2 TOP Alaska newspapers question Sarah Palin's fitness for VP

[*DIVA!]

Since yesterday's shocking arrival of Gov. Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate there has been the usual cable news and print blathering about the pick from those who know little about her. But what about the journalists close to home -- in Alaska -- who know her best and have followed her career for years?


For the past 24 hours, the pages and web sites of the two leading papers up there have raised all sorts of issues surrounding Palin, from her ethics problems to general lack of readiness for this big step up. Right now the top story on the Anchorage Daily News web site looks at new info in what it calls "troopergate" and opens: "Alaska's former commissioner of public safety says Gov. Sarah Palin, John McCain's pick to be vice president, personally talked him on two occasions about a state trooper who was locked in a bitter custody battle with the governor's sister.


"In a phone conversation Friday night, Walt Monegan, who was Alaska's top cop until Palin fired him July 11, told the Daily News that the governor also had e-mailed him two or three times about her ex-brother-in-law, Trooper Mike Wooten, though the e-mails didn't mention Wooten by name. Monegan claims his refusal to fire Wooten was a major reason that Palin dismissed him. Wooten had been suspended for five days previously, based largely on complaints that Palin's family had initiated before Palin was governor."


A reporter for the Anchorage daily, Gregg Erickson, even did an online chat with the Washington Post, in which he revealed that Palin's approval rating in the state was not the much-touted 80%, but 65% and sinking -- and that among journalists who followed her it might be in the "teens." He added: "I have a hard time seeing how her qualifications stack up against the duties and responsibilities of being president.... I expect her to stick with simple truths. When asked about continued American troop presence in Iraq, she said she knows only one thing about that (I paraphrase): no one has attacked the American homeland since George Bush took the war to Iraq."


His paper found a number of leading Republican officeholders in the state who mocked Palin's qualifications. "She's not prepared to be governor. How can she be prepared to be vice president or president?" said Lyda Green, the president of the State Senate, a Republican from Palin's hometown of Wasilla. "Look at what she's done to this state. What would she do to the nation?"


Another top Republican, John Harris, the speaker of the House, when asked about her qualifications for Veep, replied with this: "She's old enough. She's a U.S. citizen."

Here are excerpts from the editorials in the two leading papers.
From the Daily News-Miner in Fairbanks:

Sen. John McCain's selection of Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate was a stunning decision that should make Alaskans proud, even while we wonder about the actual merits of the choice.... Alaskans and Americans must ask, though, whether she should become vice president and, more importantly, be placed first in line to become president. In fact, as the governor herself acknowledged in her acceptance speech, she never set out to be involved in public affairs. She has never publicly demonstrated the kind of interest, much less expertise, in federal issues and foreign affairs that should mark a candidate for the second-highest office in the land. Republicans rightfully have criticized the Democratic nominee, Sen. Barack Obama, for his lack of experience, but Palin is a neophyte in comparison; how will Republicans reconcile the criticism of Obama with the obligatory cheering for Palin?
Most people would acknowledge that, regardless of her charm and good intentions, Palin is not ready for the top job. McCain seems to have put his political interests ahead of the nation's when he created the possibility that she might fill it.

And from the Anchorage Daily News:

It's stunning that someone with so little national and international experience might be heartbeat away from the presidency. Gov. Palin is a classic Alaska story. She is an example of the opportunity our state offers to those with talent, initiative and determination...
McCain picked Palin despite a recent blemish on her ethically pure resume. While she was governor, members of her family and staff tried to get her ex-brother-in-law fired from the Alaska State Troopers. Her public safety commissioner would not do so; she forced him out, supposedly for other reasons. While she runs for vice-president, the Legislature has an investigator on the case.
For all those advantages, Palin joins the ticket with one huge weakness: She's a total beginner on national and international issues.
Gov. Palin will have to spend the next two months convincing Americans that she's ready to be a heartbeat away from the presidency....

Greg Mitchell: 2 Top Alaska Newspapers Question Palin's Fitness

[HWBL]

God, and we thought it couldn't get worse after Chimpy McSmirkface.
After this choice, we should be happy if things stay the same, should
McSame win the elections.

[ConstanceSpry]

Chimpy McSmirkface, that's brilliant!
I really hope Palin (and McCain) will be just a bad memory in a few months.

[kingcap72]

But I thought everyone in Alaska loved Palin?

[McJag]

Why do I have the feeling we have done more research on her than McCain did???

[kingcap72]

Well, he did meet her in passing once a few months ago so that's got to count for something. Let's give him some credit for putting five minutes of thought into the VP selection.

I told one of the Republicans I work with that McCain only met Palin once and he refused to believe it. LOL.

