Random Republican Ridiculousness--Friday, Sep 5th--60 days 'til the election

--McCain's "green screen" had been previously so unflattering viewers were confused why it was being used again, until they saw the full picture. Then they were confused as to what building it was. It turns out to be Walter Reed.................Middle School in North Hollywood, California. The Campaign isn't talking, but did their "Google-meister" commit a fatal fumble because he meant for it to be Walter Reed Medical Center?--Daily Kos with more on TPM.



--It seems that Sarah Palin will be holed up here in Alaska and not doing unscripted interviews per Firedoglake. CREW, in a report released yesterday on how the Governor has been proclaiming to be cooperating has been (not-so-secretly) undermining it all along, doesn't believe she'll cooperate in giving a deposition (which is supported by Van Flein's announcement the other day that she'll be "too busy" to testify):

Palin's attorney, Thomas Van Flein, is unlikely to agree to depositions, forcing the Alaska legislature to issue subpoenas for Palin and other present and past Alaska state employees. At that time, Van Flein will either move to quash the subpoenas, likely claiming the legislature has no jurisdiction to authorize the inquiry and that subpoenas for records violate the Alaska Constitution’s right to privacy or, those subpoenaed will refuse to appear, forcing the state legislature to seek judicial enforcement of the subpoenas. The delay will push the conclusion of the investigation past November 4, 2008.

Someone please explain to me how "holing up in Alaska" makes her "too busy" to testify in a deposition...in Alaska?



--While the front page of the Anchorage Daily News has been full of "Golly Jeepers!" pictures and stories of Sarah Palin, one tiny bit of news seemed to escape their notice. Not so of NBC, CNN, Yours Truly and AndrewHalcro.com, none of whom thought that PSEA, the trooper's union, filing an ethics complaint against the Governor wasn't worth their attention.

ADN, what is wrong with you?

**BREAKING:** Anticipating Kopp's possible departure via a Governor's "push"

***UPDATE***

Per Alaska Politics Blog:

Gov. Sarah Palin has been meeting with Public Safety Commissioner Chuck Kopp today and plans to hold a news conference this afternoon, her spokeswoman Sharon Leighow said.

Leighow would not disclose what the two have been talking about or what the governor will say at the news conference, including whether Palin plans on firing the state's top cop.

We're all just waiting for a press release because Sharon Leighow has not announced a time or a place for the press conference. I talked to KTVA and Megan Holland at the ADN--neither one of them knew where the press conference was. (In other words, only people who are personally invited will be there--people who won't ask questions...allegedly...)


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The same thing was happening to me right before Andrew Halcro talked to Mike Wooten for four hours. Folks were telling me everything that proved to be true, but they gave me no proof so I couldn't print it.

This time, this information is all about Chuck Kopp and claims that there is much more to the story...and more folks involved. One person even named a name (I deleted it from the comments).

I'm following up on what I can, including looking into submitting a FOIA request. I really am not invested in "breaking stories" but I will if folks will give me the information with that intent. However, I'm also making a request. If there is someone who REALLY knows something out there with proof, break the story to SOMEONE...ANYONE you feel comfortable with. If half of this stuff is actually true, folks REALLY need to know and I don't care who breaks it.

The Anchorage Press has it wrong. There's been no shortage of praise for Ted Stevens in the ADN over the years.

I like Brendan Joel Kelley and I consider him to be a friend, but his most recent piece in The Anchorage Press regarding my "Community Voices" column on Ted Stevens is way off the mark.

It's not completely his fault. It just shows that he doesn't know the history of the multi-decade "dance" between ADN and "Uncle Ted."

I'll never forget the most memorable use of of that "endearment." It was between 12 and 15 years ago when now-Democratic-State-Legislator, Mike Doogan was my favorite columnist. He wrote a piece on how he wanted to know when Ted Stevens was going to retire because he was leaving Alaska...the state's income would dry up and blow away.

Everyone laughed because we agreed it was probably true. Ted could do no wrong back then.

However, in the last 10 years, things have changed. I don't know if Ted's faculties have been slipping (watching his decline on video is downright painful) or if all these years have given him such a sense of entitlement he doesn't feel like he has to try anymore. At the very least, he tells fairy stories and the media sucks it up like pablum:

- "Once upon a time, Uncle Ted took good care of Veterans!" (He's voted against funding the VA system over 26 times since 1990...I will happily email the 26 links to anyone who wants proof.)

- "Uncle Ted was responsible in part for the success of the 2001 GI Bill" (He was against it before he was for it before he was against it before he was for it again.)

- "Uncle Ted has taken good care of his constituents." (Ted Stevens has consistently approved tax cuts for the wealthy and has repeatedly voted against tax relief for Alaskan families...again, I will happily email the info to anyone who wishes.)

The part that most disappointed me was the fact that Brendan totally bought the myth that "The ADN only prints bad stuff about Ted Stevens."

