McCain's claim of a DNC "air drop of lawyers" is false, but we in Alaska knew that already

Per Talking Points Memo:

As noted below, the McCain campaign has a new ad out designed to portray Obama as a predator and Sarah Palin as prey by pointing to 30 opposition researchers that the Obama team allegedly sent to Alaska to savage her.

Of course, the article that the ad references doesn't say Obama sent them -- it actually says Democrats sent them.

But the Democratic National Committee's chief of research, Mike Gehrke, tells me that the DNC hasn't sent a single researcher to Alaska. "Zero," Gehrke says.

We knew that already as a direct result of Alaska Republican Party spokesperson McHugh Pierre's comments on this blog. He made these comments in response to my sharing the information that the McCain folks were on their way within 24 hours of Sarah's selection...VETTING HER AFTER THE FACT.

Per McHugh:

Thanks for the plug, but could you please pick a better picture of me! ; )

I never said McCain folks are coming to Alaska to investigate Palin and "Troopergate"! That is hilarious!

What I did say is that Obama political snoops just came up to Alaska to dig dirt on Palin and were going to be looking into the "Troopergate" allegations and anything else they can find.

Good luck running down more rumors and gossip.

What's hilarious is that he hasn't said a word since the source for my story came forward...the woman who heard him say it was the McCain campaign coming to Alaska the next day.

So when I heard this being spewed as a Republican Party line just a day or two after the comment was posted, I knew it was the cover story they were using to explain all of the Republican Party black suitted lawyers showing up in Alaska to do the job they should have done BEFORE they picked Palin.

Thanks for the tip, McHugh!

P.S. Could someone artsy show me what an air drop of lawyers looks like? I have great pictures of it in my head but I'd love to see some in print!

McHugh Pierre tells retired U.S. Army Officer that McCain Campaign is on its way to Alaska

Barbara Bachmeier walked into the Republican Party offices Friday looking for someone else but she found McHugh Pierre. He's on leave from the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and hand-picked by Sarah Palin to act as the Alaska Republican Party spokesperson in place of Republican Chair, Randy Reudrich.

Bachmeier walked in just as Pierre hung up the phone. She described his look as "the cat that just swallowed the canary."

Pierre: "I just got off the phone with the McCain people. They are coming in tomorrow to do their investigations."

Bachmeier (incredulously): Now???!!! This is going to be like an episode of the "Beverly Hillbillies!"

Pierre: (nods and smiles)

Bachmeier: "Do you really think she's going to win?"

Pierre: "No, but she's really going to do a lot for Alaska."

Bachmeier goes to the Republican Party office as often as she visits the Alaska Democrats. She also attended the conventions of both parties. She is a registered "non-partisan" and maintains her neutrality in all-things-political because of her roll as an advocate for woman veterans who have experienced Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and the debilitating Post Tramatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which is the result in most cases. As an MST survivor herself, her avocation is helping others like her by starting the 501-C3 "Women Serving Women Veterans" and the "Alaska Military Veterans PAC"--the only Federally recognized veterans Political Action Ccommittee in Alaska.


As a matter of fact, Barbara inadvertantly shared her conversation with Pierre while we were discussing the progress of both organizations and the work we would do together when I got home (I was still in Denver). My personal mission is to work with veterans...especially disabled vets. I am already dedicated to one non-profit, Veteran's Aviation Outreach, and I am also going to do some work with Barbara.

It was clear when she recounted the story of her day at Republican headquarters that she didn't expect my reaction.

"Oh my GOD...YOU ARE KIDDING ME!!!!"

In my writing, I had been very careful to leave Barbara's name out of it because a) she didn't have any political agenda when she told me this information, we were just talking about veterans' issues and b) I didn't want there to be any kind of retaliation against her.

However, McHugh Pierre's insistance upon lying in the comments of the blog posts got her back up. His second comment especially irritated her:

I figured I would share the truth with you. Obviously you don't care about the truth so soldier on rumor monger!

She found it interesting that he used the term "soldier on."

"If you don't stand for something, you stand for nothing. I am a soldier and I stand for the truth," Bachmeier stated as we talked in my cramped little office. "I can't stand it when anyone is being disingenuous and I know about it."

However, she wants it known that she's not anybody's "mouthpiece."

