Fox News: Palin didn't know Africa was a continent

Maybe you guys are all sick of political stuff by now, but my goodness, I couldn't resist posting this.

Fox News - yes, that's right, Fox News - has spent some time talking about the infighting within the Republican party, now that the election's over and it's not "off-the-record" anymore. According to Carl Cameron, Fox News political correspondent, she didn't know (among other things) that Africa was a continent and not, in fact, a country of its own:

McCain On SNL

Senator McCain appeared on Saturday Night Live last night alongside Tina Fey as Sarah Palin.

In the opening skit, McCain attempted to raise funds by hosting a QVC show featuring McCain themed purchases to counter Obama's 1/2 hour ad. A real life Cindy McCain served as the Senator's jewelry model. The Ayers' freshner and McCain's extensive set of pork knives seem particularly appealing! Palin even stepped aside to hock her Palin 2012 t-shirts. Stock up now!



McCain also appeared on Weekend Update.

Sarah Palin Prank Called by "President Nicolas Sarkozy"

Governor Palin was pranked into believing that she spoke with President Nicolas Sarkozy today. The Quebec comedy troupe, the Masked Avengers, convinced the Governor that she was on the phone with the French President.

Listen to the prank call here via the Huffington Post.

At first, Palin mistook the president's aid for Sarkozy and proceeded to joke “It’s not him yet, I always do that!”

Palin initiated the conversation by praising Sarkozy. "Thank you sir, we have such great respect for you. We love you, Senator McCain and I! Thank you for spending a few minutes to talk to me!"

Sarkozy complemented Palin about her “life’s documentary” Nailin’ Palin to which Palin giggled and thanked the President.

Palin extended an invitation to go hunting with Sarkozy. Palin suggested, “We should go hunting together. We could have a lot of fun together as we’re getting work done. We can kill two birds with one stone that way!”

Palin also sent Sarkozy's wife, pop singer/ model Carla Bruni, a hug.

After revealing that the call was a hoax, Palin squealed "Oh, have we been pranked?!" The Governor then hung up the phone. Palin's campaign responded to the prank with "C'est la vie!"

[via the Huffington Post]

Sarah Palin: an earmark unto herself

John McCain talks a lot about his zeal for cutting earmarks. But, could his running mate be an earmark unto herself?

As governor of Seward's Icebox Alaska, Sarah Palin not only billed the state to live in her own house, she also "charged the state for her children to travel with her, including to events where they were not invited, and later amended expense reports to specify that they were on official business," reports the Associated Press.

The charges included costs for hotel and commercial flights for three daughters to join Palin to watch their father in a snowmobile race, and a trip to New York, where the governor attended a five-hour conference and stayed with 17-year-old Bristol for five days and four nights in a luxury hotel.

As if treating her kids to a week at the Ritz—while they watched daddy race a snowmobile—wasn't enough, the spending blitz continues; this time, on the RNC's dime.

Politico reported yesterday that the Republican National Committee has funded Palin's haute couture since she appeared as numero dos on the Republican ticket. While it's definitely made her the sexiest vice presidential candidate that I've ever seen, it sure has sapped some cash from the RNC's campaign funds:

The Republican National Committee appears to have spent more than $150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August.

According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74.

The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September.

The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August.

If John Edwards' $400 haircuts were excessive, and McCain's $520 leather shoes were over the top, how does $150,000 fit in? McCain prides himself on cutting wasteful spending... maybe he should take a look at the $49,425.74 outfit on the woman campaigning at his side.

The Real Sarah Palin on SNL

Sarah Palin is a ridiculous VP candidate, but a great sport. Watch her guest appearances on SNL this weekend, as she views Tina Fey's version of herself in a very meta sketch with some celebrity friends:


...and again as she gets down to Amy Poehler's "Alaska Rap" on the Weekend Update.


Both are hilarious, watch them, but it's almost poignant to watch her participate in her own skewering like this.

Does she just enjoy the publicity at this point? Is she still expecting to have the last laugh? Is there any remorse about being such an object of ridicule? I want to play the smallest violin for Sarah Palin, but it is two weeks too soon!!!

Politic-o-Lanterns

Inspired by the rapidly approaching dates of Halloween and Election Day, Alice Maggio and Nistha Shrestha '10 of Lo-Rise B10 have carved and decorated some very topical jack-o-lanterns for October 2008. Says Alice:

"it felt rather premature to be carving pumpkins on friday when it was 70 degrees out, but we were having a palin hatin' party so we had to have some decor..."

