The distinction between the Tea Party movement and the official G.O.P. is real, and we ignore it at our peril. While Washington is fixated on the natterings of Mitch McConnell, John Boehner, Michael Steele and the presumed 2012 Republican presidential front-runner, Mitt Romney, these and the other leaders of the Party of No are anathema or irrelevant to most Tea Partiers. Indeed, McConnell, Romney and company may prove largely irrelevant to the overall political dynamic taking hold in America right now. The old G.O.P. guard has no discernible national constituency beyond the scattered, often impotent remnants of aging country club Republicanism. The passion on the right has migrated almost entirely to the Tea Party’s counterconservatism.
The leaders embraced by the new grass roots right are a different slate entirely: Glenn Beck, Ron Paul and Sarah Palin. Simple math dictates that none of this trio can be elected president. As George F. Will recently pointed out, Palin will not even be the G.O.P. nominee “unless the party wants to lose at least 44 states” (as it did in Barry Goldwater’s 1964 Waterloo). But these leaders do have a consistent ideology, and that ideology plays to the lock-and-load nutcases out there, not just to the peaceable (if riled up) populist conservatives also attracted to Tea Partyism. This ideology is far more troubling than the boilerplate corporate conservatism and knee-jerk obstructionism of the anti-Obama G.O.P. Congressional minority.
(I highly recommend that you read the entire article by clicking the title of this post.)
I actually covered some of what Frank Rich writes about the Teabagger movement in my post from January 29th. However he now has the added information provided by the goings on at the Nashville convention and CPAC to flesh out his contention that the group may resort to domestic terrorism to get their voices heard and failing that might even be preparing for an all out civil war.
Personally I don't fear a civil war from these people, but domestic terrorism does not seem a bridge too far for some of these incredibly angry individuals. And if that happens I expect the government to throw Glen Beck, Sean Hannity, and Sarah Palin into prison for inciting violence against their country.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Moore Up North for February 27, 2010.
Part One
For those of you who have been following the Alaska blogs for awhile this may be the first time that you will get a chance to see and hear Ann Strongheart who was a co-founder of the Anonymous Bloggers site over to the left on my blogroll.
She gave many people their first glimpse into what life in rural Alaska is all about. And as many Mudpuppies know all too well she also provided information about how the villages that were so terribly affected by the cold snap and lack of fuel last year responded to the donations that many of you sent.
Part Two
This panel of Alaska's first people helps those of us living in cities and outside of Alaska a real understanding of what it means to live a "subsistence" lifestyle.
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
For those of you who have been following the Alaska blogs for awhile this may be the first time that you will get a chance to see and hear Ann Strongheart who was a co-founder of the Anonymous Bloggers site over to the left on my blogroll.
She gave many people their first glimpse into what life in rural Alaska is all about. And as many Mudpuppies know all too well she also provided information about how the villages that were so terribly affected by the cold snap and lack of fuel last year responded to the donations that many of you sent.
Part Two
This panel of Alaska's first people helps those of us living in cities and outside of Alaska a real understanding of what it means to live a "subsistence" lifestyle.
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Teabagger convention speaker, and out of the closet racist, Tom Tancredo does not love Sarah Palin anymore.
In an interview with NRC Handelsblad, he (Tancredo) talked about the Tea Party movement, senator John McCain and Sarah Palin, the former vice-presidential candidate and a heroine of the movement.
After her speech at the Nashville convention, Palin said she is considering a run for the presidency in 2012. Tancredo however, does not believe she is fit for the presidency.
"I really don’t have this feeling about her as being presidential," he Tancredo said. "I don’t know what it is exactly. I don’t know if the issues really are that difficult for her or not.”
He questions if she has what it takes, and whether she really wants it. “As governor of the state of Alaska, she doesn’t have all that kind of experience. She can get better. But I don’t know if she is really looking to do it.’’
It could all be a commercial thing, just a way to sell books?
“Sure. Make a lot of money and stay in the mix. I think that’s a great idea.’’
John McCain has brought over his former running mate to campaign for him in Arizona, where the Tea Party movement is challenging his seat in the Senate.
She will campaign against J.D. Hayworth, a friend of yours who is on your side in the immigration debate. What does that tell you about Palin?
“That tells me she is a Republican. I am not. I mean, I am a member of that party and that will always stay that way. But to me it’s only a mechanism, a way to get on the ballot and all that. But she is a real Republican.’’
She has to do this to rise in the party ranks?
“I think so.’’
So she is just as much an unprincipled politician as all the rest of them?
“To a large extent.’’
And you still love her?
“I didn’t say that!’’
Well, in your Tea Party speech you pointed out that she could finally say all those wonderful things now she’s free from McCain.
“I said: ‘Now she can tell it like it is.’ And she chooses not to.’’
So at the end of the day you are not that fond of her?
“You are right. I was much fonder of her before she chose to get involved in the McCain thing. She didn’t have to do it.’’
After her speech at the Nashville convention, Palin said she is considering a run for the presidency in 2012. Tancredo however, does not believe she is fit for the presidency.
"I really don’t have this feeling about her as being presidential," he Tancredo said. "I don’t know what it is exactly. I don’t know if the issues really are that difficult for her or not.”
He questions if she has what it takes, and whether she really wants it. “As governor of the state of Alaska, she doesn’t have all that kind of experience. She can get better. But I don’t know if she is really looking to do it.’’
It could all be a commercial thing, just a way to sell books?
“Sure. Make a lot of money and stay in the mix. I think that’s a great idea.’’
John McCain has brought over his former running mate to campaign for him in Arizona, where the Tea Party movement is challenging his seat in the Senate.
She will campaign against J.D. Hayworth, a friend of yours who is on your side in the immigration debate. What does that tell you about Palin?
“That tells me she is a Republican. I am not. I mean, I am a member of that party and that will always stay that way. But to me it’s only a mechanism, a way to get on the ballot and all that. But she is a real Republican.’’
She has to do this to rise in the party ranks?
“I think so.’’
So she is just as much an unprincipled politician as all the rest of them?
“To a large extent.’’
And you still love her?
“I didn’t say that!’’
Well, in your Tea Party speech you pointed out that she could finally say all those wonderful things now she’s free from McCain.
“I said: ‘Now she can tell it like it is.’ And she chooses not to.’’
So at the end of the day you are not that fond of her?
“You are right. I was much fonder of her before she chose to get involved in the McCain thing. She didn’t have to do it.’’
The Republicans are abandoning her, the teabaggers are abandoning her, her own inner circle is abandoning her, how much longer can it be before Sarah Palin finds that the only people left who will listen to her speak are Piper, and the "retarded baby". (Sarah calls him that , not me.)
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Rupert Murdoch calls in Bill O'Reilly and "pollster" Frank Luntz to provide cover for yet another Palin misstep.
The first thing to address is whether or not Frank Luntz actually gathered a group of people that is representative of Obama voters. I am guessing not. And by the way WHY did they cut it off before the graph supposedly demonstrated how hateful the Obama voters were?
The guy is well known for consistently skewing his data to reinforce the conclusions that Fox News pays him to reinforce. He is the guy who penned the memo that Republicans are using to try and kill the health care bill, and there is NOTHING bipartisan about his tactics. So let us get THAT out of the way right off the top.
