Palin "Real Deal": John Ziegler

The John Ziegler interview with Sarah has been much in the news Thursday and Friday. I strongly recommend that everyone take a look at Ziegler's comments on his impressions of Gov. Palin and her family. You can see by clicking on the link below.

http://johnziegler.com/editorials_details.asp?editorial=182

Following are some key points Ziegler makes about Sarah:"[In the long interview in Wasilla] we saw the genuine Sarah Palin and it is patently obvious that this is the only one that exists. She is the real deal.

"As a former TV sportscaster and radio talk show host, I have interviewed a lot big-time 'celebrities,' and . . . though you could argue that Sarah Palin was the most prominent I have ever spoken to one-on-one, she was also by far the nicest, most sincere and, seemingly, honest subject that I have ever questioned.

"I now know that Sarah Palin is exactly who I thought she was. I also know now, with moral certitude, that the media assassination of her, her character and her family was one of the greatest public injustices of our time."

Sarah Palin: Republican Rock Star

As many of you know by now, the story that John McCain had chosen Sarah Palin broke right here on my blogs -- about 3 a.m. on Friday morning. Later, at 10 a.m. (ET) I sent the following message to 250 bloggers and other onliners. It revals a lot about the GOP's new political rock star.

The Sarah Palin story was broken to me early Friday morning by Sharon Caliendo, a Republican operative and NoBama Mission Blogger, and her friend Mark in Florida:

The key national article on Sarah Palin was written a year-and-a-half ago by Fred Barnes of The Weekly Standard. It was her nation media "coming out party." It's called "The Most Popular Governor: Alaska's Sarah Palin is the GOP's Newest Star."

Here's what Barnes's story said about this remarkable woman:

"Her rise is a great (and rare) story of how adherence to principle--especially to transparency and accountability in government--can produce political success. And by the way, Palin is a conservative who only last month vetoed 13 percent of the state's proposed budget for capital projects. The cuts, the Anchorage Daily News said, 'may be the biggest single-year line-item veto total in state history.'

"As recently as last year, Palin [pronounced pale-in] was a political outcast. She resigned in January 2004 as head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission after complaining to the office of Governor Frank Murkowski and to state Attorney General Gregg Renkes about ethical violations by another commissioner, Randy Ruedrich, who was also Republican state chairman.State law barred Palin from speaking."

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/851orcjq.asp

Long after the Barnes's piece, Real Clear Politics endorsed Sarah Palin for V-P on June 4, 2008 in an article titled, "McCain Should Pick Sarah Palin for V-P" Real Clear said of her:"At 44, Sarah Louise Heath Palin is both the youngest and the first female governor in Alaska's relatively brief history as a state. She's also the most popular governor in America, with an approval rating that has bounced around 90 percent.This is due partly to her personal qualities.

"When she was leading her underdog Wasilla high school basketball team to the state championship in 1982, her teammates called her 'Sarah Barracuda' because of her fierce competitiveness.Two years later, when she won the "Miss Wasilla" beauty pageant, she was also voted "Miss Congeniality" by the other contestants.Sarah Barracuda. Miss Congeniality. Fire and nice. A happily married mother of five who is still drop dead gorgeous. And smart to boot.But it's mostly because she's been a crackerjack governor, a strong fiscal conservative and a ferocious fighter of corruption, especially in her own party."

The best web site to go to on Sarah Heath Palin is my friend Adam Brickley's at: http://palinforvp.blogspot.com. It had over 600 comments and probably 10,000 visitors in one day -- yesterday. I managed the site for three days last week while Adam was starting his new job in DC. He has orchestrated the Palin for VP nataional effort from the beginning. Adam is a recent graduate of Colorado State University in Colorado Springs.

Sarah Palin's story? It may just be the most remarkable in the history of American politics. I look at her with admiration approaching awe. The Wikipedia bio on Sarah is right on target. It has a picture of her as a star basketball player (#22) on Wasilla (Alaska) high school's underdog basketball team's improbable victory in the Alaska State Tournament.

I've written a great deal in the past year about why Sarah would have great appeal on many levels to voters, including wives and mothers, parents of special needs children, hunters and fishermen, working families, women professionals, and military families

At the top above, picture of Sarah and her three daughters, Piper (the little one), Willow, and Bristol (the oldest daughter), as well as her husband, Todd, a former commercial fisherman and now an oil-field production worker for BP.

Second picture above: Sarah, Todd, and new son (born in June) Trig.

2012 Hillary-Sarah Palin Race?

On my national blog [you're here now] about 6 p.m. Wednesday, I'll have a column up about two women who could be competing for the presidency in 2012: Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York and Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, whose youngest daughter, Piper, age 7, is pictured jumping on a huge sealskin in a Native Alaskan area. Piper has to be one of the most charming children in America, and sometimes the TV stations want to interview her before they talk to her very popular mother. Sarah Palin is reportedly on McCain's short list for V-P choices. She has five children, including a newborn boy, Trig.

If you want to read more about Sarah Palin, there's an entire web site devoted to her at: http://palinforvp.blogspot.com/. See also http://palintology.com/. They're both dandies.

THE CASE FOR SARAH ON THE GOP TICKET

Sarah Palin may very well be John McCain's choice for V-P on the Republican ticket. Barack Obama apparently doesn't want Hillary to be his V-P choice, but for purely political reasons he may choose her anyway.

Why do Obama-types fear the presence of Sarah Palin on the Republican ticket? In part, it's her legendary toughness (they don't call her "Sarah Barracuda" for no reason). But her main strength is her strong appeal to critical groups of voters. Consider:

Married women: Sarah's marriage to Todd Palin gives every evidence of being a model relationship. Sarah and Todd were childhood sweethearts, and they eloped shortly after she graduated from high school.

Young people: Sarah is only 44, and she exudes youthfulness and energy. She has children ranging in age from 18 (son Track) to a few weeks (son Trig).

Military families: Sarah and Todd are a military family. Their son Track enlisted in the U.S. Army Infantry on September 11, 2007. It's extremely likely he will see combat duty in either Afghanistan or Iraq, or both.

Families with children: The Palins have five children, three of them teenagers (Track, Willow, Bristol), as well as daughter Piper, age 7, and baby Trig (a Norwegian name).

Reagan Democrats: Palin has the highest approval ratings of any major elected official in the U.S. -- in the 90% range. That means she's gained approval from the vast majority of Democrats. Like Ronald Reagan, she's a master communicator.

Women professionals (journalists, teachers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, and businesswomen): Sarah is the consummate female professional, having served as Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, and as governor of the state. Her college degree is in journalism. Her parents both served as public school teachers.

Working families: Sarah's husband, Todd, has labored his entire adult life as a commercial fisherman and an oil field production worker. The couple's links to working families go far beyond the usual political rhetoric.

Gun owners: Like many Alaskans, Sarah is an avid hunter and a life-member of the National Rifle Association.