First off, all one has to do is go to the online ADN "Local Columnists" link under "Opinion" to find Dan Fagan's June 28th rah, rah article on Ted Stevens' accomplishments. Contrary to Mr. Crawford's claim, had they posted his Compass piece when he wished, it would have seemed a veritable Stevens love-fest.

Secondly, there has NEVER been ANY story written by a Daily News reporter specifically focusing on any of the issues I mention above...never. Like John McCain, the press seems to give Ted a pass.

Thirdly, on the issue I brought up in my column--of Ted Stevens touting Mark Steyn's book of prejudice, there was NOT ONE DAILY NEWS STORY written on this other than to mention it on the Alaska Politics blog and in "Alaska Newsreader" in passing and point them to Phil Munger's and my blogs. There was also NOT ONE MENTION ON ALASKA TELEVISION NEWS of this issue AT ALL.

This was not an "I hate Ted Stevens" story...this was a damn "Holy crap, what is my Senator doing?" story. If anything, the Daily News used me to get the story out.
If it had been a controversial book suggested by Barack Obama or any other Democrat, we'd still see it every waking moment discussed ad nauseum on the cable news channels.

Also, Brendan, comparing the "Community Voices" columns vs. the "Compass" pieces is NOT a subtle difference. I had to apply for the Community Voices position and was selected from a number of applicants as were my other four "Community Voices" compadres. We hold our positions for six months, where we get approximately six columns of our own. Compass pieces (which I have also had published before) are longer versions of Letters to the Editor. One submits them and hopes they get picked.

If Mr. Crawford wants a little more leeway in his writing, he should apply for the next round of "Community Voices" selections which I believe will be in September.

I look forward to reading his columns.

Tomorrow's "Community Voices" Column--going after Ted Stevens

Every 5 weeks or so for six months (I have at least one more column to go) I write a "Community Voices" column for the Anchorage Daily News. This is a summary of the other posts I've done on this issue.


A few years ago, I was applying for jobs in the lower-48 when I came upon a particularly promising one; it was a live-in assistant to a wealthy retired couple. When it looked like the job might be a “go,” I attached a picture that was taken of me holding my 18-month-old daughter.

That evening, I received a glacial phone call saying they were no longer interested in my services. I was bewildered and kept pushing for an explanation. I was finally told that they could not hire "a traitor to the white race" as I had given birth to a black child. I was helping to increase "the mud people" and therefore was "a mud person" myself…a term that white supremacists use to describe all people who are not white and Christian.

These folks were originally from the UK so it was my first introduction to European racism. After some research I discovered that there was a strong undercurrent of anti-immigration prejudice happening in the UK and the rest of Europe.

Enter UK-born Canadian Mark Steyn and his book “America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It. Steyn’s skilled writing and sarcastic humor distracts from the bigotry of his unscientifically-based assertions regarding a Muslim “breeding conspiracy.” He discusses the birthrate decline in the “white” European population and the “danger” that poses.

The book is reviewed by UK journalist, Johann Hari:

“An unassimilated, culturally confident Muslim mass will slowly become the majority, and demand the demoralised multicultural "natives" integrate with them. At times, Steyn implies this shift is the result of a conscious political conspiracy. Orianna Fallacci - whose "bravery" he praises - said that Muslims "have been told to come here and breed like rats."

He further compares a quote from Steyn's book...a warning:

"Today, a fearless Muslim advance has penetrated far deeper into Europe than Abd al-Rahman... There are three strategies Islam deploys against a dying West: first, demography; second, conversion; and third, the murky 'intertwining' of modern technology and ancient hatreds."

One would not expect such a book to be used as reference material.

However, Ted Stevens did so recently in a rant reminiscent of “Grandfather Abraham” from “The Simpsons" when asked about his supporting votes on Real ID and the Patriot Act. It was caught on ADN’s Alaska Politics Blog during the “Ted and Sarah” show:

"Read the book "America Alone." A lot of people complain about that book...look at the demographic concepts of that book and just think about what's going on in the world and decide whether we want to become Italy or we want to become France, in terms of our society and how it's impacted by those who are really against us."

It’s bad enough that a sitting U.S. Senator references a book that portrays fanatic jihad as the eventual goal of the religion of Islam rather than the distortion of a small percentage of Muslims.

It’s bad enough that a sitting U.S. Senator recommends a book where the author states on page 5:

"In a democratic age, you can’t buck demography—except through civil war. The Serbs figured that out—as other Continentals will in the years ahead: if you can’t outbreed the enemy, cull ’em."

The worst, most horrendous point is that Senate leader Ted Stevens promotes this devoid-of-scientific-research-tripe as the influence behind his domestic security policy!

I’ve seen no story about this in the mainstream media.

U.S. Muslim leader Imam Zoubir Bouchikhi was in Anchorage this week meeting with the Alaska faithful and religious leaders. I had a chance to ask for his thoughts on Ted Stevens comments during an interview on Cary Carrigan’s morning show. Among them:

“There is a great deal of fear spread by politicians and we know why. I think that’s a great disservice to the American people. To spread peace is the right thing.”

Another disservice is when their elected leaders make incendiary statements and are not held accountable.