The Candidates
Democrats are already formulating the scare tactics against Sarah Palin that they plan to use on social moderates like myself. Following are a couple of the most recent tacks the Left is taking and my responses to them as someone who is most certainly not a so-con but still enamored with Sarah. Thanks to Hot Air for doing the leg work on this.
Myth: Sarah Palin is a Creationist who wants to teach Creationism in public schools!
FACT: I don’t know what Sarah believes regarding the origin of the species, but it it most certainly not the case that Sarah wants to use my tax dollars to teach my kids about religion or philosophy in science class. If she did, of course, there’d be a problem, as corrupting kids’ understanding of science with my tax dollars ain’t cool. But when asked about the issue during her race for governor in Alaska, Sarah simply stated that kids should not be prevented from debating these issues in class. Here’s Sarah in her own words:
“I don’t think there should be a prohibition against debate if it comes up in class. It doesn’t have to be part of the curriculum.”
She added that, if elected, she would not push the state Board of Education to add such creation-based alternatives to the state’s required curriculum.
Well heck, I’m one of the biggest evolutionists on this site and even I wouldn’t send a kid to the principal’s office for bringing up Creationism in a 9th grade biology class, largely because it would be much more productive for the science teacher to refute the false information being put forth with actual scientific facts. Incidentally, Sarah makes reference to her science-teacher father in the article, who appears to be anything but a Creationist. I file this accusation under “tempest in a teapot.”
Myth: Sarah Palin was a Buchananite in 1999! That means she’s evil!
FACT: While Pat Buchanan in 2008 stands for two or three things in the minds of most people, he was in the past a candidate that reasonable people could and did support for various reasons. In 1992, most of the working class Catholics in my parents’ parish voted for Buchanan in the Republican primary because he was the candidate with whom they best culturally identified. Now, my memory may have gotten a little foggy sixteen years and sixteen hundred beers later, but I don’t recall everyone in my parents’ community being hate-filled hatemongers.
Similarly, 1996 was a year in which lots of perfectly sensible people supported Buchanan, and this was also the year that Palin did. Heck, Buchanan won New Hampshire that year. Libertarian-leaning, live-free-or-die New Hampshire. That race was far too complicated to accuse everyone who couldn’t vote for Bob Dole or Steve Forbes of being a closet populist.
Now, by 1999, Buchanan had ceased to be a mainstream candidate. But Sarah Palin was no longer supporting him by then! She was supporting Steve Forbes, and there are news clips to prove it according to Hot Air. Does that mean Sarah is a closet corporatist Republican too?
I don’t have to tell anyone on this site that there are all sorts of strategic reasons that voters support various candidates throughout the years, and without examining the context, such support may make a voter seem philosophically inconsistent. What we do know about Palin is that, despite being a former Buchananite, she has shown pro-growth tendencies as governor and has not been on a crusade against gays or modern culture. I would look at what Sarah actually says and does to determine what she believes, and not who she may have voted for in a Republican primary when she was 32 years old.
August 30th, 2008 at 8:46 am
So you view it as the job of the public school that uses my tax dollars to attack my religion and tell my kids it is wrong? So much for separation of church and state.
August 30th, 2008 at 8:50 am
#1:
I view the job of a public school or any school to teach science in science class. It is most certainly the job of a science teacher to correct a student who has the facts wrong, just as a math teacher would correct a student who claimed that 2 plus 2 equals 5.
August 30th, 2008 at 8:55 am
AC1 - it’s not the job of a science teacher to justify your religious beliefs; Doug is exactly right here. Creationism isn’t science. If you want your children to learn only a non-scientific version of how the earth was formed and evolved, you need to send them to a religious school or home school.
August 30th, 2008 at 8:55 am
just to point out how irrational attack dogs in the democratic party were, they were going to blame the bridge failure on pawlenty!!
btw, did anyone catch the headline msnbc threw out yesterday: how many houses does palin bring to the republican ticket.
http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=164143
August 30th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Oops! I meant DaveG is exactly right here. Sorry, Dave!
August 30th, 2008 at 8:57 am
does obama regret playing ‘99 problems but a bitch aint one’ after his win in iowa?