Pro-Life social conservatives: When Sarah found out that her unborn son, Trig, had Down Syndrome, she and her husband elected to have the child. Her point was that God has a purpose for every human being. When Trig was born, the Palins' press release began with these words, "God has blessed us . . . ." The fascinating point was that they meant every word of it.

Evangelical Christians: Sarah is an evangelical Christian. However, she doesn't wear her religious faith on her sleeve. She is not anti-gay and does not scapegoat people who disagree with her.

People concerned about energy and the environment: As governor of Alaska, Sarah is among the best-informed elected officials on both issues. She's head of the energy committee at the Republican Governors Association and is a strong advocate of level-headed conservation of natural resources.

Overall, there's no other Republican that brings more to the table than Sarah Palin. She has exceptionally wide appeal. She would help John McCain with many groups with which he's currently weak (including young people and women professionals).

Of supreme importance: Sarah could be particularly helpful in battleground states with large numbers of working class voters, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, and Michigan.

McCain: Seize Energy Issue Now!

On my Pennsylvania blog Friday night I put up a column entitled "Democrats' Gas Prices Destroying America." Frankly, it's time to take off the gloves on the gasoline crisis. Please visit.

The following important column is by my friend and fellow Western Pennsylvanian Jack Kelly, national security writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Toledo Blade, and other publications. He strongly endorses Gov. Sarah Palin for a place on the McCain ticket. He also strongly backs John McCain but believes the Senator lacks "shrewdness." (Jack Kelly is a former Marine, former Special Forces soldier, and former candidate for Congress.)


JOURNAL PRESS SYNDICATE
545 West End Ave. (Suite 2C)
New York, N.Y. 10024-2713
Tel: (212) 580-8559
Email: ijbnyc@aol.com
Note: If your local newspaper doesn't print Jack Kelly's syndicated column, please call them up today and ask them (nicely but firmly) to start doing so. If they continue not to, keep calling.


BY JACK KELLY

Barack Obama has the lead for the time being. But three sign posts point the way to a McCain landslide in November -- in the unlikely event the Arizona senator has the wit to heed them.

What figures to be by far the most important issue this fall is the skyrocketing price of energy and its deleterious effect on the broader economy and national security.Now that Sen. McCain has flip flopped on drilling off of our coasts, there is a substantial difference between him and Sen. Obama on the issue. Sen. McCain also supports building more nuclear power plants, which Sen. Obama opposes.

Opinion polls indicate a large majority now supports drilling for oil off our coasts and in Alaska. That majority is likely to expand and harden as gas prices rise this summer. But Sen. McCain can't fully capitalize politically on this change in public attitude unless he completes his flip flop, and consents to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Commentary editor John Podhoretz fears Sen. McCain's ego will prevent him from doing what is in his, and his country's interest:"So McCain 2 makes a big speech about offshore drilling and the need for it. Fine. But the message is muted and confused. Why? Because McCain 1 voted against oil exploration and field development in (ANWR) and McCain 2 doesn't want to look like a flip flopper by changing his stand on the matter...In acting out of a combination of holer-than-thou piety and political pique, McCain 1 has made it all but impossible for McCain 2 to run with this issue and go on the offensive with Obama on a matter of central concern to the American people."

I fear Mr. Podhoretz is correct. But few Americans would hold flip flopping against Sen. McCain, because they've flip flopped, too. Soccer moms were happy to genuflect to environmental pieties when gasoline was $2 a gallon. But now that they have to sell their firstborn to fill up their SUVs, their attitude has changed dramatically.

If Sen. McCain were to fly to ANWR and announce his change of heart there, the attendant publicity would make it clear to Americans the sharp difference between himself and Sen. Obama on the issue most important to their pocketbooks. He supports letting Floridians and Californians decide whether there should be drilling off their coasts. Why shouldn't the same principle apply to Alaskans? A large majority favor drilling in ANWR.

The second sign post is Sen. Obama's clumsy embrace of a Sept. 10th attitude toward the war on terror. The law enforcement approach toward fighting it is precisely what led to Sept. 11, 2001.

Fortunately, national security is the one issue Sen. McCain knows something about. The danger for him here is that he'll overemphasize it. The fact that we're winning the war on terror makes most Americans less interested in it, and more focused on economic concerns. Voter anxiety about Sen. Obama's fitness to be commander in chief is a strong subsidiary issue.

But this election will be won or lost at the gas pump.

The third sign post was illuminated by the flap over the receipt by the (now former) head of Barack Obama's vice presidential selection committee and two prominent U.S. senators of below market rate loans from Countrywide Finance, which Sen. Obama has charged is in large part responsible for the sub-prime mortgage crisis. One of those senators, Chris Dodd of Connecticut, is trying to push through Congress a bill that would, in effect, bail out Countrywide.This glaring conflict of interest hasn't attracted much attention from the news media, because for most journalists, a scandal isn't really a scandal unless Republicans are involved.

But it's an issue tailor made for Sen. McCain. He has often stupidly (see McCain-Feingold), but always ardently, fought pork barrel spending and corruption. Congress has its lowest approval rating in the history of polling. Replacing the Washington way with the Chicago way is not an improvement. Sen. McCain is the best person to make that case, and Americans are in a mood to hear it.

The sign posts also indicate who Sen. McCain should choose for his running mate. No Republican can better make the case for drilling than Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and no governor has fought harder against corruption, especially in her own party.

So go to ANWR, Sen. McCain. Embrace Sarah Palin there. You'll have to eat some crow. But crow doesn't taste so bad when it's served on the White House china.

Email: jkelly@post-gazette.com

Palin: McCain's Most Compelling Choice

NOTE TO BLOG BUNKER LISTENERS ON SIRIUS (BUT NOT TOO SERIOUS) RADIO: This is my main, national blog. The other blogs I'll mention are the Hillary Supporters site (http://hillarysupportersformccainb.blogspot.com and the Pennsylvania site: http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com. Other blogs I'll try to mention include:
the main Palin web site: http://palinforvp.blogspot.com
the Moms4McCain site: http://moms4mccain.blogspot.com
the Bev Perlson military moms site: http://thebandofmothers.com
the Tom Manion web site: http://votemanion.com.
the primary McCain discussion site: http://mccainnow.com.

If you have any questions, e-mail me at: TalkTop65@aol.com. Thanks!

You will read things here that the national media will start covering next month. On my Hillary Supporters site and on my PA site, I talk about a national group of Hillary supporters who are targeting for defeat "SuperDelegates" who gave Sen. Clinton the shaft (voting for Obama against the wishes of their constituents. Such individuals include John Kerry of MA and Jay Rockefeller of WV, among many others.

Can't go to bed tonight (Monday) without asking you to check out my Hillary Supporters for McCain site. It contains information about the most amazing political movement I've sene in my lifetime: Hillary Supporters who "mad as hell and aren't going to take it anymore." Fascinating . . . I will be on Sirius Radio from NY at 5:30 p.m. (ET) on Tuesday.

