GOP Insiders Pan Sarah Palin Choice As "Political
Bulls**t"
September 4, 2008
Peggy Noonan, a former speechwriter for Ronald Reagan,
and former McCain campaign official Mike Murphy were
caught on tape trashing the GOP candidate for
Vice-President, Sarah Palin. "It's over,"
Noonan declared, "Most qualified? No. I think they
went for this, excuse me, political bullshit about
narratives ... Every time Republicans do this, because
that's not where they live, and that's not what
they're good at, they blow it."
Palin Confirms Daughter Is Pregnant September 1, 2008
GOP vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has
confirmed that her 17-year old daughter, Bristol Palin,
is five months pregnant. Palin disclosed her
daughter's pregnancy to dispel rumors that Bristol is
the real mother of the candidate's infant son Trig.
Hurricane Gustav is barreling down on New Orleans and
the Gulf Coast, and could be worse than Hurricane
Katrina, which hit almost exactly three years ago.
The Katrina disaster revealed that President Bush had
placed a college friend with no experience in the
field of disaster relief in charge of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency. The government's
complete failure to prepare for Katrina or its
aftermath revealed the Bush administration's
incompetence. Gustav's impending arrival only
gives the mainstream media even more reason to revisit
the Katrina story. Where was John McCain the day
Katrina hit? Eating birthday cake with President
Bush.
The convention itself is going to be changed by the
storm. The GOP party bosses know that they
cannot be seen celebrating on television while a
natural disaster strikes. Nor can the speakers
(line-up To Be Announced due to the number of
no-shows) engage in the usual political attacks under
these circumstances without dooming the party's
chances in November. Turning the convention into
a disaster relief telethon seems like a cute idea, but
unlikely and difficult to execute with only two days
to plan. No, the convention will have to walk a
tightrope of doing the necessary business and
providing John McCain with a chance to make his case
to the voters without looking like they are
indifferent to the continued suffering of the American
people.
Clearly Unqualified
August 30, 3008 By Rob @ 6:10 p.m. The initial
reviews are in on John McCain's choice for
Vice-President, Alaska governor Sarah Palin, and they
aren't good. Palin, who has served less than two
years as governor of the nation's least populated
states, is being called
"clearly unqualified" and the "most
inexperienced person on a major party ticket in modern
history" by scholars and historians who are
"stunned" by McCain's choice. An Alaska
newspaper called Palin a
"total beginner on national and international issues."
Bush supporters have called the selection
"disrespectful to the office of the presidency."
By going with Palin, McCain has completed his
transformation into the Walter Mondale of the GOP, and
may suffer the
same fate as Mondale this fall. The choice
is a condescending assumption that women will vote for
a woman based on gender alone. Palin's role as
Hillary-voter bait was obvious from her introductory speech when she claimed to be the
spiritual heir to Mondale's own running mate Geraldine
Ferraro and Hillary Clinton. Palin
called Clinton a "whiner" during the Democratic
contest between Clinton and Barack Obama.
Palin also completed her first flip-flop of the
campaign in record time, rewriting her resume to
include opposition to the
"bridge to nowhere" which McCain repeatedly holds
up as s symbol of wasteful government spending.
The truth is,
Plain supported the project until it became a
political liability, though now she is claiming she told
Congress "no thanks." The choice of
Palin squandered McCain's primary argument against Obama, the lack of
experience, in an act of Republican affirmative
action.
Obama Acceptance Speech "Historic"
August 28, 2008
Before 75,000 cheering supporters,
and a television audience of 38 million, Barack
Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for
president. Obama's speech focused on middle
American values, a tax cut for the middle class, and
the need to focus the war on terrorism on the groups
that attacked the U.S. on 9-11: the Taliban and
al Qaeda.
McCain Goes Hollywood August 26, 2008
After attacking his Democratic opponent as a
"celebrity," GOP presidential candidate John McCain
appeared on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
for the thirteenth time. McCain taped the
late night talk show in the afternoon and then held a
fundraiser with various Hollywood celebrities,
including Angelina Jolie's father John Voight.
