As AZ Shooting Story Unfolds, Media Already Blames Gov. Palin

-By Warner Todd Huston
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Even as the early, sketchy details of the shooting incident in Arizona were still emerging some members of the left-leaning media were already trying to tie the killer to Tea Party activism in general and Sarah Palin in particular.

Andrew Sullivan of the Atlantic.com was early to attempt to link lunatic killer Jared Loughner to the Tea Party, but he wasn't the only one. The Washington Post's Sandhya Somashekhar immediately attempted to color the story as an example of the "militant rhetoric" of the Tea Party movement and Sarah Palin.

Liberals on Saturday blamed the tea party movement's sometimes militant rhetoric -- for example, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin's advice to her supporters via Twitter, "Don't Retreat, Instead - RELOAD," or Nevada Senate candidate Sharron Angle (R) advocating "second-amendment remedies" for some of the nation's problems. Palin had also posted a U.S. map depicting crosshairs over the states where she hoped to oust Democratic incumbents. That map no longer appears on the Web site of her political action committee.

Additionally, within minutes of the attack, hard left-winger Paul Krugman of the New York Times asserted that the reason Giffords was shot was because her seat was not turned over to Republicans. Despite that no political motive was at all known, Krugman immediately asserted that it was the fault of the Tea Party and Sarah Palin.

On his DailyDish blog for the Atlantic, Andrew Sullivan posted an unconfirmed and anonymous claim from "a reader" who claimed to have heard people in a store callously saying that they were glad that a Republican could be appointed to replace the wounded Giffords. This "reader" also claimed that one of them said, "Well, that’s to be expected when you’re so liberal."

Sullivan's disgusting attempt to smear conservatives went on even as it was emerging that the killer's ideology seems incoherent and not legitimately anchored in the left or the right.

Sullivan's next idiotic attempt to smear the right was to conjure a connection between a campaign photo for Jesse Kelly -- who is a Marine and was Gifford's opponent recently -- to using "violence" to further his political career because his campaign photo showed Kelly as a Marine holding his M16.

How many political candidates hold an automatic rifle in their open crotch in order to demonstrate their ideological bone fides? The conflation of conservatism with the willingness to use violence depressingly deepens.

Then, when this hack finally noticed that the killer's book list included the Communist Manifesto and Hitler's Mein Kampf, Sullivan tried to back track a bit saying that Loughner was, "Not exactly a Tea Party purist."

Not exactly a Tea Party purist? Not a Tea Partier at all, more like.

But Sullivan wasn't the only left-wing media figure to immediately connect this crime to those on the right and to assign a conservative political motive to the killer's actions.

The extreme website Talking Points Memo also jumped into the blame Palin game by pointing out the Palin PAC target image without mentioning that the DailyKos and the DNC also used the same imagery. As the good folks at Verum Serum noted back in March, Giffords' district was marked with a target on the webpage of the Democratic National Committee during the late midterm elections.

There’s more. CNN's Piers Morgan also immediately tried to equate Sarah Palin to this incident. On his Twitter feed Morgan linked Palin's political action committee work from months ago to this shooting saying, "This now deleted image from Sarah Palin website will be reason this terrible shooting has huge political ramifications." The image was Palin's map of the U.S. that showed states where incumbents were vulnerable for challenge, the image used to identify those states contained a target motif. Morgan was trying to equate a political campaign to an act of murder.

Another left-leaning website agreed with Morgan that the Palin campaign image was somehow relevant to an action taken months later by a man not obviously connected to any political campaign. These leftists are trying with all their might to link Palin to this crime despite the fact that there isn't a shred of evidence at this time that there is any connection whatsoever.

Yet, even as Sullivan, Morgan and their pals tried to smear Sarah Palin with this attack, they correspondingly ignored the DailyKos website that went on a deletion binge trying to wipe away all the foul attacks by its members on Gabrielle Gifford.

One DailyKos post, originally seen at this address, said that Gabrielle Gifford was "dead to me." The headline of the piece read: "My CongressWOMAN voted against Nancy Pelosi! And is now DEAD to me!" The posting went on to complain about Giffords. Tellingly, DailyKos has sent this post down the memory hole.

Not only that, but Kos himself said that Gabrielle Giffords was on a "target list" of politicians he wanted to get rid of. Naturally, the Sullivans and Morgans of the leftward Old Media have ignored this fact.

Then there is Hollyweird. Anti-American, hatemonger and Hollywood Actress Jane Fonda went even farther than those mentioned above. Hanoi Jane took to Twitter and directly blamed the Tea Party movement and Sarah Palin. Fonda, a well-known supporter of America's enemies, wrote: "@SarahPalinUSA holds responsibility. As does the violence-provoking rhetoric of the Tea Party." Fonda also wrote, "Glen Beck guilty too. Shame. It must stop!"