On my Pennsylvania blog I've received an important request from Tom Manion, Republican congressional candidate in PA's 8th district. It deals with an important online poll. Manion, a Marine Corps veteran, lost his son Travis in the Iraq War. Please visit the site for information. http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com/.



Sarah Palin sorrounded by veterans of the Vietnam War. Sarah's son, Track, age 18, is an infantry soldier in the U.S. Army. She's widely regarded as the frontrunner for the GOP's V-P nomination.

"Sarah is not an ordinary mortal. She truly has no downside."

I proclaimed to the world yesterday that prominent national security writer Jack Kelly (who writes for major newspapers in Pennsylvania and Ohio) has strongly endorsed Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska for the GOP ticket. Kelly is an unusual combination - a former Marine, a former Special Forces soldier and a former candidate for Congress (he lost, alas).

In his column, Jack Kelly says "most [presidential candidates] will settle for a veep who isn't a drag on the ticket, as Dan Quayle was for the first President Bush." He might have added, "Or, as Dick Cheney apparently was on the second President Bush."

Kelly adds, "The potential [McCain] running mates most often discussed have downsides nearly as great as their upsides."

He adds, "Gov. Tim Pawlenty helps only in Minnesota, and not enough, according to current polls, to make a difference there. Mr. McCain's friend, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, would bring in some moderate Democrats but could further antagonize conservatives already suspicious of Mr. McCain.

"Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts would have little appeal to working-class whites unhappy with Sen. Barack Obama, and evangelicals fret about that Mormon thing. A Mike Huckabee nomination would irritate economic . . . conservatives as much as it would please evangelicals. Louisiana Gov.

Bobby Jindal is a rising star. But he's only 36, and he's been governor for less than a year."
The men - key word - Kelly mentions are all people of talent. One of them (Jindal?) may end up as President someday. But Jack Kelly is right about their downsides.

According to pundit lore, Pawlenty could help McCain win the "battleground" (sorta) state of Minnesota. However, he won re-election there by only 21,000 votes out of 2.3 million cast. He was lucky to carry Minnesota himself. Bulletin to John McCain: you aren't going to carry Minnesota with or without Pawlenty.

Mitt's Romney's problem is that he strikes many people as inauthentic. They don't believe his latter-day conversion to pro-life and anti-illegals views. They see him as ambitious to a fault. Also, in the primaries, he seemed to win only states either dominated by Mormons (Utah) or characterized by the fact Mitt Romney grew up there (Michigan).

Bobby Jindal is a mixture of ability and oddness. A few months ago he was interviewed on CNN, and the questioner couldn't get him to say whether he endorsed John McCain . . . or Barack Obama. With Jindal around, McCain might need a food taster.

As Kelly implies, Joe Lieberman - a fine man and a patriot - would be an awful choice. He came close to losing his seat in Connecticut. Most Democrats despise him, and most Republicans would rather see someone else on the ticket.

Mike Huckabee is a candidate whose campaign was almost as tenacious as Hillary Clinton's He's chronically underestimated by the national media. However, it's hard to see what he could bring to the ticket that Sarah Palin can't.

She's just as "Christian" as Mike, but has less of a tendency to wear it on her sleeve. Also, she has pro-life credentials (having opted to give birth to a Down Syndrome child) that no other politician can match.

What works against Sarah is tradition - specifically, the Republican tradition of making very bad choices for Vice President. Barry Goldwater chose William Miller, an obscure (and deservedly so) Congressman from Lockport, New York. Nixon chose Spiro Agnew specifically to help him carry Maryland - which didn't happen - but lack of popularity turned out to be the least of Agnew's faults.

George H. W. Bush famously chose Quayle, who struck most people as a simpleton. Bob Dole chose Jack Kempt, but the wretched Republican campaign could have been won if Abraham Lincoln and George Washington were on the ticket.

George W. Bush chose Dick Cheney, supposedly a "solid" pick. In fact, Cheney - holed up mainly in his "undisclosed location" (the Bat Cave?), turned out to be the Darth Vader of contemporary politics.

The only "problem" with Sarah Palin is that she's such an obvious choice. As my friend in Boston puts it, she's a no-brainer. Some people invent shortcomings, such as the fact that she's beautiful and was - and is - a great athlete, the kind of person who runs - and finishes - marathons.

In my previous column I listed the groups for whom Sarah has great appeal: young people, military families, working mothers, women professionals, pro-lifers, hunters, working-class voters (her husband being one), fitness and health advocates, and ethics-in-government people. I didn't add Alaskans, where Sarah's approval ratings hover around 90%.

She's also a ferocious campaigner. In her race for Governor, she first unseated the incumbent Republican, Frank Murkowski. Then, she in the general, she beat a popular former Governor (and Democrat) Tony Knowles. That was in 2006, which was generally a very bad year for Republicans.

If John McCain doesn't choose Sarah Palin, he might have to plead temporary insanity. As I've said, "Sarah Palin is no ordinary mortal." I've also said that she's "Mt. Rushmore material." I certainly hope John McCain takes the first major step in proving me right.

Link to Jack Kelly's column: http://post-gazette.com/forum

Hillary Clinton Versus Sarah Palin

As the world rightly focuses on the McCain-Obama contest, a battle is shaping up behind the scene -- one that pits two powerful women -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Gov. Sarah Heath Palin -- against one another. Why is Sarah Palin the woman the Democrats fear most? I'll try to answer that today (Sunday). If you scan through the previous columns, you'll find comments on both women.

Gov. Sarah Heath Palin welcoming home Alaskan soldiers who fought in Iraq. Gov. Palin's son, Track, age 18, is an infantry soldier in the U.S. Army.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton giving her concession speech on Saturday, June 10

Sarah Palin may very well be John McCain's choice for V-P on the Republican ticket. Barack Obama apparently doesn't want Hillary to be his V-P choice, but for purely political reasons he may choose her anyway.

Why do the Democrats fear the presence of Sarah Palin on the Republican ticket? In part, it's her legendary toughness (they don't call her "Sarah Barracuda" for no reason). But her main strength is her strong appeal to critical groups of voters. Consider:

Married women: Sarah's marriage to Todd Palin gives every evidence of being a model relationship. Sarah and Todd were childhood sweethearts, and they eloped shortly after she graduated from high school.

Young people: Sarah is only 44, and she exude youthfulness and energy. She has children ranging in age from 18 (son Track) to a few weeks (son Trig).

Military families: Sarah and Todd are a military family. Their son Track enlisted in the U.S. Army Infantry on September 11, 2007. It's extremely likely he will see combat duty in either Afghanistan or Iraq, or both.

Families with children: The Palins have five children, three of them teenagers, as well as daughter Piper, age 7, and baby Trig (a Norwegian name).

