Ray reflects on the frenzy that has surround the nomination of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as Sen. John McCain's running mate.
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About Me
- Ray Richardson
- I live in Westbrook with my wonderful wife Dee Dee and our four children. We have been residents of Maine for a little over 22 years, moving here from Florida in 1985.
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2008
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September
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- And So The Beat Goes On
- Whom do you trust?
- RIP Paul Newman
- Ray Says 'Yes on 1'
- Let Her Loose!
- Ray Says 'No on 2'
- Optimism and Pessimism
- Just How Urgent is This?
- Dispatch from the Cumberland Fair
- Something is Broken
- Beyond Philosophy
- Just How Free is the Free Market?
- Idle Threat
- Don't Panic!
- Buyouts, Bailouts, and Downturns
- The Blind Leading the Blind
- Reckless
- Seeking Energy Solutions
- Where's the Judgment Come From?
- Seven Years Later
- Stop the Flow of Illegals
- Fears and Smears
- Spotlight on Sarah Palin
- Stop the Madness
- Incomes Flatlining
- Time to Get Serious
- Side-by-Side Comparison
- Out of the Park
- Prescription for Savings
- What Really Matters
- 4-Day School Week?
- Astounded by the Ignorance
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September
(32)
22 comments:
First
I do not think she should withdraw.
It is a personal problem, not one that would affect her running of the country. And Sen Obama came out immediately to denounce those who make this family matter an issue.
However, I cannot believe you are astounded at the media coverage.
Conservative "trash" would be dogging this story just as hard if it was a liberal woman "Fox and Friends" would be all over it 24/7 along with RW evangelicals, and you know it!
That does not make it right. It is just the way of politics now.
If McCain knew about this , he could have headed off a lot of the firestorm by making it public along with other things,but OH No, he wanted to surprise everyone.
Congrats John on a good surprise.
By the way , I am sure you will be watching her debates with Biden and be ready to accuse him of' "he wouldn't say that if she were a man" everytime he argues with her.
Bruce,
You did not address the fundamental question.
If Barack or John announced their 17 year old daughter was pregnant, would there be calls for them to step down?
Now, we know in Barack's case, he would encourage the child to be aborted, so that would end his problem, but John is pro-life.
Before you say I am being nasty about Barack, he is the one who made the comment about his daughter not being saddled with a baby.
I am sure someone would. It wouldn't be as big an outcry though.
You are the one who attached conservative to "woman' in your little speech. That is why I mentioned liberal women in my answere. It goes without saying that women are treated differently, Must be the expectations of nuturing thing.
Saying Barack is pro abortion is not being nasty.
However, you do not know that he would encourage anyone to have one including a 17 year old daughter.
Many liberals might choose not to have abortions themselves, because of their own beliefs.
The difference is they do not force others to have the baby, which is what you want to do.
And last I checked no liberal is forcing women to have abortions. We just want them to have the right to if they choose.
Since conservatives believe in the social value nanny state, the stance on abortion does not surprise me.
There is a famous quote of Barack's about abortion. I could find it if you need me to, but I think it speaks pretty clearly about how he feels about his teen-age daughter being pregnant.
In essence, he says he would not want his child burdened with a child.
Yes, I am astounded about how the main-stream media has treated Sarah Palin. Their actions are quite overt. They have not even tried to disguise their efforts.
..... and this passes for journalism in America
As for smearing, don't forget your party pretty much invented it.
Remember this when McCain was running against Bush?
"Rove invented a uniquely injurious fiction for his operatives to circulate via a phony poll. Voters were asked, "Would you be more or less likely to vote for John McCain...if you knew he had fathered an illegitimate black child?" This was no random slur. McCain was at the time campaigning with his dark-skinned daughter, Bridget, adopted from Bangladesh".
McCain would probably have made a much better President than W.
I find it interesting that somehow protecting innocent life from being taken is viewed as a "social value nanny state."
Most people find murder to be wrong and therefore illegal.
I am mostly talking about the main-stream media and liberal trash bloggers like the Daily Kos.
Both parties and the long history of American politics is littered with nasty political tactics.
To suggest Rove invented it is naive.
"In essence, he says he would not want his child burdened with a child."
I think you need to find the quote
I would guess that most parents would not "want" their 17 year old to have a child, but "making" them have an abortion is another thing.
Telling the 17 year old that they will still be loved no matter how they decide the issue of carrying the fetus to term and then letting them decide would be the liberal stance.
Don't say the 17 year old is not old enough to make the decision. Encouraging her to get married is another thing.
Although I reiterate that this issue should not call for Palin to step down, I would have had a little more respect for Palin if she had said marriage was not in the future right now.She thinks that by announcing a marriage it make the whole issue moot
"Most people find murder to be wrong and therefore illegal".
Herein lies the crux of the debate.
