Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Alighieri who wrote (418006)	9/18/2008 5:51:36 PM
From: steve harris	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1575879

it's embarrassing to compare Palin's record to empty suit Obama and 35 year DC insider Biden. McGovern '72

To: Alighieri who wrote (418006)	9/18/2008 5:54:14 PM
From: tejek	Respond to of 1575879

Partisan diversion Palin counterattacks instead of answering Troopergate questions Published: September 17th, 2008 11:52 PM Last Modified: September 17th, 2008 11:55 PM Gov. Sarah Palin’s handling of Troopergate is getting more and more troubling. She has reneged on her pledge, made before becoming the Republican vice-presidential nominee, to cooperate with the Legislature’s investigation. While stonewalling the independent inquiry, she is trying her side of the case in the press. Working on her behalf Monday, McCain-for-president operatives ripped into Walt Monegan and the legislators overseeing the inquiry. Whatever happened to the “open and transparent” administration she promised Alaskans? TWO BASIC QUESTIONS What Alaskans and the rest of the country need from Gov. Palin is simple. They need an honest accounting on two questions: • Did Gov. Palin force out public safety commissioner Walt Monegan because he would not fire her ex-brother-in-law from the troopers? • In pursuing Gov. Palin’s concerns about trooper Mike Wooten, did she, Todd Palin or her staff improperly obtain confidential information about him? McCAIN’S FRONTAL ASSAULT The McCain campaign apparently fears honest answers to those questions. Monday, two campaign operatives held a press conference to stir up partisan hysteria about the investigation and assail Monegan as “insubordinate” and a “rogue.” It was the kind of full-frontal personal attack that is so common in Washington, D.C. While pledging to clean up the nation’s capital, the McCain campaign has brought Washington’s repulsive tactics here to us in Alaska. The McCain-Palin attack on Monegan left key questions unanswered. If he was so insubordinate, why did she offer him a different job in her administration? Why is aide Frank Bailey on a recording telling a trooper lieutenant, “she really likes Walt a lot,” before going on to say the lack of action on Wooten is “very, very troubling to her and the family.” How did Bailey get the information from Wooten’s workers’ compensation claim, as he stated on the recording? FRENCH’S MISSTEP Gov. Palin’s defenders have tried to discredit the Legislature’s investigation as a partisan witch hunt, even though it was launched with unanimous bipartisan support. The investigation’s project manager, Sen. Hollis French, gave them an opening by sharing accurate, but politically ill-advised observations about potential outcomes with reporters. Though a Democrat, French was one of Republican Gov. Palin’s most reliable supporters in her victories on ethics reform, oil tax reform and the gas line partnership with TransCanada. With his remarks, Sen. French lit a match and handed it to the McCain camp, which is trying to ignite a partisan firestorm that wipes out the whole investigation until after the election. DIVERSION TACTIC All the allegations about partisanship, though, are a typical political distraction. Sen. Hollis French is not the one interviewing witnesses, checking documents and issuing the findings. The investigation is being conducted by a retired prosecutor with a solid professional reputation, Steven Branchflower. Branchflower enjoyed significant Republican support in the Legislature when he ran the Office of Victims Rights and proposed laws to help crime victims. It’s just not credible to claim that all of a sudden, he’s a partisan hack being manipulated by Team Obama. CHANGING STORIES In Gov. Palin’s defense, she can fairly point out that Monegan has changed his account of why he thinks he was fired. Initially, he said he didn’t know why. Later, he said he felt pressured to fire Wooten and his failure to do so could be part of the explanation. He now says he thinks the refusal to fire Wooten “was a significant factor if not the factor.” Of course, the charge of changing stories can be leveled against Gov. Palin. First she said she wanted a “different direction” for the department. Then she criticized Monegan’s management because he failed to fill vacant trooper positions — even though he could not single-handedly change the salary and working conditions that hinder recruitment. Now, she says Monegan was an insubordinate rogue. Alaskans and the rest of the country need to know the truth of what happened in Troopergate. And to get the truth, they need answers from Gov. Palin, her staff and her husband — before the November election. BOTTOM LINE: Palin and McCain are trying to ignite a partisan firestorm that wipes out the Troopergate investigation until after the election. adn.com

To: Alighieri who wrote (418006)	9/18/2008 5:58:47 PM
From: tejek	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1575879

When you see her comments disected in this fashion, one can understand why she had to go to 5 schools in 6 years. McCain signaled for Palin to answer the question. “Well first let me take a shot at that, and I’ll tell ya, I’m a product of Title IX in our schools, where equal education and equal opportunities in sports really helped propel me into the—I guess into the position that I’m in today where,” Palin said. McCain then interjected, “Could I mention she was a point guard on a state championship basketball team.” After the crowd’s applause died down, Palin continued: “Sports were very, very important to me growing up, you know just learning about self discipline and healthy competition and about what it takes to win and even how to graciously lose sometimes. But how to win, that’s what it teaches ya. Now, I was a product of Title IX where legislation allowed that equal opportunity. Now if we have to still keep going down that road to create more legislation, to get with it in the 21st century, to make sure that women do have equality especially in the work place, then we’re there because we understand that in this age we have all got to be working together. I respect you so much that you are a Democrat recognizing that John McCain and me as a team of mavericks understand where you’re coming from, and we can work together on these issues. But yup, equality for women, for all, that’s going to be part of the agenda and I thank you for that question.”