As I have addressed before the Family Guy episode was NOT aimed at Trig Palin. It contained one very slight dig at Sarah Palin, which SHE decided to capitalize on to, once again, play the victim. Only this time she was even too cowardly to do it herself, and had her daughter Bristol do the dirty work for her.
Even the actress who played the part, a person with Down syndrome herself, understood the target of the joke.
The only thing that is shown by this little act that Luntz and O'Reilly put on is that News Corp is still dedicated to cleaning up the messes that Sarah Palin makes in order to keep her from imploding before they have squeezed all of the potential revenue from of her appearances on Fox. After all Rupert Murdoch has made a sizable investment in Ms. Palin and, even though she is getting more batshit crazy by the day, he still stands to make a tidy sum from her in the next several months.
Personally I want very much to be a fly on the wall at Fox News when we prove that Sarah did not give birth to her magical, popularity producing toddler. I wonder if MSNBC could sneak a camera in there on the big day?
And as for Luntz's ridiculous assertion that when it comes to Sarah Palin conservatives are more compassionate than liberals, I have to correct him. It is not that we are less compassionate, it is that we are less easy to fool. You see, unlike conservatives, when a woman puts a pillow under her scarf and tells us she is seven months pregnant and then produces a borrowed child to prove that she was not lying, liberals tend to be a tad skeptical.
After all, as my previous post illustrates, we ARE the intelligent ones.
Liberals have higher IQ's than conservatives. Yeah like I needed a study to tell me that!
Evolutionary psychologist Satoshi Kanazawa at the the London School of Economics and Political Science correlated data on these behaviors with IQ from a large national U.S. sample and found that, on average, people who identified as liberal and atheist had higher IQs. This applied also to sexual exclusivity in men, but not in women. The findings will be published in the March 2010 issue of Social Psychology Quarterly.
The IQ differences, while statistically significant, are not stunning -- on the order of 6 to 11 points -- and the data should not be used to stereotype or make assumptions about people, experts say. But they show how certain patterns of identifying with particular ideologies develop, and how some people's behaviors come to be.
Well that is very satisfying to read now isn't it?
So what about religion?
Religion, the current theory goes, did not help people survive or reproduce necessarily, but goes along the lines of helping people to be paranoid, Kanazawa said. Assuming that, for example, a noise in the distance is a signal of a threat helped early humans to prepare in case of danger.
"It helps life to be paranoid, and because humans are paranoid, they become more religious, and they see the hands of God everywhere," Kanazawa said.
Participants who said they were atheists had an average IQ of 103 in adolescence, while adults who said they were religious averaged 97, the study found. Atheism "allows someone to move forward and speculate on life without any concern for the dogmatic structure of a religion," Bailey said.
"Historically, anything that's new and different can be seen as a threat in terms of the religious beliefs; almost all religious systems are about permanence," he noted.
Seeing things that are new and different as a threat may have much to do with why many conservatives are so freaked out by having Obama in the White House.
I do have to disagree with one point made in this article.
I have read extensively about the origins and purpose of religion, and have come to believe that it DID play a significant role in the survival and dominance of humankind.
The idea of religion provided people with the belief that they were entitled to the rewards found on this planet, and that other creatures, or even fellow humans of a different ethnicity or faith, were not favored by their God(s) and therefore less worthy of survival. This feeling of exclusivity kept early humans in closely knit groups which were more than willing to fight and die for their tribe and their God(s).
It also impacted reproduction in that many religions contain very strong language encouraging large families and instructing followers to only mate with other members of their faith. In terms of competition for food and the ability to defend themselves, having larger numbers served to ensure the survival of people, and the religion provided a conduit through which they all felt connected. Religion also promised rewards in the afterlife for those who died protecting those who shared their faith making it easier to find warriors willing to sacrifice their life for the good of those in their religious community.
Other than that small disagreement I find this study to fall right in line with many of the opinions that I have formed over the years.
The IQ differences, while statistically significant, are not stunning -- on the order of 6 to 11 points -- and the data should not be used to stereotype or make assumptions about people, experts say. But they show how certain patterns of identifying with particular ideologies develop, and how some people's behaviors come to be.
Well that is very satisfying to read now isn't it?
So what about religion?
Religion, the current theory goes, did not help people survive or reproduce necessarily, but goes along the lines of helping people to be paranoid, Kanazawa said. Assuming that, for example, a noise in the distance is a signal of a threat helped early humans to prepare in case of danger.
"It helps life to be paranoid, and because humans are paranoid, they become more religious, and they see the hands of God everywhere," Kanazawa said.
Participants who said they were atheists had an average IQ of 103 in adolescence, while adults who said they were religious averaged 97, the study found. Atheism "allows someone to move forward and speculate on life without any concern for the dogmatic structure of a religion," Bailey said.
"Historically, anything that's new and different can be seen as a threat in terms of the religious beliefs; almost all religious systems are about permanence," he noted.
Seeing things that are new and different as a threat may have much to do with why many conservatives are so freaked out by having Obama in the White House.
I do have to disagree with one point made in this article.
I have read extensively about the origins and purpose of religion, and have come to believe that it DID play a significant role in the survival and dominance of humankind.
The idea of religion provided people with the belief that they were entitled to the rewards found on this planet, and that other creatures, or even fellow humans of a different ethnicity or faith, were not favored by their God(s) and therefore less worthy of survival. This feeling of exclusivity kept early humans in closely knit groups which were more than willing to fight and die for their tribe and their God(s).
It also impacted reproduction in that many religions contain very strong language encouraging large families and instructing followers to only mate with other members of their faith. In terms of competition for food and the ability to defend themselves, having larger numbers served to ensure the survival of people, and the religion provided a conduit through which they all felt connected. Religion also promised rewards in the afterlife for those who died protecting those who shared their faith making it easier to find warriors willing to sacrifice their life for the good of those in their religious community.
Other than that small disagreement I find this study to fall right in line with many of the opinions that I have formed over the years.
Earthquake of 8.8 magnitude devastates Chile.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
A massive magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck Chile early Saturday, killing at least 85 people, triggering a tsunami and damaging buildings more than 200 miles away.
President Michelle Bachelet declared a "state of catastrophe".
This is absolutely terrible. First Haiti and now this.
Bill Maher explains the Teabagger movement on last week's Real Time.
Yeah I think that about sums it up.
Friday, February 26, 2010
South Dakota legislators give stupid a bad name.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
See actually these guys are brilliant. They knew that all they had to do was string a bunch of sciency-like words together, that all ended in "logical", and people would not notice that the resolution they just passed did not make any damn sense. Especially if those "people" had the misfortune of getting their education from the South Dakota school district.Let me guess. The people of South Dakota just LOVE Sarah Palin, don't they?
Rex Butler says Levi ready to pay child support, will write check within the week.
"The judge decided that Bristol should have child support, which we don't disagree with," Butler told the ABC News Law and Justice Unit. "Fortunately, Levi has put this money aside a long time ago. The back support is going to come out to about $10,000 to $13,000, and he's going to write Bristol a check."Butler confirmed that Johnston's saved funds came in part from modeling, particularly a much-publicized spread in Playgirl, but said the most important matter going forward was "whether to seek full custody, split custody or whether Levi will be satisfied with reasonable visitation."
"I think split custody is the best of these," Butler said.