Palin postcards from a Wes mom

Ezra Farber writes:

My Mom just painted this awesome picture of Sarah Palin, and she wanted it to get it out there for some people to see. I thought Wesleyan would really appreciate it. We've also made a bunch of postcards with the picture, and we'd like to send them up if anyone wants them.

Ezra didn't mention how to request the postcards, but a simple way might be to leave a comment with your name and WesBox.

Tina Fey Is Better At Sarah Palin Than Palin Is

Tina Fey has done it again. The former Saturday Night Live writer and performer had twice returned to the show to play the role of Governor Palin:

Sarah Palin / Hillary Clinton Non-Partisan Message
Sarah Palin Interview with Katie Couric

And now, following the vice presidential debates, Tina Fey has come back to reprise her role yet again. SNL's Sarah Palin, along with Joe Biden, portrayed by Jason Sudeikis, poke fun at some memorable moments from Thursday's debate in another piece of political humor gold.

Video is over 10 minutes long. Give yourself some time to spare if you're gonna watch the whole thing.

Liberal Media Bias? Yes.
Funny? Double Yes.

Profs Price and Foyle on the VP Debates

Government Professors Douglas Foyle and Melanye Price comment in the Hartford Courant on the performances of Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin in last night's VP debates:

Wesleyan's Douglas Foyle said Biden "gave an excellent statement on the Wall Street bailout plan ... showing off his experience. He was able to effectively weave in Obama's clear criteria for the bailout, criticism of the Bush administration and a strong indication of his knowledge on the subject."

..."Joe Biden knows foreign policy much better than Palin, and you could tell that in the debate," Wesleyan's Melanye Price said.

..."Palin was very effective" on the economy, Douglas Foyle said, by "hitting themes of the McCain message: greed and corruption on Wall Street, reform and their positions as mavericks."

...But her answer on nuclear weapons and intervention "started to become confused and began to take her down the path of her previous stumbles in recent interviews," Wesleyan's Douglas Foyle said.

...There's no 'Saturday Night Live' gold here," said Wesleyan University's Douglas Foyle. "Palin performed well above expectations. Her performance should quiet concerns about her credibility among voters leaning toward the Republicans."

..."Palin won in terms of style," Wesleyan's Melanye Price said. "She has a real ability to deliver points that sound positive, and she does it with a smile."

Read the full commentary here:
Hartford Courant: Judging the Delivery

Vice Presidential Debate Tonight

Joe Biden and Sarah Palin go head-to-head tonight for their first and only time.

Vice presidential debates have been held reguarly since 1984, but have been largely unsuccessful and historically insignificant. However, with an imminent historic election due in a month, all eyes will be on a fiery Biden-Palin showdown.

Both second-in-command hopefuls will have a point to prove tonight. Govenor Palin has been waning in popularity since her speech at the Republican National Convention. And after a less than impressive interview with Katie Couric last week, now may be her last chance to deliver. This debate will be key for her to prove skeptics wrong on her relative inexperience.

Senator Biden also has cynics to silence. Biden has long held a reputation for being a lively and combative speaker. But often times, this has made him appear aggressive and at times patronizing. Many fear that if he adopts a harsh tone against Palin that many are used to, Biden may alienate a key constituent of women voters.

With election interest at an all-time high, and an unprecedented spotlight on the vice presidential nominees, this debate is expected to set a tone for what's to come for both parties in their final month of preparation.

Starts at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, on most major networks (NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, CNN, etc.)
i.e. No Office tonight.

[edit 3:06 pm] If you don't have access to a TV, you can head over to the Usdan lobbyat 9 pm for a group viewing.

[/Sheek]

But she can see Russia from her home state...

Rachel Brown '08 writes:

My mom and I made this shirt (she did the text and I drew the picture of Sarah Palin), emphasizing that arguably anyone who has had a passport for more than a year has had more foreign policy experience than Sarah Palin. We're having it made at a local T-shirt shop in my hometown.

The shirts are printed with black ink on either an orange, mint, or tan shirt. Sizes run S – XL; shirts are $15 each.

To order a shirt, or for more info, email rdbrown@wes.

