Palin comes out swinging, and misses

Mayor Bloomberg says he doesn't blame Sarah Palin for Tuscon shooting
The tragic shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has led to a lot of finger pointing, including from New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, but one person who the mayor doesn’t blame is former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. On Tuesday Bloomberg, who serves as co-chair of the nearly 600 member Mayors Against Illegal Guns blamed government officials for selling a gun to a man who was rejected from the Military due to drug use and outlined five simple measures that could preve...

A cordon of reason
(Raf is a great Veteran of the Colorado blogosphere. Well written and thus promoted. - promoted by redstateblues) It's Thursday, and the shockwaves from Saturday's attempted Assassination of Rep. Gabby Giffords, and the brutal Murder of six people at the "Congress in your Corner" event she was hosting, still reverberate. "Even in the old West, cowboys hung up their guns when they entered a saloon." Cliff and the Congressman are right, and I don't have to travel far in my memory to see the util...

Palin Cries On Hannitys Show
In the last video we reviewed there was a certain level of her smiling that indicated she was enjoying it all.  Her beef was to complain about Joe Klein a Time Magazine columnist who called her “seditious” and we are sure she had to look it up in a dictionary. The video tape is dated April 2010 where she ran away from the liberal biased media  and seemed to take joy in discrediting Time Magazine. She put down Time Magazine for “allowing the Rhetoric” as if they...

Palin's 10 Red Herrings (Politico)
Sarah Palin has continued and intensified the rhetorical strategy introduced by her supporters and surrogates in the wake of the Tucson tragedy. She’s offering a series of red herrings — distracting with concepts that are truthful, but irrelevant, to deflect from other issues or vulnerabilities. (The term originates with the practice of using cured fish to put Hunting Dogs off the track. 1) Free Speech: “Congresswoman Giffords and her constituents were exercising their right to...

Cafferty: Palin Can't Be President Due to 'Inflammatory' Reply to Critics
Jack Cafferty's Palin Derangement Syndrome reached a new level on Thursday's Situation Room on CNN, as he attacked the Republican for her reply to those who tried to tie her to the Arizona shootings: "It was just awful, defiant, [and] inflammatory." Cafferty also ripped Palin for using the "blood Libel" phrase and stated that the reply would "effectively end her chance of ever being elected president." The commentator devoted his 5 pm Eastern hour Cafferty F...

Governor calls for civility
PARAMUS, N.J. - Gov. Christie says the shooting of a congresswoman in Arizona won't stop him from meeting with voters. New Jersey's Republican Governor was flanked by more State Police security than usual on Thursday as he met voters at a town-hall meeting in Paramus. Christie began by referencing last weekend's shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D., Ariz.). The blunt Governor urged civility in the forums, even when people disagree. Earlier in the day, Christie praised President Obama's mem...

As Obama urged unity, Palin brought division
President Obama did not miss the moment. From the generally positive overnight reaction, Obama's Speech in Tucson on Wednesday night struck just the right notes. Amid grief over a senseless tragedy and against a raging debate that threatened to further divide the country, the president urged healing and Reconciliation. This Story The Take: As Obama urged unity, Palin brought division Police recover black bag, ammunition believed to belong to Tucson suspect Wasserman-Schultz, Gillibrand discus...

Election in Sight, Possible GOP Presidential Candidates Stay Coy
On January 16, 2007, then-candidate Barack Obama released the video at left announcing that he was forming a presidential Exploratory Committee. It was essentially an announcement that he would be seeking the presidency - one that came almost 22 months before the election. Mr. Obama was far from the first to jump into the ring. As Slate's David Weigel noted this week, 14 Candidates announced they would be running for president or creating an exploratory committee before Mr. Obama released tha...

