GOVERNOR PALIN WILL RESIGN

In what may be the oddest, most disjointed speech in political history, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin announced today that she would resign from the governorship of Alaska after only 2 1/2 years into her term. Her reason? She doesn't want to be a lame duck governor.

What?

This doesn't make sense. Lots of politicians--governors AND presidents--become lame ducks, but they don't voluntarily resign. What's the real story behind this bizarre performance?

Is she leaving office to pursue more lucrative venues as a speaker? To give her story to a writer for a book deal? To host a teevee or radio show? No one knows for sure.

The only thing we do know is that she's a quitter. I thought she was known for her tenacity, her courage, her ability to stick it out. She was known as Sarah Barracuda! And she herself proclaimed that the only difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull was lipstick!

And now she's running away?

I've got a bit of advice for the soon-to-be ex-Governor Sarah Palin: Look to Hillary Rodham Clinton if you need a role model for courage and tenacity.

Secretary Clinton was subjected to the worst possible personal attacks when she was FLOTUS. She was accused of murder, dealing drugs, marital infidelity, tax cheating, and every other sort of pernicious slander one can imagine. And on top of all that, she had to suffer public humiliation by her husband's deceit, and listen to John McCain and Rush Limbaugh insult and demean her 12-year old daughter's parentage and looks.

Mrs. Clinton didn't quit. She kept her dignity through it all and triumphed over all the cheap, crass, destructive lies and libels thrown at her and went on to become a respected Senator. She then ran for president in what was a very close race, and is now our Secretary of State.

This is how you come out on top. This is how you triumph over those who seek to destroy you and your reputation.

You don't quit. You fight the good fight, and you win.

Palin obviously doesn't have the fortitude to face down her critics nor does she have the guts to fight it out to the end and win, as did Hillary Clinton.

It's best we find this out now before Palin went any further in the political process.

That said, I believe she will run for the Republican nomination for president in the 2012, and she's looking for an easy way to do it without doing the hard work.

Criticism is part of being a politician--ask Hillary. Palin doesn't have what it takes to face it down and rise above it--she just announced this to the country.

We need courageous, tough winners for politician, not quitters.

As Vince Lombardi once said:

"Winners never quit, and quitters never win."

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND EXPRESSIONS OF CONDOLENCES

I've always loved this quote:

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." ~Plato

Over the last few months as my sister struggled with her illness, she was surrounded by her family, and we were with her at the moment she took her last breath. She died peacefully.

Thank you all for your kind and comforting words.

Ruth, your wishes are the same as her family's, and I thank you for expressing them to me.

dmarks, yes, something bad did happen, but we have accepted the inevitable, as everyone must in these circumstances. Thank you for your thoughts.

Christopher, I come from a large Italian family, and we are taking care of each other. Thank you for coming here and leaving me your kind words.

puddy, I did "hang in there" as best as I could. I appreciate your encouragement. Thank you.

Athenae, what a lovely surprise to read your note. Thank you so much. My best to you and my friends over at First Draft.

Anonymous, thank you. I appreciate your thoughts.

Erin, thank you sweetie. You're always so thoughtful.

TRUTH 101, I am comforted knowing you're out there in the midwest thinking of my family. That meant a lot to me. Thank you.

Gordon, you are special. My sincere and heartfelt thanks to you for your many expressions of support and kindness as I went through this awful time.

rockync, my sincere condolences to you and your family for your loss. Thank you for taking the time to come here and comfort me.

Lynne, thank you so much. I've learned that when we take care of each other, these unhappy times are easier to bear.

Pamela D. Hart, thank you for your kind thoughts. I've been looking at photos and videos for days now, and those wonderful memories are a great comfort.

DD2 aka Debonair Dude, thank you for coming here and expressing your sympathy. I really appreciate your kindness at this very sad time.

Frank the Carpenter, I am grateful for your kind words to me and my family. Thank you for coming here and sharing them.

(O)CT(O)PUS, thank you for comforting, generous words. I am especially pleased to have received these expressions of sympathy from everyone--they had a healing effect on me.