Reagan Democrats: Palin has the highest approval ratings of any major elected official in the U.S. -- in the 90% range. That means she's gained approval from the vast majority of Democrats.

Women professionals (journalists, teachers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, and businesswomen): Sarah is the consummate female professional, having served as Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, and as governor of the state. Her college degree is in journalism. Her parents both served as public school teachers.

Working families: Sarah's husband, Todd, has labored his entire adult life as a commercial fisherman and an oil field production worker. The couple's links to working families go far beyond the usual political rhetoric.

Gun owners: Sarah is an avid hunter and a life-member of the National Rifle Association.

Pro-Life social conservatives: When Sarah found out that her unborn son, Trig, had Down Syndrome, she and her husband elected to have the child. Her point was that God has a purpose for every human being. When Trig was born, the Palins' press release began with thse word, "God has blessed us . . . ." The fascinating point was that they meant every word of it.

Evangelical Christians: Sarah is an evangelical Christian. However, she doesn't wear her religious faith on her sleeve. She is not anti-gay and does not scapegoat people who disagree with her.

People concerned about energy and the environment: As governor of Alaska, Sarah is among the best-informed elected officials on both issues. She's head of the energy committee at the Republican Governors Association and is a strong advocate of level-headed conservation of natural resources.

Overall, there's no other Republican that brings more to the table than Sarah Palin. She has exceptionally wide appeal. She would help John McCain with many groups with which he's currently weak (including young people and women professionals).

Of supreme importance: Sarah could be particularly helpful in battleground states with large numbers of working class voters, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan.

In 2012 (if Obama wins this year or if McCain elects to serve just one term) or 2016, the presidential face-off could pit Sarah Palin against Hillary Clinton. One imagines that it would be a battle royal.

Note: I hope everyone will visit my Hillary Supporters for McCain column. It contains a guest column by a Black woman from North Carolina -- a Hillary supporter -- who is now strongly backing McCain.

Hillary Chooses Party Over Country

Hillary's Speech: "A tale full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." (MacBeth)

"In her ferociously waged campaign, Sen. Clinton made many friends. Today, with one cynicial -- and pervasively political -- speech, she lost many of them."

"I would rather lose an election than lose a war." (John McCain) Does anyone believe Senators Clinton and Obama are capable of uttering a similar sentiment?

Senator Clinton's address today was well-delivered but substantively empty. She reminded me a great deal of Roseanne Roseanna Dann (Gilder Radner) on the old "Saturday Night Live." She was the one who wildly misunderstood political concept and, when that was pointed out to her, would say, "Oh, never mind."

Today, Sen. Clinton gave us a tagline for her presidential campaign: "Oh, never mind." It was, as Shakespeare said in Macbeth, "a tale full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

Sen. Clinton's speech today was one that valued Party over Country, which is profoundly disturbing. In her campaign, she raised serious question about Barack Obama's fitness to be President. In today's speech, she did not deal with -- or resolve -- those questions. Are we really to believe that when that 3 a.m. call arrives on the red phone that Obama has suddenly become ready to answer?

In the campaign, Obama and his surrogates branded Senator Clinton (and supporters like Geraldine Ferraro and Bill Clinton) as racists, liars, and warmongers. Any comment on those points Mrs. Clinton? "Oh, never mind." I guess it's just all "politics -- i.e., meaningless, trivial, hot air. "Oh, never mind."

Does she want us to believe that he has suddenly transformed himself into some who can deal effectively with great challenges? Is the man -- Obama -- that Bill Clinton said last week had "slimed" his wife through surrogates like Rev. Wright and Father Pfleger now a man of decency?

Mrs. Clinton told us this afternoon how great the Democratic Presidents of our lifetime had been. Oh really? President Carter with high inflation, high unemployment, a terrible energy crisis, and Americans languishing captive in Iran? President Johnson engaged in an endless conflict in Vietnam? President Clinton entertaining Monica Lewinsky in the Oval Office? Those are not good memories, Hillary.

Presidents Johnson, Carter, and Clinton were all men who valued Party slightly more than country -- and they did great damage to their nation. In the campaign, Hillary Clinton spoke some hard truths about the inadequacies of her opponent. Today, she delivered a speech, one written by someone else, that was in total conflict with everything she said over the past two years. It was certainly not her finest hour. The people who supported Hilary's historic campaign should be very dismayed at what she said today.

If you want to read about a woman of real courage and toughness, you'll find one right below. She values country and family first, and she's a critic of her Party when it falls short of its obligations. Mrs. Clinton feels her Party is perfect, and that's just one of the ways she fails to live up to the standards manifested by Gov. Palin. Sarah is America's future. Hillary Clinton is a fading remnant of America's past.

In Sen. Clinton's ferociously waged campaign, she made many friends. Today, with one cynical -- and pervasively political -- speech, she lost a lot of them.

A tough governor, Alaska's Sarah Palin, with some equally tough soldiers from her state. Gov. Palin's 18-year-old son, Track, is in the U.S. Army infantry. He enlisted on September 11, 2007. A lot high elected officials talk a great deal about how they "support our troops." Obviously, Gov. Palin's support -- and personal involvement -- goes ways beyond rhetoric.

Is this the woman who will face off against Hillary Clinton for the presidency in 2012 or 2016? A growing number of observers believe that will the case. Sarah is regularly called "America's most popular governor," a designation coined by Weekly Standard editor and FOX News commentator Fred Barnes. If you'd like to know why Gov. Palin is so widely admired, please read the Barnes article. http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/851orcjq.asp

This Saturday and Sunday, I'll be writing about Sarah Palin on this site -- with a separate piece on my Hillary Supporters blog. After Sen. Clinton's speech this Saturday, I'll discuss why Hillary Supporters (and others) should be urging Sen. McCain to put Mrs. Palin on the Republican ticket.

Today, on my Pennsylvania blog, I have a posting about the many qualities Gov. Palin brings to the table -- why she has broad appeal to many important groups. If you'd like read more right now about Sarah's many strengths, please visit that site.


The founder of the Draft Sarah Palin movement, Adam Brickley, writes almost daily about Sarah at his site: http://palinforvp.blogspot.com. He's been receiving thousands of "hits" daily. Adam, a 21-year-old and recent college graduate, illustrates what one energized person can accomplish in today's America.

More to follow after Mrs. Clinton speech at noon.




On Tuesday, June 10, I'll be on Sirius radio, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time. On that national broadcat, I'll be discussing Sarah Palin and why John McCain should name her to the ticket. I hope you'll listen -- and call in if you'd like.

American Politics: The Real "Skinny"

By 4:30 p.m. today ET I'd had 259 visitors (wow) and nearly 400 hits. The old record was 257. You may just have set the new one. Thanks. I do believe you can find information here that isn't available elsewhere. The beautiful woman below (Sarah Palin) may just be America's first woman President (2012 or 2016)
Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska with husband Todd and newborn son "Trig"

Will you be reading about any of this on the national media? Nope. Please tell your friends and family that this site exists . . . Thanks . . .