Sarah Palin and the "blood libel"
Posted by Paul at 8:30 PM Sarah Palin is coming in for criticism for using the term "blood Libel" to describe accusations that she and other outspoken Conservatives somehow have blood on their hands in connection with the Tucson shootings. Palin's remarks on the shootings are also being compared unfavorably to President Obama's Speech at the University of Arizona. Obama's Speech was healing and uplifting, while Palin's, some say, was divisive and defensive. I find both criticisms of Palin unfai...

Obamacare repeal rescheduled; GOP not scared off by left-wing attacks (Daily Caller)
Read more stories from The Daily Caller Congressmen want increased security for themselves — but are they in more danger than teachers and doctors? Stephanopoulos, NYT, CNN, WaPo decline to correct erroneous Giffords reporting ObamaCare Repeal rescheduled; GOP not scared off by left-wing attacks Pollsters say Obama's Approval Ratings will have modest bump Woman behind Va. 'Repeal Amendment' effort running for Senate The House heads back to work next week, and Republicans plan to move forwar...

From Palin to Pawlenty, GOP Presidential Prospects Grapple With Arizona Massacre
President Obama isn't the only leader being put to the test by last weekend's shooting rampage in Arizona. The tragedy is also serving as a proving ground for Republicans considering 2012 presidential runs. At least eight have weighed in, and the results are revealing. What does a hurting nation look for in a president? "Americans expect their presidents to be more than just the head of a political party or a political leader," says GOP Strategist Todd Harris, the spokesman for John McCain's 200...

White House: 'No comment' on Palin 'blood libel' debate
The White House wants no part of the debate over former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's use of the term "blood Libel." In a press briefing on Thursday morning, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs acknowledged he watched Palin's statement on the Tucson shootings, but he wouldn't say if President Obama has. Gibbs refused give any White House perspective on Palin's remarks. "I'm happy to speak to what the president said and how he came about saying it, but I'll let others opine on t...

Where will Obama go from Tucson?
President Obama is receiving uniform praise for his memorial remarks in Tucson, Ariz. Even Conservatives are saying he hit the right notes, substantively and tonally. I agree, with a few qualifiers and gentle cautions. Obama was eloquent in his tribute to the Victims and appropriately acknowledged that "none of us can know exactly what triggered this vicious attack ... or what thoughts lurked in the inner recesses of a violent man's mind." More importantly, he said: "But what we cannot do is...

Surrounded by friends, Giffords opens one eye and reaches for husband's hand
At first, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords opened her eye just a tiny bit. Then she opened it again, and again. This Story The Take: As Obama urged unity, Palin brought division Police recover black bag, ammunition believed to belong to Tucson suspect Wasserman-Schultz, Gillibrand discuss Giffords opening her eyes Obama: 'Gabby opened her eyes' Hero intern Daniel Hernandez talks with The Post Obama Tucson Speech: A way that heals Loughner pulled over before shooting Tucson recovers Obama visits surviv...

Quote Of The Day - Trent Humphries
"It’s political gamesmanship. The real case is that she [Giffords] had no security whatsoever at this event. So if she lived under a constant fear of being targeted, if she lived under this constant fear of this Rhetoric and hatred that was seething, why would she attend an event in full view of the public with no security whatsoever?" - Tucson Tea Party founder Trent Humphries, blaming Rep. Gabrielle Giffords for her own shooting. Labels: Arizona, assholery, Gabrielle Giffords, Tea Party, T...

Friday Open Thread
Lawrence O’Donnell’s Last Word dedicated a segment to understanding Sarah Palin and her “blood Libel” claims in light of President Obama’s comments, and needless to say that O’Donnell and his panel- David Frum and Mother Jones’ David Corn- took a bit of an issue with it. But for Frum, her comments weren’t offensive- they were proof Palin was eroding- like a “big melting iceberg.” So much for abandoning the “...

