Barack Obama says: "Americans aren't stupid. " I hope that he's right, but on John Stewart's Daily Show a piece was done on my town of Wasilla, Alaska, and it was not flattering. The Daily Show has no mission to give us "real" news, yet the piece was still revealing. Watching it, I came to the conclusion that Obama may be wrong: Americans, and Alaskans in particular, may own a collective stupidity, of sorts. I may even be part of that collective. But the good news is that I know a lot of people here in Alaska who are smart, progressive and involved.
Oh, Alaska will go for old "Top Gun" McCain and Sarah (wink) Palin on November 4, and more's the pity. But Alaska hasn't voted for a Democrat for president since 1964, and may not do so again any time soon. But we could - some day.
U-Tube has the SNL version of the Veep Debate and if it wasn't so funny, it'd be spooky, because it was so real....
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
How Alaska looks bad in this...
While cruising the AM dial this afternoon after work, I listened to all of 2 1/2 minutes of Dan Fagan's local Anchorage, Alaska drive-time radio show, and could not believe my ears as I heard Fagan call Barack Obama a "Radical '60s Black Panther."
I was of age in the 1960s and '70s, and I cannot make any, and I mean any, connection between Barack Obama and say, Bobby Seale, or Eldridge Cleaver - Obama is more like a Julian Bond, at the time the consensus building future mayor of Atlanta, Georgia ("The town too busy to hate").
Where does this shit end?
As my elderly mom in Florida says about Sarah Palin's accusations toward Obama," Get this woman out of my state and send her back to Alaska!"
I don't think I want Sarah back.
I was of age in the 1960s and '70s, and I cannot make any, and I mean any, connection between Barack Obama and say, Bobby Seale, or Eldridge Cleaver - Obama is more like a Julian Bond, at the time the consensus building future mayor of Atlanta, Georgia ("The town too busy to hate").
Where does this shit end?
As my elderly mom in Florida says about Sarah Palin's accusations toward Obama," Get this woman out of my state and send her back to Alaska!"
I don't think I want Sarah back.
Veep Debate, October 3, 2008
I watched Governor Palin's performance in Friday’s Veep debate, and all I want to say is: Was that the hokeyest dog-gone-straight-talk-to-Joe-Six-pack-shout-out-to-the-American-people (wink, wink) or what? You betcha! If you thought so too, extra credit!
I don’t know if Sarah was trying to portray herself as a the governor of Alaska, or a denizen of Dogpatch, U.S.A. What next from Sarah? “Dag-nabit?” “Jumpin’ Jehosephat?” “Land-o-Goshen?” A few weeks ago, when she was still only governor, Sarah spoke publicly as you might expect your governor to speak: with the dignity that befits the office of the Governor of Alaska. What happened?
Sarah didn't follow the rules that I assume she agreed to prior to the debate, by refusing even to attempt to answer the moderator's questions. Was this rudeness, desperation, or both?
Did Sarah implode during the debate? No, although to conservative columnist Kathleen Parker, she performed “like a wind-up doll” (Caribou Barbie strikes again?). More importantly, did she help John McCain get elected in November? No.
Watch, as Sarah goes back into the media-free bubble, working the winger base with personal attacks on Obama for the rest of the campaign. After it’s all over, she can do herself, America and Alaska a favor by coming home, facing the Trooper-gate music, and work at rehabilitating what’s left of her political reputation.
I don’t know if Sarah was trying to portray herself as a the governor of Alaska, or a denizen of Dogpatch, U.S.A. What next from Sarah? “Dag-nabit?” “Jumpin’ Jehosephat?” “Land-o-Goshen?” A few weeks ago, when she was still only governor, Sarah spoke publicly as you might expect your governor to speak: with the dignity that befits the office of the Governor of Alaska. What happened?
Sarah didn't follow the rules that I assume she agreed to prior to the debate, by refusing even to attempt to answer the moderator's questions. Was this rudeness, desperation, or both?
Did Sarah implode during the debate? No, although to conservative columnist Kathleen Parker, she performed “like a wind-up doll” (Caribou Barbie strikes again?). More importantly, did she help John McCain get elected in November? No.
Watch, as Sarah goes back into the media-free bubble, working the winger base with personal attacks on Obama for the rest of the campaign. After it’s all over, she can do herself, America and Alaska a favor by coming home, facing the Trooper-gate music, and work at rehabilitating what’s left of her political reputation.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Sarah and the Flag
Reading my Sept. 15 issue of Newsweek (the one with Governor Palin on the cover, shotgun over shoulder), and on page 29, I was treated to a picture of Sarah, literally wrapped in the flag for the photo op. You know, Old Glory, the Stars and Stripes, the “Grand Old Flag.” Yes, that flag.
As I recall, the blatant and crass use of a show of extreme patriotism to deflect legitimate criticism has long been referred to by the metaphor, “Wrapping oneself in the flag.” Never mind that Governor Palin would appear to be in violation of U.S. Public Law 94-34, Section 4, e and i, which deals with the approved uses of the flag, including advertising (was this photo not a political advertisement?). This use of the U.S. flag is surely offensive to many Americans.
As one of the governor’s constituents, a member of the VFW, a Vietnam Veteran and a high school history teacher, I am profoundly disappointed that our governor allowed herself to be photographed in this manner, with this flag. What can this say about her political judgement as the potential leader of the country whose symbol is this very flag?
~b
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