Sarah Palin is Head of Skate

Because ridiculing Sarah Palin doesn't just do itself, here is her career trajectory reimagined as a wacky made-for-TV Disney movie:

Free Sarah Palin

CNN's Campbell Brown calls out the McCain campaign for hiding Sarah Palin from the media, turning their annoying claim of sexist treatment on its head:



Especially poignant in light of John McCain's apparent wimping out of his first debate with Obama this Friday, in an effort to postpone the VP debate even further.

[edit] And this is what happens when they do let Sarah Palin answer questions, she is like a grade-school teacher awkwardly trying to patronize Katie Couric:

Is Sarah Palin Qualified To Be VP?

PBS is conducting a poll asking whether Sarah Palin is qualified to be the next vice president.

In a message to all WesDems, Chris Goy '09 writes:

The right wing has organized a yes campaign--and the "yes" is at the moment winning. Take 30 seconds or less.

Cast your vote today!

Tina Fey/Amy Poehler Do Palin/Clinton

Tina Fey as a spot-on Sarah Palin, and Amy Poehler as a righteously bitter Hillary Clinton, in a joint appearance last night on Saturday Night Live. HILARIOUS:

[via HuffPo]

Sarah Palin Encourages Aerial Wolf Hunting, Ignores Animal Rights

Governor Sarah Palin supports the use of aerial wolf hunting as a means to curb the wolf population in Alaska. This tactic known as "predator control" is designed to boost the wolves prey population of caribou and moose. However, many question the rationale behind the wolves’ systematic extermination. Accusations have been made that the measure clears the path for hunters to not only kill the wolves but also increases the population of game for sport hunting. With the reduction of the wolf population and influx of game population overgrazing occurs, which weakens plant supply and increases possible disease outbreaks.

Palin has already spent $400,000 on a campaign to preserve the practice. Additionally, much of Alaska's appeal to tourists is based on its natural wildlife including wolves, bears and caribou, not hunting. An article from the Washington Independent provides these chilling facts:

In a program begun by ex-Gov. Frank Murkowski, and intensified by Palin, Alaska has sponsored the aerial hunting of more than 800 wolves since 2002 — out of a state population of perhaps 9,000. Pilots chase the wolves through the deep snow, sometimes for miles, until the exhausted animals have slowed enough to be blown away with shotguns. Then the plane lands and finishes the job, unless the wounded wolf has managed to crawl into the deep woods to bleed to death in solitude.

Palin, who won office with the support of powerful hunting groups, has intensified the “cull.” She pushed to offer a bounty to hunters who brought in a left wolf paw (lopped off with a chain saw) and extended the kill order to grizzly and black bears — including sows and their cubs. Before a state court ruled the practice illegal, she offered a bounty of $150 for every slain wolf.

Watch this video from the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, which raises the question: "do we really want a Vice President who champions such savagery?"

Go to Wesleyan's homepage to register to vote.

Sarah Palin as Caribou Barbie

Complete with sexy librarian glasses, rifle, snowmobile, and pet caribou (I mean, dead caribou):CollegeOTR: Sarah Palin as "Caribou Barbie" Realized [via Gawker]

NY Magazine: Palin's to-be-hubby "sex on skates"

The news is everywhere. McCain VP pick Sarah Palin's 17-year old daughter, Bristol, is five months pregnant. The Obama and McCain camps call for privacy for the family, and the press... well, the press digs in.

And dig in they have. New York Magazine calls Levi Johnston, the 18-year old father, "sex on skates," referring to his skill in hockey and his skill in being sexy, at least according to the writers at the magazine:

There are so many questions: Did McCain even know the woman he picked to run the Free World in case of an emergency? Isn't Sarah Palin so brave for standing by her daughter? Will this boost or bust McCain's standing with independents?

We have a different question: How hot is the baby daddy?

Johnston is basically the quintessential example of that guy who you are constantly worried is going to impregnate your daughter (and occasionally does). He's a handsome stud, an athletic star, and he has a criminal record...

With the sexiness of the Republican ticket now an issue (see VPILF), will Levi's "fuckin' redneck" hotness boost the turnout for McCain among the nation's population of cougars?

It's Palin

McCain's picked Sarah Palin as his VP. Let's state the obvious: she's a woman. She's the governor of Alaska. She's younger than Obama. She's anti-corruption, anti-big-oil, pro-drilling-in-Alaskan-oil-refuges, anti-gay-marriage, super-pro-life and made a public decision not to abort a baby with Down's Syndrome.

This is going to be a tough/interesting election.