You believe life begins at conception. I and my liberal group do not. The Pope believes contraception is wrong. I assume you do not, betwen two married people.
Sooner or later the courts will decide when a human life starts.
Right now we want it both ways. Liberals do not believe a fetus is a human being yet,however when a pregnant woman is killed some want to charge double murder to the assailant.
We cannot continue to have it both ways.
Wow, we have common ground on this issue. Our society is very conflicted on this issue.
If the lines were clear instead of blurred (some believe abortion is wrong and are personally against it, yet would allow others to have one) this issue would get settled.
I cannot understand and I have sought understanding from many, many people who hold the "personally against but would not ban" position about why they are personally against.
If their reasoning is abortion takes a child's life, I cannot understand how they can be jelly-spined about this issue.
I actually do understand people who say I am okay with abortion because I do not yet believe it is a baby. That makes sense to me because those folks do no see a child in this issue.
John Kerry said he believes it is a child at conception, yet he still supports abortion rights for all. He does it for politics sake and that among other reason is why I do not find him fit to be the leader of this nation.
I personaly would have no problem having an abortion. Since I am not a woman I guess it is a moot point.
I can believe that some poeple who would not have one because of their own religius views, do not want to force their own religious views on others. They realize it is a faith issue and not a legal one.
I believe a lot of liberal catholics have this view
People who do not have a religious faith that tell them it is wrong are a different matter. If they are aginst it for themselves but for it for others, go figure. Why are they against it for themselves if it is not a moral or religiious issue?
I hope some day science will make this whole issue irrelevant.
Ray, the right has sure worked up a righteous head of steam about the whole teenage pregnancy thing, but it strikes me as mostly a smokescreen.
For the most part, the media has moved on from the story, recognizing it as a family issue. And yes, before you object, there are some exceptions, but mostly, I see reporters asking about the fired trooper, Palin's history with the anti-American AIP, her relationship with lobbyists, and other perfectly legitimate questions.
(I'm not saying there is or isn't anything to the issues above. I certainly don't know. But I think it's entirely reasonable for reporters to be asking about them.)
Meanwhile, the McCain camp hides behind the baby issue because it allows them to play the martyr. The press is being so unfair! they whine. Golly!
Meanwhile (again), McCain's national campaign co-chair Meg Whitman describes the media vetting of Palin as "completely fair." She says she hasn't seen any sexism in the coverage. Check it out. Weird, huh?
You act like all of this is one-sided, that the left is out of control. I wonder if Chelsea Clinton (whom Rush Limbaugh called "the White House dog") feels the same way.
Oh, and let's not forget your own repeated joke about people tending to die around the Clintons. "Just kidding!", you always say with a chuckle. But I'm not sure what's funny about accusing public figures of murder. If you actually think they had people killed, I'd love to see your evidence. If you don't think that, I'd like to know what's so damned funny.
I don't hear anyone on the left making jokes about Margie Schoedinger. I wonder why, if they're as despicable as you say.
I have said repeatedly that a lot of people die around the Clintons. That is a statement of fact.
Do I think Bill pulled the trigger of Vince Foster's gun? No, I do not, but I also don't think Vince Foster did either.
I am against personal attacks on politicians and for the most part, I stay away from them. Sometimes that line is blurred because I am commenting on their inept political performance and it can appear to be personal, although I do my best to disclaim it by saying this is about their political performance.
If Rush made such a comment, then he was wrong. I don't listen to Rush but once or twice a year when something big happens, so I don't really know what he says.
I will tell you that I was a dittohead for years until I could just no longer stand the constant attack of Clinton for even the rain falling outside.
The trooper thing, who she interacts with politically and all of that stuff is certainly fair game.
Her family is not. So what if her child is pregnant. I am sure Sarah Palin wishes her daughter had not engaged in pre-martial sex but the fact is, none of this has any impact on her ability to do the job.
The media and most of the "journalists" are nothing more than garbage writers who do what I do, interject my opinion. The difference is, you know it is my opinion, they attempt to pass theirs off as fact.
commrade obama: quote " i don't want my daughters punished with a baby"...a far as the most dangerous couple in politics...the clintons...truely never an investigation....way back in the summer of '92...while fishing with my uncle from georgia...we started to talk about politics and he mentioned the clinton's...of course i had no idea who they were...what he told me was right from a murder/mystery paperback...chickens/hogs/pollution/whitewater/affairs/corruption...
anybody that stood up to the clintons either disappeared or were ruined financially...they got to the white house and wow....it all fell into place...uncle george was top dog at savana river plant(nuke/weapons) and sported with govs/lt.govs from all over the south...good ole boys for sure and all were quite vocal about arkansas...sarah is a threat to the establishment....how refreshing...no doubt with baggage...
crs HUH !
Ray
Palin's speech was about what I expected last night.
