Who Said 'Oh God' Just Before Jindal's Speech

Given that Governor Bobby Jindal gave a most lacklustre rebuttal speech, I want to know if the person who is audibly muttering, "Oh God" can read palms too.

He's obviously a fortune teller.



(Via Allahpundit)

Incidentally, if Bobby Jindal were black and not brown (as Juan Williams of Fox constantly likes to point out that he is) and I were a Democrat who loves to read these things into every moment, I would say what Olbermann - or whomever - said, has a racist tinge to it.

Too bad no one watches MSNBC else people would be justifiably outraged.

ADDED: Just in case anyone thinks the 'Oh God' was not about Jindal, I say nuts. Check out the inside laugh by an MSNBCer in the studio, just after the dismissive phrase.

I'll Have What She's Having

Of course, it could be argued that a mere slip-of-the-tongue doesn't warrant such technological effort the creator of this video must've required. But being CNN, it's still funny.

Do You Think Katie Couric Would Look As Thrilled

If Vice-President Sarah Palin had been kissing her at the Abraham Lincoln celebrations, instead of President Barack Obama?



IN THE COMMENTS: Starless comments on the different Courics available for popular consumption.

Aside: I think it's really cute that Katie thinks she's a real journalist now. She puts on her big girl professional suit and her "serious" face. Its just adorable.

You mean, this face...?



The Death of Miss Perky is much longer drawn out than even I thought it would be.

Leg Tingle Alert

Warning: Self-satisfied liberal sneering by Rachel Maddow at the beginning of clip.



Chris Matthews @ 3:25 -- "I love to think with him".

ALL.SENIOR.CITIZENS.SHOULD.HAVE.LEG.TINGLE.ALERT.

Hey, Whatever Happened To That Nice Barack Obama?

(Strewth, my second Instalanche in as many days! Thanks, Glenn, and welcome all! ADDED: Welcome Ace of Spades HQ readers!)

You remember him? This guy.



That cool cat with the million dollar smile. The post-partisan uniter of all Americans, the guy who was going to cure our nation's ills with his wonderful speeches, and steady calm hand. Mr. Cute Puppies, Happy Rainbows and Chocolate Chip Cookies. HIM.

Because when he took his first Air Force One trip to Williamsburg, VA (9 minutes one-way from D.C.; take that carbon credits!) to address the House Democrats' retreat, he belted forth with such angry frustration at the Stimulus Package meeting resistance, that I had to blink.

Surely someone had told him that winning a Presidential election does not equal to a general assuming Supremo command, and expecting everyone to follow orders. Right?

Or do you reckon that in the 47 years of his time on earth, no one had actually, really told him "no", "you can't", "you have to wait", "hey, what's your hurry", and lastly, "settle down, you're behaving like a brat throwing a tantrum" and, "Oh my God, did you just totally give me the bird"?

Because that would explain his petulant, almost Reverend Wrightish delivery, with that strange preacher cadence he assumed on the campaign trail -- which is so very at odds with his new Office.

Alas, I'm afraid I've come to the conclusion that Barack Obama is a rather spoilt man, unused to waiting for anything he wanted, unused to real challenge after having been everyone's darling since the time he was very young.

He will find it very difficult to control his temper, and his emotions, if he doesn't learn grace under fire.

Because right now, he's very, but very unpresidential.



You know, I'm not sure his mask had never slipped before, though. Come to think of it, I've seen Barack Obama looking angry in the past. But just in case you yourself missed it, here's a little refresher.

THE MANY ANGRY FACES OF BARACK OBAMA



















I don't blame you for not remembering him ever looking pissed off though. Media weren't exactly rushing out those stories.

Nope. This is the Obama we were told we were going to get.



Welcome to reality.

IN THE COMMENTS: Orion sums up the underlying threads perfectly.

Some of that "anger" is an act. He's almost certainly focus-grouped it and been told that "acting tough" scores him more points than being polite. Trouble is, he really doesn't have much bite behind that bark. The congressmen he sneered, "I won." to, also won, some by larger margins than he did. And they'll be there after he's gone.