[McJag]

Originally Posted by kingcap72

Well, he did meet her in passing once a few months ago so that's got to count for something. Let's give him some credit for putting five minutes of thought into the VP selection.

I told one of the Republicans I work with that McCain only met Palin once and he refused to believe it. LOL.

Can you blame him?? He has boarded a sinking ship!

[Cali]

Her Wiki page is interesting:

- 'Palin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in communications-journalism from the University of Idaho, where she also minored in political science.

She doesn't even have an impressive education.

- Palin briefly worked in broadcasting as a sports reporter for local Anchorage television stations and with her husband in commercial fishing.

She's a former sportscaster with a Comm degree! C'mon Chipy McSmirkface, geez.

- 'Palin began her political career in 1992, running for Wasilla city council as a supporter of the controversial new sales tax and with an advertisement advocating "a safer, more progressive Wasilla".

Hmm, there goes the argument about Barack raising your taxes....

- 'In January 1997, Palin fired the Wasilla police chief and library director. In response, a group of 60 residents calling themselves Concerned Citizens for Wasilla discussed attempting a recall campaign against Palin, but then decided against it. The fired police chief later sued Palin on the grounds that he was fired because he supported the campaign of Palin's opponent, but his suit was dismissed when the judge ruled that Palin had the right under state law to fire city employees, even for political reasons.'

Yep, she's an upstanding, moral woman....

- She supported a non-binding referendum for a constitutional amendment to deny benefits to gay couples.

- She has admitted that she tried marijuana, but she does not support legalization, stating concerns about the message it would send to her children.

ha! Reminds me of MK's pothead Christian character in Weeds: 'Its from the earth, its Gods fruit.'

- She supported a controversial predator-control program involving aereal hunting of wolves.

- Todd Palin works for the oil company BP in a non-managerial position[92] and works as a fisherman in his hometown in the summers.

BINGO! There's her vested interest in oil drilling! And see, the Republicans are already marketing Todd as a 'professional fisherman.' Ha!

- Palin has traveled abroad twice: once to Ireland, and in 2007 to Germany and Kuwait, where she met with members of the Alaska National Guard.

Oh geez. Just what we need. Another world leader who hasn't even seen the world.

Sarah Palin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[kingcap72]

Originally Posted by McJag

Can you blame him?? He has boarded a sinking ship!

Well, this is the same guy that believes Dubya has been a good president, and that the only reason he's got low approval ratings is because, in his words, "the left-wing, liberal media has brainwashed everyone into believing Bush is a bad guy."

[McJag]

Originally Posted by kingcap72

Well, this is the same guy that believes Dubya has been a good president, and that the only reason he's got low approval ratings is because, in his words, "the left-wing, liberal media has brainwashed everyone into believing Bush is a bad guy."

Now he can complain about this bitterly at his next Flat Earth meeting!!

[january]

Originally Posted by Calimoonchild

- 'In January 1997, Palin fired the Wasilla police chief and library director. In response, a group of 60 residents calling themselves Concerned Citizens for Wasilla discussed attempting a recall campaign against Palin, but then decided against it. The fired police chief later sued Palin on the grounds that he was fired because he supported the campaign of Palin's opponent, but his suit was dismissed when the judge ruled that Palin had the right under state law to fire city employees, even for political reasons.'

WHAT?! I wonder if we can dig up more information on this from a better source than Wiki. If this is true, it makes me furious!!!

[kingcap72]

Originally Posted by McJag

Now he can complain about this bitterly at his next Flat Earth meeting!!

Oh, he believes the Earth is round. He's not that far gone...yet. He's one of those born-again Christians who whored around in his youth and now he's 'saved.' And he blames Clinton completely for 9/11 and for Bin Laden being on the loose.

[Fluffy]

Originally Posted by Calimoonchild

- 'Palin began her political career in 1992, running for Wasilla city council as a supporter of the controversial new sales tax and with an advertisement advocating "a safer, more progressive Wasilla".

Hmm, there goes the argument about Barack raising your taxes....

- 'In January 1997, Palin fired the Wasilla police chief and library director. In response, a group of 60 residents calling themselves Concerned Citizens for Wasilla discussed attempting a recall campaign against Palin, but then decided against it. The fired police chief later sued Palin on the grounds that he was fired because he supported the campaign of Palin's opponent, but his suit was dismissed when the judge ruled that Palin had the right under state law to fire city employees, even for political reasons.'

I heard that the mayoral position in Wasilla is a part-time job. So much for 'executive experience!'

[*DIVA!]

The sad thing about this whole thing, is that we here at GR did vet her more than McSmirkface, but the what saddens and pisses me the most about this.. will the MSM REALLY vet her??? I mean will they actually read more than what the McCain camp tells them. Without spamming sites with her unsightly behavior, how will people who don't 'do your research, Becky' find out!?!