So, what can we make of the killer's politics? Not much at this point, really. A YouTube video that Jared Lee Loughner posted is a rambling mess of a manifesto that is practically incoherent. The video consisted of text only and read as follows:

Hello, my name is Jared Lee Loughner.

This video is my introduction to you! My favorite activity is conscience dreaming: the greatest inspiration for my political business information. Some of you don't dream - sadly.

Firstly, the current government officials are in power for their currency, but I'm informing you for your new currency! Of you're treasurer of a new money system, then you're responsible for the distributing of a new currency. We now know -- the treasurer for a new money system. is the distributor of the new currency. As a result, the people approve a new money system which is promising new information that's accurate, and we truly believe in a new currency. Above all, you have your new currency, listener?

Secondly, my hope s for you to be literate! If you're literate in English grammar, then you comprehend English grammar. The majority of people, who reside on District 8, are illiterate -- hilarious. I don't control your English grammar structure, but you control your English grammar structure.

Thirdly, I know who's listening; Government Officials, and the People. Nearly all the people, who don't know this accurate information of a new currency, aren't aware of mind control and brainwashing methods. If I have my civil rights, then this message wouldn't have happen.

In conclusion, my ambition -- is for informing literate dreamers about a new currency, in a few days, you know I'm conscience dreaming! Thanks you!

Laughner's now removed MySpace page listed some of his schooling.

Schools: I attended school: Thornydale elementary,Tortolita Middle School, Mountain View Highschool, Northwest Aztec Middle College, and Pima Community College.

Interests: My favorite interest was reading, and I studied grammar. Conscience dreams were a great study in college!

Movies: (*My idiom: I could coin the moment!*)

Music: Pass me the strings!

In another video Loughner claims to be a military recruit at MEPS in Phoenix and is upset that mini Bibles are being given to recruits. The Army has since reported that Loughner was rejected in 2008.

The killer goes on to say:

In conclusion, reading the second United States Constitution, I can’t trust the government because of the ratifications: The government is implying mind control and brainwash 0n the people by controlling grammar.

No! I won’t pay debt with a currency that’s not backed by gold and silver!

No! I won’t trust in God!

What’s government if words don’t have meaning?

This man is obviously an anti-Christian, anti-government, conspiracy nut with anti-federal reserve ideas and delusions that he knows all and sees all the "brainwash" going on out there. This man is mentally ill and his ideas are mixed up between left and right with obvious paranoia underlying it all.

Tea Partier? Hardly. Yet the far left Old Media insists on making of him a conservative, Tea Party member despite the facts.

Whatever the final facts are that we find out about this crime, the early assumptions by the Old Media linking this incident to conservatives is irresponsible.

-WTH

Warner Todd Huston is editor of Publius' Forum and a contributor to Texas for Sarah Palin as well as Big Government, Right Wing News, and a number of other websites.

Sarah Palin: On the tragedy in Arizona

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From Gov. Palin's Facebook Notes page, a prayerful expression of sympathy:

On the tragedy in Arizona

My sincere condolences are offered to the family of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and the other victims of today's tragic shooting in Arizona.

On behalf of Todd and my family, we all pray for the victims and their families, and for peace and justice.

- Sarah Palin

- JP

More Quote of the Day Honorable Mention, Part 185

"There's no tongue in your cheek" Edition
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AWR Hawkins at Big Hollywood:

"Kathy Griffin is a disturbed individual who spends less and less of her time doing 'comedy' and more and more of her time personally attacking people with whom she disagrees politically... And to start 2011 off on the wrong foot... she has pledged to take Willow Palin 'down' during this calendar year... In other words, now that the lies about Sarah and the attacks on Bristol’s weight have grown passé, it’s time to find a new way to be offensive enough to get noticed... Think about it folks: Griffin is saying that she, a washed up, fifty-year-old comedian, is dedicating 2011 to verbally attacking a minor. How much more twisted can things get...?"

Calvin Freiburger at NewsReal Blog:

"There are few personalities which more perfectly embody Hollywood’s decency deficit than alleged comedienne Kathy Griffin."

David Vance at A Tangled Web:

"Palin Derangement Syndrome has become as prevalent as Bush Derangement Syndrome, and in many regards is even more wicked. If Palin is such a political nobody and laughing stock as some on the Left allege, why the endless and hysterical attacks? Is it because, just like Reagan when he transited onto the National stage, she strikes fear into their bleeding hearts? Is it because they know that is she becomes President, she will shrink the mighty State? Is it because in her they see a love of the Constitution that will not waiver and it disgusts them?"