As I said before, the multiple reports that Levi had to pay up $18,500 in back child support were bullshit. Those were based on Van Flein demands of $1,700 a month. It does not look like the judge believed that number was fair.
Personally I think the judge kept the amount way too high as it appears she is still asking for excess of $1,ooo per month from Levi. I don't believe he will have the funds to pay that sum for long, unless he makes a book deal. It seems insane that Palin would push him to do so. (Whoops I almost forgot who I was talking about!)
Of course right now Van Flein is happy with this early victory.
Thomans Van Flein, attorney for Bristol Palin, told ABC News he and Bristol were pleased with Thursday's outcome.
"Bristol is pleased with the rulings from the court today. While pleased that the judge applied settled Alaska Child Support and Discovery Law in her favor, she is most pleased to have this process moving forward. She anticipates now resolving the few issues remaining between her and Levi."
Yeah you just wait buddy, I am none to sure things are going to turn out the way you anticipate.
I really like this parting shot from Rex Butler by the way.
When asked about Palin's upcoming role in the hit show, Butler told ABC News, "We are glad to see that she got some work. This will mean she has some income and will be more independent of her mother, and that's a good thing. And this could change some things between her and Levi."
Nice.
Sarah Palin responds to questions about Teabaggers whilst standing in a Wasilla Winter Wonderland and giving the ghost of Ronald Reagan a handjob.
Nice to know that if you are NOT a Teabagger you don't believe in freedom. So I guess freedom from joining a particular movement is not an AMERICAN freedom. Good to know. I should probably write that down. Can I borrow your hand Sarah?
"Take over the Republican party Tea Partiers!" Because you know nothing says "democracy" like a hostile take over of a political organization.
I do like one of her often repeated statements however "Hey bottom line, we win, you lose."
Perhaps somebody needs to remind her that in the last election Obama won, and she and her and her creepy old uncle lost. And the reason they lost is because when the Republican were in power they damn near destroyed the very foundation of our country.
And THAT, by the way, is what the Teabaggers are REALLY pissed off about, which they could possibly see if they would stop focusing for a minute on the fact that President Obama is a black guy.
Does anybody else think that Palin looks a little high strung and agitated? Gee I wonder what could possibly be bothering her?
By the way there is really not that much of a delay between the question and the answer when being interviewed in Alaska from the lower forty eight. However if Palin has not had time to write the answers on her hands it takes her an extra few seconds to decide which memorized conservative talking point to vomit forth.
"Less taxes!"
"Freedom!"
"Common sense"
"Smaller government!"
And if she can't come up with anything she just licks her botox deadened lips and whispers "Reagan". That is political porn to the viewers of Fox News.
By the way do you know WHO believes that fixing this government is "not all that complicated"? People who have no earthly idea of how complicated it is to fix our government!. And there is nothing "common" about the "sense" it takes to get America out of the ditch the Republicans drove this nation into.
Update: The Daily Beast has Palin defending her hand notes during this same interview.
See kids? It makes perfect "common sense" and does NOT mean that Sarah Palin is a moron. She is just demonstrating how simple and poorly thought out she believes the message for winning candidates has to be.
And yes, she is VERY agitated.
The Daily Show mines comedy gold from the Bipartisan Health Care Reform Summit.
Part One
Part Two
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Bipartisan Health Care Reform Summit 2010 | ||||
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Part Two
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Bipartisan Health Care Reform Summit 2010 - Government Unity | ||||
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Thursday, February 25, 2010
Come one, come all, to the "Shannyn Moore Show Fundraiser"!
Let's take a moment away from dealing with the Palin family train wreck to help the lovely Shannyn Moore raise some money to keep her remarkably informative and always entertaining program on the air.Event: Shannyn Moore Show Fundraiser "A grassroots way to raise money for a grassroots progressive show."
What: Fundraiser
Start Time: Friday, February 26 at 5:30pm
End Time: Friday, February 26 at 7:00pm
Where: Cafe Del Mundo at 341 E. Benson
I will be there, along with our host Shannyn Moore, AKMuckraker, and a number of our other amazing Alaskan bloggers.
So come on over and say hi. Don't worry we don't bite.
Okay well sometimes.
Update: Okay I just got off the phone with Shanny.
This fundraiser is for her radio show. And essentially what she is trying to do is to kick of an ad campaign and to raise funds to buy a piece of equipment that will allow her to do live broadcasts on location.
In order to talk KUDO into putting a local progressive on the air Shannyn had to pay for her time slot herself and then find advertisers.
This show is the ONLY truly progressive radio show in town and we need to support it to keep it on the air. Once this one builds a solid audience we may finally see more progressive shows make it to the airwaves and wouldn't it be nice our radios were not so clogged with conservative talking points all day every say?
Update 2: For thsoe of you who want to donate but cannot attend, please go to Shannyn's site "Just a Girl from Homer" and look up on the right hand side for her DONATE button.
Johnston/Palin custody trial to start September 23. Levi Johnston a no show at today's hearing.
Bristol Palin, the 19-year-old daughter of Sarah Palin, attended a 20-minute child support hearing in Palmer Superior Court, but the father of her son did not appear.
Levi Johnston, Bristol Palin's former fiance and current Playgirl model, also did not participate by phone Thursday.
The judge told Johnston's lawyer it would have been better if Johnston had participated.
Bristol Palin is seeking nearly $1,700 a month in child support. Palin's lawyer is seeking to subpoena Playgirl and media outlets to find out how much Johnston made last year.
The judge set a trial date for Sept. 23, but encouraged the two young people to work out child support before then.
The judge encouraged Johnston's lawyer to get his client's financial information to the court and said it was past due.
I am trying to find out why Levi did not make it to the hearing, but so far no nothing.
However I also was not able to make it due to a snowstorm that is currently burying Anchorage. I made it out of town but it took so long, and the roads were so bad, that I knew I would never make it in time.
Anyhow that is a possible reason for Levi's absence. I hope it is something simple like that and not because of recent events.
Update: Levi did not show up based on his lawyer's advice. He was told it was just so the lawyers could agree on a court date for the beginning of the custody trial and that his attendance was not required.
I don't think his absence is in anyway a reflection on his desire to fight for custody of Tripp.
As for a poor reflection on his lawyers judgement? Well that is an entirely different story altogether.
Update: Like I said the amount of child support has yet to be determined. THIS is what Sarah Palin wants her to ask for.
Bristol Palin is seeking nearly $1,700 a month in child support to care for their son, Tripp. She had asked for retroactive payments to the boy's birth, or $19,232 total. That does not include $4,400 Johnston has already paid in child support.
However the judge is still deciding and waiting for Levi to get his financial records to the court.
The court is determining the amount of child support based on Johnston's adjusted gross income, which is estimated between $100,000 and $105,000. Johnston has said his income from the entertainment field can be erratic.
The judge on Thursday encouraged Butler to get his client's financial information to the court, saying it was past due. She granted issuing subpoenas to get that information.
And like some of you I am not sure why Rex did not ask for a temporary visitation schedule so that Levi can see his boy. I hope that does not mean that Levi has to beg for scraps of time from the Palin table to see Tripp while waiting for September 23 to roll around . I went through a divorce when my daughter was about Tripp's age and if I had not been allowed to see her for weeks at a time it would have crushed me.