I think we're going to see the most blatantly partisan president in decades for at least the next 2 years. He's going to bully and hector the GOP and get increasingly frustrated when they ignore him - or worse, start winning arguments with him. Because the Democrats in marginal seats in Congress are NOT going to want to go over the cliff with him. He hasn't figured that out yet.

Ironically, President Obama is not as proficient at acting as his Democratic counterpart, President Bill Clinton, was.

When the latter was given the near-hourly polls of each given topic, he knew how to fine-tune himself to reflect the latest nuance in public opinion to a remarkable degree.

Obama is too green in politicking and also temperamentally unable to know how to do that. This might be at the root of his famous faux-pas when going "off-script" (the Green Lantern reference, the Weezy mistake, Nancy Reagan's necromancy).

His only point-of-reference seems to be assuming a Reverend Wright-like persona, whereupon he plays to the crowd, the crowd then laps it up, immediately giving him a false sense of momentum. That only leads to him acting even more out of control.

It's a recipe for destruction. In real-time...

Incompetent

Tell me something.

If our President's oratorical gifts are so pronounced, as is universally believed, why is it that even during a minor speech in the East Room today, he had to have a teleprompter to deliver it?



I understand the use of it at his very first speech outting in the White House, when the teleprompters were meticulously put up for him, perhaps to steady his nerves.



But a man of his supposed speaking skills shouldn't have to use them, lest the tag of "empty suit" linger in people's minds.

On the other hand, you know how who needs a teleprompter...bad? Robert Gibbs.



I wonder how long this vastly incompetent official mouthpiece, who seems to have gotten his Press Secretary gig after tussling with Sean Hannity on Fox, will last?

The Great Communicator

Believe it or not, the first sit-down interview granted by the new President of the United States, Barack Obama, was to Al-Arabiya (Al-Jezeera's main rival).



You know, these past few days were not good days for Republicans watching the new President take his baby steps.

Not only did he reinstitute Federal funding to international groups that provide abortions or give advice on the issue, but he had a verbal skirmish targetting Rush Limbaugh, of all people, as well as taunting Republican legislators that "I won". There was that almost 1 Trillion dollar stimulus package which even John "RINO" McCain can't get behind, whilst Monday brought news that Timothy Geithner was confirmed as our Treasury Secretary even after "forgetting" to pay taxes, joining in spirit Barack Obama -- whose aunt is in the country illegally.

And finally, as cherry on top, his first concession to media is not even in the US, but to a foreign news entity which broadcasts in the Arab language.

(Did I miss anything?)

I was hopeful he would be a middle-of-the-road President given his moderate pre-Inauguration steps, but honestly, he won't be. As such, I won't be behind his left-of-centre efforts to retool America and its vision of itself in the world.

So far, I see more connective tissue to Carter than to Reagan.

And that sickens me.

I Won, Rushbo

President Barack Obama, who was going to reign in peace, harmony and lollipops as a self-described post-partisan President, today made two statement which left no doubt where his real mindset is.

Politico had the most linked to story today because of this one paragraph.

President Obama listened to Republican gripes about his stimulus package during a meeting with congressional leaders Friday morning - but he also left no doubt about who's in charge of these negotiations. "I won," Obama noted matter-of-factly, according to sources familiar with the conversation.

I WON.

Sound familiar? It should.

This is but one schoolyard taunt removed away from the phrase which gave all his opponents a collective spasm, George Bush's "I'm the decider". And let's not forget his famous words after he was re-elected in 2004:

"I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it."

But Mr. Obama wasn't done. He had brought a quiver full of spitballs to the meeting with the Repugs.

"You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done," he told top GOP leaders, whom he had invited to the White House to discuss his nearly $1 trillion stimulus package."

Aww, Jeez.

Someone needs to tell this Obama guy to get a grip.

What flew on the campaign trail, looks decidedly unleaderlike as President. He had spent most of his time battling the windmills of Fox News at the time, whining that if it weren't for Hannity and Fox News in general, he would be at least 2 or 3 points up in the polls.



I dismissed it as punchy rhetoric then, but now, I'm starting to sense a pattern.

Realise that we're not talking about Governor Palin here, who had the whole range of both the Left and Right journalistic world to battle against -- and largely, due to John McCain's ridiculous non-defense of her (and where was Todd, by the way?) she had to do it on her own.

