New very revealing clip from Nick Broomfield's documentary; Sarah Palin wants America's exceptionalism back, and surprise: Eddie Burke sees the light!

By Patrick

Sarah Palin is back in the news, and now it seems like there are two of them: Sarah and mini-me Bristol. Aren't we lucky! The Queen of Mean now has a Princess of Mean, and she is practicing hard!

However, let's first take a look at a very revealing new clip from Nick Broomfield's upcoming documentary about Sarah Palin. From this excerpt we learn three things: First, Sarah Palin still gets royally pissed off when somebody heckles her or tries to ask an unscripted question, but she apparently learned to keep her composure, unlike at previous events. Second, dissent in Palinland inevitably means that some person in uniform will approach you. Third, hell yeah, Sarah Palin will run for President, you betcha, Americans! Her political future is far from over in her opinion, and ever since she secretly instructed in 2009 the programmer Kurt Robar in Alaska to design all those websites for her, some of which are still to be revealed, she knew very well that she would run.

Watch:

Now let's move on to mini-me Bristol: She is a fast learner. After somehow implying that Levi raped her (and even her subsequent "denial" was not very convincing), she went on Fox News where she explicitly expressed her "hate" towards Levi, again called him a "gnat" and also revealed that Sarah has already communicated her decision about a presidential run to the family. You don't say, Bristol!

Watch:

Bristol "cannot say on TV" how much she "hates Levi Johnston." Just wonderful...

Sarah Palin responded to Bristol's comments about Sarah having made her decision, and it didn't really sound like a great denial:

"What we talk about on the fishing boat, stays on the fishing boat."

Sure, Sarah. Whatever. Great denial.

Now, for a little mental health break and reality check: Let's see what some random Americans have to say about Bristol - I really wished we had more of these clips. Sometimes a reality check is badly needed when dealing with ScarahBrystal's combined delusions and lies:

Next it was Sarah's turn to lap up media attention. Sarah Palin was present at the "world premiere" of her propaganda movie which promises to have at least five lies per minute. Afterwards she gave a speech after the screening of the film, which one member of the audience thankfully captured. It's quite a document. America is of course "exceptional", as Sarah says at least a dozen times - although apparently not right now what with this evil President in power, but hey, we can restore it, can't we, and why do I get the impression that Sarah thinks that she is "exceptional" as well? By the way, this clearly is the speech of a woman who will run for President (h/t Tina Dupuy, many thanks):

Here is a new tape of the speech filmed from a different angle, much closer (h/t Older_Wiser).

First part of the other recording of the speech, with much better quality:

The rest of the speech can be found here.

Well, Sarah Palin had better announce before the upcoming "Tea Party Twitter Presidential Debate" if she doesn't want any more candidates stealing her thunder.

Apparently the Tea Party thinks they are exceptional as well:

"We will be releasing the names of the confirmed candidates after the 4th of July holiday to give the few remaining candidates who haven't confirmed time to get acquainted with the platform," added Stockton. "This event is going to be the first of its kind and once again proves that the innovation and creativity of the Tea Party movement is unmatched."

Sure - nobody was ever as creative and innovative as the Tea Party. What was in your tea, folks?

I saved the best news for the end: A miracle has happened. It happened in Alaska. How did it happen? I really don't know, but it did (h/t: punchumgum, many thanks).

On June 26 and June 27, ultra-right wing Alaskan radio talk show host Eddie Burke decided to publicly defend Frank Bailey! He had the following twitter exchange (click to enlarge):

However, he still "likes" Sarah:

And he is certainly not a "reformed character", as he proved just one day later:

So Frank Bailey is telling the truth - says Eddie Burke. In Palinland, dissent means excommunication. But Eddie apparently goes with the flow: Sarah Palin would lose in an election to Obama in Alaska, as a new poll showed. I just hope that Alaskans will finally provide the evidence to end this farce once of for all, the ongoing farce of exceptional Scarah and revengeful Brystal who torture America with populism and platitudes.