Sarah Palin To Be Interviewed on Fox News Monday
Sarah Palin will appear Monday on Fox News in her first interview since accusing critics of committing "blood Libel" for insinuating her Rhetoric may have been somehow connected to last week's shooting rampage in Arizona. A Fox executive told The New York Times that the former Alaska Governor would sit down with host Sean Hannity for an extended segment. Palin, the 2008 GOP vice Presidential Candidate, is on the Fox Payroll, often appearing as a commentator and contributor. On Wednesday, Palin ...

Thune heads to GOP conference
(CNN) - Republican South Dakota Sen. John Thune accepted an invitation to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February. Thune spokesman Kyle Downey said the senator turned down previous requests to appear because of Scheduling Conflicts. The state's junior senator is sometimes mentioned as a Presidential Candidate in 2012, and the high profile conference has become a national stage for presidential hopefuls. This year's list of speakers includes other possible 2012 ca...

Sarah Palin compares criticisms of her to a belief that led to the Holocaust
   In the wake of the shooting by Jared Loughner in Tucson last week, there was criticism directed against the harsh Rhetoric of those on the right-wing. Jared Loughner did not shoot Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Murder a number of other individuals because Talk Radio or Sarah Palin told him to do so.  A few individuals though have committed violence or attempted to do so because of their hatred of the left. Byron Williams, a man who was going to commit violence a...

Poll Watch: Public Policy Polling Iowa 2012 Presidential Poll
Public Policy Polling Iowa 2012 Presidential Poll Barack Obama 47% Mike Huckabee 43% Barack Obama 47% Mitt Romney 41% Barack Obama 51% Newt Gingrich 38% Barack Obama 53% Sarah Palin 37% PPP surveyed 1,077 Iowa voters from January 7th to 9th. The survey’s Margin of Error is +/-3.0%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify. Inside the numbers: Only Huckabee out of the Republican contenders musters a p...

Voters Surveyed Are Cold To The Idea Of Santorum For President
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Rick Santorum may have his sights set on a presidential run, but a new survey of voters finds he might not want to shoot so high. Santorum hasn’t declared his intentions for any office in 2012, but the latest Public Policy Poll shows he has a wide lead over other names in the GOP mix to take on Pennsylvania Democrat Bob Casey for his US Senate seat. “45 percent of Republicans in the state say Santorum is their top choice,” says poll director Tom Jensen...

Iowa 2012: Obama leads
A new Public Policy Polling survey of Iowa shows Barack Obama beating all Republican rivals in a 2012 contest. Matchups: a. Barack Obama 47% Mike Huckabee 43% b. Barack Obama 47% Mitt Romney 41% c. Barack Obama 51% Newt Gingrich 38% d. Barack Obama 53% Sarah Palin 37% Favorability Ratings: a. Mike Huckabee 42%/39% for +3%. b. Mitt Romney 37%/42% for -5%. c. Newt Gingrich 30%/49% fo...

The Fix: The haves and the have-nots of the 2012 GOP presidential field
The 2012 Republican presidential race is a contest between the "haves" and the "have nots". The "haves" boast high name identification scores and Favorability Ratings among Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents. The "have nots", well, don't. The "haves" group includes four people: former Govs. Mitt Romney (Mass.), Sarah Palin (Alaska) and Mike Huckabee (Ark.) as well as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. The "have not" ar...

Second choice in Iowa
Alex Burns has a new Iowa poll with good news for Huckabee in a state whose Caucus system means that second choices really matter: If one or more leading GOP Candidates don’t run for president, Mike Huckabee is currently in the best position to pick up support in the form of second-choice votes. Twenty-six percent of Romney voters, 29 percent of Palin voters and 34 percent of Gingrich v...

Poll: Obama leads potential GOP rivals in Iowa
President Barack Obama would once again win the Hawkeye State if the election were held today, but this time with a much slimmer margin, according to the latest poll by Public Policy Polling. Obama won the state by 9 percentage points in 2008, but against former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee he leads by only 4 percentage points, 47 percent to 43 percent. Against former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney he has a 6 percentage point advantage, 47 percent to 41 percent. Obama leads former U.S. House Spea...