This touchy attitude is coming from a sitting President of the United States, who must be used to hearing criticism as a politician, but is championed by many more people, especially now that he was elected. So what gives?

In 8 years, President Bush -- the world's most reviled man -- never once mentioned an ideological or journalistic foe public. Just once, actually. But it was a hot mic and he was speaking in confidence to his Vice-President about a New York Times reporter being an A-hole.

But that's it. Think about it. 8 years of the most trenchant, personal abuse towards him from every news organ, right down the line, and we never heard a peep about who he considered to be his adversaries in the press. Whilst in less than 3 days, we have a gloating, manchild President intent on making sure everyone knows he's writing down who's been naughty or nice.

So long as Barack Obama behaves presidentially, and controls some of the embarrassing behaviour of his Vice-President, he'll get more than a measure of respect from many quarters.

You hear?

That's precious capital, Mr. President. Don't spend it all at once.

IN THE COMMENTS: Knox nails it.

Not only does he seem sort of defensive and, yes, thin-skinned as a person, but he has the additional handicap of having received no real criticism from the media. He likely believes at this point that anyone who gives him resistance is unreasonable or a far-right extremist, whose opinions can be discarded. That's a dangerous combination.

I hope it doesn't work out that way, but there are several incidents now of him being overly touchy and easily riled, simply when asked an inconvenient question. "Manchild" sounds about right. I just try not to think of it in the same sentence as "Commander-in-Chief".

Obama reminds me of...a military man, actually. It is said that career officers have a tendency to confuse dissent with mutiny. Any pushback is considered outrageous, or at the very least, out of place.

My grandfather, who ended up as a Colonel in the Second World War, said the generals who had the most difficulty with criticism were often the ones who were winging it, and didn't like to be reminded of it by having "discussion" about their plans.

And doesn't that sound like Barack Obama, with his nebulous plans all located sometime in the future.

How Can You Tell Mika Brzezinski Is A Liberal?

She gets mugged, and she feels guilty about it.

Here is the segment on "Morning Joe" where Joe Scarborough insists on recounting the story to the audience, to her utter discomfiture.



Part of the unease has to do with the fact that they cannot stand each other, and as I watch them some mornings, I feel so uncomfortable, I have to switch channels to something anything, so as not to watch Mika roll her eyes at him in her vacuous way, and Joe not be such a clueless idiot.

Incidentally, I've been mugged too (so was my mother...in D.C.!), and I have only sympathy for Zbigniew's little girl. As it happens to you, you can't believe it. Part of you is brazen, dismissing it as something out of the movies. Then reality sinks in -- anything could've happened.

But in her case, it seems she was aggressively panhandled, rather than mugged.

I come to this conclusion based on the so-far, sketchy details. There is no mention of a gun or the threat of physical aggression. Trust me, muggers don't suggest or bargain about the amount of money they want -- they just say 'give me your money'.

It is suggested that her discomfort also has to do with (the very coincidentally booked) Mayor of DC, Adrian Fenty, appearing later in the show. You just knew Joe was going there again, and he did.

Perhaps too she didn't want to mention the physical description of her assailant, in case it upset people's PC sensibilities.

Obviously, this situation could've ended badly, so I am glad she is okay.

Now that she is, some people around the Blogosphere have this to say:

* she should have busted a cap in his a$$.
oh, I forgot it’s DC.
C C is a no-no.

* Exit question: Did Mika ask the mayor for a $6 reimbursement?

* I’ve been mugged, too.

Mika mugged my heart.

* I think she’s covering something up.

1. A Tylenol Extra deal gone bad.

2. He wanted $20 but she only had $6. I something like this on Cops were a dude tried to stiff a working girl.

3. I forgot three.

4. She came in late and used a mugging as an excuse and now there’s an investigation.

5. It’s a ploy to get that young camera man to escort her. Then she offers him some tea. Then, “It’s kinda hot in here, mind if I unbutton my shirt a little. . .

* Zbig girls don’t cry. Zbig girls don’t cry.
They don’t cry, yie, yie.

(Sorry)

* It was Henry Paulson.

Heh. Quite.

And one more.