+++

Please re-tweet:

http://twitter.com/#!/politicalgates/status/86186906408337408

http://twitter.com/#!/politicalgates/status/86187178178256896

http://twitter.com/#!/politicalgates/status/86187573726285824

http://twitter.com/#!/politicalgates/status/86188017252962304

http://twitter.com/#!/politicalgates/status/86188608209432577

http://twitter.com/#!/politicalgates/status/86188987831693313

All we hear is the Palin Brand. The Palin Brand this the Palin Brand that. She is building up her Palin Brand. What Is the Palin Brand?

Guest Post by Dusty

Let’s start with "The Real Definition of Personal Branding."

The Definition:

Personal branding describes the process by which individuals and entrepreneurs differentiate themselves and stand out from a crowd by identifying and articulating their unique value proposition, whether professional or personal, and then leveraging it across platforms with a consistent message and image to achieve a specific goal. In this way, individuals can enhance their recognition as experts in their field, establish reputation and credibility advance their careers, and build self-confidence.

The Process:

Now let’s explore the process of developing a brand.

A well-executed personal branding campaign creates a strong, consistent, and specific association between the individual and the perceived value they offer.

The Three Elements of a Brand

• Value Proposition: What do you stand for?
• Differentiation: What makes you stand out?
• Marketability: What makes you compelling?

Now let's break down the Palin Brand into the 3 elements listed above. Let’s look at Palin’s Value Proposition, Differentiation and Marketability.

What does she stand for?

Sarah claims to stand for Pro-Life, the 2^nd Amendment, Small Government, Free-Market Principles and Energy Independence.

What makes her stand out?

She is an attractive middle aged Christian female, married once with “five” children who was the first female elected as Governor of the State of Alaska.

What makes her compelling?

She exploded onto the nation’s political scene in 2008 as a relative unknown endorsed by Senator John McCain and the Republican National Committee as the Vice President Nominee.

So in a nutshell the “Palin Brand” is that Sarah is an attractive middle aged former beauty queen contestant from Main Street America, who is still married to her high school sweetheart-whose main claim to fame is he is an Iron Dog Champion. They have “5” children together with 1 a special needs child. (her unique value) Sarah fought tooth and nail to climb the ladder of success and by god she deserves to be President of the United States. (her specific goal) She is just your ordinary, average middle class American which differentiates her from all the other political candidates. (what makes her compelling)

Now let’s take off the rose colored glasses and apply a little logic and reality to what the “Palin Brand” really is shall we?

What does Sarah Palin really stand for?

Two words- Sarah Palin. She really just stands for Sarah Palin. That is it. As we have learned she cannot clearly speak at any length on any topic with any credibility other than that of Sarah Palin and even then she still has trouble with the facts and continues to try and rewrite documented history.

She is only Pro-Life when it is convenient for her to be Pro-Life or if she is being paid to be Pro-Life. Giving birth to a special needs child does not automatically make you a Pro-Life advocate what it does do is make you a parent of a special needs child. The fact that Bristol also chose to continue her pregnancy is something millions of teenagers and their parents deal with every day. Sarah claims to be Pro-Life but signed a bill that forced rape victims to pay for their own rape kits. Sarah failed to act as Governor when a flood almost destroyed a village in AK. Alaska is the only State to have its Medicaid Program suspended due to complete and total mismanagement which resulted in the death of over 200 innocent people.

Sarah brags about being a life-long member of the NRA. She chants the words Don’t Retreat Reload and places gun sights over Congressional Districts and uses words like ‘targeted’ to make herself appear to be a 2^nd Amendment Advocate and an expert markswoman. However, she films a reality show which claims to be nonpolitical and spends 8 weeks showing that she cannot carry her own gun, she cannot load her own gun and it took 5 shots to down a caribou. She filmed a video in direct response to the Tuscon shooting which took the life of a 9 year innocent child and left a Congress Woman whose own district had been placed in Sarah’s gun sights, fighting for her life after being shot at point blank range and she used the words “Blood Libel”.

Sarah claims to be for small government but when the Deep Horizon Oil Rig exploded she didn’t hesitate to call out President Obama for what she perceived to be lack of support. However she implemented a plan in Alaska which taxes the Oil Companies. She uses the words Free Market Principles and Energy Independence. There is no such thing as Energy Independence. The words Energy Independence are just another talking point because she knows how much American’s value their Independence.

What makes Sarah Palin really stand out?