Family Values Front And Center At First Night Of
Democratic Convention
August 26, 2008
The Democrats in Denver opened their presidential
nominating convention with an emotional appearance by
Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, who is currently
battling brain cancer, and a stirring speech by
Michelle Obama, who was introduced by her brother.
McCain So Rich He Doesn't Know How Many Houses He Owns
August 21, 2008
First, GOP presidential candidate John McCain said
that people aren't rich unless they make $5 million
per year. But now, when asked by a reporter how
many houses he owns, McCain said he would have to
check with his staff.
Warner To Give Keynote Address At Democratic
Convention
August 13, 2008
Former Virginia governor Mark Warner will give the
keynote address at this year's Democratic National
Convention. Warner is a candidate for U.S.
Senate this year and was widely rumored to be a
potential running mate for Barack Obama.
Attorney General: Violations Of The Law Are Not
Always A Crime
August 13, 2008 The Bush Administration's
Attorney General Michael Mukasey is refusing to
prosecute Justice Department staffers who "routinely"
broke the law by refusing to hire job applicants that
were not loyal Republicans. In a shocking
display of
Orwellian doublespeak Mukasey has announced "not
every wrong, or even every violation of the law, is a
crime.”
McCain Says Tax Increases Are "On The Table"
July 29, 2008
While was running for the
GOP presidential nomination, John McCain was asked if
there were any circumstances under which he would
consider raising payroll taxes, and the answer was
"No." But this weekend, asked again about
payroll taxes, McCain said "There is nothing that's
off the table."
Veep
Speculation Swirls Around Jack Reed July 21, 2008
Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed is rumored to be on the
short list of Barack Obama's potential
vice-presidential running mates. Reed is a
graduate of West Point, former Army paratrooper and
former commander of the 82nd Airborne.
Obama Meets With Iraq Prime Minister July 21, 2008
Sen. Barack Obama has met with Iraq's Prime Minister
Nuri al-Maliki as part of his trip to the Middle East.
has agreed with Obama's call for a withdrawal of U.S.
troops from Iraq by 2010. As part of the same
trip, Obama previously consulted with Afghanistan's
President Hamid Karzi and regional Afghan leaders.
Obama is traveling with senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and
Chuck Hagel (R-NE).
Rice Blocks Embassies From Assisting Obama Trip
July 21, 2008
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has issued an
order to US embassies around the world to provide only
minimal assistance to support visits by Democratic
presidential candidate Barack Obama, who is currently
visiting the Middle East and Europe. Rice did
not issue a similar order earlier in the year when GOP
presidential candidate John McCain toured Iraq.
Democrats Show Strong Fundraising For Congressional
Contests
July 21, 2008
The Democratic Party committees raising
funds to support their House and Senate candidates in
the fall elections continue to show strong fundraising
numbers, out-raising their GOP rivals by 2 to 1.
Nevada GOP Cancels Convention Citing
"Lack Of Interest" July 21, 2008 In April 2008, the Nevada GOP suspended its
convention after it appeared that Ron Paul supporters
were about to take over. Now, citing a "lack of
interest" the state party is canceling the convention
and will pick its delegates to the Republican National
Convention by way of a private telephone conference
call.
Nelson Mandela Turns 90
July 18, 2008
Anti-apartheid activist and former
South African President Nelson Mandela celebrated his
90th birthday today. Mandela spent 27 years in a
South African jail cell before being released in 1990
and elected to lead the country in 1994.
McCain Panders In Pennsylvania
July 12, 2008 By Rob @ 3:46 p.m.
The year was 1999, and John McCain was getting ready
for his run against George Bush for the 2000 GOP
presidential nomination. In order to raise his
profile, McCain publishes a book he co-wrote called
"Faith Of My Fathers." In it, McCain tells a
story of being interrogated by the Vietnamese while
being held as a POW, claiming he told the
interrogators the names of the offensive line for the
Green Bay Packers and said they were his squad mates.
