A Vice Presidental candidate thread.

Silly twats like ros is what okie is talking about.

I have ros in a full Nelson. He daren't take me off "Ignore". I'm controlling his behaviour. He's pumped up with pompous pride at ignoring me.

Did Palin lie about 'trade missions' with Russia? by RAW STORY
Published: Saturday September 27, 2008

In a Thursday interview with Katie Couric, Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin cited "trade missions" with Russia as her one tangible piece of foreign policy experience.

What trade missions?

Research doesn't show a single Alaska-Russia trade mission since former Democratic governor Tony Knowles visited Siberia in 1997, when Palin was running Wasilla, according to Salon.com.

When the reporter asked gubernatorial spokeswoman Kate Morgan about this issue, she refused to answer. Morgan claimed she couldn't legally discuss the matter because she is a state employee and the reporter had learned about the trade missions through the Couric interview, which stems from her bid for the Oval Office.

Spokespeople for the McCain/Palin campaign did not respond to requests for comment.

A press release details Palin's meeting with a trade mission from the Yukon, but nothing about dealings with Russia.

The "pattern is familiar" to Andrew Sullivan of The Atlantic, who refers to Palin's"odd lies."

The following is an excerpt from Palin's interview:
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Did_Palin_lie_about_trade_missions_0927.html

Does anybody see Sarah Palin's name on this "trade mission" report?

Alaska State Legislature

News From The Senate and House Majorities

Ken Freeman, House Press Secretary (907) 258-8164
Wendy Lindskoog, Senate Press Secretary (907) 258-8184
Anchorage Legislative Information Office
Anchorage, AK 99501-2133
web site = http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

Russian Far East Trade Mission a Success

Mission Cultivates Our Future Together

For Immediate Release: October 6, 1997 Contact: Wendy Lindskoog at (907) 258-8184

Anchorage -- Alaska legislators and business leaders returned from a Russian Far East (RFE) Diplomatic Trade Mission to Sakhalin and Khabarovsk Sunday, reporting that the Mission opened a floodgate of opportunities for Alaska businesses. The Mission strengthened government relations and connected many Alaska and Russia companies that are now working towards joint ventures.

The Mission was planned with two goals in mind: to advance joint cooperative business opportunities between Alaska and Russia businesses and to offer suggestions and assistance to the Sakhalin and Khabarvosk Dumas as they prepare for the transition to a market economy.

"We made great headway, both from a public and private standpoint," said Senate President Mike Miller. "Our legislative counterparts from Khabarovsk and Sakhalin are eager to learn more about Alaska's laws and regulations, especially as they relate to resource development, commerce and free enterprise."

"Our legislative discussions with Duma members in small work groups focused on the issues Alaska businesses want standardized in order to feel more secure while doing business in Russia," said House Speaker Gail Phillips. "These issues include customs, employment labor laws, permitting and regulation, banking, arbitration, dispute resolution and the ability for Alaska companies to lease or acquire the property and infrastructure needed to operate successfully."

"It is exciting to see firsthand the level of interest the Russians have in our system of government and in doing business with Alaskans," Miller said, "I believe the success stories from this Mission will emerge for years to come."

"We made great strides and developed the kind of friendships that build trust and commradery, both necessary ingredients to doing business in Russia," Phillips said.

After several work sessions in Sakhalin and Khabarovsk, Senator Loren Leman, Chairman of the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee, noted that Russian Far East Duma members are extremely creative in dealing with their economic and political challenges. "Like us, many of their challenges derive from a distant and inefficient federal government," Leman said, "Resources are abundant, but a stable, less confiscatory tax structure is a must if they are to attract the investment capital they need."

Representative John Cowdery, Chairman of the House Special Committee on International Trade, noted that in order for Alaska businesses to feel comfortable jumping into joint ventures with Russia companies, they want assurances that contracts will be honored and disputes resolved.

"Lack of a contract dispute resolution mechanism has hurt many Alaska companies investing in the Russian Far East and is discouraging other businesses from participating in the region," said Cowdery.

To start the ball rolling, the delegation presented an international dispute resolution system and Alaska's commercial laws translated into Russian to Duma members. Representative Cowdery and House Majority Leader Brian Porter participated in several work sessions focusing on this particular issue. They also met with Valukova Alexandrovna, Deputy Judge of the newly formed Regional Arbitration Courts in Khabarovsk, to determine the structure of the courts and to receive their founding documents.

Jane Miller Floyd, Consul General, Consulate General United States of America, Vladivostok, met with delegation members in Khabarovsk and stated her support for the delegation's work on arbitration and dispute resolution. She said that this is the most important work the Alaska government can do to help stabilize the investment climate in the RFE.