Bob, thank you for coming here and expressing your condolences. I very much appreciate your effort.

Italiano's Thoughts, mille grazie. Our family found solace in each other, in our memories, and, of course, food. Thank you for your kind words.

Jennifer, your words comforted me more than you'll know--and I appreciate your "virtual" hugs. I needed them very much. Thank you.

Right Is Right, you were so kind to come here and express your sorrow for me and my family. Thank you for taking the time to do so. I appreciate your effort.

Thayer, thank you for your support and comforting words.

PROGRESSIVE ERUPTIONS WILL BE AWAY FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS

She was beautiful and her heart was generous.


"... and, when she shall die, take her and cut her out in little stars, and she will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun."--William Shakespeare

WHO REALLY IS THE MORAL MAJORITY?

During the past 30+ years, America has been fed a meme which goes something like this: There is a Moral Majority in this country that stands for God, Country, Family Values, and [insert whatever else you choose here]. We have had, over the years, representatives of this self-identified "Moral Majority" tell us that they represent the true values that embody what America is all about. We've heard variations on this sermonizing from people like Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Ralph Reed, et.al., as well as politicians from the GOP--who purport to be the keepers of America's values.

We've also, for many years, listened to the trashing of certain regions of this country as liberal anti-God, anti-American, anti-Family Values, and anti-[insert whatever else you choose here]. These regions have traditionally been identified as the elite east and left coasts and some Great Lakes states, where the Family Values crowd claims all sorts of nefarious, anti-family behaviors flourish.

Now comes reality and the dismantling of all that hogwash, all that self-important, chest-thumping, holier-than-thou, self-righteousness. And that reality comes in the form of facts, data that destroy the false perception that somehow the Bible Belt and other parts of the Family Values country otherwise identified as "flyover country" are the keepers of what America is all about.

We all know that personal morality and individual failures on that issue cross party lines. No political party is immune from individuals who are less--much, much less--than perfect. Of course, one would not have noticed this during the Clinton years. The moral posturing, recriminations, rancor and incessant hammering away at Mr. Clinton's personal failings--especially by some men who were engaging in those very same behaviors--were monumentally hypocritical. Governor Sanford of South Carolina was among those Congressmen who denigrated and piously criticized Mr. Clinton's moral failings.

"Never spit in the wind; it'll come back and hit you in the face." --Nonna

The GOP has lost all claims to be the party of superior moral values. Their members have feet of clay just like every other human being, and their religious practices, apparently, do not protect them from temptations.

The 2009 Statistical Abstract U.S. Census Bureau report also destroys the idea that the Bible Belt states are morally superior to the more liberal coastal and Great Lake states. Here are the data:

The 10 states with the highest divorce rates:

Nevada
Arkansas
Wyoming
Oklahoma
Idaho
Kentucky
Alabama
Mississippi
West Virginia
Delaware

The 10 states with the lowest divorce rates:

New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
North Dakota
Maine
Minnesota
Connecticut
Wisconsin
Rhode Island
New York

If you want to keep your marriage together, your chances are better if you live in New England rather than the Bible Belt--yes, New England, where 5 out of the 6 states allow same-sex marriage.

The 10 states with highest teenage birth rates:

Mississippi
Texas
Arizona
Arkansas
New Mexico
Georgia
Louisiana
Nevada
Alabama
Oklahoma

The 10 states with the lowest teenage birth rates:

New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
North Dakota
Maine
Minnesota
Connecticut
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania

The 10 states with the highest subscription to online pornography sites:

Utah
Alaska
Mississippi
Hawaii
Oklahoma
Arkansas
North Dakota
Louisiana
Florida
West Virginia

The 10 states with the lowest subscription to online pornography sites:

Montana
Idaho
Tennessee
Ohio
Oregon
New Jersey
Delaware
Connecticut
Wyoming
Michigan

Source

The Moral Majority and Family Values crowd need to be quiet and think about the abuse they have heaped on the East Coast Liberals. Take a look at those stats and understand that Family Values are practiced most sincerely in the liberal Northeast, whereas The Bible Belt needs to engage in some self-reflection before it claims moral superiority over any other region in America.

