Do any Goopers need skill in actually running government? Nope. They all already know how to empty the cookie jar and scare mom to death if she refuses to make more.

http://balkin.blogspot.com/200…..lence.html

Clearly someone involved closely with Palin made the changes. The question is “who”?

In addition, I noticed that the Photo section of Palin’s Official Alaskan Gubernatorial website expunged a whole lot of photos (and perhaps other materials). It seems someone thought that certain images and associations that helped her image in Alaska were not apropos on a national stage. Many of these images have been mirrored on other sites, soi they couldn’t expunge her complete history of associations with “weird groups” and undertaking acts that many in the rest of the US would find “very odd”.

At the same time it is also important to realize that presumably insignificant “social” events are going to play a critical part in winning our battles. I suspect it is hardwired (or at least strongly disposed) in our heritage as H. sapiens to regard “gossip items” as substitutes for deeper discussions on policy. Recall how the country got quite sidetracked on issues relating to a former Presidents inability to control his sexual urges…and despite the nation generally thinking Clinton did a good job, impacted the results of the following election.

Palin is, indeed, “a means to an end”. And I think that one has to be very careful about allowing the other Party (and their willing myrmidons in the MSM) to frame her as some sort of corruption-fighting young female version of John “Maverick” McCain. To achieve victory one has to be vigilant about what the “ends” that the right-wing wants to achieve…but also one needs to undercut their “means” to achieve those ends. Palin is a desperate effort to re-invigorate the fundamentalist wing of the Republican Party. The fact that she is a Creationist, with strong ties to organizations that want to ban not only abortion in cases of rape and incest, but also restrict most contraceptive methods…these points need to be strongly made. Her inexperience, and the fact that she is going to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency (and likely nominee in 2012) if McCain is elected, is something that can really mobilize progressive women once they are made aware of her background.

While I worry that the approaches some have resorted to (ie. questioning the circumstances of her sons birth) may be a Rovian double-switch (ala the Bush Military records), there will hopefully be a debate between Biden and Palin on many of these issues.

these new ‘extensions” aren’t to secure presidential power if we are to believe the election will unseat this administration

(it might not, he can still declare martial law and suspend the constitution any time he wants

this is about inoculating themselves from future charges