McCain's VP choice under ethics investigation

[TruthAboveAll]

But she's an ex-swimsuit model or beauty queen or something... Oh, I see here she was Miss Wasilla... nice. So we have that to fall back on in case of nuclear attack!

Thank you... thank you so very much for this pick...

Republican
John McCain's dangerous gamble on Sarah Palin
By DAN GERSTEIN

Friday, August 29th 2008, 2:58 PM

In picking an unknown, untested, half-a-term woman governor from Alaska to be his running mate, John McCain is following in a long line of reckless men who have rolled the dice for a beauty queen. Except in this case, McCain is taking one of the biggest, boldest gambles in modern American political history.

He's betting his presidency on a naked political play for holdout Hillary supporters and other female swing voters - and hoping that a large share of these predominantly pro-choice women will ignore or overlook Palin's staunch pro-life, anti-stem cell views.

But that's just the better half of it. McCain will now have to pull off a grand slam of cognitive dissonance - trying to discredit Barack Obama as unready to be Commander in Chief while trying to pawn off the least qualified candidate put on a national ticket in our lifetime as the second best choice to lead the most powerful nation in the world.

WOW! Such an intelligent discourse!

And YOU are citing an OP-ED by Dan Gerstein? THE Dan Gerstein who is/was a personal consultant for Joe Lieberman? Oh be still my heart!

 

[TruthAboveAll]

Completely irrelevant in my mind. She has the right to fire him for any reason she choose, regardless of what the paper thinks. Further, she had specific reasons for having him replaced, and offered him a different position.

Again, she has complete legal right to fire or replace the Public Safty Commish for any reason she deems worthy, or even no reason at all. Even Steve Branchflower, who doing the investigation said it was her right. Further, even Democratic State Senator, Hollis French, who is overseeing the investigation, said that the Palin administration has been completely forth coming, and that they did not even have to issue subpoenas.

Compare that to Hillary's billing records... in fact compared that to the entire 8 Clinton years. It's not even close, not remotely comparable.

This is just more hypocrisy of the left. Claim they are all doing, what we do, but it's wrong for them.

Andy, got to disagree with you a bit. I don't think it's totally irrelevant, but I think it's laughable that the Dem's find this a worthy issue to be beating on at this point. It's an issue. It was brought up. It's being reviewed. It is something we know about. The investigator says the Gov's office is fully cooperating. Further speculation is pointless.

But that won't stop the Dems/Libs. Double standards and hypocrisy are their stock and trade. You are so right on that.

 

[Pandora]

Well.... She doesn't look like any presidents on the dollar bills.

Did I mention she's a woman?

oh that is a good one, to bad she doesnt have a funny name


oh you are a bright one


I cant wait to use that one at work

 

[TruthAboveAll]

legal or not, you dont see that as abuse of power?

No. It is an appointed office, and is held at the pleasure of the Governor.

Then again, with the standards set in the mid- and late-90's, I'd have to say...

No, it is not. But that depends on what the meaning of the word "Is" is....

 

[Bunz]

Gov. Palin is embroiled in her own troopergate scandal up in Alaska. In short, she's accused of using her pull as governor to get her ex brother in law fired as a state trooper. The brother-in-law is embroiled in an ugly divorce and custody with Palin's sister. And after his boss wouldn't fire the brother in law, she fired the boss. Palin originally insisted there was nothing to the story. More recently, she was forced to admit the one of her top deputies had pushed to get the guy fired. She's obviously a member of the Republican's culture of corruption. This could get interesting.

This is causing quite a bit of heartburn lately. 6 months ago she was very poppular among the majority of Alaskans myself included. In recent times, mostly this summer for several different reasons she has lost favor with a number of Alaskans, especially prominent ones.

Here are a few more Alaskan Republicans involved in scandal:

Sen. Ted Stevens: Last month, long-serving Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens was indicted by a federal grand jury “with seven counts of making false statements for failing to disclose” gifts of over $250,000 from the oil services company VECO Corp.

