411 Politics Fact or Fiction: Week 108

Posted by Brandon Crow on 11.04.2008

Is Palin sabotaging McCain because she's eyeing a 2012 run? Is Scott McClellan's endorsement more important than Colin Powell's? Will the Republican Party splinter if McCain loses? Has the McCain campaign indirectly incited extreme hate against Obama by overlooking angry rally attendees?

It's Election Day 2008 everyone! I hope you all did your civic duty and voted already! If not, no sweat, there's still time. Get out and there and be heard…demand…CHANGE!!

Doing their "civic duty" this week are readers Len Archibald and Devin Sartin. Alright, let the mudslinging begin!

Let's get to it.

Ding! Ding!

1. You believe Sarah Palin is seriously eyeing a 2012 run, and therefore, is sabotaging John McCain's campaign.

Len Archibald: FACT-ION. Yeah, a cop out—I don't care. Hell yeah Palin is eyeing '12. If you were a practical unknown from an obscure state thrust into the national spotlight as the vice-presidential candidate with every right-wing talk radio and television show having your back, despite being grossly under-qualified, wouldn't you say to yourself, "Self, if I have all these people fooled into thinking I can be VP *now* - Wait'll they get a load of me in for years...Youbet'cha!" Hell, Joe(Sam) the (unlicensed) Plumber has fooled someone that he can be the next Garth Brooks! Well, maybe not Garth...Maybe Kenny Chesney? They're both bald.

Anyways, I went on a tangent, here...Yeah, I think she's eyeing 2012, but she can't possibly be sabotoging the McCain/Palin ticket. Sure, she's undermined him a few times...About pulling out of Michigan, about bringing up RevWright, about...Well - Okay...Maybe...But I have to be a firm believer that people aren't that stupid. I mean, what if by some miracle of Allah (see what I did there?) McCain pulls this out of his ass on Tuesday? Man, talk about egg on your face. Also, I think it's pretty evident that the Republican Party is more or less sabotaging Palin. See former Sec of State Lawrence Eagleburger (the most patriotic of burgers???) has to say about how she would fare as VP...

"I don't think at the moment she is prepared to take over the reins of the presidency. I can name for you any number of other vice presidents who were not particularly up to it either. So the question, I think, is can she learn and would she be tough enough under the circumstances if she were asked to become president, heaven forbid that that ever takes place?

Give her some time in the office and I think the answer would be, she will be [pause] adequate. I can't say that she would be a genius in the job. But I think she would be enough to get us through a four year... well I hope not... get us through whatever period of time was necessary. And I devoutly hope that it would never be tested."

Yeah. Ouch.

Devin Sartin: FACT. Yes, I believe she's eyeing a run in 2012, but I doubt she'll win the Republican nomination. Palin has alot of work to do in order to change the perception of who "Sarah Palin" really is within the Republican party. As far as Sarah Palin sabotaging McSame's campain? NEGATIVE. John McCain sabotaged John McCain's campain. I also agree with Len, Fox news along with the "other" right-wing talk radio shows showed Sarah madd love, because she "think" like them.

0 for 1. This will have to be a 0 for 1 because we can't register "fact-ions."

2. Last week, Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama. This past Thursday, Scott McClellan, former Bush Press Secretary, also endorsed Obama. McClellan's endorsement carries more weight than Powell's.

Len Archibald: FICTION. Look, here's the common sense response, here. Most American's don't know or give a flying fig who Scott McClellan is. Simple as that. Sure, his name sounds familiar, and maybe they saw his face on the tele a few times, but he isn't Colin Powell. I live in rural RURAL Ohio (Rockford, population of 1400 people) and trust me when I say this, when word got out about Powell's interview on "Meet the Press", the amount of Obama signs around jumped from four to around thirty. In a day. That's weight. Yeah, sure, some "intellects" somehow percieve this as just a "colored supporting a colored" - like they have a PhD in psychology hidden under their trailer (and I can say this, since I live across the street from a trailer park), but Powell explained, in plain english - Not only why he's supporting Obama, but why he's NOT supporting McCain. Sometimes, common sense prevails. Of course, as my mom taught me, "Common sense ain't common."