Levi Johnston, Bristol Palin's former fiance and current Playgirl model, also did not participate by phone Thursday.
The judge told Johnston's lawyer it would have been better if Johnston had participated.
Bristol Palin is seeking nearly $1,700 a month in child support. Palin's lawyer is seeking to subpoena Playgirl and media outlets to find out how much Johnston made last year.
The judge set a trial date for Sept. 23, but encouraged the two young people to work out child support before then.
The judge encouraged Johnston's lawyer to get his client's financial information to the court and said it was past due.
I am trying to find out why Levi did not make it to the hearing, but so far no nothing.
However I also was not able to make it due to a snowstorm that is currently burying Anchorage. I made it out of town but it took so long, and the roads were so bad, that I knew I would never make it in time.
Anyhow that is a possible reason for Levi's absence. I hope it is something simple like that and not because of recent events.
Update: Levi did not show up based on his lawyer's advice. He was told it was just so the lawyers could agree on a court date for the beginning of the custody trial and that his attendance was not required.
I don't think his absence is in anyway a reflection on his desire to fight for custody of Tripp.
As for a poor reflection on his lawyers judgement? Well that is an entirely different story altogether.
Update: Like I said the amount of child support has yet to be determined. THIS is what Sarah Palin wants her to ask for.
Bristol Palin is seeking nearly $1,700 a month in child support to care for their son, Tripp. She had asked for retroactive payments to the boy's birth, or $19,232 total. That does not include $4,400 Johnston has already paid in child support.
However the judge is still deciding and waiting for Levi to get his financial records to the court.
The court is determining the amount of child support based on Johnston's adjusted gross income, which is estimated between $100,000 and $105,000. Johnston has said his income from the entertainment field can be erratic.
The judge on Thursday encouraged Butler to get his client's financial information to the court, saying it was past due. She granted issuing subpoenas to get that information.
And like some of you I am not sure why Rex did not ask for a temporary visitation schedule so that Levi can see his boy. I hope that does not mean that Levi has to beg for scraps of time from the Palin table to see Tripp while waiting for September 23 to roll around . I went through a divorce when my daughter was about Tripp's age and if I had not been allowed to see her for weeks at a time it would have crushed me.
The Daily Show covers the Winter Olympics...with scorn and ridicule.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| You're Welcome - Winter Olympics | ||||
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Is it bad that I kind of view the Winter Olypics like John Hodgman?
I also prefer to watch the summer games. You know with sports that I have actually have participated in my life.
Yes I know I live in Alaska, but I just never really did the winter sport thing. Shh don't tell anybody, they might ask me to leave.
Geoffrey Dunn is simply not buying Meg Stapleton's excuse for leaping off of the Sarah Palin bandwagon.
In what was a truly disgusting bit of reporting today in Politico, news puppy Andy Barr, a shameless apologist for Palin these past 16 months, confirmed the rumor that Stapleton, Palin's longtime "spokesperson" and political assassin, was departing her $96,000-a-year position as a consultant to SarahPAC, though Barr never managed to set any of the significant facts in place.
Instead, Barr spun it exactly as Stapleton wanted it woven--as a move "to spend more time with her husband and 2-year-old daughter, Isabella."
Perhaps you'd also like to buy some land from young Andy in Florida.
Geoffrey has been writing his book "The Lies of Sarah Palin: The Untold Story Behind her Relentless Quest for Power" for many, many months now, and may know as much, if not more, than even the Alaska bloggers about the skeletons in Palin's closet.
He also knows quite a bit about Meghan Stapleton and how viciously she defended her boss and how aggressively she went after those who dared call Palin out on her bullshit.
Anyhow if you click the title of this post Geoffrey will give you a behind the scenes tour of Meg Stapleton's scorched earth approach to protecting the ex-governor.
And while we are on the topic of Sarah I cannot resist adding this absolutely stunning smackdown from Jeb Bush:
Bush praises her “charisma” but then says that she needs to add to this “some depth of understanding of the complexity of life”. She has an “innate ability to communicate and connect with folks” but seems to feel that that’s pretty much it. If she could build on that with, er, understanding of and insight into the world then she could be an “incredible candidate”.
That may be one of the gentlest way I have ever heard anybody say: "Oh that woman is an idiot!"
By the way, for those keeping score, Palin has still not said one word about Stapleton's departure.
Instead, Barr spun it exactly as Stapleton wanted it woven--as a move "to spend more time with her husband and 2-year-old daughter, Isabella."
Perhaps you'd also like to buy some land from young Andy in Florida.
Geoffrey has been writing his book "The Lies of Sarah Palin: The Untold Story Behind her Relentless Quest for Power" for many, many months now, and may know as much, if not more, than even the Alaska bloggers about the skeletons in Palin's closet.
He also knows quite a bit about Meghan Stapleton and how viciously she defended her boss and how aggressively she went after those who dared call Palin out on her bullshit.
Anyhow if you click the title of this post Geoffrey will give you a behind the scenes tour of Meg Stapleton's scorched earth approach to protecting the ex-governor.
And while we are on the topic of Sarah I cannot resist adding this absolutely stunning smackdown from Jeb Bush:
Bush praises her “charisma” but then says that she needs to add to this “some depth of understanding of the complexity of life”. She has an “innate ability to communicate and connect with folks” but seems to feel that that’s pretty much it. If she could build on that with, er, understanding of and insight into the world then she could be an “incredible candidate”.
That may be one of the gentlest way I have ever heard anybody say: "Oh that woman is an idiot!"
By the way, for those keeping score, Palin has still not said one word about Stapleton's departure.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
A follow up post about the mystery surrounding little Trig with some new information and observations.
Here we see the first images ever taken of Trig Palin.
First in the corridor of the hospital with Sarah's parents on April 18, 2008.
First in the corridor of the hospital with Sarah's parents on April 18, 2008.
And then later the next week sometime between Monday the 21st and Wednesday the 23rd.
Here let's get a better look with a closeup.
Isn't he cute? Just look at those chubby cheeks.
Now the next time we see a baby identified as Trig Palin it is in these now famous photos from the Palin's kitchen .
Some of you may remember that the caption read "Mommy InLaw Trig an Myself"
This is a picture of Mercede with Trig and Bristol and the caption read "Family Love".
Originally this picture first showed up on the Tyra Banks show. I have recently learned that all of these Palin kitchen photographs were taken by Sherry Johnston on Saturday May 3rd, which was Levi's birthday.
It was the very next day, Sunday May 4th, that the pictures from the Kristan Cole hosted baby shower were taken.
Now if you go back to the top and take a very careful look at the baby held, first by Grandma and Grandpa Heath, and later by Sarah with Todd, you may notice how chubby that baby's cheeks are. Now compare that with the pictures of the "ruffled ear" baby that appeared in the Palin kitchen. Did this baby go on the Atkins diet in the week between the hospital on April 18, and the Palin's kitchen on May 3rd?
For me this evidence is not as definitive as the cauliflower ear, but the change in weight is certainly striking and yet another clue to consider when piecing together exactly what happened in the first few weeks after Trig's "birth".
Also keep in mind that the only pictures we have that show the "ruffled" ear were taken on one weekend in May. Both before that, and after that, we do not yet have ANY other pictures that reveal the damaged helix.