August 30th, 2008 at 8:57 am
It is nice to shut down all debate in a school and say students must agree with the teacher. Math is not a debatable issue but science is.
August 30th, 2008 at 8:59 am
She is the best of both worlds. Someone who doesn’t have to pretend to be like working class Americans (Hillary taking shots with townies, Kerry Hunting, Bush “working” on his phony ranch come to mind), and at the same time doesn’t shove a culture war down the throat of modern Americans.
#1-You can’t possibly think that teaching science is an attack on your religion can you? Do you honestly think that the Bible should also be taught in history classes?
August 30th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Any groups that says they are right and there can be no debate concern me. This includes fundamentalist religious groups or scientist.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:02 am
“Now, by 1999, Buchanan had ceased to be a mainstream candidate.”
According to an AP story cited, Palin supported Buchanan in 1999, when she was already mayor.
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/jstreet/350730/sarah_palin_buchananite
August 30th, 2008 at 9:07 am
I don’t want to come across as a creationist because I am not. I just like to see debate on all subjects. I was raised in a fundamentalist church and they shut down debate all of the time and this seems similiar to me.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:10 am
She did support Buchanan. So what. What is more interesting is that not only did she not support McCain, she wouldn’t even endorse him in the primary! So much for either nominee rewarding loyalty.
But really it’s all trooper-gate. It WILL be news.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Republicans take home the cake in 2008! Everyone is excited to jump on the McCain and Palin ticket! Best was to put this is: This sure “fuels” the debate!
http://www.johnmccainsarahpalin.us
August 30th, 2008 at 9:13 am
#8: No, she didn’t.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0808/Palin_on_Israel.html?showall
August 30th, 2008 at 9:20 am
10
To even the most dense, after Buchanan’s lunatic speech to the convention in 1992, he was regognized for what he is. If by 1999 you could still support Buchanan, so much so that when picked Buchanan immediately recognizes you and brags on MSNBC that you are a “Buchananite”, it is to many, including me, a very big deal. Wait and see, this issue will gather momentum. Being such an empty slate, anyone can project on her any imagined reason why she would support someone like Buchanan. She needs to successfully rebut any negative inference.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:23 am
12
I personally heard Buchanan call her a Buchananite on MSNBC yesterday morning. It startled me up. Where did he get that idea?
August 30th, 2008 at 9:29 am
14
He said she was a supporter in 1996. I knew perfectly sane people who were supporting Buchanan in 1996. It doesn’t mean you’re crazy. It really doesn’t.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:34 am
I’ve been thinking about this overnight, and I sadly have come down on the Frum/Ponnuru side of the equation. This is a deeply cynical, transparent pick. It’s not “conservative” in the slightest. She may prove to be an unpolished political and governing phenom, but who’s really to say?
And I absolutely agree with Frum’s point about Obama’s experience: say what you will, but he succeeded in capturing the nomination of one of the world’s great political parties. That becomes experience in and of itself, and it’s not unrelated to governing and leading. Palin won the Alaska governorship with 110,000 votes - not even 50% of those cast.
I really hope I’m wrong. But after a night or two’s indulgence over this pick, I think we’re all going to wake up with a real hangover.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Holding steady
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/daily_presidential_tracking_poll
August 30th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Surely the Democrats aren’t stupid enough to attack Sarah Palin for saying that she believes mankind has a creator.
I was wondering about something… Has Sarah Palin met President Bush? Certainly she doesn’t have any sort of meaningful ties to the Bushes. So it’s really comical to watch the Obama camp scramble to try and portray her as “more of the same.” The fact that that was their initial response to the pick suggest that they were just as shocked as everybody else and have no idea what to make of it. Say what you will about her experience or her positions, she is ANYTHING BUT more of the same. I have to assume that that was going to be the stock response no matter who Maverick picked. It really shows a lack of creativity. If they try and portray her as a generic Republican and tie her to the last eight years, that attack’s going to fall flat on its face… So, I hope they keep it up.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:41 am
The same scientists who trumpet evolution also trumpet this concept called “global warming.” Somewhere along the way we came to this conclusion that “science” was infallible. Just because you get 84,000 people into a stadium doesn’t mean that theird candidate is better suited to lead this country than mine. Likewise just because you have a “majority” of scientists believing in evolution and global warming does not mean that they are any closer to the truth than someone who believes otherwise.