Jennifer at Cubachi:

"TLC host jealous Sarah Palin’s show has higher ratings..."

Ron Konkoma at Evil Conservative Radio:

"First, they were a figment of Sarah Palin's imagination. Than, after we all found out that she was right, the media spin was that everyone was overreacting - the Death Panels weren't Death Panels at all - just much-needed counseling for seniors. Now that's worn thin and we're left with what the self-labeled 'progressive' movement really wants, which is a way to trim the costs of Obamacare by eliminating care for the elderly, the chronically ill, and who knows who all else?"

Curt at Flopping Aces:

"First Obama pushed for end-of-life counseling in ObamaCare, then it was pulled after Sarah Palin rightly pointed out the spooky nature of the death panels... Then Dr. Donald 'I love Socialism' Berwick, head of Medicare, put it back in... He got caught and now Obama is pulling it once again..."

Dan Calabrese at North Star National:

"Sarah Palin, who is smart, warned that one of the dangers of government-run health care would be the prospect of senior citizens’ having life or death decisions taken away from them and handed to government bureaucrats, who would care only about costs and not about the value of life. She referred to these as death panels... The media went into full-scale convulsions and did everything it could to pretend that the statement was bogus... So when it came out that Obama wanted Medicare to pay doctors to encourage people to end their lives, Democratic Congressman Earl Bremenauer put out a memo urging supporters of the measure to keep it secret because, if Republicans found out, they might point to it as evidence that Palin was right, which it is, and which she was... It’s a damn good thing Sarah Palin doesn’t care what these idiots say about her, because the public seems to have noticed who tells the truth and who spews propaganda."

Stacy Drake at A Time For Choosing:

"This is not the first time Governor Palin has refused to ingratiate herself to special interest groups. Nor is it the first time that Republicans have been her detractors, if not outright political enemies."

Patrick S. Adams at Patrick's World USA:

"For the last two years, I thought the smear campaign was directed at Sarah Palin. I just found out that it was really directed at us, the American people.. And when we see fellow Americans, whether they are good conservatives like Erick [Erickson], or just some independent who is lost in the woods, wavering or succumbing to media and cultural pressure, we need to help them... I know she can win. I was alive when Ronald Reagan did it. I’ve seen it done exactly this way before. But for those who have not lived it, they need faith. Erick, have faith. She is not radioactive. She is kryptonite."

Mark Heuring at True North:

"Aside from Sarah Palin, who has a similar ability to drive liberals nuts, [Michele] Bachmann has to be the #1 Emmanuel Goldstein for bien pensant liberals who otherwise keep their hostility a smidge more repressed."

Eugene Koprowski at News With Views:

"A few days ago, former Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) took to Twitter, and twitted Barack Obama once again. This time, she took on the president over how his weak, seemingly socialist policies have increased gasoline prices, and harmed the U.S. economy. She’s absolutely correct in her assessment of Obama’s energy strategy. Palin knows what she’s talking about on oil and gas and energy issues... Palin supports energy independence to strengthen the U.S. dollar and decrease oil prices... Taking control of our energy future is a much better strategy than tilting at windmills, literally, as Obama is doing with his energy policy."

SharpBettor.com:

"Depending on which online bookmaker you look at, America’s... hockey mom is either the odds-on favorite to get the GOP nod... or is runner-up..."

Mark Fitzgibbons at the Washington Examiner:

"Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been taking heat for criticizing Michelle Obama’s vegetable crusade. And potential GOP presidential nominee rival Mike Huckabee took sides against Palin and in favor of Obama... Liberals who like kind-hearted Republican suckers don’t like Palin. Upon more inspection, Palin seems to have better instincts than Huckabee on this issue, especially in these Tea Party days... The food fight between Palin and Obama... isn’t really about eating vegetables for good health. As Politico’s Ben Smith writes, Palin promoted healthy eating as a way to cut down on disease and childhood obesity during her 2009 State of the State address. The real fight is how government will exercise control over how healthy, natural foods are promoted, and who does it. It seems Palin’s instincts are right on."

FireAndreaMitchell:

"Cue the progressive liberal head explosions!"

PFFV at Government Mess:

"I respectfully disagree with Ted Nugent... If Sarah Palin was running for president of the USA, and our choices were Rhino Republicans... or other establishment types I could easily vote for her. I agree that there are many other very strong candidates right now that I would probably vote for if they do in fact run. Allen West, for example, is my number 1 choice. Then I like Herman Cain as another strong candidate. It's too early, but I wouldn't rule out Sarah Palin yet."

- JP

Day By Day (January 8, 2011)

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Good morning! It's a wonderful life if we just take it Day By Day.



