Friday, October 24, 2008

SCENE FROM A RALLY

A huge crowd -- at least 10,000, and The Associated Press estimated twice that number -- turned out Friday to see Gov. Sarah Palin at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield.

Like all crowds, this one had all kinds. Most of them were there to rah-rah for the former cheerleader-turned-city manager-turned-nominee for vice president. Others were curious mellow, just out to see the show.

At least a couple were there because they believe in this:

She's no Nazi. A couple of her local supporters are. Such is life in the mighty-white Ozarks.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Palin give rallies. Nazi's love rallies. I want to know when the Palin/McCain campaign will come clean about their connection to Nazi's.

Anonymous said...

Just as soon as Obama comes clean about being a Muslim.

No conservative shak el considers themselves a Nazi.

Only blacks like Jesse Jackson and his hymie town comments or Colin Powell with his racial endorsement of Barry Soetoro for President.

You, my friend is what makes the Democrat party what it is today.

And you call Republicans racist!

Chain Gang BBQ said...

What makes me suspect of this photo is it could've come from anywhere. Who can say it was taken at the Palin rally? How do we know it wasn't downloaded from some other web site?

And if Nazi's love rallies, that might explain why Barackmadinejad draws so many people.

Anonymous said...

My comment was meant as a satire on the logic some of the conspiracy folk are using against Obama. FYI, I am an anarchist not a democrat.

Chain Gang BBQ said...

You are an anarchist, not a democrat. What in the hell is the difference?

Again, I have doubts about this photo.

Oh, by the way, Ron, you made a mistake in your original post. Sarah Palin was never a city manager; she was a mayor. And you skipped the part about Palin being a Governor.

Let's see. Palin served on the school board. She served as Mayor and then was elected Governor. It sounds to me like SHE has more experience than Obama. Hum. Community Agitator versus Palin. Could it be the compassion isn't heading in the direction you'd like?

And if you don't like "the mighty-white Ozarks, then might we buy you a trip-tik to Rev. Wright's church and can we get a "Goddamn America" from the congregation?" Say Amen.

Anonymous said...

If you don't know the difference between an anarchist and a democrat then I really feel sorry for you. Its like saying there is no difference between a Nazi and a Republican (they are way difffernt).

thinkingthings said...

The person who took the photo is someone I know. He was there and so was the jacket. Sad, but true.

Anonymous said...

Comments so far:

Nazis do love rallies, but so do people who like video games and cars.

Just in case anybody doesn’t know this, Barak Obama, is not in any way, shape, or form, a Muslim. You are free to dislike the guy for any one of a number of things. You are even free to dislike him because he is black (though you do, then, have to admit you are a racist), but you may *not* dislike him for being Muslim, because he just isn’t.

“American Patriot” has a very good point: we have only the barest evidence as to the provenance of this photo. We know, by the quality of the photo and the materials in the picture that it was taken in the last, say, thirty years. We really have no evidence it was taken in the last four years, or that it was taken in the USA. (That isn’t to say that I don’t believe it was taken at a McCain/Palin rally, it is to say that, sans proof, I won’t add this to the seemingly endless list of reasons why I would consider voting for Louis XIV before I’d vote for McCain/Palin.)

“Barackmadinejad”? Oh, please. Could we please, if we are going to indulge in rhetoric, keep it at least *vaguely* grounded is reality? That kind of comment is so counterproductive, racist, brain-scorchingly wrong, silly and plain old asinine that it makes all of America just that one hair less of a great country just by an American actually saying it. (NB, if you were being sarcastic, the previous does not apply.)

You’re an anarchist? Wow, you are *really* well spoken, articulate, polite, intelligent, educated, and reasonable for a sixteen year old. Don’t get me wrong, I still love V for Vendetta more than, perhaps, any human should. Still, anarchism, like extreme libertarianism and Marxism is one of those ideas that, if you’re honest with yourself, is a fantastic, wonderful, beautiful idea… and if you’re *truly* honest, you will admit will never, ever, EVER work if implemented with human beings.

If you don’t know the difference between an anarchist and a democrat I don’t feel “sorry for you” but I do say that you absolutely, if you want to consider yourself even vaguely intelligent, reasonable, rational, or even slightly worthwhile as a human being, spend FAAAAAARRRRRR less time (i.e. ZERO) *posting* on the internet and waaaaayyyy more time learning (this might require reading) about the most basic concepts of government and public policy.

