Time magazine reports on Sarah Palin’s tenure as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska:
Stein says that as mayor, Palin continued to inject religious beliefs into her policy at times. “She asked the library how she could go about banning books,” he says, because some voters thought they had inappropriate language in them. “The librarian was aghast.” The librarian, Mary Ellen Baker, couldn’t be reached for comment, but news reports from the time show that Palin had threatened to fire her for not giving “full support” to the mayor.
September 2, 2008 at 4:31 pm
” What if this whole Palin debacle was planned by Karl Rove, so that the VP pick chosen after Palin withdraws receives less public criticism?”
September 2, 2008 at 4:47 pm
As I learn more about her, I’m not becoming a Sarah Palin fan, but to only provide that quote is not really balanced… maybe you could provide the next paragraph in the article as well?
September 2, 2008 at 5:13 pm
The next paragraph moves onto another topic:
For what it’s worth, I don’t think that your theory holds, Cameron. This pick has amped up the energy of McCain’s evangelical base, and if he picks anyone who excites them less than Palin does, they’ll be angry.
September 2, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Can you imagine the furor that would ensue if Obama had picked someone who belonged to a party that advocates secession of their state from the Union?
September 2, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Or, say, if his spouse belonged to a party that advocated … ah, heck, I can’t even pretend to be surprised at the double standard.
September 3, 2008 at 9:21 am
Can you imagine the uproar if McCain picked someone who had belonged to a labor union or whose husband was an active member of a union?
Or imagine if Obama (who wants change) picked someone who had been in the Senate for 36 years! Oh ya, a ton of change there.
The fact is, both VP picks suck. I wonder who Bob Barr will pick? There is hope yet for a decent VP!
Bob Barr ’08!
September 3, 2008 at 11:06 am
I think we have the wacko Christian fundies to thank for Palin. From what I read, they threatened to challenge at the convention all of McCain’s preferred running mates due to their stances on abortion (specifically, Ridge and Lieberman).
So, it looks like the Christian right tied McCain’s hands to a large degree. He had to use his choice of running mate to keep the right-wing base from staying home on voting day, not choose someone who would pick up more centrist voters.
The right-wing Christians made their bed, I hope they are prepared to sleep in it when McCain/Palin lose.
September 3, 2008 at 11:08 am
Oh, and in response to Cam…
I agree with Rafe. I think we liberals tend to underestimate the degree to which the ‘social issues’ voters are excited about Palin.
September 5, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Ms. Sarah Palin reportedly sought to ban the works of Mark Twain. The librarian couldn’t be reached for comment. Sounds like the work of the widow Douglas, or maybe even that of scoundrel Huck Finn. Now Ms. Douglas and Mr. Finn were known troublemakers. I’m certain the nefarious pair’s history of skullduggery and collusion was unworthy of Mr. Twain’s pen. (Don’t be fooled, Twain published before Palin’s tenure as governor.) Still and all, I’d like to hear the allegation from Ms. Mary Ellen the librarian firsthand. That is, if she hasn’t mysteriously disappeared. For my own self, I can’t say enough about Sarah Palin. I liken her detractors to skaters who go down hard. Anyway, here’s a clip from Jan & Dean. Bet you can’t watch just once: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX7X4FovYRA&NR=1 And, how ‘bout them Dems: lost in space, or true tales from the Office of the Pork-master General: http://theseedsof9-11.com