"Facts are stubborn things." --John Adams

MICHAEL JACKSON

died tragically young yesterday. And the cable news stations have been awash in "All Michael All The Time" since the report of his hospitalization and subsequent death.

We're sorry for his children and his family. Condolences to them all.

But seriously.

He was an entertainer--yes, I know, a worldwide entertainer. But that's it folks.

We're getting into Princess Diana hysteria here, and it is annoying. There is no reason for this incessant coverage of Jackson, except to keep people watching for what? Everyone on the planet knows his life's story: his abusive childhood, his strange behaviors, his weird plastic surgeries, his weird marriages, his trial, his whole messy, operatic life.

Someone told me today that if Jackson's life had been lived by an ordinary person, that person would either be in jail or an asylum. Maybe.

The point is, he was an entertainer.

Enough of this.

CABLE NEWS STATIONS!--there are serious issues this country is facing. Michael Jackson's untimely death is not one of them.

Get a grip and act like adults instead of maudlin, self-absorbed teeny boppers.

We're sorry he's dead. He was too young. He was very, very talented.

Now can we get on with our lives?

HANNITY'S PAL, TURNER, ARRESTED AFTER THREATENING TO KILL FEDERAL JUDGES

The Department of Homland Security earlier this year warned about dangerous rightwing individuals and hate groups. A number of conservatives became incensed and demanded an apology. Shortly after that brouhaha, a crazed rightwing anti-abortionist murdered a doctor, and a few weeks later a Holocaust denying man killed a security guard at Washing DC's Holocaust museum.

And now more mayhem threatened by rightwing blogger and radio host:

From Think Progress:

On June 24, FBI agents went to the New Jersey home of white supremacist blogger/radio host Hal Turner and arrested him “on a federal complaint filed in Chicago alleging that he made internet postings threatening to assault and murder three federal appeals court judges in Chicago in retaliation for their recent ruling upholding handgun bans in Chicago and a suburb,” according to a statement released by the Justice Department. A summary of Turner’s dangerous tirade against the judges:

Internet postings on June 2 and 3 proclaimed “outrage” over the June 2, 2009, handgun decision by Chief Judge Frank Easterbrook and Judges Richard Posner and William Bauer, of the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, further stating, among other things: “Let me be the first to say this plainly: These Judges deserve to be killed.” The postings included photographs, phone numbers, work address and room numbers of these judges, along with a photo of the building in which they work and a map of its location.

Turner’s posts also “referred to the murder of the mother and husband of Chicago-based federal Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow in February 2005,” saying, “Apparently, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court didn’t get the hint after those killings. It appears another lesson is needed.” In the Justice Department statement, U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald — who announced the charges — said, “We take threats to federal judges very seriously. Period.”

Turner has ties to Fox News’ Sean Hannity. In fact, Hannity has “offered his top-rated radio show as a regular forum for Turner’s occasionally racist, always over-the-top rants.”

PRESIDENT OBAMA LEADS GOP BY OVER 20 PTS--ON TERRORISM!

What is reported in the MSM and what is reality are two different things. Take for example the noncontroversy over President Obama's position and reaction to the Iranian crisis. All expert on the Middle East and on the internal politics of Iran agree that Mr. Obama handled the situation correctly--like a true statesman.

And now another misperception bites the dust:

The dailykos is reporting an interesting shift in Americans' perception of who is stronger on terrorism.

"Obama Leads Republicans By Over 20 Points — On Terrorism!

A year ago, when the conventional wisdom held during the campaign that terrorism was a weak point for Obama, would you have predicted that he would come to hold a 21-point lead over the GOP on the issue?

Seems obvious to me the reason Republicans lost their edge is Iraq. The day Bush claimed that we invaded Iraq because they had WMDs, and tried to link Al Queda and Saddam, was the day the Republican advantage on terrorism began to disappear.

Regardless of whether you agree about why, that's quite a shift in the numbers... more than 50 points in seven years. Make a note of it. You may need it one day to correct some conventional wisdom."