Steve Smirnoff, Honorary Consul General for the Russian Federation in Alaska, said he was pleased to see such a great turnout for this diplomatic trade mission and equally pleased to see so many business opportunities take shape. "Several business people made great contacts during the course of this Mission," said Smirnoff. "Many actually hired people here in Russia to do due diligence and I know of several proposals made by Russian firms to some of our Alaska business participants."

Business people on the Mission said that traveling with government officials from Alaska saved them both time and energy in terms of networking with government and industry leaders in Russia. They agreed that the opportunity on this trip to build good relations with Russia and Alaska legislators will have tremendous benefits as they embark on future business agreements in the RFE.

Seeing the level of interest in sharing information and the great potential for successful economic joint ventures, Miller and Phillips extended official invitations to the Khabarovsk and Sakhalin Dumas to visit Alaska in order to focus on specific topics that affect trade, development and commerce between Alaska and the RFE.

The Alaska delegation was comprised of legislative leaders, government officials, business and industry leaders and consultants. Please see attachment for a complete list of mission participants.

Alaska Businesses Acclaim Russian Far East Opportunities: Quotes from Business Participants.

###

Alaska Diplomatic Trade Mission Participants

Alaska State Legislators include:

* Senator Mike Miller, President of the Senate
* Senator Loren Leman, Chair, Labor and Commerce Committee
* Representative Gail Phillips, Speaker of the House of Representatives
* Representative John Cowdery, Chair, Committee on International Trade and Tourism
* Representative John Davies, Member, Finance Committee
* Representative Fred Dyson, Member, Health Education & Social Services, Resources, State Affairs and Community and Regional Affairs Committees
* Representative Joe Green, Chair, Judiciary Committee
* Representative Irene Nicholia, Member, Resources Committee
* Representative Brian Porter, Member Health, Education & Social Services, Judiciary and Rules Committees
* Representative Joe Ryan, Member, Community & Regional Affairs, Labor & Commerce Committees

Business, Investment and Community Leaders include:

* Bill Allen, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, VECO Corporation
* Dan Berkshire, Managing Director Transpacific Investment Fund
* Mark Bradley, Alaska Manager, Alaska Airgas
* Luann Cutler, Partner, Preston, Gates & Ellis, L.L.P. Attorneys
* Joeseph Donahue, Partner, Preston, Gates & Ellis, L.L.P. Attorneys
* Patrick Doran, Sales Manager, RussiaPacific Detroit Allison Diesel
* Rod Duplechin, Sales Director, kvaerner Oilfield Products, Inc.
* Michael Ebersole, Vice President, Veco Engineering
* Stanley Foo, Alaska Manager, Placer Dome of Alaska
* Paul Fuhs, Consultant on Ports & Uniform Commercial Code
* James Gibney, Vice President, Marriott Corporation
* David Ginnett, President & Chairman, Sakhalin Shelf Service Co.
* Dave Harbour, President & Chief Executive Officer, Action Security Co.
* Anatoly Ilyin, Deputy General Director, Wackenhut, Inc.
* Rita Ivanova, Russian Projects Manager, Troika Transport/The Jore Group
* Thomas M. Labno, Sales Director, Air Liquid/Big 3 Lincoln
* Joe Mathis, Manager, Business Development, NANA Corporation
* Tony Neal, President, CEO of "Vostokles" Timber JV in Khabarovsk, also Chair, International Construction Committee for Associated General Contractors of Alaska.
* Dave Parish, President, Parish & Associates
* Alex Ponomarev, Whisper Communications, Official Mission Translator
* Rose Ragsdale, Editor, Alaska Journal of Commerce
* John Ringstad, Consultant for British Petroleum
* Steve Smirnoff, Honorary Consul General to the Russian Federation
* Ronald E. Smith, Manager, Lubchem of Alaska
* Chris Sutton, President, Go Alaska, Inc.

State Officials and Energy Council Members include:

* John Pilkinton, Director of the Oil & Gas Audit Division of the Alaska State Department of Revenue
* Pat Pourchot, Legislative Director for the State of Alaska Governor’s Office
* Kathleen Leitgeb, Director of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Elderhostel Program
* Alabama Representative Al Knight, Energy Council Member

And lets suppose he told her that the Russkies are a bunch of crafty sods who need to be watched with the utmost diligence. That might have given Mrs Palin more experience that some I could mention seemingly have.

Palin is obviously one of the frantic Anti-Red types that proliferated in the USA during the McCarthy era. She probably still thinks that Gorbachev is running the country.

