ENDORCEMENTS, WHEELING W. VIRGINA AND PALIN

As I noted below Editor and Publisher is tracking national newspaper endorsements for President; out of curiosity I decided to read some of the Editorial supporting Senator John McCain. With one exception two words were left out of those endorsements: Sarah Palin.

The other interesting tidbit was there blindness to the McCain of today and the McCain of yesteryear. Almost to a paper they point to the very qualities he has given up in order to gain his parties nomination such as his past stands on immigration and torture.

And while they comment on the need for a steady, experienced hand, they fail to mention his almost erratic campaign behavior.

The one editorial who actually used Palin as a reason for voting for McCain was the Wheeling News-Register whose one and only concern was the use of coal. Never once however did they question her ability to BE the Vice President let alone President.

ENDORCEMENTS, PALIN AND yarddog...

"The Washington Post, in its endorsement of Senator Obama this morning, cited Sarah Palin presence on the Republican ticket as one of its reasons."

I can't imagine that this will not be the only endorsement that will raise the Palin question. Now, I assume that Ms. Palin is a good person, but she is not Vice Presidential material. McCain in making that decision; pandering to the radical right wing of his party and his erratic behavior since his campaign begun makes this one voter question the kind of decisions that McCain will make as president.

I know it does not come as any surprise that I have already voted, by mail, for Mr. Obama.


More of these fun things can be found here.

PALIN, HATRED, FEAR

I wonder if Ms. Palin is happy with this?

MCCAIN, PALIN AND POLITICAL INTOLERANCE ..

Years and years of political character assassinations, lies and distortions has breed a huge segment of the American public that is now reacting in ignorance and fear to an Obama Presidency. Witness the ugly public behavior at the forefront of McCain/Palin campaign rallies.

People are shouting the most horrific things, “Hang him.” “Shoot him.” “Treason!" "Terrorist!" "Kill him!" in reference to Senator Obama. Even when McCain tries to bring reason to chaos, he is taunted with boos! There is no common sense or decency.

Four generations of Republican Party leaders have made rank appeals to our worst natures and preached intolerance, bigotry and hatred ... anything to win. They have sowed those seeds and now America will suffer the whirlwind.

"SO INSULTED." BY SARAH PALIN

Insulted by Palin ... published here

My friend Cathie called me from San Marino; she was not calm: "Why aren't they sending (Pasadena mayor) Bill Bogaard to the United Nations! I am so insulted! What does it say about this country! She (Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska) thinks looking across the Gulf of Alaska is foreign policy. I am so insulted. She thinks God wants us in Iraq! I am so insulted."

After about 10 "I am so insulteds," I stopped counting.

PALIN AND The Most Challenged Books of 21st Century (2000-2005)

"And Tango Makes Three," by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell is the most challenged book in 2008. Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint

Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin investigated banning books in her home town when she was mayor. Because of that and because of the 25th anniversary of Banned Books Week (September 23-30, 2006), the American Library Association (ALA) compiled the top 10 most challenged books from 2000-2005, with the Harry Potter series of books leading the pack. The 10 most challenged books of the 21st Century (2000-2005) are:

1. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
2. "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier
3. Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
4. "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck
5. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
6. "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers
7. "It's Perfectly Normal" by Robie Harris
8. Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz
9. Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey
10. "Forever" by Judy Blume

All but three of these books were also in the top 10 of the most challenged books of the 1990s. The ALA reports there were more than 3,000 attempts to remove books from schools and public libraries between 2000 and 2005. Harry Potter tops list of most challenged books of 21st Century.

I am proud to say that I have three of those books in my library along with these that have also been challenged:

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell

John McCain’s policy positions

John McCain’s policy positions and voting records have been dismally homophobic. He has opposed every single gay rights measure of recent years. He opposes same-sex marriage, supports the Defense of Marriage Act, and — contrary to the “let the states decide” mantra of more moderate Republicans — has endorsed the California ballot initiative that would overturn the existing right for same-sex couples to marry. In fact, he’s even more extreme than that — he opposes any sort of recognition for same-sex partnerships, actively campaigning for a ban on them in his home state of Arizona. He is opposed to gays serving in the military — even in wartime, when recruiting is down and the military is desperately understaffed — and supports the discriminatory “don’t ask/ don’t tell” policy. He fought and voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would have protected gays and lesbians from being fired for their sexual orientation.

And then add Sarah Palin to the mix and things only get worse ... how could anyone pick her to hold one of the second highest office in the land? And talk about homophobic ... her record in it's own way is equally dismal and she does it because "the Bible tells her so" What in the world has happened in the life of American Politics?

DAVID LETTERMEN AND MCCAIN ...

And then there is this from the late talk show host, David Letterman:



The question I have is what in the world is going on? How could anyone look closely at Gov. Palin and honestly think that she could be the Vice President of this county? No one running for President should ...