Absolutely inspirational.
There is one America, and together we stand on the cusp of the incredible.
Year: 2008
Leave Sarah Palin Alone – Ester Goldberg
Ester Goldberg : The International Glamour puss of all media..wants us to leave Sarah Palin alone…
My favorite line is the reference to The Lord of the Rings. Classic!
Diva Palin ‘Going Rogue’ as McCain Campaign Collapses
With 10 days until Election Day, long-brewing tensions between GOP vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin and key aides to Sen. John McCain have become so intense, they are spilling out in public, sources say.
Several McCain advisers have suggested to CNN that they have become increasingly frustrated with what one aide described as Palin “going rogue.”
A Palin associate, however, said the candidate is simply trying to “bust free” of what she believes was a damaging and mismanaged roll-out.
McCain sources say Palin has gone off-message several times, and they privately wonder whether the incidents were deliberate. They cited an instance in which she labeled robocalls — recorded messages often used to attack a candidate’s opponent — “irritating” even as the campaign defended their use. Also, they pointed to her telling reporters she disagreed with the campaign’s decision to pull out of Michigan.
A second McCain source says she appears to be looking out for herself more than the McCain campaign.
“She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone,” said this McCain adviser. “She does not have any relationships of trust with any of us, her family or anyone else.
“Also, she is playing for her own future and sees herself as the next leader of the party. Remember: Divas trust only unto themselves, as they see themselves as the beginning and end of all wisdom.”
There was a time when I respected John McCain, but he and Palin have built a campaign on lies. In all honesty, there were many strong choices for the vice presidential ticket on the Republican side — as far as Republicans go.
However, McCain invited the diva to the dance, and it’s prima donna all the way to election day.
John McCain Can’t Catch a Break – Brother Calls 911 to Report Traffic
John McCain can’t catch a break: all the news coming from the McCain campaign is bad news these days. From reports that Sarah Palin’s makeup artist is McCain’s highest paid staffer for the first part of October, new reports surface that John McCain’s brother called 911 to complain about traffic.
The brother of presidential candidate Sen. John McCain says he’ll withdraw from campaign activities after calling 911 to complain about traffic. Joe McCain says he’s sorry about the call.
The GOP candidate’s brother, who lives in Alexandria, Va., told Washington radio station WTOP he was returning from a campaign event in Philadelphia around 2 a.m. Saturday when he got stuck in traffic at a bridge.
Frustrated, he called 911 to figure out what was going on. He also called the Alexandria Police Department.
Say it ain’t so, Joe!
For the record, if you had been lucky enough to land the job packing makeup onto Sarah Palin’s face, you would have earned a whopping $22,800 for the first two weeks of October.
Obviously Palin’s $150,000 shopping spree wasn’t enough.
Republicans must be thrilled at this responsible use of campaign funds.
Actress Jennifer Hudson Relatives Slain; Amber Alert Issued for Missing Child
UPDATE FROM THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: A police source said the suspect is in custody and is being questioned. The source said, however, that the boy was not found with the suspect. Police continue to look for the boy.
An amber alter has been issued for seven-year-old Julian King, described by Chicago Police as 5-foot tall, weighs 135 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. King is believed to be the grandson of Darnell Hudson, 57, mother of actress Jennifer Hudson, found slain today in her home along with the actress’ brother, Jason Hudson, 29.
Family members confirmed the reports from the publicist and the medical examiner’s office, saying they have all been told that the victims are Jennifer Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donnerson, and the singer’s brother Jason. Police have not released the identities of the slain, according to the Chicago Tribune.
According to the Chicago Tribune:
The police said that they are searching for a William Balfour as a suspect in the double homicide. They said he is considered to be armed and dangerous, and may be driving a white 1994 Chevrolet Suburban with Illinois license plate No. X584859 or a teal/green Chrysler Concord four-door with a left front headlight hanging out that is scratched all along its left side. The Chrysler is displaying temporary tags of 332K823.
While police identify Balfour as a suspect in the Amber Alert, he has not been charged.
Public records list one of Balfour’s previous addresses as Donnerson’s home.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hudson family.
Woman Fabricated Story About Political Attack
Want to know how to get John McCain and Sarah Palin on the phone?