The McCain Campaign: Early in the game, the campaign is not exactly a "well-oiled machine." It is still having problems raising the necessary funds. The Senator still needs a top-flight speechwriter (I've suggested myself, since I've written successfully for CEOs at 10 of America's top 50 companies). Some of the people on the McCain payroll proceed under the illusion that they can ask congressional candidates for support -- without providing them them with the same. That will never, ever happen. Things will get better, mainly because they must. Good news? The unofficial campaign is proceeding very well, picking up tens of thousands of supporters. Please join that unofficial efforts at http://mccainnow.com/.

Congressional Candidates: If the McCain Campaign has difficulties, the NRCC (National Republican Congressional Committee) is a disaster. It's under the leadership of Oklahoma Representative Tom Cole, who has a defeatist mentality. The NRCC sees its major function as pouring millions into candidates who shouldn't be running for office in the first place. They delight in financing candidates who should be able to generate their own money. There will have to be changes in the leadership of the NRCC -- and, frankly, the RNC (Republican National Committee). Those changes will take place shortly after November 4, 2008.

Sarah Palin for V-P Effort: This is very much a good news story. Sarah Palin probably has a 50-50 chance of getting the V-P nod from John McCain. Almost two years ago, Adam Brickley, a 21-year-old college student in Colorado Springs started the "Draft Palin" movement. I was the second person Adam signed up, and I worked my tail off to bring more people on board. At first, Adam -- a model of what tenacious activism can accomplish -- had to explain to people who Gov. Palin was. Now, in the past two weeks, many important bloggers have endorsed Sarah (including "Flap," The Anchoress, The Catskill Commentator, and numerous others). Yesterday, Adam's site -- http://palinforvp.blogspot.com/ -- received 5,000 hits, a monumental number. (It took this site a year-and-a-half to get 40,000 hits. If you want to support Sarah -- and many of you do -- go to MSNBC's "Veepstakes" site and vote for her in the cable channel's "Veepstakes." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

The Hillary Clinton Soap Opera: It was Sigmund Freud who posed the famous question: "What does a woman want?" On my Hillary Supporters for McCain site, I attempt daily to figure out what's on Mrs. Clinton's mind. This Saturday she's supposedly going to endorse Barack Obama in a display of "party unity." I'll believe it when I see it. Senator Clinton has repeatedly made the point that point that Obama is not "ready" (i.e., qualified) to be President. Is something going to change in the next few days to make him ready? Please visit my Hillary site for updates on the continuing political soap opera.

"Operation Pennsylvania": On my Pennsylvania blog, I'm doing my darndest to get people around the nation (and the world) to "adopt" some outstanding Pennsylvania congressional candidates. The effort is expanding beyond Pennsylvania (see below), and I'm getting help from many significant bloggers around the country, including Kathy Morrison (NH), Sharon Caliendo (OK), Jean Avery (Washington), Rajan Vaish (computer genius from India), Jim Fryar (Australian mining engineer), Brad Marston (MA), Beth Cleavere (AL), Ted Mol (MA), Tym Machine (Montreal) and numerous others. Pennsylvania is going to be a major battleground state in the presidential and congressional elections. (I'll write more soon about the "internationalizing" of the McCain effort.)

Dana Walsh "Adoption" Campaign: In San Francisco, two of the candidates for the congressional seat there are Cindy Sheehan and Nancy Pelosi, the twin "Witches of the West." The Republican candidate is Dana Walsh, and she needs your backing, your prayers . . . and your money (small amounts or large). Please visit her web site at: http://danawalshforcongress.com/.
The material you're going to see here is unlike any you'll see on other blogs. The national media? It's hopeless, providing little insight into what's happening in America. Remember, your contribution to congressional candidate Dana Walsh can strike a blow for the real America.

Bloggers for Palin Mushrooming

To regular visitors, I'll have a new column up about 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

The number of bloggers supporting Sarah Palin for V-P is mushrooming. Here are some:

Sarah Choice for VPBy Stephen R. Maloney(SJ Reidhead) My VP week on Moms for McCain would not be complete without mention of fellow Mom and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, another "rising star" in the GOP, who has a unique ability to appeal to several key constituencies.

...New Jersey for John McCain - http://newjerseyforjohnmccain.blogspot.com/

Matt's Plan for Victory for McCainBy Matty N(Matty N) ... could be beneficial…but because Obama has made the experience card moot, McCain could seriously consider pulling an untapped resource, one of the two major young, attractive, reform minded Governors, Sarah Palin or Bobby Jindal. ...Matty N's Blog - http://t0llenz.blogspot.com/

The Veep StakesBy seniledelinquent Other female candidates who would be more attractive to the ticket are Kay Bailey Hutchison, or Sarah Palin, the very young and popular governor of Alaska. As for adding color, Bobby Jindal, the newly elected Indian-American governor of ...Senile Delinquent's Blog - http://seniledelinquent.wordpress.com

AK/DC clippings for FridayBy Dillon More blogs agitating for Sarah Palin to be presumptive Republican presidential candidate John McCain's second in command. And another one here. The Alaska Journal of Commerce reports on NOAA cutting Southeast Alaska charters halibut ...An Alaskan Abroad - http://alaskanabroad.typepad.com/an_alaskan_abroad/

For (Counter-) Strategy Purposes, Here Is Hasslington's Top Half ...By Hasslington(Hasslington) Reasons: If I could (and, since this is my blog-site, I suppose I could...) I would put Senator Thune in a tie with Governor Palin for #1, but that would make me feel as though I were cheating. So he slides down one notch to #2, ...Hasslington - http://hasslington.blogspot.com/

If you're interested in another candidate who might one day end up in the White House, check out my piece on PA's Melissa Hart: http://pennsylvaniaforjohnmccain.blogspot.com/.



The popular site called "Wizbang" is saying that Gov. Sarah Palin is meeting with a key member of John McCain's team in regard to the vice-presidency. Those of us in the "Palin Movement" are working to veryify the story. Is Sarah gets elected as V-P, there's little doubt the presidency will be her next step.

http://wizbangblog.com/content/2008/05/28/wednesday-evening-reads.php Main Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin To Meet With McCain VP Search TeamPosted by KevinPublished: May 29, 2008 - 1:32 AM


A tipster sent us word that John McCain's VP advance man Arthur Culvahouse has been spotted in Juneau, Alaska. There's only one reason he would be there - to meet with Alaska Governor Sarah Palin about the Vice President position.

This comes on the heels of McCain's Memorial Day weekend barbecue attended by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, former White House budget director Rob Portman, and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman. Supposedly that was in informal affair, not a vetting session, but it appears that the VP selection game is very much afoot.

