Sarah Palin: Glenn Beck's "chalkboard technique changing our country"

By GottaLaff

Babbles McPreScreen has a few pre-existing conditions, only hers have nothing to do with her health. Well, maybe her mental health.

No, this is all about Bush envy and controlling the media. Bendy straws were a prerequisite for he university keynote screeching, and pre-screening questions was a must for her latest little Q and A fest.

She has clearly run out of hands to write on, realizes that risky, off the cuff word salad won't cut it, and is now doing her level best to fill Boy Georgie's teensy weensy inept little media-restricting shoes.

Welcome to liberal-leaning Eugene, Oregon, Babbles:

"It's the belief that the government who governs least governs best," she said.

That should win 'em right over. Try again. This time be more convincing:

“I eat granola,” Palin said. “I just happen to shoot and catch my organic food before I eat it.”

“Here I am in Track Town USA and my kid’s name is Track. How Eugene hippie can that be?” she added.

Thud.

Then she dissed "Obamacare." Way to win a more progressive crowd over, Ace. Okay, there's still hope. Maybe she could make it up to them by throwing them an environment bone:

She also called for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and addressed head-on environmentalists against her plan. She argued America has more stringent environmental restrictions than many of the foreign governments we currently rely on for oil.

“So environmentalists are kind of hypocritical on this one,” she said. “I don’t know how environmentalists can sleep at night.”

Ooooo, wrong answer.

There's still time for her to make it up to them, though. I'm sure Babbles will toss them a bone or two. Who would be so stupid and tone deaf that they would refuse to dish up one measly little overture?

Palin accused the media of being inextricably linked to the political left.

“Sometimes they are kind of one in the same,” she said. “We call them the 'lame-stream' media lately.”

See, that's not what I meant. Okay, one more shot. Try again, Babbles. Offer that paying crowd of yours a crumb or two.

She said the media has been unfair to the tea party movement, going so far as to say they make up lies about tea party supporters.

No, no! You're not getting this at all!

“The left, well, they had to grab hold of something to discredit,” she said. “The press then just started making things up. I’ve had to deal with that for quite some time now.”

Deep breath.

She must have one redeeming quality, just one. Maybe she'll have a moment of spontaneity during which we'll discover something good and kind and reasonable and....

During a question and answer session, Eugene City Councilwoman Jennifer Solomon read a pre-screened question from the audience about her role at Fox News. Palin said she was proud to be a part of Fox News for being “fair and balanced.”

Never mind.

She also praised Fox host Glenn Beck and said with “his chalkboard technique he’s changing our country."

And if all that isn't bad enough, journalists were not allowed to use cameras or any other kind of recording device. They were only allowed to watch her speak [sic] on a live video feed... from another room.

One-- count 'em, one-- photo--taken by a hired photographer-- was given out. One.

All this and less could be had for $250 a pop. Yep, 800 people paid that much. And some of them had to settle for a video feed from a separate room at... $100. Yes, they paid a hundred bucks to watch her on TV.

To add insult to injury, 70 people shelled out a thousand smackeroos for a photo op with her. But, hey, that included a copy of her book.

Glenn Beck would be proud.

H/t: Palingate

Populist Revolt Brewing?

But will the Dems grab it and run? More background here. Via Taegan-

The Oregonian reports that Oregon voters yesterday bucked decades of anti-tax sentiment "raising taxes on corporations and the wealthy to prevent further erosion of public schools and other state services."

"The double-barreled victory is the first voter-approved statewide income tax increase since the 1930s. Other states, facing similar budget woes, are watching the outcome closely because Oregon, after all, is a state that capped property taxes and locked a surplus tax rebate program into the constitution."

Merkley (D) Wins Oregon Senate Seat

By GottaLaff

In case you hadn't heard yet:

According to the Portland Oregonian, Jeff Merkley (D) has defeated Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR).

Democrats have now picked up six Senate seats this election cycle, including knocking off three Republican incumbents. There are three seats -- in Minnesota, Georgia and Alaska -- are still undecided.

Obama Effigy Hung From Oregon Campus Tree

By GottaLaff

Of all places, Oregon. And in 2008. Sick and sickening:

Administrators at an Oregon college are trying to get to the bottom of who hung a cardboard effigy of Barack Obama from a campus tree Tuesday. The incident at George Fox University appeared to be in protest of a scholarship program geared toward minorities.

A George Fox University employee discovered the life-size cutout of the Democratic presidential candidate hanging from a campus tree with a fishing line around its neck. Posted on the cardboard effigy was a sign that read "Act Six Reject." Act Six is a program that promotes campus diversity and urban leadership. It annually awards full scholarships to up to 10 students most of whom -- but not all -- are minorities. [...]

"We are not able to establish this as a crime. It is an expression of free speech," said Sgt. Tim Weaver of the Newberg police. Weaver said police notified the Secret Service and the FBI, but the department cannot do much more. A Portland FBI official said the bureau was looking into the matter but would not say whether it would launch a formal investigation. [...]

In a letter drafted to Obama, Baker apologized for the incident and made clear that it did not reflect the college's views on his candidacy.

Portland Tribune: Obama Holds Double Digit Lead in Oregon

Nicely taken out of Lean Blue.

A new Portland Tribune poll in Oregon finds Sen Barack Obama leads Sen. John McCain, 50% to 40% among registered voters.

Obama retains equally strong support among male and female voters.

Said pollster Tim Hibbitts: "I do not believe that Oregon is going to be a battleground state this year."