So the questions remain, who is the "ruffled ear" baby? How come he does not appear in any photographs today? Was he the same baby shown back in April? And if he is not, who is THAT baby? And just how many babies do the Palin's have access to?
Gee I wonder if Meg knows?
Or maybe, like Phil Munger suggests, the person who really needs to step forward is Dr. Cathy Baldwin-Johnson.
Update: Some of you have brought up the fact that babies can lose weight after they are born and this is indeed true, so of course I asked a doctor about that during my preparation for these posts. I think the majority of you know what his response was. Don't forget that this is supposed to be a baby that is born a MONTH PREMATURE.
And for the person who suggested I am leaving breadcrumbs, you my friend go to the head of the class.
Also keep in mind that I am writing for at least two very distinct audiences. Some of the things that might seem easy to dismiss, or innocuous, to some, are freaking other people out of their minds. Count on it.
Update 2: It looks like Ozmud was already on this case back in December.
Palin mouthpiece Meg Stapleton has had enough! Update.
Stapleton said she resigned to spend more time with her husband and 2-year-old daughter, Isabella.“While it has been an honor to help Gov. Palin and her family over the last few years, I am also honored to have this incredible opportunity to stay home with my precious miracle, Isabella,” Stapleton told POLITICO. “At 2 years old, I have missed significant moments in her life, but I look forward with great happiness to celebrating milestones as well as mundane moments with her as I refocus my priorities. I also look forward to seeing my saint-of-a-husband again, too!” (To read the rest of Politico's post just click the title.)
Wow! So Meg has FINALLY decided to get to while the getting is good huh?
“Meg has been deeply involved in all things Palin and instrumental in Sarah's many successes,” Fred Malek, a prominent Republican fundraiser and Palin friend, told POLITICO. “It’s hard to replace anyone so loyal, tireless and effective, but the Palin phenomenon will continue. Meg has surely earned the privilege to devote more time to her 2-year-old daughter, but I expect she will continue to render advice to her good friend on key issues.
It appears that Meg handed in her resignation last week.
In an e-mail to the staff last week, she wrote: “Earlier this week, I handed Governor Palin my resignation, effective the end of this month.”
No wonder nobody has spoken out about the "ruffled ear" story. Who will Palin get to be her attack poodle now?
Update: It is definitely worth noting that there is NOTHING about Meg's resignation from the Palin camp. Not on Twitter, not on Facebook, nowhere!
Not to be TOO conspiratorial here, but if Meg really notified her boss that she was leaving don't you think there would a prepared statement ready to go out the day that it was reported to the media? I mean exactly what is Sarah paying all of those consultants and ghostwriters for?
Update 2: For those speculating that "ruffled ear" baby is Meg's, you should know that Isabella was born on July 1. 2007. Doesn't work.
Update 3: It looks like there kinda...sorta...might be a response from the Palin camp about this resignation. Go down to the bottom.
I especially like this part: The source noted that the family, which takes pride in their Alaskan identity, are comfortable speaking in their own voice.
Palin is going to speak in her own voice? Well THAT should work out well for her. Oh well, that was just mean now wasn't it?
Update 4: Just in case there are some of you who may not really know and despise Meg Stapleton yet, let's take a trip in the wayback machine to October of 2008. This was in the middle of the Troopergate investigation.
Les Gara rocked didn't he?
Jeanne Devon (AKMuckraker) has a wonderful article up on Huffington Post about Bristol Palin's upcoming television debut.
So, Bristol Palin, one of those Palin children we were all admonished never to talk about because the former VP candidate's family life was nobody's damn business, is now going to star in a TV show. Yes, an actual episode that the whole country can see by simply pressing a button. It's called "The Secret Life of the American Teenager." Secret? Presumably the creators of the show feel that the more people that watch and talk about this show the better. One button, and Poof! It's Bristol in our living room.
Are we allowed to talk about it yet?
"Why does anyone even care about this Why is this news?" Bristol was purported to have cried to her mother over the phone when her pregnancy was discovered during the 2008 campaign and instantly became national news. The McCain campaign, in a desperate effort to "legitimize" the unplanned pregnancy, sent an airplane to pluck the baby daddy off a mountain where he was stalking sheep, hose him off and stick him in a new suit for the "we're getting married" tour on the campaign trail. He wasn't thrilled, but America was, and that's all that mattered. (To read the rest just click the title.)
Those of us in Alaska have become a little immune to hypocrisy after dealing with Sarah Palin for so long. However based on how uber-defensive the Palin's are when it comes to their kids, and how dismissive Sarah was of Levi's potential career in the entertainment field, this has taken hypocrisy to a whole new level. And that is really saying something when it comes to Sarah Palin and her band of Wasilla-billy misfits!
Update: If you like that you will probably like THIS jab at Palin hypocrisy as well. Here is a taste:
Bristol Palin is our hero. She’s living proof that unplanned teenage pregnancy can be crazy lucrative.
Forget school or on-the-job training. Bristol Palin knows only too well that the best way to get ahead in life is to drop your knickers and have as much unprotected sex as possible.
Ouch! Well I hope that Bristol develops a thicker skin than her mother because if she is going to put herself out there like this she needs to expect this kind of reaction. I remember how quickly she folded under the criticism over her Candies ambassador gig, so I don't have a lot of confidence in the longevity of her new acting career.
Are we allowed to talk about it yet?
"Why does anyone even care about this Why is this news?" Bristol was purported to have cried to her mother over the phone when her pregnancy was discovered during the 2008 campaign and instantly became national news. The McCain campaign, in a desperate effort to "legitimize" the unplanned pregnancy, sent an airplane to pluck the baby daddy off a mountain where he was stalking sheep, hose him off and stick him in a new suit for the "we're getting married" tour on the campaign trail. He wasn't thrilled, but America was, and that's all that mattered. (To read the rest just click the title.)
Those of us in Alaska have become a little immune to hypocrisy after dealing with Sarah Palin for so long. However based on how uber-defensive the Palin's are when it comes to their kids, and how dismissive Sarah was of Levi's potential career in the entertainment field, this has taken hypocrisy to a whole new level. And that is really saying something when it comes to Sarah Palin and her band of Wasilla-billy misfits!
Update: If you like that you will probably like THIS jab at Palin hypocrisy as well. Here is a taste:
Bristol Palin is our hero. She’s living proof that unplanned teenage pregnancy can be crazy lucrative.
Forget school or on-the-job training. Bristol Palin knows only too well that the best way to get ahead in life is to drop your knickers and have as much unprotected sex as possible.
Ouch! Well I hope that Bristol develops a thicker skin than her mother because if she is going to put herself out there like this she needs to expect this kind of reaction. I remember how quickly she folded under the criticism over her Candies ambassador gig, so I don't have a lot of confidence in the longevity of her new acting career.
MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan lays the smackdown on Joe "You Lie" Wilson over health care in America.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
I have said it before, Dylan Ratigan is not one of my favorite MSNBC hosts.
I find him abrasive and a little belligerent sometimes, but damn watching him call Joe Wilson on his BS is awesome!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Is Sarah Palin going to help the Democrats win elections?
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
"A horror flick starring Sarah Palin."
Please tell me she is the one the creature devours first!
Oh wait! I think SHE is the creature!
"The Tale of Two Babies" the YouTube version!
This is courtesy of a new fan of this blog.
Don'tcha just love the music?
