Rare is the moment when it’s clear that, regardless of the outcome of an election, you are living history.
Thus begins the somewhat surprising endorsement of Barack Obama by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, deep in the red heart of North Central Texas. In 2004, the newspaper endorsed George W. Bush and it joins the more than 30 other major dailies which have switched support to the Democratic Party candidate after endorsing the GOP in the last election.
The endorsement says the elections of Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clintons were major times when the nation wanted a new direction and went to the polls for a major change of course.
Today, the American people aren’t just asking for change; they are demanding it.
The economic inequities are no longer tolerable. As remarkable as it is to say during a time when U.S. troops are actively engaged in wars on two fronts, Americans are looking for a visionary leader who will focus first on the daunting domestic financial crisis that has upended so many lives.
The nation has experienced the worst housing crisis since the Great Depression, an enormous stock-market plunge among the worst in history, record-high energy prices, and an ongoing war in Iraq that has exacted an agonizing cost in lives, dollars and international prestige.
The Star-Telegram editorial says Obama’s intellect, eloquence and leadership of his campaign have shown him to be the prescriptiion for what ails the country.
Obama provides the prescription for America’s ills at this moment: a fine, inquisitive intellect, paired with an eloquence that allows him to articulate a message with clarity and substance; an ability to inspire people of all ages, races and ethnicities who never before were engaged in the political process; and an unflappable temperament that allows him to weather a barrage of withering personal attacks.
Under his leadership, the Obama campaign has been amazingly disciplined, efficient and effective. Those same talents will be essential for the difficult work ahead to rebuild the nation’s faltering economic institutions and restore citizen confidence.
At the same time, the newspaper admits many of Sen. Obama’s plans, such as tax reform, could founder on the shoals of GOP opposition.
Vice presidential candidate picks may have been the deciding point. (more…)
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell says he will vote for Sen. Barack Obama for president.
“I think he is a transformational figure, he is a new generation coming onto the world stage, onto the American stage, and for that reason I’ll be voting for Sen. Barack Obama,” Powell said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Powell said he was concerned about what he characterized as a recent negative turn of Republican candidate Sen. John McCain’s campaign, such as the campaign’s attempts to tie Obama to former 1960s radical Bill Ayers.
“I think that’s inappropriate. I understand what politics is about — I know how you can go after one another, and that’s good. But I think this goes too far, and I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It’s not what the American people are looking for,” he said.
The retired, four-star general said the financial crisis, which he called “the final exam” for the presidency, showed him Sen. Obama can handle the job, while Sen. McCain failed.
“Obama displayed a steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge,” Powell said.
“He has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president,” he said.
In a long and decorated Army career, President George W. Bush’s former secretary of state attained the rank of four-star general. Gen. Powell first really came to the public eye as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during Operation Desert Storm.
Gen. Powell said he is not voting for Sen. Obama because of race.
He said Sen. McCain’s judgment concerns him.
But he said McCain’s choices in the last few weeks — especially his selection of Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his vice presidential running mate — had raised questions in his mind about McCain’s judgment. “I don’t believe [Palin] is ready to be president of the United States,” Powell said flatly. By contrast, Obama’s running mate, Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, “is ready to be president on day one.”
Powell also said he was “troubled” by Republican personal attacks on Obama, especially false intimations that Obama was Muslim and Republicans’ recent focus on Obama’s alleged connections to William Ayers, the founder of the radical ’60 Weather Underground.
Stressing that Obama was a lifelong Christian, Powell denounced Republican tactics that he said were insulting not only to to Obama but also to Muslims.
“The really right answer is what if he is?” Powell said, praising the contributions of millions of Muslim citizens to American society.
“I look at these kind of approaches to the campaign, and they trouble me,” Powell said. “Over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party has become narrower and narrower.”
On Fox News, Sen. McCain said the endorsement came as no surprise.
“I’m also very pleased to have the endorsement of four former secretaries of state — Secretaries [Henry] Kissinger, [James] Baker, [Lawrence] Eagleburger, and [Alexander] Haig — and I’m proud to have the endorsement of well over 200 retired Army generals and admirals,” McCain said. Source: CNN
Gen. Powell says he has no plans to campaign for Sen. Obama.
Alaskan Democratic state rep challenges truthiness of the Palin “Truth Squad”
Democratic State Rep. Les Gara confronts Palin mouthpiece Meg Stapleton over smears of Alaskans made by McCain-Palin campaign trying to deflect reporting of the facts of “Troopergate”. A state legislative council special investigation found Gov. Sarah Palin abused her power, violating the state’s ethics law, in the family campaign to have her ex brother-in-law fired. Palin claims she was cleared of any wrongdoing. Yes, she actually said that. It was as though she never read the report. Hmmmmm.
