15 September 2008

The McCain campaign has come under fire for a number of scandals and controversies surrounding its VP nominee Sarah Palin.  As the newness of Palin begins to wear off and the Obama campaign goes on the attack, its now starting to look a little bleak for the McCain camp.

Aside from drawing "an avalanche of criticism" including from some republicans, the McCain campaign has opened up the question of whether the "wheels" have "come off the 'Straight Talk Express' ", writes Mark Murray.  The attention the Palin scandals and gaffes have received are now hitting a tipping point which threatens to turn the attention off of Palin's new "rockstar" status and onto real issues.

Probably the most well known Palin scandal already has a "-gate" attached to it. I'm referring of course to the "Troopergate" scandal. Palin is currently the target of a bi-partisan investigation for abusing her office as Governor of Alaska.

Palin's husband Todd Palin was issued a subpoena Friday (Sept 12) by Alaskan lawmakers, which shocked a number of people watching the developing case unfold.

News of the Todd Palin subpoena comes after Sarah Palin's less than stellar ABC news interviews where she made gaffes including not knowing what the Bush Doctrine was, being dodgy about seeking earmarks as Governor, saying war with Russia is a possibility, disagreeing with McCain thus agreeing with Obama about the issue of Pakistan, and repeating the same answers to questions or not directly answering the question put before her.

And that's not all. Palin commented on the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac bailout thinking the two private entities were funded all along by taxpayers, promoted a General after he changed his public stance on her experience (or lack thereof), and could be in serious trouble for a story that's bubbling under the radar about her involvement with the Alaskan Independence Party (see Video).

The Alaskan Independence Party advocates the succession of Alaska from the United States federal government. How's that for un-American? The co-chair of the party at a meeting last year is on video confirming Palin's membership. Palin's husband was a member up until 2002, according to reports.

If that weren't enough, hundreds of her fellow Alaskans showed up for an anti-Palin rally over the weekend. One rally organizer, Angie Doroff, admitted to being worried about Palin's nomination. From the AP/USA Today report:

The wildlife biologist, yoga teacher and artist said she was pleased and surprised at how many people showed up.

"We're not alone. A lot of people are worried about the nomination of Sarah Palin," Doroff said, as cars drove by honking their horns in support.

Barbara Nortion, a rally attendee, talked about Palin's "extreme" positions. More from the report:

Barbara Norton, a 56-year-old midwife, stood near a sign that read, "Alaskan Women for Choice."

"I think America does not understand how absolutely extreme her positions are — even to the right of George Bush and John McCain," Norton said. "She is frightening."

Another female attendee, a 44 year old stay at home mom who actually voted for Palin as Governor, outright called Palin a liar:

Anne Applegate-Scott, a 44-year-old attorney and stay-at-home mom, held a sign that said, "I don't vote for liars." Applegate-Scott said she actually voted for Palin for governor but won't vote for the McCain-Palin ticket. Palin, she thinks, has become a "product" of McCain handlers and won't let her talk to the media.

When she does talk, Applegate-Scott accused Palin of lying about her record.

"She lied about her position on earmarks and building the bridge," Applegate-Scott said referring to the infamous Bridge to Nowhere. "She talks about her being a feminist but it is convenient feminism, it doesn't cost her anything."

These women are like women in the rest of the country which the McCain campaign hopes to attract by using Palin.

Added to the McCain campaign's admission that Palin never visited troops in Iraq as one of her surrogates previously claimed, we have a political situation where the old adage 'death by a thousand cuts' may apply.

Some observers now admit Palin is becoming a very polarizing figure as more information about her record and past associations continue to drip out day by day.  Being only half-way through September with the entire month of October to go, it's not likely these scandals will remain under the radar once the media gets tired of repeating how Palin has "energized the republican base."

Bob Herbert of the New York Times wrote in an article titled "She's Not Ready" (Sept 12):

...I’ve gotten the scary feeling, for the first time in my life, that dimwittedness is not just on the march in the U.S., but that it might actually prevail.

I say, not so fast.

Some say the "cynical" selection of Palin to the GOP ticket could prove to be a mistake once the "shiny" newness wears off and the public begins to see how far to the conservative right she really is. On some issues, she is to the right of even George Bush, critics say.

Herbert goes on to write what many people have been feeling:

Ms. Palin may be a perfectly competent and reasonably intelligent woman (however troubling her views on evolution and global warming may be), but she is not ready to be vice president.

With most candidates for high public office, the question is whether one agrees with them on the major issues of the day. With Ms. Palin, it’s not about agreeing or disagreeing. She doesn’t appear to understand some of the most important issues.

Joan Walsh (Salon. com), appearing on the Rachel Maddow show Friday also said Palin wasn't prepared to be Vice President.

Moreover, neither Barack Obama or Joe Biden would ever in a million years be allowed to get away with half the things Palin has done in just the few weeks she's become a national figure.

Can you imagine the skewering Obama or Biden would get if it appeared he didn't know what the Bush Doctrine was? If he thought Fannie Mae/Freddy Mac were taxpayer-funded? If he was associated with a political party that advocated the succession of a state from the United States of America? They would have had to drop out of the race by now!

Palin appears, for now, to be getting away with things neither of her male counterparts would ever be allowed to get away with. I suppose that form of sexism is acceptable to the McCain camp?

McCain is also on the hook, as he is the one who chose her.  Herbert put it succinctly:

John McCain, who is shameless about promoting himself as America’s ultimate patriot, put the best interests of the nation aside in making his incredibly reckless choice of a running mate.

That about says it all. Try as he may, McCain (or McBush) sought out the endorsement of George Bush and admitted to supporting him some 90% of the time. But will there be consequences for the party which has run this country into the ground? Time will tell.

Source Material:
USA Today
Wall Street Journal
NYTimes
ABC News