I Still Support Sarah Palin, Haters To The Left

What she has--charisma, charm & good looks--cannot be taught. And she has them in spades. Where she may lack or be a little deficient--policy (though not energy), etc.--she can learn.

To my mind, any objective survey of the national Republican political landscape--Romney, Huckabee, Jindal, Gingrich, whoever--must conclude that Sarah Palin is the one with the most potential.

If she didn't have so much popular appeal, her antagonists in Alaska & elsewhere would not be so dogged in their attacks.

For instance, check out the latest from John Fund in today's Political Diary:

The Associated Press report yesterday that Sarah Palin was about to be found guilty of violating state ethics laws set off a round of speculation that the Alaska governor was resigning later this month one step ahead of the sheriff.

In reality, it appears as if the improper leak may be little more than a parting shot against her by her critics, who have filed a total of 19 ethics complaints and hundreds of Freedom of Information Act requests against her. The leaks indicated that the Alaska Personnel Board has concluded that Governor Palin used her public image and notoriety to raise money for a legal defense fund she created to pay the costs of defending herself against ethics complaints. The only sanction it recommends is that she no longer accept direct payments from the fund to reimburse her $500,000 in legal expenses.

So far none of the ethics complaints filed against Ms. Palin have resulted in any findings of wrongdoing. The leaked portions of the report indicate that an investigator concluded that because an average citizen would have been unable to raise large sums to pay for legal bills, Governor Palin should not be able to either. "Governor Palin is able to generate donations because of the fact that she is a public official and a public figure. Were it not for the fact that she is governor and a national political figure, it is unlikely that many citizens would donate money to her legal defense fund," says a preliminary finding by the investigator.

Team Palin pushed back quickly. The governor herself used Twitter to send an abbreviated defense of herself: "In violation of Ethics Act more allegations were filed today by serial complainer; gave to press be4 we could respond; ridiculous, wasteful," she tweeted. "Some ask why not sue abusers of Ethics Act bc state wastes 1000's hrs/millions of tax dollars to fight (and win!) frivolous charges, tho it costs political critics NOTHING to file/play their wasteful game; They should debate policy in political arena, not hide w/process abuse."

Other Palin supporters joined in. Thomas Van Flein, her personal attorney, noted: "There has been no board finding of an ethics violation and there is a detailed legal process to follow before there is a final resolution." The head of her legal defense fund, Kristan Cole, told reporters: "This legal expense fund was thoroughly vetted by numerous attorneys from Alaska to the East Coast [and is meant] to help the Governor with the crushing legal fees she has incurred solely because of her public service."

No one doubts Ms. Palin has made a series of boneheaded public relations moves since her surprise choice as John McCain's running-mate last year. But the ethics charges strike many observers as bogus or nitpicky. They have included challenges to her out-of-state trips that appear dubious and even a complaint that her husband, Todd, wore a jacket made by a company that sponsored his snow-mobile races.

What the leftists have done to Sarah Palin is classic, well, leftist behavior: Use of courts through frivolous suits, etc., in pursuit of the politics of personal destruction.

I mean, can anyone believe the latest charge?--that she used her notoriety as governor & former VP candidate to raise money for her legal defense fund to defend herself against frivolous ethics charges like the one that says she used her personal notoriety to raise money to defend herself and I think you get the picture. Ridiculous.

If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.

Alaskans Hate Democrats

Wow. Alaskans would rather elect a felon than a Democrat.

Personally, I'd trade Ted Stevens for one of the other losing Republican Senators. I hope he was just acting as a place-holder and will soon announce his retirement, so Alaska can have a new race and elect a good Republican.

Ted Stevens is part of the reason we lost in 2006 and this year--this image of Republican corruption and spendthriftery.

In Minnesota, it looks like Norm Coleman going to beat Al Franken. The AP is calling it for Coleman, but with this close of a margin, plan on a recount.

With 75% reporting, Gordon Smith is up on Jeff Merkley. In the past, I've expressed my disappointment in Smith's stance on the war. Last night, while chatting with my brother, I mentioned that it wouldn't hurt me too bad to see him lose. He quickly pointed out that Smith is better than any Democrat alternative. He's right. And, a Smith win makes the filibuster that much easier to maintain.

I'm sorry to report that Dino Rossi did not win in WA. Though he outperformed John McCain by 80,000 votes, in the end, it just was not enough to overcome all of the other things stacked against him and Republicans generally. He's a great candidate, and would have made a fantastic governor, but it's probably too much to ask that he run again in 2012.

He should have won the first time around.

My district rep, Doc Hastings, won again. And Dave Reichert, the lone Republican on the West side is up by 400 votes or so with 40% reporting from his district. Cross your fingers.

The so-called "death with dignity" initiative passed meaning WA joins OR as a place you can go to legally kill yourself. That's something to be proud of. I can see the visitors bureau slogan now, "Welcome to Washington, proudly offing the weak and enfeebled since 2008!"

In California, Proposition 8, the other Big Thing I supported this cycle, is up 52-48 and looks like it will pass. I cannot express to you how relieved and happy and grateful I am at this result.

Look on the bright side, folks. And Remember, we are Happy Warriors. We lost the big one, won a few little, but important ones, and we live to fight another day.


If you have tips, questions, comments or suggestions, email me at lybberty@gmail.com.