But in 2008, while campaigning in Pennsylvania, the
story suddenly changed, and now the football team in
question has become the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Would John McCain change the details of stories he
tells of his POW days just to pander for votes?
Looks that way.
Watch it here on BEtv!
Pentagon Says Taliban Growing Stronger
June 27, 2008
A new Pentagon report concludes that
the Taliban, former rulers of Afghanistan and patrons
of Osama bin Laden while he planned the 9-11 attacks,
is growing stronger and will likely increase its
attacks on American forces in the next year. The
U.S. has been at war with the Taliban in Afghanistan
for seven years.
McCain Admits He Can't Use A Computer June 24, 2008
GOP presidential candidate John McCain relies on his
wife to operate a personal computer, though McCain's
spokesman says the candidate is "aware of the
internet."
NY GOP In Turmoil
June 23, 2008 The New York Republican
party is in turmoil over who will be its candidate for
the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Vito
Fossella, who is retiring after disclosure of an extra
marital affair and secret daughter following a drunk
driving arrest. The GOP's designated candidate,
Francis Powers, died from a heart attack Sunday.
US And Iraq Deadlocked Over Security Deal June 13, 2008
Negotiations between the US and the Iraq government
led by
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki are
stalemated over a proposed security agreement that
would create the legal framework from US armed forces
to remain in Iraq after the end of 2008, when the
current United Nations mandate for US presence
expires. The two sides are unable to agree on
legal immunity for US troops, America's ability to
conduct military operations in Iraq without Iraqi
approval, control over Iraqi airspace and the
authority to detain suspects.
Colin Powell Undecided In 2008 Presidential Race
June 13, 2008 Former Secretary of State
Colin Powell is undecided in this year's presidential
contest and has suggested that he might still vote for
Democratic candidate Barack Obama.
Leading GOP VP Candidate Battled Satan
June 12, 2008 Piyush "Bobby" Jindal, the
GOP governor of Louisiana and a leading contender to
be John McCain's running mate has written about
personally witnessing a friend being possessed by the
devil. Jindal, a former Hindu who converted to
Catholicism, wrote about the possession in an article
entitled
"Physical Dimensions of Spiritual Warfare."
Supreme Court Rules Bush Plans For Gitmo Trials
Unconstitutional
June 12, 2008 By Rob @ 1:03 p.m. The
Supreme Court has dashed the Bush Administration's
hopes to start military trials for detainees held at
the U.S. base in Guantanamo, Cuba just before the
presidential election this fall. In
a decision written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, the
Court ruled that the detainees have the right to
challenge their detention in United States Federal
Courts. This is the third time the Supreme Court
has rejected Bush's plans for holding military trials
at Guantanamo. Kennedy, was appointed to the
nation's highest court by President Reagan.
Judge In Obscenity Case Posts Porn Online
June 12, 2008
The chief judge of the 9th Circuit
Court of Appeals, Alex Kozinski is taking some heat
for
posting pornographic images on the internet.
Appointed to the federal bench by President Reagan,
Kozinski has often been mentioned as a potential
Supreme Court nominee, and is currently presiding over
an obscenity case in Los Angeles.
Democrats Compromise On Michigan And Florida Dispute June 1, 2008
The Democratic party resolved the dispute over how to
deal with Michigan and Florida in the presidential
nomination process. Both states had lost their
delegates to the Democratic National Convention by
violating party rules regarding scheduling of the
primary calendar. Democrats have agreed to seat
full delegations from both states, but that the
delegates will each only receive 1/2 of a vote at the
convention.
The
Burning Elephant logo, Burning Elephant, Burning
Elephant-tv and BE-tv, and the original expressions of
opinion herein, are copyright and trademark 2006 &
2007 by R.
Crane. All rights reserved. Contact:
info [at] burningelephant
[dot] com