I do believe the comment “city manager” was an intentionally imprecise way of belittling her claim to have been a mayor (however weak and sullied those claims may), and you would be correct to call “foul” on that kind of rhetoric. Too bad you didn’t call it on the bad rhetoric. Likewise, I think the omission of her short and highly questionable stint as governor of the US’s least populous state (twice the population of Staten Island. And let’s be clear, ANY comparison to Staten Island is an insult) was also intentional, so as to illuminate just how PAINFULLY UNQUALIFIED THIS PERSON IS. Serving on a school board, ANY school board (not just that of Kansas) is NOT a legitimate bullet point on a CV for Vice President of the Unite States. Do you really think that serving on a school board, coupled with short stints and mayor and governor of fantastically low-population areas compares to serving as an Illinois state senator (from Chicago, not from Rockland or Peoria) and as a US senator from Illinois? You’re going to complain about the “city manager” comment and then turn around and call Obama a “community agitator”. That’s not reasonable, rational, fair, or convincing.

Chain Gang BBQ said...

I view liberal democrats the same as anarchists. Both serve a purpose to destroy our country in their own "special" ways.

If you are upset, Dan, by the use of community agitator, then don't blame me. The phrase, if you will was pinned by the guy who invented community organizing, Saul Alinsky.

You come to Barack's defense on many points raised, but you never deny he's a Socialist. And I call him Barackmadinejad because he will sit down with yet another terrorist without preconditions.
I feel the dignity of the office of President of the United States is far, far above sitting down with him or the likes of Hugo Chavez.

You cited an apparent lack of education, I guess on my part. That is another tactic used by the left. If you are on the right, somehow you are dismissed as stupid. Perhaps it's because we don't share your views, I don't know. The left did it to Bush and they're doing it to Palin. And if you'll answer your self honestly, you'll agree.

And, no I do not feel Obama is experienced enough to be president. He just doesn't have it. Zip, zero, nadda. I feel he's best suited to remain in the US Senate where 99 other people can show him where's misguided on almost every issue.

Sky Girl said...

You, American Patriot, are one of those wingnut types who scare the bejeezus out of me. Seriously.

Anonymous said...

Ampat, when are you going to chastise your candidate for associating with a known and convicted terrorist, namely G. G. Liddy? See here.

Liddy called for the murder of federal agents, served time in jail, plotted murder - and after that, John McCain applauded him and took his money.

Oh, and speaking of William Ayers, will you condemn McCain for associating with him, too?

JohnMcCain.com notes that Leonore Annenberg, widow of ambassador and philanthropist Walter Annenberg, is endorsing McCain. Former Weather Underground radical William Ayers has served on the Annenberg Foundation charity board.

McCain . . . Annenberg . . . Ayers . . . Is McCain palling around with terrorists again?

How about his collaborating with the North Vietnamese? See here.

Sarah Palin is not running for president. It's irrelevant to compare Palin's and Obama's work experience. What "executive" or "management" experience does McCain have? Has he ever been mayor? Governor? Even a Community Organizer?

Guess he isn't experienced enough to be president, according to your own standards.

Perhaps YOU should move to Alaska, or back to Canada?

AlV said...

Love the snark here.

harold D said...

Let's make this simple and to the point. Regardless of whether the photo was taken at the BassPro Palen ralley, or not...
If you were to round up 20 (American) Neo-Nazis... or skinheads, or uber religious nutjobs... or whatever, and asked them which of the two major political parties best represents their world view, I would be willing to bet that 100% of them would say the Republican Party. It's no mystery... it's just the way it is. Now, that's not to say that all Republicans are just a goose-step away from becoming a Nazi, but the GOP seems to be very attractive to them.

Jason said...

Does anyone know the person in the jacket?

Does anyone know if the person wearing the jacket did so because they're a far-left partisan that wants to brand Republicans as Nazis and knows showing up at the event in that jacket would almost guarantee people posting pictures like the one we see?

There is too much not known about the person in that jacket to make any conclusions about their purpose. No one...especially not the partisans posting in this thread...can say the purpose behind the person in the jacket.

Anonymous said...

“American Patriot” claims “liberal democrats the same as anarchists. Both serve a purpose to destroy our country in their own ‘special’ ways.”

For starters, I strongly disagree. I don’t think either group, regardless of my opinion of anarchists, “destroy” our country, nor do I see any significant similarity between them other than the fact that you have decided you don’t like them. Provide proof and evidence or abandon your statement. Does holding a view significantly different from your automatically make somebody’s purpose the destruction of this country? That’s what it sounds like, so I invite you to cite an example to the contrary.

I’m not “upset” by the use of the term “community agitator”, I merely point out that it is inaccurate and used entirely for rhetorical convenience—much as I pointed out how calling Palin a “city manager” was used much the same way.

“You come to Barack's defense… but you never deny he's a Socialist.” And where was this point brought up before now? Never. Your criticism of my comments is, as it stands, that I didn’t deny that he is something that hasn’t even been mentioned. You haven’t denied that McCain is The Mummy, either.