State Sen. Ben Stevens (R): The senator’s son, Stevens is being investigated by the FBI for his involvement in “an alleged payment scheme involving fisheries legislation brought by his father.” When VECO’s Bill Allen “pleaded guilty to bribery and conspiracy charges, he stated that almost a quarter of a million dollars in consulting fees paid to the younger Stevens was in fact bribery.”

Rep. Don Young (R): Last year, it was revealed that the senior House Republican was “under criminal investigation” involving “possible political favors for a for a company in Alaska.” In April, Young’s legal fees exceeded $1 million.

Let me make a few things clear, the Palinistas and CBC Republicans are entirely different creatures, and are often at odds with each other. Comparing these GOPers to the likes of Ted Stevens is not quite accurate or fair.

 

[Andy]

legal or not, you dont see that as abuse of power?

I guess not. First, all of it, in my mind, is not logical.

BACKGROUND
Wooten McCann, a state trooper, was husband to Molly McCann, who is Sarah Palin's sister. Wooten was suspended for ten days for threatening to kill McCann's (and Palin's) father, tasering his 11-year-old stepson, drinking beer in his squad car, and improperly shooting a moose.

Do you see a problem here? He was drinking beer in his squad car? Tasering an 11-year-old? Threatened to kill is former father-in-law? No clue about the moose... so um... I'll let that go.

At the exclusion of everything else, that is an issue all by itself.

BTW, the union held a protest (what?!) and the suspension was reduced to 5 days.

Back to the point. If the state troopers represents the state... and they do, then, is it theoretically possible a Governor of the state may want to remove such shining examples from the police force?

Alright, but let's back up. The question is, did Sarah Palin have personal motives for removing Walt Monegan, the Public Safety Commish?

PHONE CALLS
Well let's think this through. The only evidence even related, is several phone calls to other people in which Wooten was brought up. In zero of the calls was any action ever suggested. Further, and this is important, none of those calls were to Monegan.

So he was never talked to about it, but that is the reason she got rid of him? That's not logical. Not Monegan, nor Palin, nor any of the administration have indicated that Monegan was talked to about Wooten, let alone requesting he be removed.

MOTIVE?
Revenge? Not likely since she offered him a new position that would have been just as cushy a job. Nothing on his record, nothing tarnishing his Resume. Giving a lateral moving within the bureaucrat system, isn't exactly 'revenge'.

Maybe it was to finely get to Wooten. But oddly the new commish didn't do anything to Wooten at all. In fact nothing has happened to Wooten. Would you not think if the purpose of removing Monegan was to get at Wooten, that the very first act the new commish would do, is to remove him?

TIMEFRAME?
Finely, the timeline doesn't add up. Palin was elected in 2006 to governor, yet waited till one month before being selected for VP, to deal with her ex-brother-in-law, which would obviously be an election issue? BTW, the Wooten deal happened prior to her being elected.

However, even with all that said, honestly, I still would be ok with it since, as stated, it's totally at her discretion who is the Public Safety Commish. That is part of her domain, her job, her privilege.

TRAVELGATE
Hillary wanted to pay back political supporters. She fired the Travel office personnel, and replaced them with political supporters.

Now, up to this point, I have no issue. Now granted, I think that's a lame political pay off, and perhaps worth noting if there is a pattern. But this is totally within the Clinton's realm of choice. They can hire and fire at will.

But it didn't stop there. In order to cover up their political motives for replacing the Travel office personnel, they trumpeted up obviously false charges of corruption, destroyed their reputations and sent them court, where the bogus claims were proven and the jury acquitted them in under (I believe) 12 minutes.

This is where I see an abuse of power. When you completely make up false charges, spoof a bunch of evidence, and attempt to destroy someone's life. That's illegal, and an abuse of power.

 

[Bunz]

What a howler!

The dem PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE doesn't know what he's doing!!

Well you can make that assumption, but either way, Sarah has zilch, zero, notta, none, zip foreign experience. Her domestic experience is limited to a state where the revenue is high and easy to come by. And the entire state has roughly the equivalent poppulation of the El Paso metro area. Less than 700,000 people in an area 2.5x bigger than Texas.