When federal prosecutor William C. Ibershof tried to put Weatherman William Ayers behind bars 35 years ago, it was his own boss – the Republican attorney general – who brought down the trial and let the accused domestic terrorist go free.
In 1973, Ibershof tried to put William Ayers, a founding member of the Weather Underground, in prison for an alleged conspiracy to bomb political targets. Ayers, now an education professor in Chicago, has become a fixture in John McCain’s attempt to raise doubts about Barack Obama.
Recently, Mr. Ibershof wrote a letter to the New York Times, saying, as the man who tried to prosecute Ayers, he was “amazed and outraged” that McCain-Palin, the GOP and others were trying to link Ayers with Obama.
However, his story goes beyond that letter. (more…)
Today, at the breakfast table, I was surprised to find this editorial from the stately. conservative Dallas Morning News – Palin’s Troopergate actions disturbing. Keep in mind, this is a newspaper more than likely to endorse McCain/Palin short of some cataclysmic campaign meltdown scandal. It sets out the case plainly. Palin is lying, although the language is not quite that blunt.
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin claims the Troopergate investigation clears her of wrongdoing in the firing of her public safety commissioner, which it does not. source: The Dallas Morning News
DMN editorial writers chastise the Alaska governor. Her “spin” – as they so politely put it – isn’t fooling anyone. In fact, it raises questions both about her candidacy and McCain’s choosing her.
Ms. Palin would be wise to quit trying to spin her way out of this mess. It would be far more plausible if she admitted error but said she and her husband acted out of fear – perhaps misplaced – for the family’s safety. But to claim vindication when the report is actually fairly damning should give even McCain-Palin supporters pause. source: The Dallas Morning News
DMN writers try to compare “Troopergate” with Hillary Clinton’s “Travelgate”.
Her behind-the-scenes machinations against the White House Travel Office – engineering the dismissal of career employees, apparently for the benefit of the Clintons’ Arkansas cronies– were legal but unethical. source: The Dallas Morning News
DMN writers forget that it was the Palins’ “behind-the-scene machinations” which exactly were the illegal acts outlined in the report. However, the comparison is fair enough based on using public power for private purposes.
Finally, the DMN reminds Gov. Palin of something of which she should not have to be reminded, as it quotes the report.
Compliance with the code of ethics is not optional.
So, Sarah Palin was not “really” a member of the Alaska Independence Party, she says. Her husband was. So, she just was sleeping with the enemy.
“Enemy?” you ask.
Yep, enemy, I answer.
How else can you explain these words from the founder of the AIP?
“The fires of Hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government, and I won’t be buried under their damn flag! I’ll be buried in Dawson, and when Alaska is an independent nation, they can bring my bones home.”
You can get an even better idea from “Mudflats”, an Alaskan political blog with an insight into the doings of upper one that is way beyond the understanding of us in the lower 48.
Strangely, in light of this new patriotic furor, the following video has not gained much traction in this election. It surfaced some time ago, and I’ve posted it here before, but its worthy of another look. This is a meeting of the Alaskan Independence Party. The speaker is Vice Chairman of the AIP, Dexter Clark. A partial transcript is below. It’s worth watching in full.
The Alaskan Independence Party believes that Alaska may have become a state against its will. Anyone in the party today, is likely there because they think Alaska would do just fine without the rest of the country being attached to it. The image, on most maps, of Alaska detached from the rest of the country in its own little box works for them just fine.
They don’t like the way the statehood vote was worded, and Clark explains why.
The basic argument of the Alaskan Independence Party has always been the number one plank in our platform – the question of our vote to become a state. So…the most blaring disparity in that vote was the definition of an eligible voter. Among those qualified to cast a ballot were 41,000 American soldiers and 36,000 dependents. Now, to the native population of Alaska, to me, these were occupation troops! And they were made eligible and, in fact encouraged to vote. There were educational meetings held on the military bases. I can’t imagine them telling anyone that anything but that statehood would be very good for the military – in fact they still have 6, 7 big bases and numerous smaller holdings in the state. Statehood would be good for the military. Now can you imagine the international uproar if American troops had all went and got their purple fingers in Iraq?
After Clark’s discussion of the American ‘occupying troops’ getting the right to vote on Alaska statehood, he goes on to say that Alaskans should have been able to vote to remain a territory, become a commonwealth, become a state or become an independent nation. In reality, voters were only given the option: Statehood? Yes or No.
Now, we get to the interesting part, just before 6:00 on the video.