Can I assume she lost your vote after she announced that her husband the "First Dude of AK"
is not just a member, but a
"proud member" of the United Steel Workers union
We know how much you abhor unions (except your police buddies)
During her Mayor stewardship I believe this study came out
"A Johns Hopkins University study named Wasilla High School as a "dropout factory". Wasilla's dropout rate was 6.5 percent in 2006, a number that was much ...
I guess the allure of snowmobile racing is too much to stay in school.
Todd Palin was smart enough to snag Sarah Heath and hang on to her. He must be a pretty bright guy to have a classy wife like Sarah.
Todd Palin is okay in my book, union or not.
Go Sarah Go!!!
Palin Power
"I have said repeatedly that a lot of people die around the Clintons. That is a statement of fact."
Hmmm. You've done more than that, Ray. When you say things like "Obama better watch out; People tend to die around the Clintons," you're not just stating facts. You're either a) actually implying the Clintons have people killed, or b) joking that the Clintons have people killed. That's just, as you would put it, "trash."
The truth is, if you're a public figure in high office, you're going to come into contact with a lot of people over the course of your life and career, and some of them are going to die tragically. Just ask Margie Schoedinger or Michael Douglas (no, not the actor).
As far as believing Vince Foster didn't kill himself, you're putting yourself in a fringe that doesn't even include rabid Clinton-hater Ken Starr, who (trust me) has investigated the matter far more thoroughly than you have.
But, back to Palin: What are your thoughts on the fact that she raised taxes on business in Alaska by $1.5 billion? Or how about how she levied a windfall profits tax on Big Oil -- you know, exactly like Obama has suggested we do nationally.
Just wonderin'.
Go Rigby Go
You and I are helping keep Ray's blog going.
I hope he appreciates us
Ray, does Bragdon ever work. He seems to have a lot of time on his hands to come to your show. Does he realize your broadcast range was cut?
My broadcast range wasn't cut. FOX 23 still covers almost all of Maine with the exception of the small carve out around Bangor's FOX affiliate. We actually go all the way to Fort Kent.
We are on 1310AM and no longer on 963FM, but we are now streaming and have a steady stream of internet folks.
Palin did raise taxes, but the overall tax burden under her administration is down. It is kind of like telling the whole story. If you just say she raised taxes, then that looks bad, but when you complete the story and realize that the net gain was a lower tax burden, I think she made a good decision.
It is no different than me advocating to eliminate the income tax by raising and broadening the sales tax. I have said repeatedly that if we raise and broaden the sales tax and eliminate the income tax the overall revenue would actually be higher because of more economic activity, but the burden, the actual percentage of tax paid as a portion of individual income would be lower.
Palin cut property taxes in Wasilla by 40% through the use of a sales tax hike. 40% .... what if we cut property taxes 40% in Maine? What do you think that would do for our citizens and our economy? It would be a huge kick up the prosperity ladder.
The problem in Maine is, we the people do not trust the government and therefore do not believe them when they say they will cut taxes by raising and altering another.
Back to the Clinton thing. You can assign ill-motives to my comments all you want, but I know what I mean and most of the audience does. I say it with humor, not with anger.
A lot of Clinton associates have died in mysterious circumstances at opportune times. Probably just a coincidence, but clearly a pattern.
Anyway, I don't think Hillary is randomly offing people. Are you offended when Bill Mahr or Jay Leno make similar comments, clearly with humor?
By the way, I have spoken to a number of people around the Foster thing and it doesn't add up. Take it for what it is worth and what it cost you. Nothing .........
We have several thousand people who read this blog each month. You two and a couple of others are kind enough to respond.
For that, I say thank you.
hey bruce...not sure about the "huh"....uncle george's chat about the clintons....or the quote from commrade obama about his daughter's getting pregnant...and ray...1310 am does not go up to fort kent unless they have a tower...saturday drove down from belfast ...rt3 to 95 to 295 to scarboro...nothing...only reception below topsham....ok from scarboro to gray on 95...headed west on 26...no reception....poland to auburn....nothing...hit 95 to gradiner ok...nothing after gardiner...someone's pulling your leg about am signal...103.9 fm comes in marginal...am i to assume the wizards are going to do nothing about their anal decision to talk about sports 24/7 on 96.3fm....yes you come over the net...hard to drag a pc around a jobsite....
I am not sure what is happening with a new FM signal. Those decisions are above my pay grade. I understand there are some discussions taking place but as to their direction, I do not know.
Our signal on television gets to Fort Kent.
On radio, we apparently got to Bangor as we ended up having some surprising ratings there but that, of course, has changed now.
When / if things change, we will let you guys know.
Let me say how much I appreciate the email support we have gotten from the audience. I did not expect it and both Ted and I are humbled by it.
THANK YOU
crs
The huh was from trying to follow your sentences.
I guess I am not good at following your writing style.
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