Support Chris Muir's pro-Palin Day By Day

- JP

Quote of the Day (January 7, 2011)

It doesn't get uglier than this
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Brian Maloney at The Radio Equalizer:

"Two Rosies = Double The Hate"

- JP

Tim Pawlenty defends Gov. Palin in his new book

"You don't accomplish what Sarah Palin accomplished if you're incapable"
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The Fix has an advance copy of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's new book Courage to Stand. In it, the former Minnesota governor and prospective GOP presidential candidate defends his colleague Sarah Palin and takes a few shots at her critics. Here are a few examples:

* "Those who blame the loss that November, even in part, on [McCain's] choice of Sarah Palin as running mate lose sight of the big picture. In truth, it didn't matter whom he would have picked. Once the economy collapsed, Barack Obama was going to win that election."

* On his conversation with McCain after the pick was announced: "I told him it was a gutsy pick. A good pick."

* "On the basis of executive leadership experience alone, [Palin] had many times the experience of McCain's opponent."

* On anti-Palin rhetoric: "The presumption behind such comments is that if you don't fit a certain mold, somehow you're incapable. Baloney. You don't accomplish what Sarah Palin accomplished if you're incapable."

* "So this idea that you can only be wise and correct if you are from one of the great educational or political institutions on the East Coast -- I just don't buy that."

Aaron Blake, one of Chris Cillizza's contributors at The Fix, attributes Pawlenty's positive treatment of Gov. Palin in his book to the fact that, like the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate, Pawlenty would like to share her "regular American" image. Plus, Blake opinies, if Sarah Palin decides not to run in 2012, Pawlenty's fair treatment of her might help him win her endorsement.

Though we're sure all that is at least part of Pawlenty's political calculus, perhaps there's another reason that Blake never even considered. Maybe, just maybe, Pawlenty takes Reagan's "Eleventh Commandment" seriously. Though we're not big backers of the idea of a Pawlenty presidential candidacy, we've never had any doubts about his personal character. And though he's not considered a movement conservative by many in the GOP base, the former Minnesota governor at least had the common conservative sense to endorse Doug Hoffman, rather than the traitorous Dede Scozzafava in the 2008 NY-23 Congressional race.

Related: In an ABC News “Nightline” interview scheduled to air tonight, Pawlenty said Gov. Palin is a "force of nature" to be reckoned with:

“If she wanted to compete for the presidency, I think she has the tools to do it,” Pawlenty said of Palin, who he called a “friend” and “remarkable leader.”

“I don’t think it’s fair to say people are afraid of her,” he said. “It’s fair to say she is somebody who’s got a lot of influence and can use it for good, if she chooses to.”

[...]

“I’ve got a long way to go to get people to even know my name, much less worrying about whether I could beat, you know, the force of nature that is Sarah Palin.”

- JP

Palin: Obama 'hell-bent on weakening America' by increasing debt

On Laura Ingraham's show
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Gov. Palin was Laura Ingraham's guest on her syndicated radio talk show Friday. Palin TV captured the discussion:


- JP

Sarah sums up Obama flip-flop on debt ceiling

He was for it before he was against it
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From @SarahPalinUSA via Twitter:

March '06 Obama says raising debt WEAKENS USA & signals "failed leadership" then went on to support overspending;now wants to raise ceiling
about 1 hour ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® Retweeted by 100+ people

Related: See Mike Flynn's op-ed at Big Government, "Obama Was Against Increasing the Debt Ceiling Before He Was for it."

- JP

Day By Day (January 7, 2011)

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Good morning! It's a wonderful life if we just take it Day By Day.



Support Chris Muir's pro-Palin Day By Day

- JP

Quote of the Day (January 6, 2011)

Dancing with the Deejays?
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Mathew Blades at Mix 96.9 (KMXP-FM) in Phoenix:

"We have made an official job offer to Bristol to join the morning show."

- JP

Gov. Palin will help launch new Fox News show Saturday night

"What's the first big move for the Palin camp in 2011?"
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Judge Jeanine Piro, whose weekday show has been airing on Fox-owned WRBW-TV in the Orlando/Daytona Beach market, has been called up to the big leagues. Fox News is giving the former district attorney, county court judge, elected politician, legal commentator, author, champion of women's rights and mother of two her own Saturday evening slot at 9PM/8PM Central Time.

And what better way to kick off the new program with Gov. Palin as Judge Jeanine's first guest? Fox News' promo for the show's premiere teases, "What's the first big move for the Palin camp in 2011? Governor Sarah Palin reacts."