“Our current governor, we mentioned at the last conference, the one we were hoping would get elected, Sarah Palin, did get elected. There’s a joke, she’s a pretty good looking gal, there’s a joke goes around we’re the coldest state with the hottest governor. (laughter) And there was a lot of talk about her moving up. She was an AIP member before she got the job as a mayor of a small town — that was a non-partisan job. But to get along and go along — she eventually joined the Republican Party, where she had all kinds of problems with their ethics, and well, I won’t go into that. She also had about an 80% approval rating, and is pretty well sympathetic to her former membership.“
What Clark is saying here, is that Palin’s philosophical loyalties lie with the Alaska Independence Party, but in order to get elected, she had to distance herself from the AIP and pretend to be a Republican, because that was the only way for her to get elected. But not to worry, Clark reassures those in attendance, her heart is still with us at the AIP, and her sympathies are with our agenda, namely, Alaskan ndependence.
He goes on:
If there is ever a time that is right for change, this is it. [snip] The pitfalls of an organized political party – you don’t have any control over who joins that party. They put the X next to it on the registration form, and if they join the — go into the primary, and win that primary, they’re your candidate, like it or not. I think Ron Paul has kind of proven that. He’s a dyed -in-the-wool Libertarian. He came to Alaska and spoke as a Libertarian. And he put the Republican label on to get elected. That’s all there is to it. And any one of your organizations should be using that same tactic to infiltrate.
Palin claims to have been a member of the Republican Party since 1982. Clark is telling us that Palin ‘marked the Republican box”, but she isn’t one. He loves the fact that she got elected. He’s already dreaming about ripping one of those stars off the flag. And though Sarah Palin’s membership is not documented officially, there is no dispute that Todd Palin was a card-carrying member of the AIP as recently as 2002 when his wife was the mayor of Wasilla. After that, he decided to change his registration to “Unaffiliated.”
How does the rest of the country feel about the concept of Alaska secession, especially considering the strategic importance of the oil reserves in Alaska of which Governor Palin is so fond of reminding us? Works well for the nation of Alaska, but not so well for the truncated version of the United States of America it leaves behind.
And finally, here’s the quote of the day from AIP founder Joe Vogler.
“The fires of Hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government, and I won’t be buried under their damn flag! I’ll be buried in Dawson, and when Alaska is an independent nation, they can bring my bones home.”
Sarah Palin, meanwhile, is saying that the fact that Barack Obama served on the same non-profit board as Bill Ayers a Weather Underground member 40 years ago, “is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect, imperfect enough, that he’s palling around with terrorists who would target their own country.” She continued, “This is not a man who sees America like you and I see America,” Palin said.
Here’s Palin addressing last year’s Alaska Independence Party’s convention.
So, how does Sarah Palin “see Ameirca?” Does she see it as “so imperfect” that one of its 50 states needs to vote on whether it wants to secede from the Union? Should a political party in this state “target its own country,” and if successful, devastate energy reserves, and compromise the national security of the rest of the nation by taking its oil, and leaving? Maybe, maybe not. But you just watched her tell the group whose purpose it is to vote on that issue to “keep up the good work.”
If Senator Obama had made such an address to an Illinois secessionist party, or any other group who wanted to make off with 13% of the nations oil supply, what would be said about his patriotism?
Had enough? Tired of seeing the high rollers getting all the bailouts?
Let Washington know it is YOUR turn. After all, it’s your tax dollars that are funding these bailouts (taking place with no rhyme or reason behind them).
No one is accountable. No one is in charge. All the executives are lined up for their bonuses. It stinks!
Now we know what happens when the government lets business do as it wants without regulation.
Heckuva job, Bush!
Heckuva job, McCain!
Oh, geez, Palin, just shut up and go shoot a moose.
Let’s not forget the architect of this collapse – former Sen. Phil Gramm (R-TX). You know, the McCain adviser who says we only are in a “mental recession” and we are just “a nation of whiners”? He shares the stage with Texas senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn (who is running for reelection), and – of course – Bush’s best boyfriend Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX).
JUNEAU, Alaska — Some called it a bridge to the future. Others called it the bridge to nowhere.
The bridge is going nowhere.
On Friday, the state of Alaska officially abandoned the controversial project in Ketchikan that became a national symbol of federal pork-barrel spending.
It closes a chapter that has brought the state reams of ridicule, but it also leaves open wounds in a community that fought for decades to get federal help.
“We went through political hot water — tons of it — and not just nationally but internationally,” said Ketchikan-Gateway Borough Mayor Joe Williams. “We have nothing to show for it.”
The $398 million bridge would have connected Ketchikan to its airport on a sparsely populated nearby Gravina island.
“We will continue to look for options for Ketchikan to allow better access to the island,” Gov. Sarah Palin said. “The concentration is not going to be on a $400 million bridge.”
Palin has directed the state Department of Transportation to find the most “fiscally responsible” alternative for access to the airport.
Palin said without federal funding, the state cannot afford a bridge, so the best option would be to upgrade the current ferry system.
