# Sarah turns opaque. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 16, 2008, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856 "2008-09-16T16:46:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/161 "2008-09-22T15:48:06Z")
> [@ArizonaTeach](#): > > Yeah, that 60,000 who showed up in Florida is like a death knell. What has 120,000 arms and 14 teeth? The crowd at a Sarah Palin rally. The ability to empty out a few trailer parks in Central Florida is not an indicator of broad popular support. She has a very narrow, but very passionate fan base. It is not remarkable than she can draw a crowd in a southern state. The polls still show her favorability dropping like a turd in a well outside of that base (which was already going to vote for McCain anyway). Outside of that base, the woman is a punchline. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/162 "2008-09-22T16:11:06Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > The ability to empty out a few trailer parks in Central Florida is not an indicator of broad popular support. She has a very narrow, but very passionate fan base. It is not remarkable than she can draw a crowd in a southern state. Not trailer parks, but a “planned community [that] has about 70,000 mostly adult residents – many of them military retirees – **who vote reliably Republican in statewide races** ”. OMG, I’m shocked – shocked, I tell ya – that a Republican, _any_ Republican could draw from such a well. Holy shit, whatever will we do about such broad support? Please. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/163 "2008-09-22T16:13:59Z")
Oh, ok, so they didn’t go to her, she went to them. Even less impressive than I gave her credit for. I wonder how many of them even knew who she was. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/164 "2008-09-22T16:35:18Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Oh, ok, so they didn’t go to her, she went to them. Even less impressive than I gave her credit for. I wonder how many of them even knew who she was. I wonder how many were thinking “nice lady… wonder why her husband didn’t show up? Oh well, I guess I’ll vote for him anyway.” Oh, and its 119,998 arms and 14 teeth. You forgot about Cletus and Vern who went dynamite fishing for carp last year. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/165 "2008-09-22T21:23:04Z")
Some food for thought for posters like **ArizonaTeach** , from conservative columnist Andrew Sullivan: > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **Andrew Sullivan** > > For my part, I stand by my skepticism of _everything_ Sarah Palin says. To my mind, her constant public lies about almost anything, large and small, and the proximity of this strange, unvetted blank slate of a candidate to the Oval Office render all usual assumptions of good faith on the part of a candidate moot. The refusal of the McCain campaign to allow her to hold a press conference - unprecedented in modern American history - reinforces this skepticism. It is simply incredible that a vice-presidential candidate who is the governor of a state cannot hold an open press conference to clear the air on any number of issues of fact that are out there. Worse than incredible: dangerous. > > . . . > > [http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the\_daily\_dish/2008/09/frisking-me.html](http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/09/frisking-me.html) You owe it to this nation to insist on accessibility and transparency from all political candidates. You don’t get to stick your head in the sand and demand that we ignore the lies and subterfuge of your candidate, just because she shares your political philosophy. Andrew Sullivan’s got this right. You would do well to follow his lead. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/166 "2008-09-22T21:40:20Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Dang. I specifically came back in here this morning to apologize for my response. It was over the top and unnecessary. No worries. I’m just happy that I got the whoosh hat trick. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/167 "2008-09-22T22:05:35Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > Some food for thought for posters like **ArizonaTeach** , from conservative columnist Andrew Sullivan: I didn’t know he was a conservative. He’s been on before and I pegged him as just very independent. Sullivan was on Bill Maher’s show again last week and he was positively livid about Palin. He wouldn’t shut up! He kept on about her even after the show ended.[Linky](http://www.hbo.com/billmaher/). Click on the Overtime box for about 5 minutes of Sullivan ranting about Palin’s craziness. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/168 "2008-09-22T22:09:56Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Oh, ok, so they didn’t go to her, she went to them. Even less impressive than I gave her credit for. I wonder how many of them even knew who she was. Did you catch that gag-me moment with Piper? I swear, Palin has affected an even more nasal midwestern twang than ever. It’s absolutely grating. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/169 "2008-09-22T22:53:45Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > I didn’t know he was a conservative. He’s been on before and I pegged him as just very independent. Perhaps that’s because the modern day neo-conservatives have completely destroyed any semblance of what true conservatism actually is, so it’s harder to recognize these days. > [@](#): > > [Andrew Sullivan - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Sullivan#Politics) > > Sullivan is a classical libertarian conservative who has argued that the Republican Party has abandoned true conservative principles.[8] He views true conservatism as classical libertarian conservative, where economic control of a citizen’s daily life by the government is very limited. However, this style of conservatism differs from classic libertarianism in that some governmental control or regulation is acceptable in order to preserve a functional society as it currently exists. > > . . . > > His political philosophy includes a broad range of traditional conservative positions: He favors a flat tax, limited government, privatization of social security, and a strong military, and he opposes welfare state programs such as socialized medicine. However, on a number of controversial public issues, including same-sex marriage and capital punishment, he takes a position typically shared by those on the left of the U.S. political spectrum. His position on abortion is more mixed; saying that he personally finds it immoral and favors overturning Roe v. Wade, but he can accept legalized abortions in the first trimester. > > . . . > [@AuntiePam](#): > > Sullivan was on Bill Maher’s show again last week and he was positively livid about Palin. He wouldn’t shut up! He kept on about her even after the show ended.[Linky](http://www.hbo.com/billmaher/). Click on the Overtime box for about 5 minutes of Sullivan ranting about Palin’s craziness. He started out liking her at first glance, but the more (or less) he got to know about her, the more loathsome he became towards her. He thinks she’s the Manchurian Candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/170 "2008-09-23T15:15:47Z")