-JP

More Quote of the Day Honorable Mention, Part 184

"Tough Enough" Edition
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Doug Gibson of the Standard-Examiner:

"Look, I’m not claiming Palin is perfect, or she will win if she runs in 2012. I think it’s ridiculous to dismiss a potential candidate who worked hard to oppose the big-government assault Democrats launched in 2009 and campaigned hard to help the GOP gain the U.S. House. She is the spirit of the Tea Party movement, even while Mr. Frum grumbles that Republicans are doomed if they listen to her. Can Sarah Palin win in 2012 if she runs? She’s tough enough to compete and she’ll need to be because she’ll have most of the political class — with many righty snipers – and 99 percent of the cultural class opposed to her. On the other hand, I recall the 2008 debates, and — although it’s moved through the memory hole — Palin was the most impressive of the four candidates."

Douglas MacKinnon at The Washington Times:

"Maybe next time, Juan Williams and all the other propagandists for President Obama will offer up some proof to back up their claims of Mr. Obama's intellectual prowess. In the meantime, I'll take Sarah Palin's real-world experience and traditional values anytime."

Kempite at Politics 24/7:

"Throughout 2010, Sarah Palin was in the forefront of politics. Her every word, be it in a brief twitter or a major speech, attracted attention and drew both high praise from the right and sharp criticism from the left. She became the darling of the TEA Party movement and helped lead that movement and many of its candidates to success. No matter what, there is no denying Palin’s impact on politics and when it comes to change, the type of change that most voters wanted, Palin led the way. In regards to her future, it is wide open. She can make of it, whatever she chooses, but only if she is smart about it... Being in such a position, in order for her to mount a successful campaign for President, she, more than any other possible candidate, will have to control the story... I do not for one minute doubt that she can do it... Sarah’s impact on 2010 makes her the 2011 Republican of the Year, and what she does in 2011 will continue to influence Republican politics into 2012 and possibly beyond."

Left Coast Ledger:

"By [George] Will’s logic Sarah Palin fits the bill perfectly for 2012; she is about as opposite to Barack Obama as you can get..."

Matt Latimer at The Daily Beast:

"Sarah Palin is now the party’s top spokesperson, whether Washington likes it or not. (They don’t.) Party leaders have tried ignoring her, belittling her, laughing at her, whispering about her, rolling their eyes, and stomping their feet. It has only made her stronger to her supporters, who think the GOP leadership is a bunch of crusty, out of touch, K Street elitists... Here’s a thought for the RNC chairman: Why not take Palin seriously? Treat her as a frontrunner for the Republican nomination. Ask her to serve as spokesman on high-profile issues. Fire anyone found to denigrate her. Let the Alaska governor sink or swim: You don’t have much of a choice anyway."

Eye On Freedom:

"3 million plus tuned in to watch Sarah Palin’s weekly show on The Learning Channel as compared to 1.2 million who watched Oprah’s network debut."

Hanna Rosin at The Atlantic:

"Nikki Haley... is a self-styled reformer who explicitly took on, and defeated, the good ol’ boys who run the Statehouse. Those last two factors — woman, reformer — seemed somehow linked during an election season that saw a series of female insurgents make national headlines: Haley, Kelly Ayotte in New Hampshire, Susana Martinez in New Mexico, Christine O’Donnell in Delaware, Sharron Angle in Nevada. And while the last two may have lost their races, it was not before unsettling the Republican establishment in their states. A similar dynamic took place below the radar as well, where nine new conservative women won House seats, from Missouri to Florida. And they all prospered in the wake of Rebel in Chief Sarah Palin, who traveled the country to boost her sorority of 'mama grizzlies' to power."

Doug Ross at Director Blue:

"Someone high five Sarah Palin for me -- Obama administration admits 'mix-up', will remove death panels from new Medicare Regulations..."

Jennifer at Cubachi:

"Sarah Palin’s effective usage of pinpointing in few words what Obamacare is all about has ringed across the mainstream media and [with] conservatives across the country. I remember when there were a few conservatives out there who lambasted Palin for using such aggressive language. Sometimes you have to stop with the niceties and fight against socialist programs that will actually harm the American public in more than just their pocketbooks... Palin and conservatives were right."

Ethel C. Fenig at American Thinker Blog:

"Once again, thank you Sarah Palin."

Rush Limbaugh:

"Sarah Palin came up with the term death panel, I think it was on her Facebook page, and you know what people say about Sarah Palin, 'She's an idiot. Sarah Palin? Don't make me choke. Sarah Palin? She has the intellect of a pencil eraser. Sarah Palin, never gonna be president. Sarah Palin, are you kidding me? She's clueless.' Sarah Palin came up with the term 'death panel.' Sarah Palin accused Obamacare of having death panels. They denied it. 'No, there aren't any death panels.' But yet the White House has now said, (paraphrasing) 'Okay, we're gonna get rid of the death panel rule.' How can you get rid of something that wasn't there? Proving once again how stupid Sarah Palin is."