Be honest, you called him “Barackmadinejad” not because, as you inaccurately claim “will sit down with yet another terrorist without preconditions.” For starters, you imply that he has done this before when he clearly has not. No, the truth, if you’re honest, is that you want to associate him with Islam, Arabs and terrorists. If your point were really that you had an issue with his supposed policy of “[sitting] down with yet another terrorist” you might have called him Chamberlain, or even Carter. But you didn’t. You specifically chose to try to associate him with groups that are currently at odds (if not war) with the US in an attempt to cast him as something that he clearly is not. *I* call foul, even if you do not.

You “feel the dignity of the office of President of the United States is far, far above sitting down with him or the likes of Hugo Chavez.” I disagree. I think the office of the President of the United States is not “above” sitting down with any other head of state if it is in the best interest of the people of the United States. The people, not the corporations, of the United States should be the President’s first, last, and only concern. I say that this “above” attitude is not only inappropriate, it is harmful and counterproductive. The president of the United States “sat down” with Josef Stalin, I think he can have a talk with Chavez.

You claim that I “cited an apparent lack of education”. Really? I did? When? I had to go back and closely read my previous, post. Oh, I see: *After* the part where I agreed with you about the questionable veracity of the photo, *after* the part where I criticized other liberals and democrats, *after* the part where I denounced Marxism, and *after* the part where I pointed out that your lack of understanding between anarchism and democracy was a hindrance to intelligent discourse, you claim that I assume you’re uneducated. Well, *yes* you YOURSELF said you didn’t know the difference between two VASTLY different political ideals. It is not reasonable to claim you know nothing about a subject and then attack somebody for pointing out your lack of knowledge. Call it what you will, I’m saying that if you want to complain about somebody’s views, you should actually have some clue what they are. And, yes, that might involve learning. I think Marxism is a really bad idea. Rather than denounce it like a mindless idiot, I learned about it and now I can speak to its many faults with at least a minimum of intelligence. So, yes, I called you out on your apparent and self-admitted lack of education on the difference between anarchists and democrats. If you held education, knowledge, intelligence, common sense, or rationality in any regard, you would have admitted that this was a major fault in your logic. You did not. Instead you resorted to the Fox News tactic of claiming that I and all democrats think that anybody right of Nader is a moron and that it just plain, flat out not true. Don’t think that I missed the irony of you dismissing all liberals by claiming that they all dismiss anybody on the right.

So, in short, you feel that Obama, having been a US senator, having served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has somehow avoided gaining any experience whatsoever. He has, in your vision of things, been hiding away, perhaps in Dick Cheney’s undisclosed location, actively avoiding any experience or even learning anything about the US government to such an improbable degree that even the 5 (possibly more, I might be misremembering) senators who were elected two years AFTER him can show him the ropes. This seems highly unlikely. Moreover, you seem to feel that, in contrast, Sarah Palin, who has not served any role in the federal government is a perfectly good choice as vice president for the oldest presidential candidate ever. If Obama unqualified, Palin is dangerously unqualified.

(For the record, the majority of American Neo-Nazis and the like would pick the GOP only if they HAD to pick between the two main parties. They aren't too fond of the republican party, what with it's inclusion of people like Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, and many, many more.)

Anonymous said...

We all know there are decent people in both camps, and there are some real ass wipes in both camps. Here's an example of the ass wipe kind at the Palin rally.
The following is taken from an E-mail from a Starbucks employee who's team was delivering free coffee to rally organizers before Palin spoke....

The manager of the Starbucks and her team took coffee out to the people and were not welcomed but verbally accosted by the republican supporters. She was told that since they were with Starbucks that they were "obviously Obama supporters and therefore in league with terrorists and baby killers"! When asked how she was going to vote in the election, one of the younger baristas stated that her decision was her own. The republican demonstrator then responed that "You must be a democrat and afraid to express yourself!" She was then told that Obama was a terrorist, a baby killer, the "N" word and that she was just the same!" They quickly removed themselves for sheer fear of what might happen. They were just giving out free coffee for God's sake!!!!

Chain Gang BBQ said...

Dan, I feel the difference is in the definition of “destroy.” When I listen to liberal Democrats, I see destruction in their policies. I see the country veering off of the path of what was intended by the framers; the overall path.

When I hear Barack Obama talk about wealth redistribution I hear this country veering off the path. The framers, in my humble opinion, did not see the job of the government to make sure that its citizenry was provided for except for the basics. Clearly Obama believes in redistribution because it is written about in at least one of his autobiographies, said so to Joe-the-plumber and was evidenced again today with the release of a 2001 radio interview. Obama thought it was a mistake for the Supreme Court not to venture into the redistribution of wealth as it pertained to the court and it’s dealings with the civil rights movement.