Three words- Good Looks & Charm

What makes Sarah really stand out is her looks. She is a former beauty queen contestant after all. This may have been the one area in her life where she actually applied herself to learning everything she needed to know. She wears expensive glasses that she no longer needs. She applies her make up in her words with a trough and she has many, many wigs in which to enhance her natural hair and we must not forgot the ever present Bumpit (If there ever was a fashion accessory that needs to be retired, this is it). She has the beauty queen smile and wave down pat. On the surface she appears to be quite charming. After all she fooled how many Alaskans into voting for her?

She claims to be a Christian. However she does not claim membership in any church or branch of religion. She has a potty mouth that reviles that of a sailor, a longshoreman or even an IT professional. There still and most likely will always remain questions as to who her high school sweetheart really was, did she really give birth to 5 children, do those 5 children all have the same father. However the one truth is she was the first female Governor of Alaska. Well, in reality she is the first female half term Governor of Alaska because she quit half way thru her first term as Governor.

What makes Sarah Palin really compelling?

What makes Sarah Palin really compelling is the fact that she exploded onto the political area in 2008 as a virtual unknown to most Americans. But behind the scenes she has been positioning herself for the national area since 2006 using her good looks and charm.

Sarah did not and still does not have any national political credentials. She was a first time Governor who had been the Mayor in name only of a tiny town in Alaska and who quit the Chairwoman Seat on the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. She has a questionable education background, attended 5-6 colleges on her path to a BA in Communication.

Sarah thinks being unconventional is cool. She believes she can effect change while hiding behind Facebook and Twitter. Being unconventional can be a positive trait in the right place and at the right time. However, a nation at war, dealing with the after effects of a recession does not need to take a giant step backwards and gamble its future on an untested, untried unconventional individual who hides behind Facebook and Twitter.

It is time for Palin to realize that she cannot just show up and spew her hateful, dishonest word salads then get back on the bus to the next stop without realizing there are consequences for her words and actions. It is past time for the media to realize a good leader is not a leader who only shows up for the check and a Photo Op and then goes home. A leader leads through the good and the bad. We have yet to see Palin handle anything bad with any sort of competence.

The real “Palin Brand” is "Baffle them with Bullshit" (her unique value-no one and I mean no does a word salad or plays the victim like Sarah Palin) because the media and her fans do not really care that her willful ignorance of American History, Current Events & Social Issues is important. (what makes her compelling) Sarah will lie, cheat and stomp on anyone she believes to be in her way to the top. She is not your ordinary, average middle class American as most ordinary, average middle class Americans do not own two million dollar homes and believe they are qualified to be President of the United States of America (her specific goal).

21st Century Fascism in America: The Components, the Players, and the Consequences + Bristol Palin on Good Morning America

Guest Post by Sunnyjane

If a Fascist regime comes to power in America, history will record that it was introduced by Sarah Palin, aided and abetted by the Republican Party, legitimized by the United States Supreme Court, and vigorously embraced by far-right-wingers who are so undereducated and ill informed that they won’t recognize it for what it is. After all, they are the ones who have recklessly hurled this label at the current administration, so it’s easy to accept that they don’t know what they’re talking about. And guess what? The Republicans NEED it that way.

In a different era in a land far, far away, Fascism was dominated by a male megalomaniac who incited the populace from his palace balcony. But with the ill-advised selection of Sarah Palin as the Republican vice-presidential candidate in 2008, this fanatical form of government has taken on an entirely new identity: this modern megalomaniac incites the masses from any podium that comes with a big speaking fee.

It’s important to understand that megalomaniac is not a word to be bandied about in a frivolous manner. Briefly, megalomania a psycho-pathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence. The megalomaniac has an inflated sense of self-esteem and an overrated belief in his/her personal powers and values. Remind you of anyone?

Even a cursory search for the term “Fascism” on the Internet brings up definitions that are as numerous, and in many cases as muddled, as an overpriced Sarah Palin alphabet-soup-with-a-side-order-of-word-salad speaking engagement. (You may not have agreed with Benito Mussolini, but at least you could comprehend what he was saying.)

However, the most relevant piece of writing I found on contemporary Fascism was written by Laurence W. Britt in 2004. He begins his article with an ominous warning: Fascism’s principles are wafting in the air today, surreptitiously masquerading as something else, challenging everything we stand for.