Sarah Palin's favorite teabagger centerfold has decided that he wants to vote with the Democrats. Do you think that will be a problem?
At about 6pm the office of Scott Brown, the new Republican Senator from Massachusetts, put out a short press release saying he would be voting with the Democrats on a $15 billion (£9.7 billion) job creation Bill heavily promoted by President Obama.
Two veteran Republican Senators went in search of Mr Brown and tried to change his mind. They failed. He took his newcomer’s seat in the back of the Senate chamber and waited for Senator Harry Reid, a Democrat, to finish his pitch for the jobs Bill with a ritual taunt of Republicans who he assumed were “looking for ways not to vote for this”. Mr Brown then confounded Mr Reid by voting “yes” and told the instant throng of reporters that gathered round him as he emerged from the chamber: “I’m not from round here. I’m from Massachusetts”.
What? The guy that the both the Republicans and teabaggers claim is a game changer and indicates the end of the Democratic party has voted with the Dems? Quick somebody check to see if Rush Limbaugh's head has exploded (But then again how could we tell?)
Un-surprisingly some of Brown's more...shall we say....excitable supporters were very, very perturbed. This from Huffington Post.
Over at Scott Brown's Facebook page, the mood is much the same, probably because David Broder hasn't written a column yet telling America that the jobs in this jobs bill are so much more awesome than the jobs that came before them because they are "bipartisan." Some of Brown's fans are giving him some support, but the lion's share of comments read like "LYING LOW LIFE SCUM HYPOCRITE!" and "What a bummer dude. We didn't need another Olympia Snowe," and "BROWN, YOU JUST REMEMBER YOU DOUCHEBAG...WE ARE WATCHING YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! AND YOU FAILED AT THE FIRST CHANCE...YOU SCUM SUCKING ASS!!! GUESS MY 10-15 HOUR WORK DAYS WILL HELP PAY FOR THIS TOTAL BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!"
Wow! And I thought people were pretty mad at ME yesterday! What I got was nothing compared to the vitriol aimed in this poor bastard's direction.
Well you know what comes next don't you Senator Brown? Oh yes you do! You just wait until Sarah Palin can get that lazy Facebook ghostwriter back on the job, then my friend you are in for such a Facebook ass kicking you will not be able to walk straight for a month!
Well that is if she and Todd can stop stressing about the Trig ear problem for a few minutes that is.
All hail the glory that is Sarah Palin.
I have been a little tough on Palin and her supporters lately. I hope this will smooth things over.
You know the scary thing is that THIS is exactly how her followers see her.
(H/T to the artist who created and e-mailed this image to me.)
You know the scary thing is that THIS is exactly how her followers see her.(H/T to the artist who created and e-mailed this image to me.)
The Daily Show is back! First up, CPAC.
Part One
Part Two
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| CPAC 2010 - Rage Within the Machine | ||||
| ||||
Part Two
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Rage Within the Machine - Progressivism | ||||
| ||||
Bristol Palin to make acting debut.
Bristol Palin, arguably the most famous teen mother in America, will make her acting debut playing herself on ABC Family's "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," the network announced today."I am thrilled to be on this show and to be part of a program that educates teens and young adults about the consequences of teen pregnancy," Palin said in a statement.
First I would like to say I am very happy that Bristol gets the opportunity to follow Levi's dream of being an actor. (Did anybody else ever hear that Bristol wanted to act before?)
However I am a little puzzled by the show that she chose to make her debut.
According to a statement from ABC Family, the show "deals honestly and directly with the consequences of an unplanned pregnancy in a non-exploitative manner and explores how the core character's relationships with her mother, father, sister and friends are affected. . . . We hope the show encourages teenagers and parents to open up a dialogue about issues important to them. . . ."
I mean Bristol's tale of being a teen mother is hardly typical, now is it?
First her pregnancy gets announced to the national media during a presidential campaign. She then spends several months cohabitating with her boyfriend in Wasilla while her mother is giving speeches across the country. Then she supposedly gives birth to her baby in December but hides from view until February 16, when she suddenly reappears on the Greta Van Susteren show where she, quite truthfully, admits that "abstinence isn't realistic". During the time between giving birth and making her television appearance Bristol kicks her "fiancee" to the curb. Next she appears as an ambassador for Candies, but for some reason seems to do very little to earn the title. (Sound familiar?) And then, just like her mother, she quits and we hear very little from her until recently.
Today Bristol lives in a compound on a dead lake, and allows her mother to sic her attack lawyer on the boy who made her the most famous teen mother in the world in order to wrest custody of their child away from him. Somehow I don't see a lot of teens relating to Bristol's bizarre life.
And I do not want to be cruel but Bristol always appeared to be VERY uncomfortable in front of the camera so I kind of wonder how she will do when she is expected to remember lines of dialogue and emote on command. Still it will be interesting to see if yet another rumor gets confirmed when we see her appear before the camera again.
Hmm I wonder if this will be filmed in the Wasilla studio, or if Bristol has to leave her babies (However many there are!) in order to fly out of state? I know a VERY nice family that would be glad to watch at least one of them for her.
Update: It looks like Bristol is not the only one getting ready for her close up.
This will be Sarah's first time on the show in anything other than a brief skit. I wonder if Leno has the guts to turn to her and ask "So, what about all of those babies?"
Monday, February 22, 2010
A Doctor's response to my "Tale of Two Babies" post.
I have received multiple e-mails today from people providing helpful links, interesting pictures, and, of course, scathing rebuttals to my post.
Hidden within this avalanche of correspondence was one e-mail from a doctor who offered some interesting insights and provided contact information in case I wanted to question him further. Well of course my interest was piqued, so I called him.
The first thing I did was to establish that he was indeed an actual doctor (After all on the internet we can pretend to be experts on just about ANYTHING. I actually know of a politician who quit her job yet still pretends that her opinions are on the same level of importance as those of the President. Imagine that.) After only a few minutes of conversation there was no doubt that this person was indeed a physician, and very bright one at that.
We talked for quite awhile and when we came to the end of our conversation I asked if he would be willing to write a brief post outlining some of the things that he had mentioned. Here is that post.
While I am generally unimpressed by conspiracy theories, I have to say that I find Gryphen's pictures compelling. Clearly these are two separate children; I haven't any more idea than anyone else as to why the former governor would perpetrate such a hoax, although her history of erratic behavior I suppose would support almost any explanation.
I have had a passing interest in the Trig Palin story ever since Cathy Baldwin-Johnson's odd, carefully-worded statement concerning Governor Palin's health was published in the late hours immediately before the 2008 election. The link to the actual text is below:
www.latimes.com/media/acrobat/2008-11/43179602.pdf
For the most part this is a simple boilerplate statement, but it is remarkable for its lack of a birthdate for Trig - doubt about which was of course the reason for the statement's release in the first place.
From my point of view, however, as a practicing physician, the larger question is whether Governor Palin's physician was aware of this hoax, and if so, to what level did she participate and if indeed she did, was that participation medically, morally or ethically improper?
In its role as the ultimate guarantor of public safety, the State has a vested interest in the ethical and legal behavior of physicians it licenses. In fulfilling that role, each and every state has a state physician licensing board. I believe there is more than enough evidence for the Alaska State Medical Board to investigate Cathy Baldwin-Johnson's participation in this matter, and to determine if she breached standards set by that Board for physician conduct. They will ask - and she will answer - pointed, unequivocal questions concerning exactly what took place at the birth of Trig Palin, and as a doctor with thirty years' experience, I can assure you that no physician would ever risk losing her medical license by answering falsely.
