exactly what I thought. She is frickin good.

The media will start every interview with the full intention of ripping her to shreds, but once she flashes that smile and lets out that self depreciating laugh a few times, the reporters or more importantly the audience will be putty in her hands.

The haters will always be haters, but we don't need their votes. We need the votes of those middle class working Americans who will realize that Palin is just like them.

Sorry, got off track there. Bottom Line: concentrated attacks help us since they will blow over sooner. McCain won't get rid of her, so no use trying.

Where is Sarah?

Kevin Drum - Mother Jones Blog: Where is Sarah?

WHERE IS SARAH?....Has Sarah Palin granted an interview yet to the national press? Just curious. I haven't seen one yet. They're going to have to let her face the media mob eventually, aren't they?
UPDATE: Here she is in People magazine. It's the obvious choice, and I imagine that Fox News and GMA and Parade are on deck too. The national political press corps that might actually press her on serious issues, though? Wait and see.

I have been wondering the same thing.

So here is my prediction. She will give a knockout speech Wednesday, which will overshadow the fading dirt dug up on her over the weekend. Then she will warm up with the Fox News channel, moving on to charm the pants (figuratively) off of the rest of the national media.

She will be the hottest ticket in town to get an interview with, since every producer in TV news land is dreaming of being the one to trip her up, but I am guessing that within two weeks, all the hatred will turn into Obama squared type love. The key difference being, she actually has substance and executive experience.

Keep the Sarah Palin hits coming...

The hits and dirt coming flying faster than the right can reply, dilute, rebutt, or explain; but it occurred to me, what's the point. I don't think it matters, because the majority of voters aren't blog reading political junkies, and are going to end up loving Governor Palin, and here is why:

1. Pregnancy - The only thing voters are going to take home from this pass weekend is that her daughter is pregnant and she was forced to talk about it because of horrible Internet rumors. Palin 1 - Left 0.

2. Flip flops on the bridge to nowhere. The general public doesn't care. Every single politician they have ever heard about has been accused of flip flopping. Once the words bridge and Alaska are mentioned, the rest is going to sound like "blah, blah, blah..."

3. Troopergate: any 60 minutes investigation is going to end up with this simple conclusion. The trooper in question did for a fact at least do the following: taser an 11 year old, threaten to kill Governor Palins parents, drink on duty in his patrol car, and all he got was 5 days suspension.

4. Charm. The simple fact is that she is very very charming and articulate. As soon as the first interviews are shown on network TV, the public will come away with the impression that she has her shit together.

5. America will identify with her. She has more in common with the average American than any national politician in decades.

So bring on the dirt, the rumors, the accusations; All publicity is good publicity, at least in Governor Palin's case.

I hate myself for this...

Sarah Palin Facts · Little Known Facts About the Alaska Governor:

- Sarah Palin isn’t allowed to wield the gavel at the convention because they’re afraid she’ll use it to kill liberals.

- Sarah Palin can divide by zero

Sorry, but it's funny, and I don't think it will do major harm to her reputation. Palin certainly has replaced Obama as the most interesting politician. She makes Obama look like Joe Biden.

Lisa Bloom OK's personal attacks on Obama's Children.

Howard Kurtz - A Blogger, a Baby, a Cry of Concern - washingtonpost.com:

"It is hardly unusual for a teenage girl to become pregnant, and unless she is Jamie Lynn Spears, who sold her baby pictures to OK! magazine, the news value is minimal. But some media commentators say Palin is fair game, not just because she is running for national office but because she is a self-described 'hockey mom' who told the nation that her eldest son is headed to Iraq.

'Once she's brought her children in as selling points, unfortunately the bad comes in with the good,' says Lisa Bloom, a Court TV anchor. 'She's integrating her mom quality as a key part of her résumé. We didn't do that in the press; she did that.'"

According to that logic, the fact that Obama let an interview of his family be released, it's A-OK to gossip about his family.

Disgusting.