Mugged ? Cookie selling girls in my neighborhood are more aggressive ! On the Hill they call it lobbying elsewhere panhandling. Welcome to DC.

January 20th, 2009. Not just a day when many Americans will rejoice, but many muggers too. Gird those loins!

Related

Morning F-Bomb

And The Gestapo Were Swell Guys

I propose a new photograph in the dictionary entry for "tool". A photo of Ted Turner.

"And the KGB, I think, was an honorable place to work. And it, it gave people in the former Soviet Union, a communist country, an opportunity to do something important and worthwhile."

What can you say, eh?

How sad that this man will go down in history as having founded a monumentally important innovation in news broadcasting -- someone who is mired in the worst of moral relativism, just like his creation.

All News Fit To Click

Well, I am officially an 100% internet or Kindle newspaper reader as of a few moments ago, albeit my parents still take the Miami Horrible. Until now, I had also a New York Times and Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel subscription, but no longer.

The trend towards reading one's newspapers exclusively on the internet is neither new, nor particuarly noteworthy. I'm sure loads of you do it.

Yet, considering my father gave me my first one-year New York Times subscription for my 17th birthday, it feels odd that I have given up on the tactile feel of inky paper rustling in the morning.

Clicking on a story just cannot compare in terms of sensuality.

But if you consider yourself the slightest bit eco-conscious (and I am more tree-fondler, than tree-hugger), or thrifty in a declining economy, opting out of the hard copy version just makes more sense.

I am concerned I won't be as disciplined in reading my papers as I was with the paper version, though. Let's face it -- if you don't read them daily, they pile up, either mocking you for your laziness or becoming insect magnets, which is gross.

No, you just have to sit down sometime during the day, and read it. Crossword puzzle an absolute-must, obviously. Makes you feel smarter when you finish it (or maybe that's just a British thing).

The one thing I will miss terribly is the intimacy of reading a column by a particular writer, which you then ruminate over even as you turn the page. It allows the reader a strange private communion with said writer -- just me and Thomas Friedman. He wrote. I read. No one else need interrupt.

The internet version is a catastrophe on that score.

Just when you have finished reading what ever, say, Germaine Greer has had to say that day, your eyes then scan below the article, and the usual internet-speak blather of commenters stare back at you.

I am a complete democrat, and a bit of a populist, who makes a fetish of the Common Man and whatever they like or want to say, but I confess that reading commentaries on the BBC News site, or similar, drives me up the wall.

Was it dear Winona Ryder who said in the mid-90s, that the internet makes her sad -- everyone spells so badly?

Well, bad spelling doesn't irritate me. It just breaks the smoothness of reading, akin to driving on a road with intermittent potholes.

It's perhaps a small price to pay for hearing the varied viewpoints out there, but for conservatives, it is yet another daily eye-stab online. Your values are mocked and bullied out of existence, thanks to the 'bury' feature. Pop culture, and culture in general is lost to us -- social networking sites like Youtube, Digg, and even the newish Twitter are nearly lost too.

Newspaper commentary sections add salt on the wound because it seems the garrulous liberals predominate, which wouldn't be bad every once in a while, but it's a depressing state-of-affairs if it's constant.

(Don't worry. We still have the law, the military, religion, business and often local politics as conservative strongholds. Spare a tear for the outmanoeuvered liberals there)

Of course, the New York Post and the Wall Street Journal are doing fine, and their tilt is right-wards, so that's a small comfort for some of us stuck in Obamanation.

Speaking of conservatives, the amount of Schadenfreude we have for the demise of the New York Times' fortunes is a little childish.

I would rather they stick around in some format, than to disappear entirely. Nature abhors a vacuum, and journalism is no different. If the NYT folds, a dozen insipid little rags will just pop up, each specialising in their particular niche market.



See, it's not liberal slant, or the triumph of the internet that has caused the NYT and other newspapers to be wilting under their own pomposity. It's that modern tastes are too specific and immediate to have a portmanteau publication addressing them.

You want news? Turn on the TV. Surf the 'net. Go to your favourite news aggregator, like Instapundit or Memeorandum or Drudge. Anything but open your folded-over newspaper lying next to your buttered toast.