It would seem to me that the issue hinges around four questions: firstly, did Cathy Baldwin-Johnson advise Sarah Palin to board an airplane for a ten-hour trip at altitude while showing signs of active labor? Although I am not an obstetrician, if she did so, I believe that would clearly constitute malpractice. Secondly, I would ask whether she assisted in falsifying records concerning the birth date of Trig Palin; if so, that is most likely a felony, which would result in a physician's losing his/her license in all fifty states. Thirdly, I would ask Dr. Baldwin-Johnson to chronicle exactly what took place in the birth of Trig Palin and to explain why Governor Palin felt compelled, as a Vice-Presidential candidate to lie about or obfuscate concerning those circumstances. Fourthly, I would be curious as to what the actual explanation is for the two different children Palin has presented as her son Trig and if Baldwin-Johnson had any prior knowledge or complicity.
This sad little charade has nearly unraveled; all that remains of this pathetic tale is the denouement. The Alaska State Medical Board has the opportunity - and the authority - and the responsibility - to open this abscess to the fresh air and bright sunlight that will bring about its cure. There must be numerous physicians in Alaska who are scratching their heads over this whole tale just as I am, now more than ever. The time has come for them to step up the plate, contact their medical licensing board, and demand that these questions be answered once and for all.
Update: Somebody just asked why I don't provide the doctor's name. Is this really a question that needs to be answered?
I did not think so.
Scurry back to the "Ocean of Urine" my little friend and report to your queen that once again it did not work.
Hidden within this avalanche of correspondence was one e-mail from a doctor who offered some interesting insights and provided contact information in case I wanted to question him further. Well of course my interest was piqued, so I called him.
The first thing I did was to establish that he was indeed an actual doctor (After all on the internet we can pretend to be experts on just about ANYTHING. I actually know of a politician who quit her job yet still pretends that her opinions are on the same level of importance as those of the President. Imagine that.) After only a few minutes of conversation there was no doubt that this person was indeed a physician, and very bright one at that.
We talked for quite awhile and when we came to the end of our conversation I asked if he would be willing to write a brief post outlining some of the things that he had mentioned. Here is that post.
While I am generally unimpressed by conspiracy theories, I have to say that I find Gryphen's pictures compelling. Clearly these are two separate children; I haven't any more idea than anyone else as to why the former governor would perpetrate such a hoax, although her history of erratic behavior I suppose would support almost any explanation.
I have had a passing interest in the Trig Palin story ever since Cathy Baldwin-Johnson's odd, carefully-worded statement concerning Governor Palin's health was published in the late hours immediately before the 2008 election. The link to the actual text is below:
www.latimes.com/media/acrobat/2008-11/43179602.pdf
For the most part this is a simple boilerplate statement, but it is remarkable for its lack of a birthdate for Trig - doubt about which was of course the reason for the statement's release in the first place.
From my point of view, however, as a practicing physician, the larger question is whether Governor Palin's physician was aware of this hoax, and if so, to what level did she participate and if indeed she did, was that participation medically, morally or ethically improper?
In its role as the ultimate guarantor of public safety, the State has a vested interest in the ethical and legal behavior of physicians it licenses. In fulfilling that role, each and every state has a state physician licensing board. I believe there is more than enough evidence for the Alaska State Medical Board to investigate Cathy Baldwin-Johnson's participation in this matter, and to determine if she breached standards set by that Board for physician conduct. They will ask - and she will answer - pointed, unequivocal questions concerning exactly what took place at the birth of Trig Palin, and as a doctor with thirty years' experience, I can assure you that no physician would ever risk losing her medical license by answering falsely.
It would seem to me that the issue hinges around four questions: firstly, did Cathy Baldwin-Johnson advise Sarah Palin to board an airplane for a ten-hour trip at altitude while showing signs of active labor? Although I am not an obstetrician, if she did so, I believe that would clearly constitute malpractice. Secondly, I would ask whether she assisted in falsifying records concerning the birth date of Trig Palin; if so, that is most likely a felony, which would result in a physician's losing his/her license in all fifty states. Thirdly, I would ask Dr. Baldwin-Johnson to chronicle exactly what took place in the birth of Trig Palin and to explain why Governor Palin felt compelled, as a Vice-Presidential candidate to lie about or obfuscate concerning those circumstances. Fourthly, I would be curious as to what the actual explanation is for the two different children Palin has presented as her son Trig and if Baldwin-Johnson had any prior knowledge or complicity.
This sad little charade has nearly unraveled; all that remains of this pathetic tale is the denouement. The Alaska State Medical Board has the opportunity - and the authority - and the responsibility - to open this abscess to the fresh air and bright sunlight that will bring about its cure. There must be numerous physicians in Alaska who are scratching their heads over this whole tale just as I am, now more than ever. The time has come for them to step up the plate, contact their medical licensing board, and demand that these questions be answered once and for all.
Update: Somebody just asked why I don't provide the doctor's name. Is this really a question that needs to be answered?
I did not think so.
Scurry back to the "Ocean of Urine" my little friend and report to your queen that once again it did not work.
A Tale of Two Babies by Sarah Palin.
(Keep checking back throughout the day for updates.)
“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times…”
For Sarah Palin back in March of 2008, this was especially true.
She was right in the middle of trying to convince the people of Alaska that, despite all appearances, she was indeed pregnant with her fifth child, after surprising even her own staff with the news on March 6th. (Though at first she did not seem to put a lot of effort into convincing people as you can see from this photograph taken on March 29th, at the Spouses’ Luncheon. This is a scant twenty short days prior to Trig's "birth." You will notice that she's wearing what appears to be a raincoat inside of her own house. And there's nothing under those hands but a black scarf.)
“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times…”
For Sarah Palin back in March of 2008, this was especially true.
She was right in the middle of trying to convince the people of Alaska that, despite all appearances, she was indeed pregnant with her fifth child, after surprising even her own staff with the news on March 6th. (Though at first she did not seem to put a lot of effort into convincing people as you can see from this photograph taken on March 29th, at the Spouses’ Luncheon. This is a scant twenty short days prior to Trig's "birth." You will notice that she's wearing what appears to be a raincoat inside of her own house. And there's nothing under those hands but a black scarf.)
Obviously as she got closer to her due date she would have to put a little more effort into the deception. Perhaps a little padding would help.
There, that's much better. (The above picture was taken at the end of the legislative session in Juneau, on April 13, five days before Sarah supposedly gave birth, and only fifteen days after the picture from the Spouses' Luncheon was taken.)
The next twist in our storyline was Sarah's trip to give a speech at the Republican Governor's conference in Texas on April 18th. What really happened there? No one knows. But what is known for certain is that Sarah left the conference abruptly in the early afternoon of April 17th and came back to Alaska, a ten plus hour trip involving two four hour flights and a layover in Seattle. (Not only did this decision seem abrupt, but even Sarah’s security staff was not contacted and did not know she was arriving to have a baby until after the birth.)What is also known for certain is that no one has ever come forward to say that they noticed anything special or different about the Gov during this trip. In fact, she was seen reading a book in the lounge during the layover in Seattle.