 

[GenSeneca]

Well you can make that assumption, but either way, Sarah has zilch, zero, notta, none, zip foreign experience. Her domestic experience is limited to a state where the revenue is high and easy to come by. And the entire state has roughly the equivalent poppulation of the El Paso metro area. Less than 700,000 people in an area 2.5x bigger than Texas.

McCain has no shortage of FP experience... He needed someone with executive experience. I get the feeling you're not a fan of Mrs. Palin... or maybe your concern is her being a heartbeat away from being president - with no foreign experience.

If she became President, she would use the same foreign policy advisers McCain selected so thats not of great concern to me. However, I am looking forward to seeing her handle herself in a debate, especially against Biden.

 

[Andy]

Andy, got to disagree with you a bit. I don't think it's totally irrelevant, but I think it's laughable that the Dem's find this a worthy issue to be beating on at this point. It's an issue. It was brought up. It's being reviewed. It is something we know about. The investigator says the Gov's office is fully cooperating. Further speculation is pointless.

But that won't stop the Dems/Libs. Double standards and hypocrisy are their stock and trade. You are so right on that.

I guess I meant it was irrelevant to me. To me, not a crime... not a big issue. She has the right to remove him. She chose to exercise the right she had. This is not any more of a huge scandal in my mind than, the boss at work who replaced his secretary. He could have any number of motives, both reasonable, and personal, moral, and immoral. Ultimately, as it relates to his job, who is his secretary is completely and totally within his realm of power.

That said, yeah it will be an issue in the election because with dems, all non-issues are massive issues. If not for them making issues out of non-issues, they would never have a issue to talk about. You don't see dems coming on here posting about this great new proven, supportable ideas of higher taxes, more spending, larger more controlling government, and most important, complete socialism. No instead it's "McCain owes America an Alzheimer's test" or "Bush US: Hypocrisy Personified & Astounding" or "Cindy McCain lies about her family history" and my personal favorite "Big oil controls the world, owns congress, and has secret agents on this forum!" and so on.

 

[Bunz]

She did nothing wrong.

Not sure if she did or not, that is what is under investigation.

There is no scandal.

Oh yes, there most certainly is a scandal. It is a local issue, but here her announcement came as a mega surprise because she hadnt been talked about in months for VP, and she has made several really questionable calls in the last 3 months, and this has been major news.

Monegan, is an at will position. Sarah Palin has complete authority to dismiss him at a moments notice for any reason she deems fit. She could rightfully and legally dismiss him for nothing more than he smelled funny at the meeting last Thursday.

True, and I see where you are going with this. But Monegan was rather popular and in line with her fundamentally about policy and politics and had worked to get her elected. The one thing that smells funny is whether she was the one calling the shots on the attempts at getting Trooper Wooten fired or what. The first Dude has his hands all over this actually. But there is something not right in this situation. It would be like Bush waking up tomorrow and telling Condi Rice she is fired because she wouldnt fire someone else for not even political gain, but domestic family gain. That would certainly raise questions.

This is why I could never be a democrat. Look at what they do to attack people they are against. Here the rest of the public attacks democrats for breaking laws, and democrats attack everyone else for following them.

Attack Dems all you want, it is the far right wing of her party that is raising the most hell.

She wasn't 'forced to admit', she openly stated people in her administration wanted the man gone. Nice try at spinning that.

But she nor they have the power to do that. There is a way of going about this. They filed complaints, and investigations were made into the trooper. He was at one point suspended from duty, but otherwise cleared of all charges years ago. A governor need not interfere with the career of a single trooper because he used to be married to her sister. In Alaska nepotism is strife, no question, but getting involved in legal matter like this steps over the line.

 

[Andy]

Well you can make that assumption, but either way, Sarah has zilch, zero, notta, none, zip foreign experience. Her domestic experience is limited to a state where the revenue is high and easy to come by. And the entire state has roughly the equivalent poppulation of the El Paso metro area. Less than 700,000 people in an area 2.5x bigger than Texas.