GulfCoastBamaFan at I Bleed Crimson Red:

"Keeping score: Sarah Palin 2, Obamacare 0, as Death Panels removed again..."

Ben Garrett at View From the Cumberlands:

"When it comes to the press, Palin can’t win for losing. If she had retweeted an anti-gay Twitter user, stories would have been published criticizing her as a homophobe. But when she retweets a gay Twitter user, news stories pop up implying that she was dumb enough to retweet a gay tweet by mistake... A couple of notes about the CNN story: a quick Google search reveals that the only place Palin’s tweet is being mentioned is in news stories. There are no conservatives asking questions about Palin’s stance on gay rights. The only questions being asked are by the press, in their typical mountains-of-molehills M.O. Also, anyone who is familiar with Twitter realizes that a retweet isn’t necessarily an endorsement of what’s being said."

Aleister at American Glob:

"Obama has done nothing about gay marriage since taking office and waited until the last minute of a lame duck session to address DADT repeal, but that’s not news. Sarah Palin re-Tweets Tammy Bruce, and it’s a major story."

Dean at Beers with Demo:

"Sarah sez... One in a series that takes a look at some of the zany and madcap things said by Sarah Palin. 'Deficit reduction has been a high priority for us - it is our mantra - pay as you go.' Of course, that wasn't Sarah Palin but rather that glittering jewel of colossal ignorance, former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. Good Lord, how can one deny media bias when this person doesn't get a fraction of the heat as does Palin for coming up with one inane, asinine and delusional statement after another?"

- JP

Roseanne Barr: ‘Traitor’ Palin’s Followers Are ‘Dumbest People on Earth’

Why was this loudmouthed leftist moonbat even invited to appear on "360?"
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NewsBuster Brad Wilmouth reports that on CNN’s "Anderson Cooper 360" Wednesday night, liberal "comedian" Roseanne Barr called Sarah Palin a "loon" and a "traitor to this country" and, although she apologized later, called Gov. Palin’s followers the "dumbest people on Earth," and claimed that they are all "on the government dole":

Barr: "I think she's a loon and I think she's kind of a traitor to this country because she would love to erase the line between church and state, which I think this country was founded upon and should never, ever be trifled with in any way."

After guest and Democratic strategist Cornell Belcher brought up the popularity of anti-intellectualism, the liberal comedian added: "Yeah, she's got that, her followers are the dumbest people on Earth. ... No, but seriously, they can barely scare up a pulse. I'm serious. They're not, they are really stupid. They're stupid."

She soon continued: "The people who like Sarah Palin are all on the government dole going out there and bitching about people wanting to get on the government dole. Please. Every one of them is on the government money."

[...]

Later in the segment, Barr ended up apologizing for insulting Palin's supporters, but still claimed they were being "duped" by the former Alaska governor. Speaking to host Anderson Cooper after a commercial break, Barr: " You told me that I could apologize because, you know, sometimes I shoot my mouth off and say really stupid things. I did not mean to insult all of Sarah Palin’s supporters, you know, I, it just flew out of my mouth. It’s not their fault. I feel they’re being duped, and I really do feel that they’re being duped, but I don’t blame them for that."

[More]

What we're still trying to figure out, is why was this loudmouthed leftist moonbat invited to appear on Cooper's program in the first place? Granted, she was opposite another celebrity, Ted Nugent, but The Nuge at least has some qualifications beyond merely being an entertainer.

He's widely recognized as an expert on firearms and hunting (he has served on the Board of Directors of the NRA since 1995), as well as the author of five books, including two bestsellers. Nugent has also penned op-eds for more than forty publications (including a piece for the Wall Street Journal dealing with Napster and intellectual property rights) and is a Human Events columnist. Ted has received a number of commendations from law enforcement agencies, and he has been praised for his civic activism, including the Ted Nugent Kamp for Kids and Freedom’s Angels, national spokesman for D.A.R.E., and Ambassador for Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Pass It On-Mentors Program.

What has Roseanne Barr ever done except shoot off her big mouth, slander Israel, and disrespect our own National Anthem?

- JP

Andrew Malcolm: Are Michele Bachmann's eyes on the White House?

What else happens in 2012?
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The media is all abuzz over Rep. Michele Bachmann because some of her aides are telling reporters that the Minnesota Republican is considering a presidential run. As if to put an exclamation point on the rumors, she is scheduled to make a pilgrimage this month to a key primary state to speak at a fundraiser for the Iowans for Tax Relief PAC in Des Moines. But sometimes in politics, two plus two does not necessarily equal four, as Andrew Malcolm explains:

First off, Bachmann's idea of promoting herself into Republican congressional leadership for the 112th session that opened Wednesday was rebuffed by those same leaders, who did involve other more team-oriented "tea party" advocates. Rhetorical bomb-throwers a la Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele tend to attract unwanted attention and shrapnel to those standing nearby.