Palin is obviously one of the frantic Anti-Red types that proliferated in the USA during the McCarthy era. She probably still thinks that Gorbachev is running the country.

Palin is obviously one of the frantic Anti-Red types that proliferated in the USA during the McCarthy era. She probably still thinks that Gorbachev is running the country.

Palin is obviously one of the frantic Anti-Red types that proliferated in the USA during the McCarthy era. She probably still thinks that Gorbachev is running the country.

You should be prepared to lay 3 to 1 against that old chap if you think it "probable". 2 to 1 at least.

CNN coverage of Palin interview and comparison to SNL parody:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeMypXCUWMw
The SNL parody and the actual comments from Sarah Palin are IDENTICAL.

It just keeps on keeping on. Palin is all jive and talks to America like we're a bunch of schmucks. She's projecting. "Little Diomede Island: Who is Sarah Palin?"
by Scout Finch
Tue Sep 30, 2008 at 01:30:06 PM PDT
Last week, Sarah Palin made the ridiculous claim that she had foreign policy experience because she could see Russia from Alaska. Determine to get a better look, Anderson Cooper 360 correspondent Gary Tuchman went to Little Diomede Island in Alaska to get a better look.

Turns out that Palin is right -- you can see Russia from Little Diomede Island. Not that Sarah Palin has ever been there for a look:

As a matter of fact, no Alaska governor in the state’s nearly 50 year history has ever visited the remote outpost that still has little running water.

Ouch. And what do the Little Diomede residents think of Sarah Palin's claim that Little Diomede's proximity to Russia gives her foreign policy experience? Not much. Turns out that many or most residents don't even know who Sarah Palin is:

Interestingly, many of these Alaskans had no idea who Sarah Palin was! It turns out they have no TV on the island, and therefore, many don’t follow the news.

They did find one person in town who knew Sarah Palin was....Little Diomede Mayor, Andrew Milligrock.

He does say she seems like an okay governor, but exclaims she should probably pay a visit to Little Diomede sometime. It may not help her foreign policy experience says the mayor, but would definitely help her domestic policy experience.

A double whammy. The mayor rejects her claim foreign policy experience and says she could stand to beef up her domestic policy experience. The Straight Talk Express is beginning to look more like the Hindenburg.
http://www.dailykos.com/

That last sentence needs to be repeated:

On fire and exploding as soon as the debates begin.

Palin can't name a newspaper that she has read.

COURIC: And when it comes to establishing your world view, I was curious, what newspapers and magazines did you regularly read before you were tapped for this " to stay informed and to understand the world?

PALIN: I’ve read most of them again with a great appreciation for the press, for the media "

COURIC: But what ones specifically? I’m curious.

PALIN: Um, all of them, any of them that have been in front of me over all these years.

COURIC: Can you name any of them?

PALIN: I have a vast variety of sources where we get our news.

Expect more of this kind of "direct" answers from Palin during the debate.

The Hindenburg just crossed into US territory.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/30/palin-im-a-joe-six-pack-american/

Please, someone tell me she didn't really say that.

I cringe with embarrassment for our country every time Palin opens her mouth to speak. I'm angry with the Republican party. Why did they select the idiotic team of McCain and Palin to carry their party banner? Is this the best that the Republicans have to offer to America . . . to the world?

Palin has no "world view" at all. She's an ignoramous. Worse even, she's so intellectually shallow and incurious that her status as an ignoramous can never be remedied. McCain has one foot in the grave and the other foot in the Alzheimer's ward and his method of leadership consists of beating people with his old man cane.

It's shorthand for Hofstadter. Populism. Anti-intellectualism.

It almost goes without saying, but not quite, that if she's elected she will go native in Washington and betray the pledge.

I presume JP, and DL, that you are city-slicker types who work with words. Joe works with tools. We all know Joe can't run the country but he's entitled to a voice or a promise he might get one however faint it turns out to be.

Obama/Biden will Ignore Joe's voice as soon as they don't feel the need to patronise him.

"I presume JP, and DL, that you are city-slicker types who work with words."

I didn't grow up on the farm, but I didn't grow up in a city either. I have my roots in a conservative farming community. My state leans Republican. Most of the people around me are Republicans. My elderly father-in-law calls Obama the "N" word. My brother votes Republican because of his "pro-life" stance--he's still angry that the girlfriend that he used to slap around in the early 80's had an abortion. My sister, who lives in California, voted to discriminate against gays. How in the heck did someone like me turn out to be a liberal?

And I grew up in a strongly conservative family in a small town in Vt (more cows than people was the unofficial state motto). I'm very familiar with Joe and his cronies.



"America -- where anyone can grow up to be President", was never intended to mean anyone should.