Britt uses the regimes of early-to-mid-nineteen hundreds’ Fascism in Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Chile, and Indonesia (which all followed a comparable model to obtain, expand, and maintain power) to illustrate the characteristics of modern fascism.

Britt: Analysis of these seven regimes reveals fourteen common threads that link them in recognizable patterns of national behavior and abuse of power. These basic characteristics are more prevalent and intense in some regimes than in others, but they all share at least some level of similarity.

Is it inaccurate to suggest that Sarah Palin and the right wing parties have been instrumental in initiating Fascism in America? By considering only a few of the fourteen elements Britt has compiled, it becomes vividly clear that Sarah Palin, the Republicans, and the Tea Party are intent on establishing a Fascist form of government in the United States.

Powerful and continuing expressions of nationalism: From the prominent displays of flags and bunting to the ubiquitous lapel pins, the fervor to show patriotic nationalism, both on the part of the regime itself and of citizens caught up in its frenzy, was always obvious. Catchy slogans, pride in the military, and demands for unity were common themes in expressing this nationalism. It was usually coupled with a suspicion of things foreign that often bordered on racial intolerance.

The Stars and Stripes have been reduced to fashion accessory for Sarah Palin. She is the epitome of the flagrant and, in many cases, inappropriate display and use of the United States flag. American exceptionalism; “Real Americans”; and Second Amendment rights conferred by God are just a few examples of her “nationalism.”

She managed to plaster more iconic national images on her star-spangled tour bus than can be purchased from every vendor hawking cheap souvenirs in the nation’s capital on the Fourth of July. The not-so-subliminal message: “If you don’t believe in what I stand for, you are un-American!”

Disdain for the importance of human rights: The regimes themselves viewed human rights as of little value and a hindrance to realizing the objectives of the ruling elite. Through clever use of propaganda, the population was brought to accept these human rights abuses by marginalizing, even demonizing, those being targeted. When abuse was egregious, the tactic was to use secrecy, denial, and disinformation.

Far-right authoritarians view most social freedoms as self-indulgent and the breakdown of America’s “core values.” Of the civil liberties being attacked by the Republicans and the Tea Party (rights of unions, the right to affordable health care, the rights of the LGBT community), the most deliberate, intense, and offensive assault is those upon a woman’s right to manage her own body, her reproductive activity, and her own life.

In April of this year, ten states were named as those having the most shocking anti-woman legislation. These laws are appalling, destructive, and blatantly unjust. And while they would deny any other woman the right to choose, Bristol and Sarah had no problem being paid to appear on a magazine cover that exclaimed, “We’re Glad We Chose Life.” (Emphasis added.) It has to be the ultimate hypocrisy.

A controlled mass media: Under some of the regimes, the mass media were under strict direct control and could be relied upon never to stray from the party line. Other regimes exercised more subtle power to ensure media orthodoxy. Methods included the control of licensing and access to resources, economic pressure, appeals to patriotism, and implied threats. The leaders of the mass media were often politically compatible with the power elite. The result was usually success in keeping the general public unaware of the regimes’ excesses.

The vast majority of news outlets are owned by right-leaning, large, for- profit corporations. Companies such as Comcast are being given the ability to control what is seen in viewers’ homes, as well as what is seen on the Internet.

Religion and ruling elite tied together: Unlike communist regimes, the fascist and protofascist regimes were never proclaimed as godless by their opponents. In fact, most of the regimes attached themselves to the predominant religion of the country and chose to portray themselves as militant defenders of that religion. The fact that the ruling elite’s behavior was incompatible with the precepts of the religion was generally swept under the rug.

Sarah Palin and the far-right Dominionists choose to ignore an inconvenient reality that is clearly spelled out in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;…

Their contention that America was founded by Christians and is, therefore, a Christian nation, is not only wrong, it is absurd. In fact, many of the “founders” were followers of Deism, a form of religion that believes in man’s reason and observation of the natural world, without the need for organized religion of any kind.

Newt Gingrich, while hardly a shining example of far-right family and religious values, never misses an opportunity to warn his base (and anyone else who will listen) that “secular socialism” is the biggest threat to the United States of America.