Second, Abraham Lincoln and George H. W. Bush aside, Americans have not shown any historical proclivity to elect House members to the White House. (Mike Pence take note.)

[...]

Palin's splashy primary endorsement of Nikki Haley in South Carolina last year ignited the surge that got the state legislator the nomination and the governor's job. Haley and her statewide organization might remember this come next year's early South Carolina GOP presidential primary.

And even if Bachmann's purported pondering does not result in presidential primary competition with pal Palin in 2012, it will raise Bachmann's national profile, not normally an easy thing to do for a representative from just any 6th Congressional District.

But, wait, do you know what else happens in 2012?

A Minnesota Senate race.

[More]

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar's term is up for renewal in 2012, and like many of her Democrat colleagues in the upper chamber, Andrew reminds us, "her fate will be tied closely to the popularity of Obama, the prime target of Bachmann for the next few months."

To Andrew's assessment we might also add that if a seat in the Senate is not what Congresswoman Bachmann is really after, recently elected Governor Mark Dayton's first term will be up in 2014, and he has recently been the subject of her criticism. Dayton's narrow victory in the Democrat primary was by less than two percentage points, and the general election was so close that eventual loser Tom Emmer did not concede until more than a month after Minnesotans had cast their ballots. So Rep. Bachmann has several options in her political future. The conservative lawmaker may decide that her road to the White House runs through St. Paul rather than just up Pennsylvania Avenue.

- JP

Day By Day (January 6, 2011)

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Good morning! It's a wonderful life if we just take it Day By Day.



Support Chris Muir's pro-Palin Day By Day

- JP

Quote of the Day (January 5, 2011)

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Pejman Yousefzadeh at A Chequer-Board of Nights and Days:

"The Apocalypse is upon us. Sarah Palin did something, and Andrew Sullivan professes to not giving a hoot. What’s next? An admission that Trig is Sarah Palin’s son? Stock up on the canned goods, and shotguns, people. The Seventh Seal is about to be broken, and the Cubs might win the next World Series."

- JP

Useful Idiots: Talking Points

The latest lamestream media meme...
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Reproduced with the kind permission of the authors. Visit James Hudnall's website here and Val Mayerik's site here.

h/t: Big Journalism

- JP

More Quote of the Day Honorable Mention, Part 183

"A New Morning in America" Edition
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Patrick S. Adams at Liberty's Lamp:

"What Reagan and Palin both represent is an upsetting truth that draws ridicule from the Left and from the Establishment because it threatens their ways of collectivism, social engineering and cronyism. Constitutional conservatism to them is a danger to the status quo of their power structure. They're afraid that Palin may succeed. And they will do anything to plant the seeds of doubt in the minds of the people. The people must be strong and courageous if they want to change their nation. Morning in America is a beautiful place. But it will require hard work and mental fortitude to get there. Follow her because she lights the way. Don't be distracted by the pundits and the critics."

Walter Whetsell, GOP consultant, via McClatchy Newspapers:

"There is no question that people are looking at Sarah Palin as the frontrunner."

John LeBoutillier, former U.S. Congressman (R-NY):

"Sarah Palin will continue to dominate the talk of the GOP race for the presidential nomination. She will continue to prevent any other new 'star' to emerge from the pack. By the end of 2011 no Republican will have emerged as the favorite for the GOP presidential nomination. Sarah Palin will still the most talked-about Republican candidate. She will have catchy one-liners at the TV debates which begin in June. There will be eight white guys – and Palin – up on the stage – and she will dominate the news of these debates."

James Frayne at The Campaign War Room:

"Facebook have recently released a report on which politicians and government agencies are best at using Facebook. Unsurprisingly, Sarah Palin comes out particularly well..."

Kerry Dougherty of The Virginian-Pilot:

"One soothsayer who's gotten a lot of ink this week tells us that Michelle Obama will be pregnant by the end of the year, Hillary Clinton will win a Nobel Prize and Sarah Palin will get a divorce. Of course, this same visionary last year said the lost city of Atlantis would be found, the globe would experience a massive power outage and big bats would attack South America."

Stacy McCain at The Other McCain:

"You Stay Classy, Kathy Griffin!"

The Damien Zone:

"Kathy Griffin has a new career — bullying a child — or at least saying that she is going to 'take down' a child. Just by saying this, she is already guilty... So the queen of the F-listers wants to bully and mock a 16-year-old kid in front of her diminishing audiences just to keep her sagging career pertinent — UGH! What a horrible monster this woman has become... Griffin’s entire career is based on contempt and loathing."