Map via Open Left and accurate as of 9/17/08.

GOPer once again uses Obama in ad

By GottaLaff

Not that there's anything wrong with that. Gordon Smith is distancing himself from McDesperate and his Conjoined Twin in Chief... again:

Now the Illinois senator’s name is making another appearance in a new GOP spot this week — the second ad from Oregon Senator Gordon Smith that stresses his own working relationship with the presumptive Democratic nominee, and with Massachusetts Senator John Kerry.

"Times are tough. Rising prices on gas, food, health care. Families need help. That's why I choose to reach across the aisle,” says Smith in the new spot. “With John Kerry to protect homeowners from foreclosure, with Barack Obama for better gas mileage. And when President Bush tried to cut Medicaid, the Oregon health plan, I said no. What matters is helping people, not who gets the credit.”

And is Smith getting any help?

Smith may be highlighting his ties to Obama — but he can’t boast a nod from his Senate colleague, who supports Democratic opponent Jeff Merkley.

But keep pushing Obama, Gordy. He won't mind.

Oregon Republican tries to benefit from Obama in ad

By GottaLaff

Now that I can post again (Blogger shut down for awhile), I can point out how fascinating it is that Republicans are now associating themselves with Obama, instead of each other:

Wow:

A fairly stunning new ad from Oregon's Republican senator Gordon Smith leaves little doubt as to which way the wind is blowing there.

In the ad, Smith, running hard away from Bush, associates himself at length and explicitly with Obama.

And what did Obama's side have to say about this? Suh-nap!

“Barack Obama has a long record of bipartisan accomplishment and we appreciate that it is respected by his Democratic and Republican colleagues in the Senate. But in this race, Oregonians should know that Barack Obama supports Jeff Merkley for Senate. Merkley will help Obama bring about the fundamental change we need in Washington,” said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton.

Then again, Joe Lieberman is attached to John Sidney McCain at the hip. He better move gingerly, though, or presidential candidate J Sid might also be a candidate for a hip replacement.

H/t: WonderCommenter Jack

Republican "Pro Life" Candidate Paid For Girlfriend's Abortion

By Paddy


It used to be that these stories were the anomaly rather than the norm. Not any more. It's just pathetic in it's hypocrisy. The whole thing is rather detailed, so go read at the link for more.

An Oregon City woman who dated congressional candidate Mike Erickson seven years ago said she asked him directly whether he wanted to have a baby. He shook his head no, she said, and paid for her abortion.

In interviews with The Oregonian, the woman said she met Erickson in September 2000, and she had the abortion in January 2001. They saw each other afterward, she said, even going on a trip to Mexico in March, before the relationship ended. She spoke on the condition that only her first name, Tawnya, be used.

Her story is backed up by medical and other records, and the accounts of two friends, one of whom was with her at the abortion. Their story conflicts directly with Erickson's version.

Exit Polls: Obama Won Oregon's Working Class Whites

By GottaLaff

Vote by Age and Race		Clinton	Obama
White 18-29	(11%)	28%	72%
White 30-44	(22%)	36%	64%
White 45-59	(29%)	45%	54%
White 60 and Older	(22%)	50%	49%

That poll must be wrong. Everyone knows that Hillary Clinton is the only candidate who gets the working class white vote!

Oh, she's not?

The Oregon exit polls lend a bit more weight to the theory that Barack Obama's real problem is more with Appalachia than it is with working class whites in general, as the Hillary campaign has repeatedly suggested.
[...]

Obama beat Hillary by sizable margins among all ages of white voters except those 60 and older. And he beat Hillary among voters with no college degree, too -- and since the state is overwhelmingly white, these voters are the ones he's supposed to have trouble with.

Late Update: The exits also show that Obama also beat Hillary by seven points among voters making less than $50,000 (though she won among voters making between $15,000 and $30,000).

What's more, Obama also won among voters from a household with a union member. [...]

Mark Blumenthal, over at Pollster.com, has some caveats about Oregon's exits.

Poll-itics: Oregon and Kentucky

By GottaLaff

Democratic Candidate	OR	KY
Pollster	ARG	ARG
Date	5/14-16	5/14-15
Hillary Clinton	45%	65%
Barack Obama	50%	29%
Other(vol.)	5%	6%
Details	Link	Link

For a breakdown of the numbers, go here.

Oregon is conducting their primary by mail and there is a dead heat between Obama and Clinton among those who have already mailed their ballot, says American Research Group via the results of their poll. It is those folks mailing in their ballots within the last week that are going to give Obama his edge likely to do the inevitability factor that Obama has. But there's a chance that Clinton does better among voters who have already voted. This would be the case if a voter felt that Obama is the eventual nominee and is regretting his/her vote and kind of shy to admit the truth. If Clinton can pull within a razor thin margin of Obama in Oregon and win Kentucky by as large a margins as she had in West Virginia, it will make for a very interesting June because the pressure will mount on Clinton to drop out but the wins will still be on her side.

Oh yeah? Take this, West Virginia!

By GottaLaff

GObama!

A day after suffering his second-worst defeat of the primary season, a new poll shows Barack Obama is headed for a big win in Oregon next Tuesday.

According to a new poll from the Portland Tribune and KPTV, the Illinois Democrat holds a 20 point lead over Clinton there, 55 percent to 35 percent. Ten percent of voters remain unsure.

The poll was conducted May 8-10, entirely before Clinton's blowout win in West Virginia Tuesday night.

So there.