Quitting to Win: Following Palin Logic

It’s nice to see that I’m not the only one wondering how Sarah Palin can think resigning her office proves she’s fit for a higher one. On twitter, Mother Jones’ David Corn is dishing out some great stuff.

David Corn: Palin is quitting her way to the top.
  • Remember all those GOP pundits & commentators who praised Palin as a great pick? Roll that video. Please. #palin
  • Palin spokesgal: It’s a “fighting move” and “liberating.” Yes, she’s quitting her way to the top. http://bit.ly/46ENU #palin
  • Are Palin true-believers crying, “Say it ain’t so”? No, they say quitting is more proof she’s a great leader. See http://bit.ly/n6Qyf #palin
  • Still not a tweet from @senjohnmccain about Palin’s cut-and-run. But 7 mins ago he did twitter about Burma. #palin #mccain #icantseeyou
  • She sure gave them a cliff @PeartreeHillBex Team Sarah types like 2 call Obama supporters “Obamabots.” I’d call those folks “Sarahlemmings.”
  • Why Sarah Palin is no Richard Nixon. And that’s not meant as a compliment. http://bit.ly/fGfWQ #palin

Aw, What the Hey?

“I could digress and say that you have the ability to give magnificent gentle kisses, or that I love your tan lines or that I love the curve of your hips, the erotic beauty of you holding yourself (or two magnificent parts of yourself) in the faded glow of the night’s light – but hey, that would be going into sexual details.”

— Gov. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) in an email to “Maria,” his Argentine lover.

Crusty Lawyers Get All the Best Lines

William “Willie” N. Meggs

“Since the legislature is building airport hangars instead of funding FDLE, they’re a little behind.”

Florida State Attorney Willie Meggs, when asked when the Florida Department of Law Enforcement would finish its examination of the computer used by former State House Speaker Ray Sansom (R-Destin). Sansom was indicted by a grand jury and forced to resign as Speaker for using the position to win a high-paying job at a community college and to build an aircraft hangar for a political patron at taxpayer expense. Full background story.

And Those Sins Are…?

“Most Americans look at this as a personal situation.” Graham let out a laugh and said: “I’ve got plenty of sins that I’m not going to share with anyone else.”

— Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who is widely rumored to be gay and in the closet, as quoted by Politico. Graham said Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) should not have relinquished a leadership position in the Senate after being exposed as an adulterer despite his previous high-profile support for a fundamentalist agenda.

Breaking: Franken Case Being Heard Now

Today’s the day in Minnesota: we might have a new Democratic Senator in Al Franken. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s Arjun Jaikumar is live blogging and twittering from inside the courtroom where Sen. Norm Coleman’s challenge of a ruling favorable to Franken is being heard. Tune in for what appears to be some good stuff for our side:

10:04: Coleman attorney Joe Friedberg: We’re making due-process and equal-protection claims. Admits the due-process claim came only recently. “You changed the rules after the game was played”. Ha ha ha.

10:08: Justice Anderson: “Why is this offer of proof not inadequate?” Ouch.

10:14: Not an auspicious start for Friedberg. The justices seem very impatient and unimpressed…

10:24: Justice Anderson: “As loud as you speak on this issue, there’s language here you just can’t overcome”.

10:25: Marc Elias is on for Team Franken. He is one handsome devil.

10:32: Team Franken lays down numbers, coldly and efficiently. There are fewer disputed ballots where voter wasn’t registered than the margin between the two candidates.

See what I mean? Riveting!

In the Republican Race to the Bottom, We Have a Winner!

“Let’s hope that the key conferences aren’t when she’s menstruating or something, or just before she’s going to menstruate.”

— G. Gordon Liddy, convicted felon and rightwing radio host, commenting on Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court. Liddy went on to translate a phrase from Sotomayor’s other language, which he referred to as, “Illegal Alien.”

Thanks to Think/Progress for the tip and the audio.

RNC Pelosi/Pussy Galore Video: Fail

On the one hand, you can see why any comparison on the Republican National Committee’s part between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and James Bond character Pussy Galore would be just…yucky.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah): “I thought it was reprehensible, irresponsible and unpersuasive.”

After viewing an RNC video that juxtaposed the speaker with the James Bond
villainess, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) told POLITICO Saturday:

“I thought it was reprehensible, irresponsible and unpersuasive. If we’re going to regain the credibility of the American people, we’re going to have to stop with silly antics like that. It may get a snide chuckle inside the Beltway, but it offends most people. We have to get away from the politics of personal destruction,” he said of the video.

The RNC declined repeatedly to explain the Pelosi/Galore connection, saying only that the video was about the speaker’s “lack of leadership.”

On the other hand, the video itself is so lame that it’s hard to get too worked up. Showing Robert Gibbs looking good? O.K. Showing Leon Panetta giving a blanket defense of the CIA without any clue what happened six years before he came on board? O.K. Showing Nancy Pelosi getting lost in her notes? Whoo. Now I get it! She’s just like Pussy Galore.

I suggest whoever came up with this video take it down and try again. This time, show some evidence the CIA briefed Pelosi specifically on waterboarding. Then we’ll pay attention.