Brian at Freedom's Lighthouse:

"All five RNC Chair candidates say Sarah Palin can win a general election for president."

SusanAnne Hiller at Big Journalism:

"When you tell a liberal the truth they recoil in disbelief. Seriously. Just watch Kirsten Powers and her disbelief... She’s so flustered when she finds out the truth that President Bush vetoed the 2008 bill with the end-of-life provision in it, and it was the Democrat Congress that overrode the veto and forced it into law... Could you imagine if Sarah Palin made that mistake?"

Moneyrunner at The Virginian:

"Let there be a news story about the Palins and the raving nuts flock like a bunch of demented crows."

Tim Graham at NewsBusters:

"Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert is slamming Sarah Palin on Twitter again. But Ebert, famously known as the rotund partner of slimmer Gene Siskel, actually mocks Palin for 'sticking up for little fatsos' when she slammed Michelle Obama's remarks on school nutrition... This is a little strange, like Ed Schultz mocking Chris Christie's weight, except Sarah Palin is very fit."

Just A Grunt at JammieWearingFool:

"For these people [the media] nothing seems to strike more fear in their hearts then a little five foot something hockey mom from America's last frontier."

Steven Martinovich at Enter Stage Right:

"The left may hate her, the media may try and marginalize her but you continue to love her. Your ESR Person of the Year for 2010 is, once again, Sarah Palin... If effort alone won the Person of the Year, Palin would probably have won it easily but ESR's readers clearly favour impact and it's hard to argue that anyone else had a bigger one -- outside of Obama -- on the American political scene in 2010. It remains to be seen whether Sarah Barracuda's grassroots popularity can translate into something bigger in 2012 but for now she remains the most important figure in American conservatism."

Rob Port at SayAnythingBlog.com:

"During the 2008 election the left attempted to paint Palin as a book-burning religious fundamentalist, and yet while Sarah Palin and her family are clearly devout Christians, she may not be nearly the social conservative some have painted her as... My respect for Palin, already pretty high, has gone up still higher."

Freedom Fighter at Joshuapundit:

"Why the surprise? As governor, Palin vetoed a bill in 2006 that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships, saying it was unconstitutional. While she opposes same-sex marriage (something consistent with her religious beliefs, after all), there has never been a hint in her public or private life to show that she endorses hatred of homosexuals. Yet needless to say, CNN , HuffPo, the Politico, Gawker and a number of other outlets found this worthy of headlines, and archly questioned Sarah Palin's 'motives.' It never ends."

- JP

NY Sun: The Palin Patch

Palin wins again
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Excerpted from today's editorial in The New York Sun:

Hats off to President Obama for what the New York Times reports this morning is a reversal of course by which the administration will drop the use of a regulation to cover under Obamacare end-of-life planning that the Congress had specifically declined to provide via the legislative process. One could call it the “Palin Patch,” after the former governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, whose warning that this kind of planning, when funded by the government, could lead to what amount to “death panels.”

It happens that we are not against end-of-life planning.

[...]

It also happens , however, that we share Mrs. Palin’s concern, particularly when the counseling is coming from doctors rather than sages. Covering such counseling via a government program that is also paying for the medical treatment seems all too likely to lead to the kind of death panels of which Mrs. Palin warned, which is no doubt why congress took the funding out of the Obamacare bill in the first place. Better to leave such matters, which involve the nexus of medicine and religion and ethics, in private hands.

That wasn’t what moved the Obama administration to make the Palin patch. According to the Times report — in a story by Robert Pear, who also broke the story of administration’s attempt to sneak end-of-life counseling into use by regulation after Congress had refused to do it by legislation — the administration had come to recognize the procedural error and “political concerns were also a factor.”

[More]

Meanwhile, Politico's Ben Smith was more succinct:

"Palin wins again"

- JP

Gov. Palin at Women of Joy Conference in OKC April 15

At the State Fair Park Arena
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From The Journal Record:

Women of Joy is on the road again this year and, when the uplifting, spirit-filled event hits Oklahoma City, guest speaker will be Sarah Palin, the first female governor of Alaska and former vice presidential candidate. Dates for the local conference will be April 15 to 17 at State Fair Park’s James Norick Arena. Women of Joy will be making its first appearance in Oklahoma City.

[...]

The meetings offer panel discussions, speakers, musical entertainment and opportunities to worship together, develop friendships and express joy.

The Oklahoma City conference will open at 7 p.m. April 15 with music by Charles Billingsley... At 7:30 p.m. Sarah Palin will share her perspective as a Christian woman raising a family under an extremely public eye.

[More]

Call (800) 374-1550 for more information, or visit the Women of Joy website here. To register, click here.

- JP