Turning the United States into a theocracy is not an abstract concept. The religious right is on a specific mission to force their belief system on the rest of us. As Leah Burton points out so succinctly: Dominionists state, without shame, their absolute intent to gain political leadership and force biblical law across the land.

Power of corporations protected: Although the personal life of ordinary citizens was under strict control, the ability of large corporations to operate in relative freedom was not compromised. The ruling elite saw the corporate structure as a way to not only ensure military production (in developed states), but also as an additional means of social control. Members of the economic elite were often pampered by the political elite to ensure a continued mutuality of interests, especially in the repression of “have-not” citizens.

Most U.S. and foreign corporations operating in this country pay less in taxes than you and I do. Many of them pay NO taxes.

Further, in 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that corporations, trade associations, unions and nonprofit groups may now spend unlimited amounts of money advocating for or against politicians. Is it any wonder that Republicans are now intent on limiting the number, power, and scope of unions? By so doing, the corporations would be the mightier force in influencing elections.

In Benito Mussolini’s own words: Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of State and corporate power. Mussolini should know about these things.

Power of labor suppressed or eliminated: Since organized labor was seen as the one power center that could challenge the political hegemony of the ruling elite and its corporate allies, it was inevitably crushed or made powerless.

After the 2010 elections, Republican governors in at least twelve states (Wisconsin, Florida, Indiana, Alaska, Michigan, Ohio, Maine, Arizona,Tennessee, Idaho, Iowa and Kansas) proposed legislation that would diminish the power of labor unions. Sarah Palin vigorously supported these efforts. This will continue, particularly in states with a Republican government, unless the citizens of those states fight against such abuse.

A humorous, but accurate, blog article by Keith Balmer: The Dark Prince of Satire talks about trying to select the worst governor in America.

To Summarize

Sarah Palin is responsible for making deceit, hate, divisiveness, and violence a badge of honor.

She has made it acceptable to misinterpret the U.S. Constitution to suit the far-right’s own agenda.

She has thrust theocracy into the political arena, ignited the gun advocacy and militia frenzy, and inflamed the immigration situation by blatantly advancing racism and broad-spectrum xenophobia to a degree that has not been seen in this country for fifty years.

She and the Republicans have provoked the fires of anti-women’s rights. They have advanced the dumbing-down of America’s youth by rewriting history, denying science, insisting that Creationism being taught in schools, and generally scorning the benefits of a well educated citizenry.

They have supported cuts in welfare, health care, and Medicare/Medicaid. Their “budget plan” proposes dramatic changes in Social Security while they hold tight to tax cuts for the richest one percent in America.

Whether or not she runs for president in 2012, Sarah Palin is responsible for a Fascist tsunami that threatens a radical and disastrous transformation of this nation. She has set a new and alarming anti-democracy standard that the Republican candidates are more than enthusiastic to follow in order to satisfy the expectations of their far-right base; not one of them can succeed without that support.

Let us be the Paul Reveres of this time and place: The Fascists are coming, the Fascists are coming!

And be very careful what you vote for, America – you might just get it.

******

UPDATE:

Bristol Palin claims that she felt like Levi stole her virginity on Good Morning America. Says that they have discussed Sarah running and that she thinks she would make an awesome President.

Weekly Roundup, June 20-26, 2011

By Blueberry T

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Keith Olbermann: He’s Baaaack!

Keith Olbermann made his return to the broadcast world this week, with his usual passion, sharp wit, criticisms and incisive commentary. He took on Sarah Palin (who won the bronze for “Worst Person” for trademarking herself), along with Reagan, Clarence Thomas, the U.S. role in Libya, McCain and others. Michael Moore was his guest. Kathleen highlighted part of his Special Comment: "This is to be a newscast of contextualisation that is to be presented with a viewpoint that the weakest citizen of this country is more important than the strongest corporation. That the nation is losing its independence through the malfeasance of one political party and the timidity of another, and that even though you and I should not have to be the last line of defense apparently we are so we damm well better start being it."