To return to the opacity that has become the hallmark of a Palin transparent administration, we have [this article](http://www.adn.com/troopergate/story/534119.html) appearing this morning. My favorite quote: > [@](#): > > Gov. Sarah Palin on Monday indicated she will cooperate with a separate probe _run by people she can fire_. Well, that should produce a fair and balanced report… ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/171 "2008-09-23T17:19:04Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > To return to the opacity that has become the hallmark of a Palin transparent administration, we have [this article](http://www.adn.com/troopergate/story/534119.html) appearing this morning. My favorite quote: > > Well, that should produce a fair and balanced report… I like how they put the money quote right in the first paragraph. I need to quote it again because it’s so good: > [@](#): > > she will cooperate with a separate probe run by people she can fire. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/172 "2008-09-23T17:59:52Z")
She’s a real piece of work, isn’t she? ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/173 "2008-09-23T18:00:58Z")
Woo hoo! Palin had banned reporters from her meetings with world leaders, but has now relented. [Story here.](http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ijGq94pVTj9FGiR-c5EdA3iSm2owD93CHQP82) If nothing else, she has really piqued my curiosity. I’m very interested in what she has to say to these very significant leaders. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/174 "2008-09-23T18:04:44Z")
“Hi! My name is Sarah! I can field-dress a moose! Are you from Europe? Europe is nice…” ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/175 "2008-09-23T18:06:50Z")
> [@](#): > > The media were escorted out after about 40 seconds. What a freaking joke. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/176 "2008-09-23T18:15:53Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > What a freaking joke. What a bunch of fucking babies. They actually expect us to trust her to potentially handle foreign policy when she can’t even meet with foreign heads of state in front of cameras during the campaign? Isn’t this the interview process for her? How are voters supposed to figure out if she’s ready to handle foreign heads of state if they won’t let the voters see her meet with them? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/177 "2008-09-23T18:26:12Z")
It’s the surest way to piss off the media, too. They’ve been bootlickers for Bush because they’ve been scared of losing access, but if they’re being denied access from the get-go, not only will they feel slighted but they have nothing to lose in being critical of Palin and McCain. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/178 "2008-09-23T18:35:31Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > It’s the surest way to piss off the media, too. They’ve been bootlickers for Bush because they’ve been scared of losing access, but if they’re being denied access from the get-go, not only will they feel slighted but they have nothing to lose in being critical of Palin and McCain. But then the Republicans just spin that as evidence of liberal media persecution and use it as an excuse to give even less access to anyone but right wing media brown nosers like Hannity. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/179 "2008-09-23T18:40:39Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > But then the Republicans just spin that as evidence of liberal media persecution and use it as an excuse to give even less access to anyone but right wing media brown nosers like Hannity. Well, one can only hope that anyone with more intelligence than **Starving Artist** would see right through that. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856/180 "2008-09-23T20:49:26Z")
Good Lord. I hate this bitch more every day. > [@](#): > > Before Sarah Palin decided to run for the Wasilla mayor’s office in 1996 against incumbent John Stein, the Palins and Steins were friends. John Stein had helped launch Palin’s political career, mentoring the hockey mom during her 1994 run for City Council, along with veteran council member Nick Carney. Stein’s wife, Karen Marie, went to aerobics classes with Palin. > > . . . > > Even though Palin knew that Stein is a Protestant Christian, from a Pennsylvania Dutch background, her campaign began circulating the word that she would be “Wasilla’s first Christian mayor.” Some of Stein’s supporters interpreted this as an attempt to portray Stein as Jewish in the heavily evangelical community. Stein himself, an eminently reasonable and reflective man, thinks “they were redefining Christianity to mean born-agains.” > > The Palin campaign also started another vicious whisper campaign, spreading the word that Stein and his wife – who had chosen to keep her own last name when they were married – were not legally wed. Again, Palin knew the truth, Stein said, but chose to muddy the waters. “We actually had to produce our marriage certificate,” recalled Stein, whose wife died of breast cancer in 2005 without ever reconciling with Palin. > > . . . > > [http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/09/23/palin/print.html](http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/09/23/palin/print.html) She’s not George Bush with Lipstick, she’s Dick Cheney with Lipstick; evil. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sarah-turns-opaque/463856.md?page=10)