"I have no loyalty to either party. My loyalties are with the active-duty soldiers and the veterans. Many of Alaska's veterans are in dire straits and I need everybody's help to bring about change. I just call them as I see them"

Home sweet home!!!!! Yup, I just got back to Alaska and the news is fast and furious!

Morrigan and I are both so happy to be home, it's not funny. We had an absolute blast in all of the hectic craziness, Kim and Erick were the most wonderful host and hostess (with the mostest) and we truly loved meeting so many fabulous people from all over the country.

However, we were ready to come home and I desperately missed my husband!

I'm pleased to say that there are many new and exciting developments happening on the blog in the coming week!

- It seems that Ed Schultz has decided to come to Alaska in two weeks and do a National Town Meeting on the Palin selection! KUDO is in the thick of the organization process with "Team Fargo" and more information will be forthcoming as the week progresses.

- Many have wanted verification from the "source" on my story regarding McHugh Pierre's revealation that the McCain team was coming to ask questions about the "Trooper-gate" issue...vetting after the fact!!!!! Well, McHugh can thank himself for trying to lie about it...the source became so incensed over his comments on the blog that the source will be coming over for dinner and an interview. The identity will be revealed on a post...with pictures...tomorrow!

- Of course, I also have tons of pictures, stories and material from Denver that I haven't had time to edit or print yet. Those will be appearing periodically this week (probably for the next several weeks)!

Thanks for reading!

McHugh Pierre makes a CYA comment

McHugh Pierre said...

Thanks for the plug, but could you please pick a better picture of me! ; )
I never said McCain folks are coming to Alaska to investigate Palin and "Troopergate"! That is hilarious!

What I did say is that Obama political snoops just came up to Alaska to dig dirt on Palin and were going to be looking into the "Troopergate" allegations and anything else they can find.

Good luck running down more rumors and gossip.

Hey, McHugh, thanks for stopping by! I'm guessing you're doing so because your unguarded remarks got you in a whole lot of trouble!

You and I both know that the phone call was from the McCain folks. You and I both know that you said (yesterday) they were coming "tomorrow" not that they had already arrived. You and I both know that they are now forced to do belated vetting because they didn't do it beforehand.

You seemed to have thought as carefully about your cover-your-ass response as McCain did about his VP pick...your explanation is idiotic. How could you have said yesterday that Obama had "just sent up" folks to "dig dirt" on Palin when the announcement was just made yesterday? Also, why would the Obama Campaign need to send folks up here at all since THEY ALREADY HAVE 5 FULLY-STAFFED OFFICES (SOON TO BE 7) AND HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS ACROSS ALASKA! This has been the case for weeks.

Nice try, though...

Besides, the comments by Gail Phillips in the ADN betray the reality...

Former House Speaker Gail Phillips, a Republican political leader who has clashed with Palin in the past, was shocked when she heard the news Friday morning with her husband, Walt.

"I said to Walt, 'This can't be happening, because his advance team didn't come to Alaska to check her out," Phillips said.

Phillips has been active in the Ted Stevens re-election steering committee and remains in close touch with Sen. Lisa Murkowski and other party leaders, and she said nobody had heard anything about McCain's people doing research on his prospective running mate.

"We're not a very big state. People I talk to would have heard something."

Also, ABC News had an interesting story on the (lack of) vetting process for Palin:

The campaign secretly flew Palin into Dayton last night. She and McCain met privately for a couple of hours. McCain concluded she would "shake up the system" and was "a maverick," qualities he believed Lieberman would have brought to the ticket. But she also would appeal to conservatives -- which Lieberman most certainly would not have done.

After their meeting, McCain concluded he was comfortable with his choice. He notified Pawlenty this morning that he was going in a different direction.

Feel free to comment on my blog anytime, Hugh. You are always entertaining!

P.S. I have mad Google skills but seemed to have problems finding a decent picture of you. I think this one is better. However, I promise, I'll post whatever picture you send me of yourself.

BREAKING: McCain Campaign heading to Alaska to investigate

A very reliable source overheard Republican spokesperson McHugh Pierre state TODAY that he had spoken to the McCain Campaign. They are coming to Alaska tomorrow to check out the "Troopergate" investigation.

In other words, THEY DID NOT DO SO PROPERLY AHEAD OF TIME.

So, I wonder what else they may not know...like why Bristol Palin may be holding a blanket over her abdomen in public when she's turned to the side towards the cameras?