I think we should release the next generation from the fundamentalist scientific mindset. Science is about considering all of the options, even testing what is known. Censoring material because it goes against our beliefs goes against every principle that science tries to protect. Let’s allow every theory, every explanation to stand and fall on their own merits. Shouldn’t a rational student come to the same conclusions on evolution when presented all of the different theories? Or are we too afraid of what might happen if they didn’t?
August 30th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Frank Newport is now in MSNBC and he said Obama will be up 8 points today when the Gallup poll is released at noon. This is the same as yesterday.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Surely the Democrats aren’t stupid enough to attack Sarah Palin for saying that she believes mankind has a creator. But, if so, please, by all means…
I was wondering about something… Has Sarah Palin met President Bush? Certainly she doesn’t have any sort of meaningful ties to the Bushes. So it’s really comical to watch the Obama camp scramble to try and portray her as “more of the same.” The fact that that was their initial response to the pick suggest that they were just as shocked as everybody else and have no idea what to make of it. Say what you will about her experience or her positions, she is ANYTHING BUT more of the same. I have to assume that that was going to be the stock response no matter who Maverick picked. It really shows a lack of creativity. If they try and portray her as a generic Republican and tie her to the last eight years, that attack’s going to fall flat on its face. So, I hope they keep it up.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:47 am
Excellent results from Rasmussen. I expected Obama to get a further bump in the polls from his speech and peak on Saturday. This shows either Obama got a bump and Palin offset that bump OR Obama got no bump, and neither did Palin help McCain. I think the first scenario is more likely. Palin offset Obama’s speech. That speech had millions of viewers, and it was a good speech.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:47 am
I love how the Obama camp is now listing his greatest example of experience is running for president.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:48 am
McCain did not help himself. He made some of those who would vote for him anyway more enthusiastic about their vote, that’s all.
The real question is whether McCain hurt himself by changing the calculations that, IMO, will determine this election.
Many are blinded to Obama’s views but his lack of experience was understood and was a crucial negative. That issue is now gone.
McCain also diminished himself, and as the campaign proceeds, he will, in contrast, look tired and old next to an energetic charismatic woman. He did to me yesterday.
This election is all about Obama. It’s a referendum on him.
Whether the young come out in unprecedented numbers and the level of the hidden Bradley effect will determine all.
Otherwise I hope the Nation sees Obama as such a possible catastrophe for the Nation that they vote McCain even if only as the only rational alternative.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:51 am
#22: Yes, McCain should’ve picked someone that would allow him to double up on “old” and “boring.”
August 30th, 2008 at 9:53 am
#21 - it’s not an unreasonable point. Think of Obama as a political entrepreneur. Coming from nowhere he disrupted an industry (American politics) and dislodged the established brand (Clintonism.) That takes real skill, and as I said above, isn’t wholly unrelated to what’s needed in governing.
In that sense, Obama is a classic success story, not unlike Brin/Page with Google, Gates with Microsoft circa 1977, Sam Walton circa 1965, etc.
Or, to put it another way, think just anybody could do it?
August 30th, 2008 at 9:55 am
test?
August 30th, 2008 at 9:57 am
#22 So McCain should pick someone who is unyoung and uncharismatic, so he won’t be overshadowed.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:58 am
I’m not dismissing what Obama accomplished. But it’s obnoxious that that’s the best the Dems can do when trying to make the case that he has the experience required to be president. “He’s ready to be president because he’s been running for president.” Right.
August 30th, 2008 at 9:58 am
McCain won over new voters with his pick. The people who are concerned about Obama’s lack of experience are already in McCain’s camp, and this VP pick changes nothing. What it does is energize the base of the GOP to volunteer, donate, recruit, etc. for McCain. It also attracts independent voters to the McCain campaign, especially independent women voters, who are THE most crucial swing voters. Most of them are just now beginning to pay attention. I think most of the people criticizing Palin are over-thinking it. She’s a good pick. I really like how she puts a new face on the Republican Party. Obama’s campaign is in trouble. They just don’t know it yet!