The other area I have problems with is the Democrat philosophy in the so-called “Fairness Doctrine.” Rumor is Obama does not favor it, but he also favored accepting public campaign financing. Democrats who recently said they would push for the return of the doctrine are Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Dick Durbin, John Kerry, Diane Feinstein and New Mexico Senator Jeff Bingaman. Article One of the Constitution allows Liberal viewpoints to be heard already, look at Air America as case in point. Now, the question is whether the free marketplace wants to listen to it, but you and the liberals already have that right. The Fairness Doctrine, in my uneducated opinion is unconstitutional and would open such a Pandora’s box for Broadcasters; the conservative talk radio voice would be silenced, which is the whole point.

Another area I have a real problem with is the move afoot for the government to move in and seize your privately held 401(k) plan. Don’t laugh. It is already under consideration if Obama wins the White House, reaches a 60-seat filibuster proof Senate and captures more House seats. California Congressman George Miller has suggested that the government might begin by eliminating the tax-deductible contribution to your 401(k). That would be a tax increase. A professor of Economic Policy for the New School for Social Research has recommended that your 401(k) should become the property of the Social Security Administration. The SSA will guarantee you a 3% return a year and when you retire, you’ll get your 401(k) payment on top of your regular SS payment. If you die, you can’t pass more than half of your 401(k) balance on to heirs, unless his name is Uncle Sam. Democrats won’t allow a portion of your SS benefits to be invested elsewhere, but it’s OK if they, meaning liberals, steal your whole 401(k)? And in case you’re wondering. Out of kindness I suppose, the feds will allow your 401(k) to be restored in value to pre-meltdown balances. It’s like calling ServPro, “It’s like it never even happened.”

With Obama sitting down with another terrorist, come on Dan he already has. I know Bill Ayres means nothing to the liberals just like the American flag is simply a symbol, but to many Americans, Bill Ayres is a big deal. As for Franklin Roosevelt sitting down with Josef Stalin, if you’ll recall, during World War II, Russia was an ally as was Great Brittan, France and so on. We will never know if Stalin would have threatened to wipe Israel off the map because it didn’t exist during World War II. It’s future countrymen were being shot, gassed, hanged and starved to death in German concentration camps. You raised the name of Jimmy Carter. Even he didn’t ask to meet with the Iranians when they had American hostages for over 400 days. I just happen to think the office of President of the United States is a little more important than to sit down with tyrants and thugs. If anything, I guess I’m guilty of being overly patriotic.

I wasn’t quoting or taking a talking point from Fox News on the way conservatives are treated by the left. Review the posts on this site. I’ve been called a wing nut, uneducated, a failure, a fraud and more. The left still demonizes Bush – all one has to do is visit The Huffington Post or The Daily Kos – and what about the effigy of Sarah Palin being hung from a home in California. Can you even imagine if that was the home of a conservative with an effigy of Barack Obama being hung? Hells bells, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Dr. Lamont Hill and the entire mainstream media would be ALL over that poor SOB. They’d be called racist and the ACLU would be in court in less than 12 hours filing suit against them. But, since it’s a liberal – hey, it’s just in fun!

As a younger guy, I respected the Democrat party – I voted for Carter – but this is not the same Democrat Party as it used to be. People work damned hard for their money and I don’t think its right for the government – Federal, State or Local – to keep demanding more and more of what I earn. Some people, like Joe Biden, feel it is patriotic to pay more; I do not. I’m from a time in this country when you could ride your bike down the street without having to wear a government rated helmet, knee and elbow pads. You could get in the car and drive across town without fear of being pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt. You could add onto your house without paying egregious fees for this permit and that permit. You could smoke a cigarette anywhere without some twit jumping your case. And if you’re a younger individual that didn’t experience these types of freedoms, as well as others, well you don’t have a full understanding because they were never taken away from you.

I’m an American that sees what was and could be again. We just see things differently.

But as your candidate said today, all Americans should drop the divisions and come together. We’ll see by future postings whether this is even possible.

Anonymous said...

The USA is moving left, get used to it. And relax the long nightmare of 1994 is over...

Anonymous said...

Nazis at the rally? Doesn't suprise me a bit. There's a video clip of a Palin rally today where someone in the mob clearly yells in reference to Obama, "he's a nigger". Palin pauses at that moment. She heard something but she didn't respond to it. Even if she didn't hear the racial hate language, and I suspect she did because it was loud, we know that she incites people at her rallies and she has demonstrated that it is very purposeful.

Good posts, Dan.

nsm88_cyn said...

I really wish this site was advertised better and I would have found this article and picture a long time ago. Oh well....I just wanted to say that not only was that jacket there but there were at least 4 others. How do I know this, well, because I was wearing one of those jackets and handing out anti-Obama literature. We were not there in support of Palin or against Palin. We just wanted to see what she had to say. Curiosity about the other parties. We all voted for the National Socialist candidate. By the way, Obama is a Marxist Socialist....we are National Socialists. There is a big difference!