On Wednesday, Ashley Todd, a 20-year-old college student of College Station, Texas, said she was using an ATM at in Pittsburgh just before 9 p.m. Wednesday when a man approached her and put a knife to her throat. Todd was in Pittsburgh campaigning for John McCain.
Police spokeswoman Diane Richard said Todd told them the robber took $60, then became angry when he saw a McCain bumper sticker on the victim’s car. The attacker then punched and kicked the victim, before using a dull knife to scratch the letter “B” into her face, Richard said.
“She further stated that the male actor approached her from the back again and hit her in the back of her head with an object, she doesn’t know what the object was, causing her to fall to the ground where he continued to punch her and kick her and threaten to ‘teach her a lesson’ for being a McCain supporter,” Richard said.
The story made the national morning shows Thursday. By midmorning, Pittsburgh Police said they were suspicious, and by Friday mid-afternoon, police said Todd had made the whole thing up.
From KDKA (America’s first radio station) in Pittsburgh:
Police say a campaign volunteer confessed to making up a story that a mugger attacked her and cut the letter B in her face after seeing her McCain bumper sticker.
At a news conference this afternoon, officials said they believe that Ashley Todd’s injuries were self-inflicted.
Todd, 20, of Texas, is now facing charges for filing a false report to police.
Todd initially told police that she was robbed at an ATM in Bloomfield and that the suspect became enraged and started beating her after seeing her GOP sticker on her car.
Police investigating the alleged attack, however, began to notice some inconsistencies in her story and administered a polygraph test.
There was more to the story. According to police, Todd also alleged that she was sexually assaulted by this man. While holding her on the ground, he fondled her:
Police spokeswoman, Diane Richard explained,
“She further stated that the male approached her from the back again and hit her in the back of her head with an object, she doesn’t know what the object was, causing her to fall to the ground where he continued to punch her and kick her and threaten to ‘teach her a lesson’ for being a McCain supporter,” Richard said.
“She also indicated she was sexually assaulted as well. She indicated that when he had her on the ground he put his hand up her blouse and started fondling her. But other than that, she says she doesn’t remember anything else. So we’re adding a sexual assault to this as well.”
A Pittsburgh police commander told KDKA Investigator Marty Griffin that Todd confessed to making up the story.
Talk about your blame-it-on-the-black-man 15 minutes of fame.
Here’s what I don’t get. Set aside that we now know that Ms. Todd made the whole thing up, possibly mutilitating herself for effect. Forget for a moment that this is a disturbed young woman who will someday, hopefully, look back on this with rue and wonder, “What the hell was I thinking?”
I simply don’t understand the personal response of two alleged adults from the McCain campaign:
On Thursday, The Obama-Biden campaign released a statement, commenting on the attack. The statement said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the young woman for her to make a speedy recovery, and we hope that the person who perpetrated this crime is swiftly apprehended and brought to justice.”
The McCain-Palin campaign also released a statement saying, “The McCain campaign is aware of the incident involving one of its volunteers. Out of respect, the campaign won’t be commenting. The campaign also confirms that Senator McCain and Governor Palin have both spoken to the woman.”
McCain and Palin both spoke to her? What did they say to Ashley the Liar?
Is that all it takes to get Senator John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin on the phone? Didn’t the candidates think for a minute that this might be a complete fabrication? Did the candidates investigate this situation at all?
They should have called conservative blogger Michelle Malkin first. While I disagree with Malkin’s blanket reprimand to those of us on the left …
And those of you on the left who are now so interested in debunking despicable hate crimes might show a little more skepticism yourselves next time when similar narratives hit the news pages involving politically correct hoaxers who share your politics.
… I agree with her call for a critical eye and restraint when reports like these surface:
Final lesson: Trust your instincts. Use your brains. Stop jumping every time Drudge hypes something in Armageddon-sized font.
Amen to that!
My final thoughts are for Ms. Todd.
Go home to Texas after you’ve answered the charges you now face in Pittsburgh. Get out of the spotlight. Stay away from the media. Get help if you need it. Someday, hopefully, you’ll find that those of us on the left can be pretty forgiving. You’re actually going to need a real job some day soon, and your future employer, who might even be an African American man, will need to look past this.