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Bristol Palin in her own words: a stoner and slut

Now that the fictionalized rewriting of Bristol Palin’s personal history has hit the bookstores, it is time to take another look at a more raw and unfiltered source of information about her. In her new book, she portrays herself as a righteous girl who had sex while she was too drunk to know what she was doing and was then led astray by the “gnat” Levi Johnston. The reality is that Bristol was and is no innocent. Patrick’s post shows Bristol in her own words: “a stoner” and “a slut” who wrote that her mother thought she was pregnant by another boy in the spring of 2007, when Bristol was just 16 (yet, two years later, Sarah denied knowing that Bristol was sexually active when asked by Barbara Walters: a blatant lie). Patrick adds the messages between Sarah’s aide Rebecca Mansour and her cyber-confidante Toki de la Vega, showing the family’s efforts to break up Bristol’s relationship with Levi. Bristol is definitely screwed up, but hardly innocent.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Sarah Palin = SP = Sexual Pathology?

The media has given a complete pass to the ways that Sarah Palin plays the sex card. Some of her behavior is beyond strange and seems to veer into pathology. There are her multiple accusations and insinuations about people wanting to rape or peer in at her daughters. That would be scary and creepy if it happened once and very troubling if it happened twice; but with Palin this has now happened at least five or six times. Who talks about their daughters in this way? These repeated accusations may suggest a mental imbalance or history of abuse or perhaps some manifestation of Münchausen syndrome by proxy (MSbP); they certainly don’t convey a sense of mental health. Adding to that strange behavior is Palin’s frequent use of vulgar language (“limp,” “impotent,” no “cojones,” “vajayjay”) – not the type of language you would expect from a moral Christian woman. Let’s not forget her strangely suggestive tongue gestures and odd come hither behavior and dress. It would be quite interesting to see a full psychological profile of former half-Governor Palin; I imagine that such a workup would confirm the McCain campaign staff’s suspicions that Palin might be mentally unstable. Will the media ask these questions about a woman who wants to be the most powerful person on earth? Don’t hold your breath.

Friday, June 24, 2011

The Bristol Palin™ Brand

What is Bristol Palin’s brand? Now that she is trademarking herself – which I for one think is entirely appropriate, as she is merchandise, albeit much used – what are the key characteristics that define her brand? Leadfoot came up with 5 key descriptors that sum Bristol Palin™ nicely: Promiscuous, Immature, Dishonest, Jealous and Insecure. What Bristol Palin™ is really selling: her body and her soul.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Review of Bristol’s Book

Do yourself a favor and read this concise summary of Bristol Palin’s ridiculous excuse for a memoir, rather than suffering through the book itself. In an even briefer nutshell: she is a victim; Levi is a ne’er-do-well who took advantage of her and cheated on her repeatedly; she was true to him and tried to reform him but he was a lost cause; the McCains are elitist snobs but she and her family are real Americans; she made mistakes but it was worth it because she has a cute little boy and is getting rich from those mistakes. Older_Wiser2 posted the link to the Christian Science Monitor review: "...less of a cautionary tale and more of a rant."

Some Comments and Links:

Adrian: I cannot imagine the decibel level of screeching that would spew forth from the Moldy Fringe (what used to be known as the Republican Party) if Obama emails surfaced from when he was a senator that conveyed the same petty, adolescent tone as these Palin© emails. It would be nonstop. They would deem him totally unfit for public office, the Republican Party leaders would follow them, and the press would have to start "asking questions" because they're "concerned." There is just no Democratic Party equivalent to the Right Wing Noise Machine.

CaliGirl22: Why would you bring your rapist to go with you and your family at the RNC convention and hold hands to be viewed by the entire world?

AquaRose: …This family is not ordinary America. This is not 'just like you.' This is not hard workin' folks who are living and loving life. This is low information, low motivation, lazy, sleazy, white trash, tabloid garbage who uses every angle and trick in the book to gain money and fame, regardless of who they have to step on or destroy. They want to be elite, without working for it.

Texasgal2009: Her girlfriend told her ? Sorry to be graphic, but when you lose your virginity, you don't need anyone to tell you, you definitely feel it, even the next day. She wasn't a virgin on that night. She reminds me of a t-shirt I saw. It said " I'm a virgin" then in small print it said " This is an old t-shirt". Bristol was wearing a very old t-shirt that night.