Plus, there's the changing demographic arc which grew up with computers, and who bolted out the door, rather than having a chance to observe their parents leisurely reading the morning paper. Similarly, did you know that courts are having a tougher time with younger jurors, because they are so used to getting information on computers, rather than verbally or in print-outs?

None of this is good news for traditional media.

Ironically, my grandparents had twice or more daily editions of their favourite newspapers, but the print versions today are barely holding onto the once-a-day printing. If I were my generation's Lord Rothermere or Lord Beaverbrook, I'd throw received wisdom to the wind, and have a twice-daily printing of a newspaper again. Bring back the newsboys in felt caps barking out the latest headlines, too.

You know, make it EXCITING again.

Barney Frank's latest whopper! Elliot Spitzer in sex-romp! Bernanke's and Paulson's testes tied to planks!

Naturally, the eco-crowd would burn me in effigy for wasting so much paper, so it becomes a circular argument.

No, really, the more I think about it, the more I am glad I just have the Wall Street Journal and the International Business Daily as my two sole newspaper subscriptions on my Kindle now.

Less fuss, no muss, and a whole lot less extraneous commentary than online versions. They even do away with the interminable Moveon.org full page ads. BLISS.

I will miss the crossword section, though, but I can massage my ego on my blog.

"He Could've Run With Jesus Christ And Still Lost"

One of the most accessed blogposts on Sundries is the one I did during Hurricane Katrina, about ex-Vogue writer, current Newsweek contributor, and general Mississippi heroine, Julia Reed. Indeed, if you Google her name, you'll see that my post is the first hit.

I recently bought her The House on First Street book, precisely centered around her Katrina experiences, though I was sad to hear I just missed her book signing down here in South Florida.

I think I know why I like Julia Reed. She strikes a dissonant note from the usual commenters in the world of journalism, combining the vaunted Southern art of conversation, with a no-frills deadpan voice. As was said about Joni Mitchell, if you want to sound like her, you have to drink that Bourbon and smoke those cigarettes for YEARS.

The effect is not hyper-combative like Chris Matthews, or bimbo conciliatory like Mika Brzezinski, but someone you would actually like to draw out in conversation.

Here she is talking of Palin, McCain, her dad's opinion of Barack Obama's win (suspiciously close to mine, without the Zenness), and her book.



ADDED: The two politicians mentioned by Reed, as the reason why her father took Obama's nodoubtaboutit win (which he predicted) so well, are Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker, the two Senators from Mississippi -- both Republicans.

That's precisely why I didn't take the gaspipe on November 4th. I thought to myself, hey, I still have Mel Martinez (R-FL) as my Senator, whilst the three-fer Republicans, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the two Diaz-Balarts, Lincoln and Mario, were ALL re-elected that day. It wunn't even close either.

So America turned Left? Really? Well, in South Florida, we're still Right. As Tip O'Neill said, all politics is local...and my local is still Republican.

Now if you live in Oregon, and are Republican, then yeah. Take the gaspipe.

Part 1 Of Palin On Greta Post-Election

I hope these ridiculous thumbnail videos from Fox News of Governor Palin's Greta van Susteren interview do not slow down the blog, but just for your pleasure, here they are anyway.









SCHEDULE UPDATE: Remember that Governor Palin will be shown on The Today Show again on Wednesday at 7:00 AM: Part 2 of her interview with Matt Lauer. Then, at 9 PM on Larry King Live. There's yet a third interview scheduled, but I haven't found to whom she is giving it yet.

Palin Video From The Today Show

The more superior of the two recent, lengthy interviews with Governor Sarah Palin (on the Today Show with Matt Lauer).

Larry King Scores Palin

Tonight, at 9 PM. I winced when I heard this.

[Correction: WEDNESDAY, not tonight Tuesday]

Larry King was amongst those who led the "Is it okay to talk about Palin's kids/Is she Trig's real mum?" herd during the very first weekend she appeared on the national stage.



He feigned media being concerned about the moral implications of discussing her children, and the conspiracy rumours about her youngest son (motivated by the Daily Kos rumours, which essentially means that they set the Palin narrative agenda almost immediately). King is also an Obama fan, who barely makes any pretense to hide it.