But, really, what were you thinking?
Scott McClellan Endorses Obama
I almost missed this one. Picked up on it while perusing the Huffington Post:
Scott McClellan, President Bush’s former press secretary, says he is backing Barack Obama for president.
McClellan made the endorsement during a taping of Comedian D.L. Hughley’s new show that is premiering on CNN this weekend. The former Bush administration official said he wanted to support the candidate that has the best chance for changing the way Washington works and getting things done.
McClellan follows Gen. Colin Powell as the second former member of the Bush Administration to endorse the Senator from Illinois.
Maybe I’ll buy his book now.
Barack and Sarah Dancing with the Stars
From the world of fun with Photoshop. Please let me know who to credit.
I have no words or comments for this. I welcome yours.
Bad News for Blago: Less Popular Than Bush
As if it was possible for anyone to be less popular than President Bush, a new Chicago Tribune poll puts Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s popularity at 13%.
The ratings are the lowest ever recorded for an elected politician in almost three decades of Tribune polls.
Blagojevich has a different opinion, considering himself a “great governor” who has “more to do.” But the overwhelming majority of voters asked responded with a resounding “no” when asked if Blago should run again.
Now, the Chicago Tribune is a Republican newspaper. The publisher freely admits that. But any way you slice it, this is bad news for Blago.
Overall, the survey of 500 registered likely voters conducted at the end of last week showed a mere 10 percent said they wanted Blagojevich re-elected in 2010, while three-fourths sahe survey also showed only 13 percent approved of Blagojevich’s job performance, while 71 percent disapproved. Blagojevich’s job approval rate is 5 percentage points lower than that of President George W. Bush, though the president’s disapproval rating is slightly higher.
The survey has an error margin of 4.4 percentage points.id they didn’t want him back for a third term.
On corruption, Blago’s merit almost disappears with that margin of error:
Only 8 percent of the state’s voters believe Blagojevich has lived up to his promise to end corruption in government—the hallmark of his initial election as governor in 2002 after the tenure of scandal-tarred Republican Gov. George Ryan. Three out of four Illinois voters said Blagojevich failed to keep his promise to end corruption in state hiring, contracts and appointments to state boards and commissions.
The poll found voter disapproval of Blagojevich to be even deeper than what Ryan faced during his final weeks in office as investigations swirled around him. In October 2002, a Tribune poll found 23 percent of voters approved of the job Ryan was doing as governor, while 61 percent disapproved. Ryan was convicted on federal corruption charges and is in prison.
Time for Rod to move back to Chicago.
Oh, wait. He never really went to Springfield, did he?
Jon Burge Indicted on Allegations of Torture
Former Chicago police commander Jon Burge was arrested in Florida, “finally,” according to the Sun-Times.
Apparently Burge just saw the seven page indictment when the judge walked in:
Burge put on the glasses, leaned back in his chair and started reading the indictment against him when the judge walked in. The judge asked if he had read the charges against him.
“I just started reading it when you got on the bench, your honor,” Burge answered in a thick Chicago accent.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas B. McCoun III gave him time to read it and explained to him he was charged with crimes “dating back to the city of Chicago police department,” saying the allegations have to do with torture or physical abuse of inmates or detainees.
At that, Burge nodded his head and lifted his hand to indicate he read it.
“John Burge shamed his uniform, and shamed his badge,” U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said at a press conference.
Burge served as a Chicago Police Officer from 1970 until 1993, according to the three-count indictment. The strongest language is in Count One:
During the time that defendant JON BURGE was assigned to Area Two, JON BURGE was present for, and at times participated in, the torture and physical abuse of a person being questioned on one or more occasions. In addition, during the time he worked as the lieutenant supervising Area Two Violent Crimes detectives, JON BURGE was aware that detectives he was supervising engaged in torture and physical abuse of a person being questioned on one or more occasions.
This is a dark day for police in the Chicagoland area. We recognize the overwhelming majority of officers who serve well do justice to the uniform and the badge.
To those few bad apples who may be tempted to act as Burge allegedly did?
Patrick Fitzgerald does not make his move until he’s ready.
You don’t want to be in his sights when he does.