_wink_ came up with brilliant renditions of the new TMs – B®i$tol and $a®ah – along with this comment: I am so disturbed by B®istol's claim in her book, of sexual assault by Levi…Here is one of the definitions of date rape per the Alaska State Statutes: when someone sexually penetrates you and you are mentally incapable, incapacitated, or unaware the sexual act is being committed.... is a second degree sexual assault defined by statute. So yes, she has undoubtedly accused him of date rape, even if she did not use the term herself. By her words, she was too impaired to give consent, which makes in non-consensual, and meets the definition in the statute.

Sfterrier: What a sad commentary on the state of our society in the early years of the 21st century that the communication industry spends even a nanosecond on Bristol, much less her mother. Having said that I woke up this morning imagining an opera about the Palins and Sarah's rise and fall, much like John Adam's "Nixon in China" Of course the music would be discordant, the libretto impossible to follow and the costumes and wigs---well, what can I say.

Sunnyjane: There's an old saying about teenage males and females that I think applies all too often, and was certainly in play with Bristol and Levi: Girls give sex to get love, and boys give love to get sex. Very sad, but it shows Bristol's desperation to be loved. Instead of learning from that experience, she has flaunted her own immaturity and made herself the victim. Typical Palin behavior.

Caseys Mom started a very funny mini-thread with this: I have come to think of the Palins as a game of Clue.

1. Sarah - Bristol - Todd - Track - Levi
2. Did “it” in the Bedroom - Garage - Anchorage - Pick-up - Tent
3. While using a Hockey Stick - Shotgun - Wine Cooler - Pregnancy Test Strip - Blackberry
4. While they were Drunk - Stoned - Unconscious - Enraptured - All-of-the-Above

Cacklingrad (from an excellent longer comment): It is absolutely appalling the way everything that comes out of these women's mouths is taken as the truth; they set the groundwork for the conversation, and no one bothers to look and see if the foundation of that conversation is simply a pack of lies.

BanditBasheert reposted a comment from Malia Litman’s blog by “Thomas” – I am reposting because it is so apropos: …my civilian career was in children and family protective services. I worked in Foster Care, Juvenile Justice, Adoptions, Child Protective Investigations as an Investigator (CPI) and Supervisor (CPIS). I trained, worked and was certified in that field. I was an expert witness in MA and FL. I specialized in sexual abuse cases. I am retired but I am proud of my work over the years in the field of children and family protective services.I say this not to brag but to demonstrate that I know what I am talking about when it comes to red flags regarding family dysfunction, family dynamics and the behaviors of family members. The Palin/Heaths have red flags all over the place. It would not be a surprise if sexual abuse has occurred in those extended families, and I mean in more than this generation. Sarah Palin is a highly seductive and sexualized person. She relied on that all of her teen/adult life. We know this from the written and verbal history of the extended families. Sarah’s mother is an unassuming, subservient and quiet person. Sarah identified with her father and is her pride and joy. Sarah has, throughout her public life, used sexualized words, projection of sexualized motives and sexual accusations against her perceived enemies. She is an emasculating and vindictive, mean and little person. and sex is always present. I believe where there is smoke there is fire with regard to Todd Palin and his sexual adventures.Bristol is her mother’s apprentice, well on her way to becoming a snide, vacuous, ignorant and careless person, going through life causing harm and leaving bedlam wherever she goes. She wants to “give the finger,” her words not mine, to those who do not think she is fabulous. I would assert there is reason to conduct an investigation into what has been going on in those two families over the years that has caused the family members to be so strangely enmeshed and so needful of lying and manipulating everyone…

Laprofesora: OMG, it just hit me: of course Scarah wrote the garbage in Brystil's book about wine coolers in the tent, because that's what everyone was drinking when Scarah was 15 and sneaking around! No teenagers drink wine coolers anymore!

Older_Wiser2 with h/t to Marieke02: She simply crumbles under direct scrutiny.

Azure Ghost: …Sarah Palin^Quitter has brought politics into the gutter, where she is obviously very much at home. [Later] Piper's book could be called "Going Rogue II: The Phantom Pregnancy."

NightEditor1: Caution: Blackouts may lead to White-outs.

