Palin's Debate With The Facts
Last night's match-up between Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) and Gov. Sarah Palin
(R-AK) was one "most
highly anticipated vice-presidential debates in history." The event at
Washington University in St. Louis, MO, capped off one of Palin's most
high-profile weeks, in which she completed a series of interviews with CBS's
Katie Couric and various right-wing radio hosts. The picture that emerged was of
a candidate struggling to grasp complex issues outside of her narrow right-wing
worldview. At times, her positions not only went against what the majority of
the American public believes, but also
against scientific facts. Even conservative Washington Post columnist
Charles Krauthammer admitted after yesterday's debate that he "wasn't
impressed by the depth of her answers or the breadth of her knowledge."
Palin kept repeating that she wanted to move away from the past and look ahead,
but at no point was she able to demonstrate how, going forward, a McCain-Palin
administration would be anything but a third Bush term.
ECONOMIC CLUELESNESS: As Congress is in
the middle of
approving a $700 billion financial bailout, yesterday's debate appropriately
kicked off with a discussion of economic issues. Palin repeatedly stressed the
reform that she and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) would bring to the government. "Now,
John McCain thankfully has been one representing reform," Palin said. "Two
years ago, remember, it was John McCain who pushed so hard with the Fannie Mae
and Freddie Mac reform measures. He sounded that warning bell." This claim,
however, is an exaggeration. This morning, NPR fact-checked Palin's claim and
found that in 2005, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) was actually the one who led the
effort to tighten regulations. NPR said that the only piece they could find from
McCain was a press release co-sponsoring Hagel's measure. Additionally, in an
interview in November 2007, McCain admitted that he was clueless about the
economic mess: "So, I'd like to tell you that I did anticipate it, but I have to
give you straight talk,
I did not." In an interview that aired on Sept. 24, Couric pressed Palin to
name "specific examples" of McCain pushing for more regulation. Palin failed,
however, and simply replied, "I'll try to find you some and I'll bring them to
you." Palin was similarly confused and overwhelmed by her memorized talking
points in a CBS interview that aired the next day, when she inexplicably claimed
that the bailout is needed to "help
those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help
shore up the economy," a position that no experts have taken.
DANGEROUS DECLARATIONS: Yesterday, Palin
aggressively criticized anyone advocating withdrawal from Iraq, even though it
is a
position held by the majority of the American public. Palin claimed that a
timeline for redeployment -- now also embraced by
President Bush and
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri-al Maliki -- would be "a
white flag of surrender." Of course, Palin failed to note that before
adopting the talking points of the McCain campaign, she held a similar view. In
March 2007, Palin told the Alaska Business Monthly, "I've been so focused on
state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq. ... [W]hile
I support our president, Condoleezza Rice and the administration,
I want to know that we have an exit plan in place." Last night and during
her CBS interviews, Palin made repeated references to "victory" and "winning" in
Iraq while also praising Gen. David Petraeus. Petraeus, however, has
disavowed such terms, wanting to avoid "premature
declarations of success." The McCain campaign continues to tout Palin as a
foreign policy expert. This week on NPR, McCain claimed that he has "turned
to her advice many times in the past" on these issues. Defending the claim
that
Alaska's proximity to Russia
constitutes national security experience, the campaign told CBS News this
week that "Russian
incursions...inside the air defense identification zone have occurred."
However, a spokesman for the Alaska region of the North American Aerospace
Defense Command has confirmed that "no
Russian military planes have been flying even into that zone" during Palin's
tenure.
EMBRACING DARTH VADER: In yesterday's
debate, Biden called Dick Cheney "one
of the most dangerous vice presidents" in history. Palin, however, had a
very different view of "Darth
Vader." "I'm thankful the Constitution would
allow a bit more authority given to the vice president if that vice
president so chose to exert it in working with the Senate," she said in last
night's debate. Palin also
stuck up for Cheney's claim that he's not part of the executive branch,
saying that the Constitution allowed for "flexibility
there in the office of the vice president." When asked what Cheney's biggest
mistake has been while in office, Palin refused to name any of his official
actions to Couric. "Worst thing, I guess that would have been
the duck hunting accident, where you know, that was an accident," she said.
"And that I think that was made into a caricature of him." Trying to paint
herself as a reformer, Palin bragged that as governor, she has appointed people
"regardless
of party." However, high school affiliation has been very important. As the
New York Times noted, "The
Wasilla High School yearbook archive now doubles as a veritable directory of
state government." Palin has appointed her former junior high band-mate, among
others.
Gonzales, and Bush Broke the Law
Finally, the cold hard truth is coming out:
Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and the
Bush Justice Department
fired people for blatantly partisan purposes - breaking
the law and injecting politics into our justice system. (A
system which can only function in a democracy when it is free from partisan
corruption.)
It is sad that none of us are the least bit surprised. This week, Glenn
Fine, the
Inspector General, assigned to investigate the politicization of the
Justice Department released a critically important 392 page report.
In it, he stated they found "significant evidence that political
partisan considerations were an important factor in the removal of several of
the U.S. attorneys." Remember, this report comes from Bush's own
Justice Department investigation. Imagine the scathing report that would
come from a fully nonpartisan source.
The report also stated
Alberto Gonzales, his chief
of staff
Kyle Sampson, and his deputy
Paul McNulty failed "to
provide accurate and truthful statements about the removals and their role in
the process." This is a polite way to say that Gonzales and Sampson lied to
investigators. This is unacceptable, and Gonzales, Sampson, and Rove should
face criminal charges for this this behavior.
The report also stated that one of the US attorneys,
David Iglesias, was
removed "without any inquiry into his handling of the cases."
The report is so damning of Alberto Gonzales, Rove, Miers, and others that
the current Attorney General, Michael Mukasey, has appointed a
Special Prosecutor to
investigate and, if warranted, issue criminal charges.
Whether this is the beginning of real accountability remains to be seen, but
it is my mission to try to make sure Congress does not abdicate its
responsibility to do its own investigations.
Later this week, Chairman Conyers and the Judiciary Committee will hold
hearings on this matter, where I expect to vigorously question Inspector General
Fine and other witnesses.
Like you, I will not be satisfied until I see true justice, blind
from partisanship, and a wholesale cleansing of the Justice Department.
We must remove anyone who contributed to the corrupting of this
critical institution.
Given the fact that John McCain's campaign is chock full of Bush and Rove
allies, there is no reason to think a McCain administration would stop the
corruption and mismanagement of the justice department. Obviously, working to
elect Obama gets us much closer to this goal.
While we are dealing with very serious issues in Congress this week, it is my
view that the threat posed by a corrupting of the Justice department is of vital
importance and must be dealt with seriously by this Congress.
Nothing less than our system of justice is at stake. We must not be
distracted from that reality.
Please keep vigilant.
Sincerely,
Robert Wexler
Paid for by "Wexler for Congress" |
http://designsens.com/webmy233.htm
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