Sarah Palin’s Vetting Problem.
On my first post that surreal morning when I awoke to the news of Sarah Palin’s unlikely choice as VP candidate, before I had even made a cup of coffee, or rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, I said, “Didn’t McCain hire a fact checker?” Was she vetted….at all?
It’s been over 48 hours, and now….seriously…was she vetted at all? The possibility that the answer is no, is almost inconceivable. But we Alaskans have found out that background checks are sometimes optional when hiring important government officials. Just look at Palin’s unlikely and inappropriate choice of Chuck Koppto replace Dept. of Public Safety Chief, Walt Monegan, the center of the “Troopergate” controversy.
As soon as Kopp appeared before the public….literally on day one, something smelled fishy. The revelation of a previous sexual harassment charge and subsequent reprimand and reassignment reared its ugly head. And Alaskans were left asking ourselves, “Didn’t Palin vet this guy?” If she did, obviously not well enough. Kopp’s explanation, after his now iconic denial, “I am not a sex harasser!” was that no one had asked him, so he didn’t volunteer the information…figuring that everyone already knew.
So, is it possible that since no one askedSarah Palin if she was in the middle of an ongoing ethics investigation, she just didn’t feel obligated to volunteer that information? I mean, no one ASKed her if she was, or what the investigation might find, or if there were any other skeletons in her closet that might come out and start dancing in front of the national media. I mean all you’d have to do is read the Anchorage Daily News and there it all is. They obviously knew and it didn’t bother THEM…so….why mention it? And sitting in the private jet, flying out to accept the nomination, did she think “Oooo. It’ll sound really good if I said I stopped that Bridge to Nowhere! I’ll say THAT. No one will check, I bet.”
Because, now, a scant two days after the nomination, the “gates” are already starting to swing open: Troopergate, Bridgegate, and now Babygate. Babygate? I’ve stayed away from this one because, frankly, I don’t know anything for sure, and I don’t want to speculate about the smarmiest of ‘gates’ yet. I’ll leave that to the professionals at the National Enquirer. The rumors, though, say one of two things: either Sarah’s new baby is actually NOT her baby at all, but her 17-year old daughter Bristol’s baby, or the new baby is hers, but Bristol, a senior in high school is now pregnant. Ugh, either way.
If the first case is true, then the grandma governor has been perpetrating a blatant lie on her constituents, and now the world. If the second is true, then what 44-year old woman in her right mind would have travelled so late in her pregnancy and after her water broke and labor had begun, delivered a speech in Texas, boarded an Alaska Airlines flight with a stop-over in Seattle and bypassed the two main Anchorage Hospitals that are minutes from the airport to deliver in the local hospital near her home, almost an hour away by car. In either case, bad judgement.
But now the cleanup crew has started. Palin’s praise of the Obama energy plan that was on her website? Scrubbed. Photos on the website during the time period she was supposedly to have been pregnant? Allegedly scrubbed too. John McCain’s organized vetting team? Supposedly on their way to Alaska right now. (Note to McCain staffers: Vet FIRST…it works out better that way.) The National Enquirer? Supposedly all over this already. Photos of the pregnant (or not) Palin are circulating everywhere. One thing is certain, the rumor mill has started, and there’s no getting this toothpaste back in the tube.
And if it’s true that Palin did not undergo a vetting process, then what are we all to think of a presidential candidate, the oldest ever, with a history of cancer, choosing a running mate he had spoken to only once before offering her the nomination, and not even vetting this candidate? If this is true, then the choice was not ‘bold’ or ‘exciting’ or ‘a maverick choosing a maverick’. It demonstrates not just poor judgement, but recklessness.
Keep watching because the Palin onion is going to be peeled in the national media in the coming weeks, layer by agonizing layer. Welcome to Veepgate.
September 1st, 2008 at 11:30 am
Thank you Alaska Bloggers for being there, and guest posting..This is so how it works. KUDOs on the networking KUDOs on being one of the BEST go to fact based hyperbole free blogs there is – BLUE BLOGGIN does their homework. We need each voice and we need people like yourselves there on the ground.
We the people, working together WILL get this country back on track -
off topic…for coverage video and words..people you MUST go to Democracynow.org FOR THE sights and sounds of the fascism the rethugs and their democratic helpers have brought US – peaceful protest organizers are being surrouded PRE EMPTIVELY and detained. IT is absolutely beyond the pale. like the last RNC only worse in that the machine of suppression is practiced. Look at the protesters , these are not wild eyed radicals with violence on their minds..these are people who care enough to try to utilize our Constitutional rights.
The Palin nomination is laughable on the face of it – and frankly its an insult to women. No matter what side of the political fence one is on – surely a gal with better qualifications to be a heartbeat from the presidency could have been found…which begs the question – for me.
Obviously McPain and Palin are figure heads..do we think that Cheney is really going away ? – WE must must use each day to educate people on civics and hope – a dem house and senate a president with GOOD intentions – may be able to get things to a more Constitutionally sound place for this country.
Personally i am green/socialist but as this empire falls into deeper fascism i cannot be so selfish as to vote my ideals. I will choose and choose happily the so called lesser of two evils of the one business party – because with pressure , with what we have organized over the last 8 yrs – we hold newly elected politician feet to the fire. There is not gonna be armed revolution any time soon. We need to use the mechanisms we have currently to make change..(and that does not preclude local activities such as gift economies, sustainable living projects, etc)
We have a police state NOW ! – the stakes have never been higher. And the fundi’s have had their freakin day , they are bankrupt and need to be told to take it out of political process.
end rant here..oh and use each day , to educate, facilitate voting and to MAKE SURE THE POLLS ARE WATCHED we still have E voting problems.
WE must be prepared for a RE VOTE ! NOT having the Supreme court appoint a president no matter how long that might take…nothing less will do.
September 1st, 2008 at 4:50 pm
ProudP:
Glad you enjoyed the info from Alaska. The RNC has been busy cleaning house during the convention of any protesters. Research groups and even Amy Goodwin was not spared their harassment.
Palin is a shock and an insult to women. McCain must think women can be easily swayed. Hillary is actually pissed at Palin trying to capitalize on her.