In honor of B®i$tol, many ‘Gaters reminisced about their favorite youthful “libations” – Boones Farm, Spañada, Bali Hai, Mad Dog 20/20, Southern Comfort, Blue Nun, Red Ripple, Cold Duck, Thunderbird, Night Train, Tickle Pink, Mateus Rose… Picking up on what cheeriogirl said, I’ll bet there was a lot of “praying to the porcelain God”!

Bluerinse and others quoted Bill Maher: “the shit doesn’t fall far from the bat.”

Maelewis: The one that I feel sorry for is Tripp, who should not have a mother and grandparents who make a public display out of trashing his father. Bristol is also exploiting Tripp, who deserves better. We should also feel sorry for Trig and hope that he is getting therapy and affection.

Hope for America linked to the Miami Herald’s attempt at introspection regarding Palin coverage and to Matt Taibbi’s BRILLIANT Rolling Stone piece on Michele Bachmann.

Several readers linked to an excellent article by Andrew Halcro.

Older_Wiser2 posted this article from The Guardian on Michele Bachmann.

DebinWI found this in the National Enquirer on the hypocrisy of Palin calling for abstinence before marriage when she, her mother and her daughter were all pregnant before marriage.

This is a fantastic, funny video from thepoliticalcarnival, with H/T to BanditBasheert:

Juicyfruityy linked to a great letter from Kim Chatman at politicususa:

Sunnyjane found this on thespoof about Palin’s prosperity plan.

A Parody of Outraged Maidenhood - Review of Bristol Palin's Book "Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far"

The author of this review on amazon.com about Bristol Palin's book "Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far" has kindly given us permission to republish this review here.

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A Parody of Outraged Maidenhood

Corinne Quayle, Tricia Nixon, Sarah Gore, the Agnew girls (Pamela, Susan, and Kimberly), Jennifer and Judith Kemp... all of them, any of them, and other Vice Presidential candidates' daughters must be limp with relief that Mummy didn't find a ghostwriter and publisher to put out a book this sleazy, and so early in a young woman's life.

Bristol Palin professes many things in her life: that her parents gave her a "purity ring" in adolescence (a sure-fire applause line for one of her mother's speeches, had she used it, which she hasn't), that she has had only one sex partner at the age of twenty ("one too many," as Nancy French writes). After being put on birth-control pill at age fifteen, she says, to relieve menstrual cramps, Bristol woke up "cold in a tent" after passing out from too many wine coolers and losing her virginity; and that the young man to whom she announced her betrothal not once but twice is "a gnat." Oh, and that she felt she had to "watch her back" in the presence of Meghan McCain. Bristol's many, many grievances--such as why her family did not routinely fly first-class when her mother was, briefly, governor of Alaska, or why the McCains owned so much Louis Vuitton luggage and had more hairdressers at hand during the 2008 campaign--take up most of this book. And from the foreword by Theodore Roosevelt, the person who actually reads this book has to wonder how much of it Bristol herself read. It also appears to be a catch-all for grievances accumulated by her mother since the publication of Sarah Palin's ghost-written "Going Rogue."

"'Wow!' said my mom," pointing out that the "Dancing With the Stars" finals garnered more viewers than Keith Olbermann, whom Bristol says, "has seemed to disappear, and is more irrelevant than ever." Umm, Keith Olbermann returned to the airwaves this week--poor timing, girl.

The knife-sticking and twisting goes beyond Olbermann, President Obama and the McCain and Johnston families, including Bristol's fellow contestants on DWTS, a competition entered by no other politician's daughter. Bristol/Nancy call the human-interest pieces on Kyle Massey, Jennifer Grey, and Florence Henderson "sleekly produced tearjerkers," a phrase difficult to imagine emanating from Bristol's lips, given her trash-talking posts on MySpace and Facebook. Yet she tells her professional dance partner Mark Ballas that their chances are "all in God's hands." Really? After the instructions given on the Internet to Palin fans about how to game the system and multiple-vote for her?

The real victim of this otherwise forgettable book is little Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston. Children are cruel, as his own mother has demonstrated in 253 pages. Tripp will be the target of playground gibes before he can read.

The real culprit for foisting this tawdry family on the American scene is John McCain. Without him, we never would have heard of Bristol Palin.