I do not like Palin rewarding such a person. The same goes for The View, Oprah, and every one of those harpies who just want to boost their ratings by harassing her with calls to appear, after hardly being moderate or helpful during the campaign.

(Media, including Entertainment Tonight, CNN, NBC, seemingly everyone really, have been camped out at the Anchorage Hilton, practically in her backyard in Wasilla, hoping to score an interview. Far from not letting go of the media spotlight, they are slobbering after her. They know a ratings winner when they see one. Since she's isolated up in Alaska, I think she is acquiescing in more than, say, John Edwards would've needed to)

Presumably, because King is innocuous, and has always lobbed softballs to such radical loudmouths like Mahmoud Ahmenidajad, Governor Palin's staff thought it was all right to appear on his show -- it would look odd if he went after her and not a genocidal dictator. After all, no other entity did more harm to her than NBC/MSNBC, but she gave an extensive Today Show interview to Matt Lauer this morning.

It was great, by the way. Oddly, she looked and sounded more on point than on Greta. More on that later.

So, rev up those TiVos. Sarah at 9 PM on LKL. John at 11:30 PM on Leno.

[Correction: Wednesday, just to reiterate]

Anyone else find Senator McCain's choice of venue to finally speak out about the election and his staff rumours about Palin, really undignified?

Yeah, me too.

IN THE COMMENTS: Knox also noticed that Palin seemed less focused on Greta's show.

I thought she sounded better in her Matt Lauer interview than on Greta. She rambled a lot on Greta and was less relaxed and straightforward. She also was stronger in the local interviews I've seen. Maybe she was out-of-sorts for the Greta interview?

This is now a puzzle for me, but one worth exploring.

I will throw this out there for you to chew. I think Palin is far more effective in front of male interviewers who seem to bring out the feistier, more businesslike in her.

I think she is beyond at home with Greta van Susteren, as it's hard for her to ignore that there is a genuine admiration for her, by Greta. It could be that she was indeed out of sorts, having just come back to Alaska and not quite in her rhythm yet. Perhaps in the relaxed atmosphere of a two day long interview in her home and office, she let down her guard like a friend would.

Either way, she didn't do badly at all. She just seemed less sharp in comparison.

With the CNN crew who followed her to her office upon her return, and then later with Lauer, she brought her A-game. There's no question that her answers were more direct to the point of being blunt ("jerks"), offered greater detail (such as why the ticket lost), and though she was seen in her kitchen in all three lengthy interviews, namely ADN, Greta, and Lauer, she didn't strike one as being conversational in the Lauer interview.

If I were to make an analogy, she was the Sarah of the RNC speech with Lauer, and Sarah of the Vice-Presidential debate with Greta.

You were impressed by the first, and were charmed by the latter.

Frankly, I think I prefer the pitbull version better.

Morning F-Bomb

Delicious wake-up from Joe Scarborough on his show, Morning Joe. Notice Mika Brzezinski attempt to correct him with "um, um, um", as ever lifting up my fellow blondes' IQ.

Luckily, no one was scarred for life since no one watches MSNBC.

Pre-Greta Interview Notes

First of all, Gretawire will be live-blogging about the On The Record FULL HOUR special with Governor Sarah Palin. Here is the putative link.

Incidentally, both JSU and Ron emailed to say that Palin will be on the Today Show on Tuesday morning, so watch out for that. Thanks for the heads up, guys.

Secondly, we have more sneak peak photos today, as Miss van Susteren went to the Governor's office today, after a full day yesterday at her Wasilla home (it's about 45 minutes away from Anchorage).

Senator McCain called the Governor, as Greta was leaving. She took the call. Wonder what they said...

By the way, Greta said that Palin was never without her two Blackberries. I've noticed that for months now. Even when she was not even a nominee, the AP wire photos showed her with her Blackberries. That woman is super-connected.



Here is the Governor's Office and the two ladies being prepped before the interview. Notice the New York Times on Palin's desk. She's read the NYT from cover-to-cover since she was 10. It's the reason she wears glasses, in fact -- she was a voracious newspaper reader since early age.



That's Governor Palin in the fuschia coat. The First Dude took Greta on a snowmachine ride across Lake Lucille. Isn't that awesome?



