Sep 1, 2008 at 6:27 PM by David Pleasant
A new USA Today-Gallup Poll has Barack Obama finally moving out of the 40’s into a 50% to 43% lead over John McCain.
The Democratic National Convention significantly boosted Americans’ views of Barack Obama as a strong leader who “shares your values” and can manage the economy and Iraq, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Saturday and Sunday finds.
Republican John McCain’s advantage in handling terrorism was dramatically reduced and his “unfavorable” rating ticked up to its highest level this year….
In the head-to-head race between the candidates, Obama now leads 50%-43% among registered voters. In the USA TODAY poll taken Aug. 21-23, the Illinois senator held a four-point lead.
The new USA TODAY survey shows Americans settling into their choices. Now, 21% of registered voters say they either haven’t decided or might change their minds. In a USA TODAY poll before the convention began, 30% were swing voters.
Sep 1, 2008 at 6:09 PM by David Pleasant
GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin has hired a lawyer to assist her with the trooper-gate scandal.
The Associated Press is reporting that Thomas V. Van Flein, a lawyer in Anchorage, is seeking documents like witness statements and evidence from the state Legislature’s investigator, Stephen Branchflower.
The A.P. said that Senator Hollis French, an Anchorage Democrat, has told the investigator not to turn over the materials. The Legislature is investigating whether Palin fired public safety commissioner Walt Monegan after he refused to fire a state trooper who had divorced Ms. Palin.
Should we start a pool for betting on whether Palin makes it to Nov. 4 or not?
Sep 1, 2008 at 3:21 PM by David Pleasant
People have been watching Desperate Housewives way too much.
Reuters: “The 17-year-old daughter of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is pregnant, Palin said Monday in an announcement intended to knock down rumors by liberal bloggers that Palin faked her own pregnancy to cover up for her child.
Sep 1, 2008 at 12:43 PM by David Pleasant
Will this send the “values” voters into a frenzy? Only if the unwed mother-to-be was a Democrat.
Besieged by blog rumors about her 17-year-old daughter, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin — named Friday as running mate of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) — released a statement Monday saying her daughter is pregnant and plans to marry the father.
The governor and her husband, Todd, said their daughter, Bristol, plans to keep the baby….
Palin’s presence on the ticket has thrilled evangelical conservatives - many of whom are strongly opposed to premarital sex. But Palin also is revered by the conservative base for her fierce opposition to abortion and the her family’s decision to keep an unplanned baby likely will only bolster those credentials.
Can you imagine the frenzy this would create if Biden or Obama were faced with this situation? The Rethugs would recall everyone to the GOP Convention immediately — forget the hurricane.
Palin Family
Under normal circumstances I don’t think this is anybody’s business but the Palin’s, but that all changes when the Rethugs make their values the focus of their campaign efforts. Frankly, I’d much rather see more focus on Sarah Palin’s experience (or lack of) rather than an expose of her daughter’s social experiences.
We’ll never know, but I hope Palin’s daughter was not forced into making a decision that her parents demanded, especially if it was based on the VP nominee’s political aspirations.
Sep 1, 2008 at 2:31 AM by David Pleasant
John McCain and the neocons are touting Sarah Palin’s “executive experience” as Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska; however, Josh Marshall does an excellent job of putting that in perspective by publishing a picture of Wasilla’s City Hall. That led me to wonder how do all the people travel in and out of this international hub that breeds elected officials that are eminently qualified for the Executive Office of the Vice President of the United States.
Well, there isn’t an airport in Wasilla, but they’ve got a train depot.
Wasilla Train Depot (front)
Wasilla Train Depot (back)
