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RSS FeedJuly 27th, 2009
Good Bye Sarah!!
As governor Palin steps down, and although I was not one of supporters in the presidential race, let me just take this opportunity to pay her one complement.
In the interview where she did not mention a single newspaper/magazines that she reads to be prepared for the Vice President’s job, I do not think it was either due to amnesia or her not knowing publications. The simple reason, I think, was that she was just not sure if it is acceptable for a politician to mention names of magazines as that could be considered an endorsement. That is of course, not true, but it is conceivable that she thought that. Especially, because she really tried not to mention even a single name. I believe that was the case, and I think it is up to us to take her at the face value on that issue.
In either case, it is less pertinent what books/journals/newspapers someone reads, and much more pertinent what they extract out of those works.
June 12th, 2009
Letterman and a 14 year old girl
When you witness a spat between a former vice president candidate and a very well respected (and funny!) talk show host, and it gets so personal, you may really wonder – who has more to lose.
Sarah Palin has the potential of going down as one of the funniest (not in a positive way) Vice Presidents we didn’t have. Yet, in this case, it appears to me that if a public poll was taken, a majority of people would say that Letterman crossed the line by including her children in a spat. Multiple rounds of punches and counter punches later, and it appears that a comedian who can get offended by someone taking offense at the jokes does have a fair bit to lose. (Or perhaps, it is just some late onset OCD for Dave.)
One of the things that comedians do is to try a lot of things. Some are funny, and they stick, and you say those things a lot. Others are not so funny, and you discard them. Still others are offensive, and you try to bury them asap! This one in particular is in the 3rd group.
So, just say sorry and move on to the next joke Dave.
November 3rd, 2008
Palin boost for Obama
It is a day before the Nov 4th election day, and whatever I write here today will be utterly meaningless and out of date tomorrow – either as obvious understatement, or as an obvious lack of understanding by a politics neophyte; still, I must document what I saw yesterday.
For the record, I was a Hillary supporter. When she lost, I went to center, between Obama and McCain. Then came Palin. I ran and ran and ran and ran. Towards Obama. It turns out that I was not alone (though I certainly did not see other people running with me). As I talked yesterday with friends and other members of the community, this effect was very common. Some people were simply angry that McCain would try to win female votes using any woman. Others were aghast at this gambling behavior, picking someone he just met 18 hrs ago (thats what I hear – seems unlikely, at least to me).
Still, there are more things upsetting about Palin than simply the fact that she does not have significant experience. For one, her rhetoric conveys a lack of depth in many things. As an example, her labeling the troop withdrawl as a “white flag of surrender” shows that she simply does not realize that the Iraqi people now want the US forces out of there – indeed even the Iraqi govt (that the US itself helped form) is now asking for a 2011 troop withdrawl guarantee. Then, on what basis is the war that Palin wants to keep fighting till infinity?
Now, it seems that Palin is really helping Obama, and it is also possible that this “close” race finishes with well over 300 votes for Obama. Till tomorrow.
September 30th, 2008
Sarah Palinisms
Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is in town. John McCain took her over to the U.N. to introduce her to all the world leaders. It looked like Take Your Daughter to Work Day.”
David Letterman (CBS)
“President Bush met with John McCain and Barack Obama. John McCain showed up without running mate Sarah Palin, which is a shame because she actually has a lot of experience with financial matters. You know, she lives right next to a bank.”
Jimmy Kimmel (ABC)
“John McCain wants to suspend his debate with Barack Obama until the economic crisis is over. And Sarah Palin wants to suspend her debate with Joe Biden until she can find Europe on a map.”
Jay Leno (NBC)
“And all this week, the McCain campaign is trying to prevent Sarah Palin from talking to reporters covering the news, you know? They said, ‘you can take her picture, but you can’t ask her any questions.’ What is she running for, vice president or ‘America’s Next Top Model’?”
Jay Leno (NBC)
“Sarah Palin, you know, was at the U.N. yesterday, and she was a big hit. She’s over there meeting all of the world leaders. She’s still learning who the world leaders are. Right now, she thinks that Warren Buffett is the head of Margaritaville.”
David Letterman (CBS)
“John McCain and Sarah Palin attended a campaign rally in Vienna, Ohio, today. They were in Vienna. Apparently, they went to Vienna so Sarah Palin could get some foreign policy experience.”
Jay Leno (NBC)
“Sarah Palin’s been spending the last couple of days being briefed by advisers on what she needs to know to be John McCain’s vice president. That’s true. Yeah, apparently, the first thing they taught her was CPR.”
Conan O’Brien (NBC)
“Because of Sarah Palin, people are now asking the question: Is she ready to be president? If, God forbid, something happens to John McCain, is Sarah Palin ready to be president? I don’t think we need to worry about that, because Bush has lowered the bar so tremendously.”
David Letterman (CBS)
“I kind of like that Sarah Palin. You know, she reminds me, she looks like the flight attendant who won’t give you a second can of Pepsi. No, you’ve had enough. We’re landing. She looks like the waitress at the coffee shop who draws a little smiley face on your check – Have a nice day!.”
David Letterman (CBS)
“She’s old enough. She’s a U.S. citizen.”
John Harris, Alaska’s Republican speaker of the house, responding to questions about Palin’s qualifications for vice president
“It’s great to see another part of the country.”
Sarah Palin (herself), campaigning in Pennsylvania
“Absolutely. Yup, yup.”
Sarah Palin when asked by People magazine if she was ready to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.
[If I missed some other funny ones from Leno/Letterman, please leave me a note.]