Governor Palin would (in my estimation) make an excellent VP candidate for McCain. Thomas Cheplick at The American Spectator makes the case that she's probably the only VP cadidate who can balance the ticket against Obama. She's also a potential magnet for disaffected Hillary Clinton voters, many of whom are just looking for a reason not to vote for Obama.

McCain: Choose Sarah Palin Now!

I guess this is Alaska Governor Sarah Palin week on SteveMaloneyGOP. Several important bloggers have endorsed Sarah recently. One of them is the absolutely wonderful Jean Avery, who manages http://moms4mccain.blogspot.com. Jean is one of the brightest political activists in America (along with Sharon Caliendo), and I urge you to visit her site. (Sharon blogs at: http://democratsforsale.blogspot.com). You also want to visit the site of the individual, Colorado's own Adam Brickley, who founded the "Draft Sarah Palin Movement." Two years ago, he was the only member of the movement. I was the third. Now, Sarah Palin is a national fiigure with an army of supporters.Adam blogs at: http://palinforvp.blogspot.com. It would be a bold, imaginative step for John McCain to pick Sarah as his running mate, but boldness and imagination are just what we have come to expect of the Senator from Arizona. If you want to read just one article that captures the essence of Sarah's appeal, see Fred Barnes' Weekly Standard piece ("The Most Popular Governor") at: http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/851orcjq.asp. Thanks also to Cindy at The Pink Flamingo, one of the most popular blogs, for her continuing support of Sarah. And a salute to the irrepressible (and almost unpronouncable) FullosseousFlap, a big-time blogger, for his endorsement this week at: http://flapsblog.com/?p=7028#comment-87351. If you haven't yet seen my HillarySupportersforMcCain blog, one of the most unusual going, well, what are you waiting for? McCain's chances for the presidency rise and fall on the basis of how effectively he can attract Hillary Supporters.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Heath Palin, McCain's best choice for V-P

BLOGGERS AND OTHER ONLINERS: IF YOU HAVE A BLOG OR WEB SITE, PLEASE REPRINT THIS NOW! The points made by "Ted" are so important I'm putting this up on all my blogs.

Ted has left a new comment on your post "Sarah Palin Belongs to America":

Here's an important piece of advice: If it looks like it's going to be McCain/Palin anyway (and that should be a "no brainer" for Team McCain), McCain should announce NOW or VERY SOON, rather than later towards the convention. There's currently a growing chorus for Obama/Hillary (as VP) ticket (in fact the Dems are likely aware of the Palin phenomenon).

If the GOP waits while movement for Hillary as VP grows -- even worse until after it is solidified that Hillary will/could be VP pick -- selecting Palin will be portrayed by Dems/liberal media more as a reaction by GOP selecting its own female (overshawdoing Palin's own remarkable assets), rather than McCain taking the lead on this.

Selecting Palin now or early (contrary to the punditocracy) will mean McCain will be seen as driving the course of this campaign overwhelmingly, and the DEMS will be seen as merely reacting. And, there's absoultely no down-side to this because even if Hillary is a no-go as VP for Obama, the GOP gains by acting early.

McCain the maverick. Palin the maverick. Do it now!There's no reason, and actually substantial negative, in McCain waiting to see what the Dems do first insofar as his picking Palin as VP, because, no matter who Obama picks, Palin is by far (and I mean far) the best pick for McCain and the GOP, especially in this time of GOP woes.

The GOP can be seen as the party of real 'change' (albeit I hate that mantra, change, change, bla bla), while not really having to change from GOP core conservative values, which Palin more than represents.In light of the current oil/energy situation, as well as the disaffected female Hillary voters situation, and growing focus on McCain's age and health, Palin is more than perfect -- now.(Perhaps Team McCain is already on to this.)

My comment: Ted, you said it all. John McCain needs to understand that choosing the usual suspects -- two older white guys with silver hair -- is not a winning combination this year. Few people who know about Sarah and her stellar career doubt she will be President of the U.S. someday, so let's get her front-and-center NOW.

Note: To find out more about the remarkable Sarah Palin, please vote Adam Brickley's site at: http://palinforvp.blogspot.com/. Adam is the founder of the "Draft Palin for V-P Movement."

Note 2: McCain's campaign slogan should be: "Positive Change for America."

America Needs McCain-Palin Ticket

In tomorrow's column (up Thursday night by 8 p.m.), I'm going to take Senator McCain to task for some real errors in judgment by his staffers that have led to problems for the campaign. The most valuable staff members a candidate can have are those who will tell him the unbridled truth -- call it engaging in "straight talk." The Senator needs more people like that. This week he fired five staffers. He should never have hired them in the first place. I also suggest two people he should hire immediately (I'm not one of them, although I am a straight talker.) Material about Gov. Palin is below.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Heath Palin, mother of a U.S. Army infantryman, comforting a wounded American soldier

Very important endorsement of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin from a big-time blogger and erstwhile Rudy supporter. Sarah should be on the McCain ticket as the V-P nominee. (Read much more about her on Adam's site: http://palinforvp.blogspot.com/.)

Let's all publicize this . . . I'm going to write more about Sarah soon and suggest that, when she's named to the ticket that she have Adam and perhaps more of "the gang" around her to help deal with the media outcry over her supposed lack of "experience" and lack of foreign policy creds, blah, blah, blah. She needs to defuse that in a hurry and come out of the gate like Derby winner "Big Brown." If she does her "Sarah thing," she can almost ensure victory in November.

I'll be starting to beat the drums for Sarah today.We have three excellent female candidates in Pennsylvania (Melissa Hart, Toni Gilhooley, and Marina Kats) for the House, and if McCain names Sarah, as I beleve he will, it would help every female Republican in the country. She will also help John McCain win Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, and Michigan.

Sarah has ZERO BAGGAGE. We do not need a ticket of "two old white guys," which sends a message of business as usual. If McCain names Sarah, the message is that she probably will become America's first female President. Mother of a Downs Syndrome child ("Trig"), mother of an infantry soldier ("Track"), female professional, life member of NRA, skeptic about the more extreme views on climate change, ferocious campaigner who's beaten a big-time Democrat, fiscally conservative, extremely bright, wife of a real working stiff ("Todd"), believer in traditional marriage but not anti-gay, beautiful children, a devout Christian who belives God put her on earth to do good works.

Gee, what does she bring to the table? She brings, as the Book of Common Prayer puts it, "not less than everything."

Memo to John McCain: Please DON'T round up "the usual suspects," Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Charlie Crist, and so on. Take a truly bold step and introduce the world to a woman who's Mt. Rushmore material: Sarah Heath Palin.

Will Hillary Supporters Back McCain?

I'm cross-posting the following from my Hillary Supporters for McCain site, which I urge you to visit. Note: If you go to the Hillary Supporters site, you will see some remarkable comments (added noon, Wed.) about Hillary backers who are moving strongly toward McCain. http://hillarysupportersformccain.blogspot.com. Your thoughts on this subject are always appreciated.