Local officials called the decision premature, saying it came without warning.
“For somebody who touts process and transparency in getting projects done, I’m disappointed and taken aback,” said Ketchikan Republican Rep. Kyle Johansen.
“This is contrary to about every statement she has ever made,” he said. “We worked 30 years to get funding for this priority project.”
In her speech the other day where Sen. John McCain introduced her as his running mate, Palin said –
I’ve championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. In fact, I told Congress thanks, but no thanks, on that “bridge to nowhere.” If our state wanted a bridge, I said, we’d build it ourselves.
In cancelling the bridge project, she actually said this:
“The federal government is less and less interested in continuing to fund these projects, she said. “It can’t be a state priority for DOT when we have much-needed road and bridge improvements. Our intention is to work with the community to find a sensible and efficient shuttle connection, a better ferry service.”
The bridge project, when it was cancelled, was $329 million short of full funding, according to Palin’s cancellation statement.
The so-called “Bridge to Nowhere” was to link Ketchikan, on Revillagigedo Island, to its airport on Gravina Island.
This is the press release her office put out when she cancelled the project:
September 21, 2007, Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today directed the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to look for the most fiscally responsible alternative for access to the Ketchikan airport and Gravina Island instead of proceeding any further with the proposed $398 million bridge.
“Ketchikan desires a better way to reach the airport, but the $398 million bridge is not the answer,” said Governor Palin. “Despite the work of our congressional delegation, we are about $329 million short of full funding for the bridge project, and it’s clear that Congress has little interest in spending any more money on a bridge between Ketchikan and Gravina Island,” Governor Palin added. “Much of the public’s attitude toward Alaska bridges is based on inaccurate portrayals of the projects here. But we need to focus on what we can do, rather than fight over what has happened.” The Department of Transportation has approximately $36 million in federal funds that will become available for other projects with the shutdown of the Gravina Island bridge project. Governor Palin has directed Commissioner Leo von Scheben to review transportation projects statewide to prepare a list of possible uses for the funds, while the department also looks for a more affordable answer for Gravina Island access.
“There is no question we desperately need to construct new roads in this state, including in Southeast Alaska, where skyrocketing costs for the Alaska Marine Highway System present an impediment to the state’s budget and the region’s economy,” said von Scheben.
“The original purpose of this project was to improve access to Gravina Island, and we will continue to work with the community to help them attain that goal,” von Scheben said.
The commissioner said his department would continue to work with local officials to discuss future plans for development of Gravina Island.
Here’s what she told the Anchorage Daily News on October 22, 2006, during the race for the governor’s seat (via Nexis):
5. Would you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges?
Yes. I would like to see Alaska’s infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now–while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist.
My Turn: Palin not abandoning earmarks altogether By John Katz | Juneau Empire
With the coming of spring in the nation’s capital, Congress has begun its annual ritual of producing a federal budget.
While Congressional earmarks represent less than 1 percent of the federal budget, a much higher percentage of the appropriations debate focuses on this topic.
One reason for this is several controversial earmarks and election-year politics. Another is that earmarks have become a metaphor for the federal budget generally. It’s a lot easier to talk about earmarks than to address difficult budget issues, such as burgeoning domestic entitlement programs and defense spending. … Earlier this year, President Bush and the congressional leadership announced that the total number and dollar amount of earmarks must be reduced significantly.
The Palin administration has responded to this message by requesting 31 earmarks, down from 54 last year. Of these, 27 involve continuing or previous appropriations and four are new. The total dollar amount of these requests has been reduced from about $550 million in the previous year to just less than $200 million.
Further, the governor has insisted that each Alaska request must demonstrate an important federal purpose and strong public support.
We also have heard that, wherever possible, a state or local match should be provided. The state’s budget requests incorporate this principle.
So, it is important to note there is no longer a “free lunch” at the federal level. Most federal requests have state or local budget consequences as well. … Congressional earmarks for roads and bridges have received much attention in Congress and have become a principal impetus for reform. Unfortunately, Alaska has featured prominently in this discussion.
The Palin administration has responded to this unwanted attention in a number of ways. Certain previous decisions concerning transportation earmarks are being re-examined. Currently, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is conducting an audit to determine the status of all recent earmarks. … Palin has said the state can either respond to the changing circumstances in Congress or stick its head in the sand. We believe that by recognizing the necessity for change, we can enhance the state’s credibility in the appropriations process and in other areas of federal policy as well.
The governor is very much aware of the importance of the federal budget to virtually every Alaskan. In responding to the new realities, we are not abandoning earmarks altogether but are seeking to constrain and document them in the ways discussed here.
The Juneau Empire identifies John Katz as director of State-Federal Relations and Special Counsel to Gov. Sarah Palin.
der DunkelRover 