Whatever the truth, by noon on April 18th the Governor's office had announced that at approximately 6:30 that morning Sarah Palin had given birth to a son.
So now Sarah did not have to wear that cumbersome belly anymore and she could enjoy the warmth of spring in her shorts and sweatshirt.
See how much more comfortable Governor Palin looks only a few days after she had that baby? And look at that beautiful baby boy!
Let’s see if we can't get a a better quality picture of that precious child shall we?
(Below is a screenshot from, Palin best friend, Kristan Cole’s website which shows photos that Cole posted of a baby shower she hosted for Sarah Palin on a weekend in May, either the 3rd or 4th, I believe. A photo, not included here, but obviously from the same day was later provided to OK Magazine of Sarah and her newborn.)
And here is the OK magazine shot, and its doppelganger from the baby shower.
Now from that same baby shower we have this much more detailed picture of the child known as Trig Palin.
(Please note that I have chosen not to show the face or release the name of the young girl holding “Trig” as she was a minor when these photos were taken.)
He IS just adorable isn’t he?
But wait a minute. Is there something a bit odd about this picture?
Take a close look at this baby’s ear.
Do you see that?
Perhaps a closer view might help.
According to one of the physicians I talked to that is a malformation of the helix. In this case, it's noticeable and distinctive. And, although not as clear, in another picture taken at the same event, this time of the baby's left ear, a similar malformation is possibly visible. Ear defects are often "bilateral" which means on both sides.
Isn’t that odd? I don’t remember the Trig Palin who was photographed so many times on the campaign trail having that particular malformation.
Oh that is because he didn’t.
In fact it appears that Trig Palin has two absolutely perfect little ears. As you can plainly see in this photo of his left ear.
Yet as you can see in this side by side comparison, it is crystal clear that the ear on the infant Trig does NOT match the ear on the older Trig.
I showed the baby shower picture to a number of medical professionals, including an Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist, a physician, an audiologist who specializes in children’s hearing issues, and a pediatrician (None of them knew they were looking at a picture of Sarah Palin’s child). Each agreed the ear is visibly malformed. I asked them if this defect could “heal” or disappear on its own. “Of course not”, they each replied. I then showed them pictures of Trig Palin's ear from the campaign. Again, none knew they were looking at a photograph of Sarah Palin's son. I asked all if it could possibly be the same child, four to five months later. The answer: "No."
Furthermore I learned that to correct conditions like this surgery is required, and that these surgeries are never performed before the age of four. And even if someone could have been located to perform plastic surgery on a child so young, the result would not be the "perfection" that Trig's ear shows. Some scarring would still be visible. We have countless high-definition photos of Trig Palin's head. Nothing of the sort can be seen in any of them.
“So in other words” I asked. “You are saying that the child in the baby shower pictures must still have that same ear malformation today?’ Each of them answered in the affirmative.
In fact here is a direct quote from one medical professional:
"There is an approximately zero percent probability that these two sets of ears belong to the same infant."
So what does all of this mean? If that baby’s ear could not have healed on its own, then how can the Trig we see today have two perfectly formed ears?
The answer is simple and shocking. Sarah presented an entirely different child to the world as Trig Palin on August 30, 2008.
Just a fluke, you say? A trick of the camera? A shadow? Well, there's more. She did not just do it once.
Look again at this picture of Mercede holding this mystery baby in Sarah Palin’s kitchen, taken on a different day with a different camera.
Look closely at that ear. Do you see it? It was there all along.
This picture was taken the week right after Sarah "gave birth".
Here is another one. This time of Levi holding the child identified as the Governor’s son. (Seen for the first time on the Tyra Banks Show)
(For those who wanted confirmation of the day these pictures of Levi and Mercede, with "ruffled ear" baby were taken I just learned that it was on May 3rd, Levi's birthday. You can see his cake in the background in the picture above.)
Do you see the ear? Again, although it's not as clear, the ear of the baby in these photos has the same "ragged" pitted appearance. And you can see it in every shot taken that day.
As most of you know I have been absolutely convinced that Sarah Palin did NOT give birth to a baby on April 18th, 2008. But what has come as a huge surprise was that on two separate occasions, she presented a newborn baby to two separate groups of people as Trig Palin her newborn son with Down syndrome. (She did it once in her own kitchen while presenting him to the Johnston family, and again at a baby shower given in her honor.) As you can plainly see THIS baby has a distinctive malformation of his ear. However the baby that was introduced to the nation only four months later does NOT have any malformation of his ear whatsoever.
In fact, though today's Trig has many of the characteristics of a Down syndrome child, he also possesses two perfectly shaped ears.
As Andrea Friedman pointed out so eloquently: "My mother did not carry me around under her arm like a loaf of French bread the way former Governor Palin carries her son Trig around looking for sympathy and votes"." Perhaps with this new evidence we can understand, now more than ever, why Sarah treats this child like a prop.
Because that is EXACTLY what he is.
It is well past time that the “lame stream media”, to use Sarah’s very own phraseology, start to ask the really hard questions about Sarah Palin’s pregnancy.
When the questions first arose the Alaska media failed to do so.
When they resurfaced five months later the McCain campaign failed to do so.
And in all of this time since the world discovered Sarah Palin the national media has also failed to do so.
It was left up to a rag tag group of bloggers to stay with the story until some real evidence could be produced. Well we have done our part, will the rest of the media do theirs?
There are still so many questions left to answer. Who is the baby's real mother? Who helped Sarah pull off this deception? Who else in her family knew about this? Exactly why did she feel the need to lie about her pregnancy?
I am still conducting interviews and digging for those answers, but it would be ever so helpful if reporters with expense accounts and the support a national publication or television network would lend a hand.
(By the way I encourage EVERYBODY to download pictures off of this post, and take screenshots of the blog. There is a very good chance that this will cause a tsunami of anger directed at me and the Immoral Minority. I have already saved it as a pdf file and I have many friends who have done the same. But just to be triple sure it would be nice to know the content is safe on friendly computer hard drives all across the world.)
Update: Speaking of a "rag tag group of bloggers" my friend Bree Palin is on the case as well.
Update 2: Palin's Q & A joins the party!
Update 3: I notice that some people are getting fixated on the young woman whose face I blacked out. That young lady has NOTHING to do with the baby. She was just a girl who happened to be at the shower. It is also not one of the Palin girls. I would not have felt the need to protect their identity since they are already well known.
Update 4: It looks like Todd did indeed quit the Iron Dog at Puntilla Lake. Hmm I wonder if he received a frantic phone call? (By the way thanks for the link Anonymous.) (The Fairbanks Miner has more.)
Update 5: The Alaska Report asks the obvious question.
Update 6: Let me clear up another misconception, this time about the photo on OK magazine. I did not say that it and the photo next to it were identical. I actually referred to it as a "doppelganger", in other words, a "look-a-like". If it had been the same picture I would have said "Look the same picture shows up in OK magazine." However what is clear is that those two pictures were taken the same day, with the same camera, of the same baby, and only moments apart. The important point is to prove that Sarah herself had identified that baby as Trig Palin to a national audience. She was not just trying to fool a few friends and potential family members, she lied to the whole world.
Update: Oh wow! I think I inspired a Facebook group. Cool!
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