Devin Sartin: FICTION. I'm in agreement with Lem here; so my response will be short and sweet. McClellan's endorsement carries the same weight as Palin-Power's and hhh's (Republican Right-wing bloggers on this site; eventhough PP admitted to being a Democrat). Majority of the public doesn't know or for that matter, careless about McClellan; and Republicans see him as a "Rough" Republican traitor.. only out to make $$$. Colin Powell's endorsement carry more weight than the current sitting President; this gave the "ok" for other Republicans that is tired of the dirty politics and lies AND probably didn't like McCain anyway. Also remember, Colon Powell served in two different positions within the GWB's presidency, and was much, much closer to GWC than was McClellan.

1 or 2. Poor, poor Scotty!

Switch!

3. Should John McCain lose on 11/4, after the loss, the Republican Party is going to splinter.

Devin Sartin: FICTION. I don't think should John McCain lose on 11/4, the Republican party is going to splinter; the first time the Republican Party split was during the Taft Administration. Republicans are already divided into two sides: (1) cultural, and (2) economic conservatives. The cultural side pushes anti-abortion, religion and family values. The economic side promotes capital gains tax reductions and productivity. Now, there is a Rightwing fundementalist group within the Republican Party (which is the "cultural" side), but I don't feel that would splinter off into another party of itself. If Barak Obama win this election on 11/4, The Republican Party will learn from it's mistake, and find themselves a "SuperStar that is neither Ultra Conservative or a Liberal Conserative. They will bring on a candidate that is in the middle.

Len Archibald: FICTION. But not without a little hope. See, I *hope* the Republican Party splinters, for no other reason than for the voters to have another viable party. Regardless of what some may assume as me being a liberal loving nut, I actually consider myself independent. It's just that the volatile nature of the past eight years, combined with the recklessness of the McCain campaign and the feeling of *sigh* yes, "hope" that I've seen the Obama campaign inspire is what has me leaning that way.

But there is also reality. The reality is that parties don't splinter off. They are absorbed into the other party. We had the Dixiecrats become absorbed into the current philosophy of the Republican Party. The Regan Democrats ran like Japanese extras in a Godzilla movie away from Carter's possible re-election. Right now, we are hearing of Obamacans.

I don't think people are giving enough credit to the possible re-alignment of the red/blue map. States like Iowa, Colorado and New Mexico may wind up falling in the Democratic column for a while due to a demographic shift (ie, these states are getting younger - those moving from California). States like North Carolina and Georgia are seeing an increase in the population of African-Americans (who ALWAYS vote Democratic in large numbers).

Right now, the Republican party is the "exclusive" party. It's a branding problem, nothing more. They need to find a candidate that is willing to campaign for voting blocs that do not represent the current "brand". Until then, voters will continue to allow themselves to be "absorbed" into the Democratic - or, perhaps, an independent party.

2 for 3.

4. The McCain campaign's purposely-used incendiary remarks against Obama, and its simple refusal to denounce and discourage such hateful remarks shouted at their rallies can be said to have indirectly incited the recently foiled assassination plot on Obama by some NeoNazis.

Devin Sartin: FACT & FICTION. This, I believe, is a two part question. I believe The McCain campaign PURPOSELY used incediary remarks agains Obama, but yet, even if McCain and Palin would have denounced and discourage such hateful remarks shouted at their rallies, NeoNazis would have still done what they tried to do. I don't blame the McCain / Palin campaign for some crazy racist actions.

Len Archibald: FICTION. I agree with Devin. Obama said it best at a rally on Saturday: "The McCain campaign has called me every name in the book - Except a child of God." There is a subtle, but very real point he is making. McCain/Palin has basically allowed no filter for the use of divisive language. But at the same time, even if they did, you can't control nuts. They did not tell Ashely Todd to go all Jim Carrey in "Liar, Liar" and kick her own ass to create a "game changer". They certainly didn't tell those two nutcases in Tennessee to dress up in all white tuxedoes and top hats and try to run down and assassinate Obama. There is a reason why we call these actions crazy. Well, because the people who commit or attempt to commit them are, well...Crazy. And as much as some would love to devise some scheme where they catch John McCain, or Sarah Palin plotting some racial plot against the Obama campaign so they can be all, "See! See! Racists!" - Well, I hate to break it to you, it doesn't exist.

2 for 4. Another response that can't be accurately registered. Man, counting this up is like figuring out Floridian chads in 2000!

This week, Len and Devin take us to a 2 for 4 score.

Let's hope America wakes up today. See you all in seven.