In Kentucky exit polls are showing that two-thirds of Clinton voters are saying they will not vote for Obama in the General Election. Forty-one percent are saying they will vote for John McCain. That more than the percentage that say they would vote for Obama in the General Election.

Mrs. Clinton won the Kentucky primary by more than 250,000 votes -- an incredibly large number. That's a bigger number -- but not a lot bigger -- than her margin in Pennsylvania.

That's why I'm asking Pennsylvania congressional candidates and their supporters to say, "A vote for my opponent is a vote for Barack Obama." That is not the conventional wisdom, but the conventional wisdom is wrong in this case. To my friends running for Congress, I urge you to tie yourself and your campaign to John McCain.

All along, I have been asking some very good Republican congressional candidates (most in Pennsylvania) to ally themselves with -- and strongly endorse -- John McCain.

The other day when a reporter asked Senator McCain about Hillary's continuing her campaign, I didn't believe he exploited the opportunity. He made vague comments about the ups and downs of campaigns, pointing to the time when he was way behind, etc.

There's a fire raging in the Democratic Party, and McCain should experiment with pouring some "verbal gasoline" on it. If he doesn't believe they're stealing the nomination from her, he can note that many people do feel that way.

Specifically, they believe she's suffering from unfair actions by Howard Dean and friends, along with a media that's "in the tank for Obama." By the way, I agree with those Hillary supporters on that assessment.

The point is that John McCain and his entire campaign should be reaching out -- now -- to Hillary supporters. The Hillary-ites should know that they're very welcome in the McCain camp.

One other step John could take that would keep most of those Hillary supporters (including the 41% in KY) in his camp is to name an outstanding female as his running mate. I believe that female is Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.

The way to get women elected to the nation's highest offices is to put them in a position to run for vice-president and President. A woman like Sarah Palin has the toughness, integrity, and campaign skills to become a President of the U.S. She deserves the chance to run for that office.

We need those Hillary supporters, and we need strong support from women in general.

Sarah Palin: First Female President?

Note: I sent the following message to several Republican congressional candidates I'm working with this year. Please pass it on to congressional candidates in your area. Thanks.

Bulletin for Republican congressional candidates and supporters: In KY exit polls are showing that two-thirds of Clinton voters are saying they will not vote for Obama in the General Election. Forty-one percent are saying they will vote for McCain.That's why I'm asking candidates and supporters to say, "A vote for my opponent is a vote for Barack Obama." That is not the conventional wisdom, but the conventional wisdom is wrong in this case. Tie yourself and your campaign to John McCain. (Please be kind enough to go Congressional Quarterly -- link below -- and vote for Gov. Sarah Palin (scroll down).

Will this woman, Alaska Gov. Sarah Heath be America's first female President? And will this man, Todd Palin, holding their new baby, Trig, be America's "First Dude?" There is a good chance John McCain will name her as his vice-presidential running mate. Please vote for her in the Congressional Quarterly "V-P Madness" poll (see below)

Palin Fans:

Gov. Palin is now just one victory away from WINNING CQ Politics' "VP Madness"! She beat out Rob Portman in the Final Four by a vote of 56%-43%, advancing to a final confrontation with Mike Huckabee. I'm very confident in the chances of a Palin victory, but the presidential primaries proved that underestimating Mike Huckabee is a huge mistake. So, let's make sure that we give our favorite governor as much help as we possibly can.

PLEASE let as many people as you can know about this poll. Post it on your blog, email your friends, write a note on your Facebook profile, anything to help push Gov. Palin over the top. Win or lose, VP Madness has been a major victory for our movement, but a win here could permanently catapult Sarah Palin into the top tier of the top tier of the veepstakes (at least as far as the media is concerned).

LET'S WIN THIS!!!!!-- Adam Brickley

Founder, "Draft Sarah Palin for Vice President"

palinforvp.blogspot.com

Note from Steve: Adam Brickley, a 21-year-old college student (who's graduating this week in Colorado Springs) is the finest young political operative in the country. Please cast your ballot for Sarah, a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, pro-military, pro-integrity woman who just might be "Mt. Rushmore material."

Gov. Sarah Palin: America's Hope

Trig Paxson Van Palin
Born 6:30 AM, April 18th, 2008
6 pounds, 2 ounces

Trig was not slated to arrive until May 18th, which makes him exactly one month early. Gov. Palin actually went into labor while in Texas for yesterdays Governors Forum, where she delivered the Keynote Address, but flew back to Alaska to give birth at the Mat-Su Valley Regional Medical Center. The Palin family issued the following statement:

"Trig is beautiful and already adored by us. We knew through early testing he would face special challenges, and we feel privileged that God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he entered our lives. We have faith that every baby is created for good purpose and has potential to make this world a better place. We are truly blessed"

NOTE: A friend and fellow Palin supporter from Alaska informs me that among the “special challenges” is the fact that Trig Palin has Downs Syndrome.

Like so many other people who believe Sarah Palin has the potential to be a great vice-president – and ultimately a great President – I continue to urge John McCain to select her as his running mate.

Trig Palin is very lucky to have two such superb people as Todd and Sarah Palin as his parents. All the best to the entire Palin family.

Sarah Palin: Ready for Presidency

I have a new blog about how people can live better lives on less money. It is about "politics" only in the sense that it discusses ways people can be less dependent on government. You can find it at: http://dailykostkutter.blogspot.com/. I hope you'll visit.

Above: Govenor Sarah Palin, called by Fred Barnes in The Weekly Standard "America's most popular governor." I'll be writing more about her later today, with emphasis on why she would be ready to assume the presidency if that became necessary. If you haven't seen the Barnes article, a remarkable one, you can find it here.

Following are the opening paragraphs of the article:

"The wipeout in the 2006 election left Republicans in such a state of dejection that they've overlooked the one shining victory in which a Republican star was born. The triumph came in Alaska where Sarah Palin, a politician of eye-popping integrity, was elected governor. She is now the most popular governor in America, with an approval rating in the 90s, and probably the most popular public official in any state."

"Her rise is a great (and rare) story of how adherence to principle--especially to transparency and accountability in government--can produce political success. And by the way, Palin is a conservative who only last month vetoed 13 percent of the state's proposed budget for capital projects. The cuts, the Anchorage Daily News said, "may be the biggest single-year line-item veto total in state history."

(More to come.)

Sarah Palin Versus Hillary Clinton

I do have comments on the breaking story about Gov. Eliot Spitzer, but for now I'd just like to say that it was shameful for him to haul his wife out there -- apparently seeking some kind of public sympathy. I have always regarded Eliot Spitzer as a self-righteous phony. His wife and three daughters have my total emotional and spiritual support. We need to get people like him out of office and people like Gov. Palin in. The Republican Governors Association has called on him to resign. Sarah is a member of that Association.


