The campaign that will not die

Yet another book is out on the 2008 Presidential race. I am not sure I can read the thing, but there are some interesting tidbits coming out, and not all of them concern Palinisms.

For example, we learn that Harry Reid uses language like "Negro dialect," and that Bill Clinton remarked to Teddy Kennedy about Obama: "A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee." I think we knew that the Clintons were ruthless, but it is rather shocking to read of this kind of racial language coming from our side. Well, not shocking. Disturbing.

But there are some wonderful tidbits on Palin, and this is my favorite (from the caucus blog):

"* In the days leading up to an interview with ABC News’ Charlie Gibson, aides were worried with Ms. Palin’s grasp of facts. She couldn’t explain why North and South Korea were separate nations and she did not know what the Federal Reserve did. She also said she believed Saddam Hussein attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001."

Speaking of Palin, btw, even the McCain campaign recognizes now that Palin creates her own reality. As Mudflats notes, they caught one of the more bizarre "up is down" moments in the Palin campaign when the Branchflower report came out on Troopergate. Here is what the report said:

“For the reasons explained in section IV of the report, I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.11(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act.

But here is a transcript of Palin speaking to Alaska reporters, and referencing the report.

Palin: Hey, thank you so, Meg. Thank you so much. Thank you also to our local reporters up there in Alaska. Even hearing your names make me feel like I’m right there with you at home. It’s good to get to speak with you. Let me talk a little bit about the Tasergate issue if you guys would let me and, Meg, you want me to just jump right on in there?

Stapleton: Sure governor, go ahead.

Palin: OK cool.

Well, I’m very very pleased to be cleared of any legal wrongdoing … any hint of any kind of unethical activity there. Very pleased to be cleared of any of that.

Perhaps Palin did nothing wrong in that situation. And perhaps it was a politically motivated investigation. But how do you read "Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statue" and say that you are "cleared of any legal wrongdoing...any hint of any kind of unethical activity?" How do you do that?

Mudflats ends with the bigger picture of how Palin demonstrated a threat to our democracy. Hell, she still does. But her idiocy and lack of honesty is just one part of the problem. Others, supposedly responsible adults, are culpable for making her a national star in the Republican party.

The thing that Steve Schmidt and others have failed to acknowledge so far is John McCain’s culpability in this near disaster. Regardless of who supposedly vetted her, the buck stopped with him, and he chose a woman to be his potential Vice President – OUR potential Vice President – who is not only incompetent by his campaign’s own admission, but who does not tell the truth. His decision was irresponsible, and absolutely reckless. As much as we chuckle at Sarah Palin, his judgment put our country, and the rest of the world at risk in the name of his own political ambition. History will not judge him kindly.

Agreed. John McCain has squandered what might have been a favorable legacy.