Another photo showcasing Governor Palin's Wasilla home. If you saw the pokey interior of the home they first had as a young couple (I have tried to find it online), you know this must be their dream home.



It's just gorgeous. That view KILLS.



I'll post an update later. One thing to watch out for is that Palin didn't say "no" to running in 2012.

TWO SNEAK PEAKS:

Similar Results, Different Interpretations

Palin To Fight Back On Greta

(BREAKING NEWS)

Governor Palin will be interviewed by Greta van Susteren on Sunday/Monday, which will be broadcast live from Alaska by Greta on Monday, 10 PM EST.

I told you that Greta van Susteren (and her PUMA husband) were very partial to the Palins, both of them, once they finally met them. Her motivation was revealed yesterday in this interview with ex-Governor Jane Swift of Massachussetts, a Palin supporter.

VAN SUSTEREN: And she gets a call from the head of the party who says "Will you be my nominee?" And from then on it's open season.

SWIFT: So I think in the party what we need to do is remember that our goal should be to build the party to attract new voters, to get maybe some of those young voters. And there's a lot of what Sarah Palin brings to our party that we need-youth, energy--

VAN SUSTEREN: I don't care about her party.

SWIFT: Well, I do.

VAN SUSTEREN: I care about what she does for women.

SWIFT: Listen, if both parties aren't in the game in promoting women and getting us good candidates and then treating them well when they decide to run, then you won't have any women, because this is a partisan political game.

Greta parked herself in Alaska, and by all accounts, got a good handle on Governor Palin's hometown, and her ethos as a politician from Wasilla. She genuinely wanted to report fairly on the Governor. To know Sarah Palin seems to be to like her, or at the very least to respect her, and this is the crucial missing X-Factor with all the talking heads. They neither care nor wish to care about Sarah Palin's story.

It's like she arrived as a blank slate, conceived in the Gibson interview, midwifed by Fey, and brought into the world by Couric.

Greta van Susteren, incidentally, knows a thing or two about villified American politicians.

Did you know that her parents' house in Appleton, Wisconsin was sometimes the makeshift home of Senator Joseph McCarthy? I am sure the Wisconsite Sundries readers knew, but I didn't until recently.

Maybe it is this sensitivity which allows her to reach out to a woman she sees being dragged through the mud, for no other reason than the threat she poses to the other side, particularly the ideological nabobs.

Palin has nothing in common with the self-destructive, flawed Joe McCarthy, but if she doesn't defend herself from these abominably underhand charges, she may lose her narrative once again.

I will echo what Michelle Malkin asks in her blogpost today:

Where is John McCain during all this? Why doesn't he speak up in defence of his ex-running mate? Does honour end when a campaign does?

I rather think that he doesn't want to speak up for fear of being dishonourable to Senator Obama, and trying to take away from his limelight this week. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt about this, but there comes a point when if MSNBC, CNN, and Fox are all talking about these charges, and there is dead silence on his part, it seems that he is tacitly agreeing that they are true.

Who is the dishonourable person then? Speak up John McCain, at last.

Alaska Welcomes Back Palin

BONUS: Palin's temporary homecoming, to vote in the Elections.



It's not just her detractors that are trying to cope. I am having Palin withdrawal symptoms of my own.

I actually tried to find out if I could get local Alaska channels on some Dish or DirecTV satellite, so I can follow the Governor's career in the intervening years.

Unlike many people, I do believe she should finish out her term as Governor, but also run for the Senate in 2010 versus Senator Lisa Murkowski. The problem with Palin is that the poobahs of Washington do not take her Governorship of Alaska seriously. No matter how proficient, she won't get the face-time in Washington that these types take seriously.

I'll go further. I don't think Palin should necessarily run in 2012. It all depends on the next two years, and how President-elect Obama handles the economic meltdown. With the Fourth Estate actively rooting for him to succeed, and a cadre of high-flying economic advisors, I do believe he might pull out a second term without problem.

And whoever runs against the Establishment sweetheart such as Obama in 2012 is toast.

IN THE COMMENTS: Dear reader, Bekah, who of all the commenters on Sundries has actually met Governor Palin, and is held in affection by her, points us to this radio interview, already back in Alaska.

Enjoy!

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four