Sarah Palin, dressed for speaking outside in Alaska weather. I'm delighted by the many visitors I'm getting from Alaska, including several visits from Wasilla, Sarah's hometown. I'll be writing tomorrow about why Sarah, who's under serious consideration as John McCain's running mate would herself make an excellent President of the United States. In my other site dedicated to Pennsylvania, I will talk about why Sarah would have special appeal to those in the Keystone State. She reminds me a lot of my friend Diana Lynn Irey, who ran in 2006 against the odious John Murtha. We need people in national office who are curious, ambitious, smart, and pillars of integrity. Sarah fits that definition. We're talking Mt. Rushmore material here. Come back tomorrow to find out more about Sarah.

If you're interesting now in learning more about Sarah and her career, read the Wikipedia article about her. Wikipedia has a great picture of Sarah as a point guard on her high school's state campionship basketball team.

Picture of Sarah Palin and her husband Todd. Children are, from left, Piper, now 6, Willow, now 13, and Bristol, now 17. Missing from the picture is son Track, now 18 and an infantryman in the U.S. Army. Sarah is now 7 months pregnant with her fifth child. "Or working in the home or out of the home. The world is our oyster also, whether carrying a baby

"I'm very confident that a pregnant woman should not and doesn't have to be prohibited from doing anything, including running for vice president. Or working in the home or out of the home. The world is our oyster also, whether carrying a baby. "-Sarah Palin

(Sarah, I agree completely with your statement. When John McCain shows the wisdom to name you (Sarah) as his running mate, you will have to deal with some creepy thugs such as the man below (KSM), and you have the courage, integrity, and life experience to do so. In the fullness of time, you will be a great President of our country. On the campaign trail, you can and will outperform Senators Clinton and Obama at every turn. Go for it, lady!)) -- Steve Maloney

The following is a note I sent to fellow McCain supporters regarding Hillary Clinton. My comments were inspired by Andrew Sullivan's fine column on Bill and Hillary.

That is a totally remarkable -- and accurate -- column by Andrew Sullivan on the Clintons as an American Horror Story. Later today, I'll be writing a column (adding to one actually) about Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, the anti-Hillary. Sarah has four children and is pregnant with a fifth. She recently noted (correctly) that fact shouldn't disqualify her from running for vice-president on a ticket with John McCain.

Hillary Clinton talks about her great compassion for working men and women. Sarah's husband has been a commercial fisherman and an oil field production worker. Hillary talks about working mothers. Sarah is one. Hillary talks about the need for a "village" (i.e., government involvement) in raising children. Sarah and her husband have done just fine with raising their own four (soon to be five) children.

Hillary talks about how we are supposed to revere "our troops" (unless that troop happens to be General Petraeus. Sarah is the mother of an 18 year old infantry solider who enlisted with his best friend in the Army on 9/11/2007. Frankly, the chances of a Chelsea Clinton or the Obama daughters ever serving in the military are about the same as their choosing careers as pole dancers.

Sarah is someone who's resigned positions in protest over ethics violations by members of her own party. Hillary (and Obama for that matter) have done nothing of the kind. Sarah has the lowest "negatives" of any elected official in the country. Hillary has the highest -- and Obama is working hard to elevate his.Hillary regularly denounces the "oil companies." Sarah has stood up to them and rasied their state taxes in Alaska, as well as rejected their low-ball bids to build a natural gas pipeline from Alaska to the lower-48.

Granted, some people ask me how I can favor a relatively "inexperienced" (they mean "young") candidate who will be a heartbeat away from the presidency. In fact, Sarah has more executive experience than Obama and Clinton combined.

She's an American Success Story and, God willing, she will be President of the U.S. someday . . . relatively soon one hopes.

Here's the link to Andrew Sullivan's superb column on the Clintons: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/andrew_sullivan/article3510778.ece

Note: The column below regards the ugly gentleman below and the lame responses of Obama and Senator Clinton to the threats posed by al Qaeda.

Khalid Sheik Muhammed, architect of 9/11 and many other murderous acts -- and, in his own weird way, an "agent of change. As I explain below, candidate Obama apparently believes people like Khalid are illusions spread by the Bush Administration.

Why Obama Inspires Fear

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself . . . nameless, unreasoning fear." (Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932 Inaugural Address)

"Senator McCain will bring a lifetime of experience. I will bring a lifetime of experience. Senator Obama will bring a speech that he gave in 2002 [against the proposed legislation authorizing the use of force in Iraq]." (Recent statement by Senator Hillary Clinton)

As you may have noticed, Barack Obama likes to criticize his rivals -- Hillary Clinton and John McCain -- for supposedly using the "fear card." In fact, Obama makes me fearful because of his unwillingness to comprehend the world in which we live -- one where a certain amount of fear is justified. As FDR suggested long ago, the kind of fear we can do without is the "nameless, unreasoning" kind -- not the type that has names and a clear rationale.

The names of the fear factors that concern most Americans are: al Qaeda, bin Laden, Zawihiri, and Islamic terrorism. Americans are afraid, justifiably, that there will be another 9/11 type event, one that will result in the deaths of thousands of Americans -- and perhaps tens of thousands.

On the rationale: such fears are justified by what has occurred in recent years. Al Qaeda has not gone out of business. The organization is continuing to train terrorists whose main function is to kill Americans and other Westerners, especially civilians not able to kill or capture mass murderers.

In the simplest terms, the (justifiable) fear is al Qaeda, and the reason for the fear is that they've done it before -- and are sworn to do it again. The fear is neither namelss nor unreasoning. If you smell gas in your house, it's perfectly okay to be afraid -- and to act on that fear.

Of course, Senator Obama derides campaigns -- Mrs. Clinton's and Senator McCain's -- that he claims are based on unreasonable fear. Of course, if 9/11 (and many other attacks throughout the world) had not occurred, Obama might have a point.

Why does he take the approach that his opponents are fear-mongers? Mainly because he has no national security experience and no real grasp of what motivates the bin Ladens of the world. Perhaps he believes al Qaeda's hatred of the Western world is based on some misunderstanding that he, as President, would be able to rectify. He's dead wrong.

In the weeks ahead, I expect Hillary Clinton and her associates will do great political harm to Obama. The one chance Clinton has to win will be to establish Obama as someone unfit to be President -- and essentially unelectable in a race against an American hero like John McCain.

Some voters like Obama for various reasons, including, according to polls, his race. But does anyone seriously argue that he should be the one answering that momentous 3 a.m. phone call? If so, why? It's becoming clear that he's little more than a silver-tongued lightweight. He think the invasion of Saddam's Iraq was a colossal mistake, but he think invading our ally Pakistan makes a lot of sense.

The coming months should be an enjoyable period for McCain and other Republicans. Pass the popcorn and soda as we watch Hillary eviscerate Barack.