August 30th, 2008 at 9:58 am
What kind of republican didn’t support Bush in 2000?
August 30th, 2008 at 9:59 am
David AB So if Obama was a white first term senator from Ill., he would have trounced Hillary?
August 30th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Obama would have had no chance if he was white in the primary.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:04 am
I’m feeling so exhausted today. I was so excited about the Palin pick last night I couldn’t sleep. I know that sounds ridiculous.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:06 am
#28: Well, it’s going to be pretty hard for Obama to tie her to “more of the same” and the last eight years when she didn’t even vote for Bush in 2000.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Bill Maher’s show has been full of dismissiveness over this pick. If that doesn’t tell you something, nothing does. I hope this is a perfect jiu-jitsu move by McCain.
Also, I have heard the word “judgment” and “inexperience” over and over. We can then turn those words around quick. Inexperience is right down our alley against Obama and we’ve used it.
Then this opens an attack on Obama’s Judgment can finally come out because we have been sandbagging this attack.
I mean we can have a field day on Judgment by the guy who spent 20 years in GodDamn America’s Church and took the second chance to refute him instead of the first. Judgment by a guy who was wrong on the Surge and still won’t admit it. Judgment by a guy who took 3 times to get Georgia right - the 3rd time was where Mac was first.
There’s no 3 chances at 3am.
Our ticket isn’t upside down.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:07 am
23 26
When McCain stood next to most of the mentionables, he simply looked like a senior partner, like one more experienced, like the boss.
If he had picked Kay Bailey Hutchison, it would have looked like grandpa and grandma.
Purely subjective, but to me yesterday, with Palin, he looked particularly old next to her.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:09 am
#29 - he used all the assets he had going for him to achieve his goal - like any entrepreneur would.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:09 am
#29 - he used all the assets he had going for him to achieve his goal - like any entrepreneur would.
August 30th, 2008 at 10:33 am
“It’s a strategically brilliant development for We the people of the USA.”
This is what this nation needs, real people in office.
McCain has enough money and power to just retire yet he wants to serve the people.
Palin would have had a whole lot more fun as Gov over VP yet she is willing to work with all other elected persons to serve WE THE PEOPLE.
McCain is a real person, rich yes but more important honest, he pick Sarah because she is also a real person, young yes but more important she has worked her way to her current job, not by pushing the systems to work for her but working for the people and making the systems of government work for her constituents. CNN CSPAN MSNBC, et al, must now show the playing field as even. One young enough to question and one old enough to now where to find the answers and help with the real work ahead.
WE THE PEOPLE must make the best choice for the future. Bob, Paul and Cindy along with Barack, Joe, John and Sarah must be asked the tough questions nice stages and good speeches don’t get the job done.
GOD BLESS the USA
“It’s a strategically brilliant development for We the people of the USA.” JMG
August 30th, 2008 at 10:34 am
You know what’s amazing to me? That Obama doesn’t and never got anything like this kind of vetting and inquiry by the MSM.
What’s up with that?
August 30th, 2008 at 11:17 am
[...] Debunking the Palin Myths posted on August 30, 2008 at 12:18 pm [...]
August 30th, 2008 at 11:19 am
lol @ AC1. How is deliberately not teaching creationism in a science class an attack on religion? Do you really want your kids to be taught religiously related concepts in a science class anyway? Why not leave that to your pastors and yourself in the home?
August 30th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
DaveG, let’s debunk some myths aboutPalin myths. She is a real Reaganite conservative on all issues so some of the moderates are just going to have to deal with it.
August 30th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Sarah is great but she will have to go along to get along with the oligarchists who run McSame.
By the way, Buchanan was and still is GREAT!
August 30th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Sarah Palin is running for vice President. Any so called Republican who would not vote for the ticket because Sarah Palin wore a Buchanan button has serious issues. Karl Rove is right. Sarah Palin should fade in the background like all VP candidates. The guy we want to keep out of the WH is a danger to the country. Can you just imagine what he will do to the military?