Have you ever heard of a governor who ran a campaign with one of the promises being to cut her own pay, and then following through on it? Maybe there is, but that's the first I have ever heard of this.

 

[Bunz]

McCain has no shortage of FP experience... He needed someone with executive experience. I get the feeling you're not a fan of Mrs. Palin... or maybe your concern is her being a heartbeat away from being president - with no foreign experience.

I wouldnt say I am not a fan of hers, I happen to know her on a first name basis. Our families are mutual friends with another. We have commercial fished near them for 20 years, a family friend of ours that I refer to as my Uncle despite no blood relations, has been Todd Palins partner in the Iron Dog Race for many years. I first met Sarah when I was a little boy. But that does not mean I would want her to be the VP of the United States. She is way over her head on this one.

If she became President, she would use the same foreign policy advisers McCain selected so thats not of great concern to me. However, I am looking forward to seeing her handle herself in a debate, especially against Biden.

Biden is going to crush her in any debates. He will probably need to take it a bit easy, because he doesnt want to appear to bully her. Also, having been around her a fair amount, and seeing her at many public events in her role as Governor, she is a pretty damn good Governor of Alaska. But that is the depth of her limits. She does very poor on the toughly asked questions. She gets by on her charm and looks, but when pinned by direct answers, she is not great by any stretch.

 

[Bunz]

Have you ever heard of a governor who ran a campaign with one of the promises being to cut her own pay, and then following through on it? Maybe there is, but that's the first I have ever heard of this.

Might be, not sure, she is not going without though either way. She also kept her promise to sell the Governor's jet. Nice symbolic things, but matter little in the long run.

 

[Andy]

Not sure if she did or not, that is what is under investigation.

She had the right to fire him at will. She dismissed him and offered another position. She did nothing wrong, investigation or not.

Oh yes, there most certainly is a scandal. It is a local issue, but here her announcement came as a mega surprise because she hadnt been talked about in months for VP, and she has made several really questionable calls in the last 3 months, and this has been major news.

Questionable to whom? A scandal isn't a scandal because it surprised someone, or because someone disagrees with the choice. It's only a scandal if something illegal has been done.

True, and I see where you are going with this. But Monegan was rather popular and in line with her fundamentally about policy and politics and had worked to get her elected. The one thing that smells funny is whether she was the one calling the shots on the attempts at getting Trooper Wooten fired or what. The first Dude has his hands all over this actually. But there is something not right in this situation. It would be like Bush waking up tomorrow and telling Condi Rice she is fired because she wouldnt fire someone else for not even political gain, but domestic family gain. That would certainly raise questions.

I'm sure it would raise questions, but that would still be Bush's option to replace Rice for any reason he chooses.

Attack Dems all you want, it is the far right wing of her party that is raising the most hell.

That doesn't surprise me. The right has high standards for their officials. The left has no standards. You can commit felonies, and be supported for 8 years. Another reason I could never ever be a democrat.

But she nor they have the power to do that. There is a way of going about this. They filed complaints, and investigations were made into the trooper. He was at one point suspended from duty, but otherwise cleared of all charges years ago. A governor need not interfere with the career of a single trooper because he used to be married to her sister. In Alaska nepotism is strife, no question, but getting involved in legal matter like this steps over the line.

Right, and neither she, nor they, made any real effort to have him removed. They didn't file anything. They didn't request action be taken. The only thing that has even come out has been Frank Bailey, who asked how could this man still be a state trooper, in the same rhetorical manor some dems say "how could Bush be elected twice?". There was no suggestion to do something, and the person he was talking to had no authority to do anything even if there would have been a suggestion.

And back to the point, if that was the purpose, when didn't the new commish do something? Answer, because that wasn't the purpose.

 

[Bunz]

choosing the leader of world to have on the job training is the biggest mistake we could ever make... 2 Years in the us senate is not enough experience...

Well then you certainly would agree that Governor Palins experience is vastly less than Sen. Obama.