Questions remain on Palin vetting
Published Saturday, September 6, 2008
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Stumble It!ANCHORAGE -- John McCain's presidential campaign did not speak with the Alaska House speaker and other leading Republicans before McCain tapped Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.
The low-profile vetting allowed McCain to spring Palin onto the national scene uncolored by media scrutiny. But it has left the campaign open to criticism that McCain did not fully explore her qualifications.
"I haven't heard of anybody being contacted, not that that's bad," said John Harris, speaker of the state House of Representatives. "I just haven't heard of anybody."
The subject is now closed, said McCain campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds.
"Gov. Palin was fully vetted as previously described and we are no longer commenting on the vetting process," Bounds said Friday. "She was selected, is qualified and is ready to serve."
Attorney Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr. led the review and told The Associated Press earlier this week that Palin underwent a "full and complete" examination.
But Harris, state Senate president Lyda Green and GOP chairman Randy Ruedrich said no one called them in advance to talk about the governor.
"I've not heard of one person who was talked to," said Green, who lives in Palin's hometown of Wasilla and has feuded with the governor.
Palin also has had a rocky relationship with Ruedrich, whom she tried to oust as party chairman.
It was the same story at one of Palin's previous elected offices. Mary Bixby, executive assistant to Wasilla Mayor Dianne Keller, said no one contacted the office for information about Palin before her selection. Since the announcement, the only attention had been from reporters.
"Nobody has been here," Bixby said.
Culvahouse said Palin's review, like others, began with two dozen people sifting through information from public sources: speeches, financial records, tax information, litigation, investigations, ethical charges, marriages and divorces.
For Palin, the team studied online archives of the state's largest newspapers, including the Anchorage Daily News.
Palin answered a personal data questionnaire with 70 "very intrusive" questions, Culvahouse said, and was asked to submit years of tax returns. Culvahouse conducted a lengthy interview.
"They obviously felt like they did enough research and were comfortable," Harris said.
Henry Brady, professor of political science and public policy at the University of California, Berkeley, said Friday that campaigns should be more diligent about examining the record and background of lesser-known candidates than well-known ones.
"Any sensible due diligence would include not just looking at the public record, not just looking at the newspaper, but also talking to people," he said.
When Democrat Walter Mondale picked Geraldine Ferraro in 1984, she was not fully vetted, Brady said. Questions about her husband's financial holdings and tax returns became a central issue in that election, won in a landslide by Ronald Reagan.
Since the Palin announcement, snippets of potentially damaging information have dribbled out - Todd Palin's youthful intoxicated driving conviction, the pregnancy of the Palin's unmarried daughter, Palin's lack of international traveling, reality vs. hype on her effectiveness as a governor.
"The question is whether all these other little shortcomings are going to accumulate into a not-such-a-great picture," Brady said.
The process does, however, reflect on McCain's decision making. McCain wrapped up the GOP nomination in March, giving him plenty of time to investigate potential running mates.
"You've got months to make this decision," Brady said.
He called it astonishing that with so many unknowns about Palin, more was not done. Brady said he suspects McCain did not seriously consider Palin until just before he picked her.
Still, he said, "This is one where there was time to do it right."
In the end, it may not matter, Brady said.
"She's worked out pretty well," he said of Palin. "She gave a heck of a speech."
Community Discussion
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Someone with a history of trying to get rid of people who don't agree with their way of thinking sure would be my choice....NOT! So many rumors fly when facts are kept under wraps until leaked out...then backstroking to try to make it go away. What happened to the HONESTY IN OFFICE pledge? It's been just one thing after another. We need to clean house in all politics.
The only vetting they should have done with Harris, Green, Ruedrick is to take them to a vet for distemper shots.
Who really cares-lets move on, a winning ticket ????
Does anyone really think that the "staff" at the DNM would pass up any type of shot at Governor Palin?
Stan - u are right....
This vetting issue is ridiculous - - - this is all they can find?
The only vetting she needs is that she meets the qualifications and McCain chose her
Ok Newsminer, obviously you lack good subject lines. Here's somethings I'd actually like to know.
If McCain and Palin win, does Parnell take over? What if Parnell wins too?
If Palin and Parnell move up, and Palin has any discretion over who takes their places, has she been investigating her options? Has our legislature? Who are they considering?
I know, the names given, will just be subject to the on going witch hunts, but better to know now, and have time to look at people, than to wait till the last minute.
While Palin's attention is distracted on the presidency, is there anything she should be doing here, that isn't being done? If so, has anyone asked who is covering these tasks? (with Palin and Parnell both working on political advancement.)
Lastly, If Palin moves up, and potentially on to be the first woman president, would she ever consider returning to Alaska when her terms are up?
If you need any more subjects for stories, feel free to ask us. I'm sure we can help you grow back into an actual unbiased, investigative news reporting agency.
I notice the Religious Idiots turn out to be the ones using their religion as a crutch to stay off drugs and alcohol and are the ones to impose their draconian ideas on ordinary people. Hide behind their Jesus Christ while telling others what and how to do things.
How many Alaska Natives are going to vote for Palin just because she's a woman, without realizing that she'll just pursue more of King Pinocchio(Pathological Liar and Pathological Failure) and Shotgun Cheney's(Shotgunned his buddy while intoxicated) failed policies.
Together McBush and McPalin will complete the Neo Cons Gutting, Usurping, and Crapping on the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights.
The Religious Idiots have kept these Treasonous Scumbags in office via a series of wedge issues the Neo Cons who are yanking King Pinocchios(The Uniter) puppet strings have thrown to them.
Who will pay the up to 53-54 trillion American Taxpayer dollars in deficits foisted on us by the Neo Con led Republican Party? Certainly not the Neo Con Parasites, Republican Mushrooms who are kept in the dark and fed feces by the Neo Con owned News Media Conglomerates.. Or the Religious Idiots!!
Sarah Palin is Not Ready for Prime Time.
She's not qualified to be Vice-President, period; no way, no how, not even close.
If you believe she's ready to be Vice-President, then I have some oceanfront property in Topeka which I'm selling cheap and would be glad to sell you.
John McCain and his campaign should not have put her on the ticket. They did not thoroughly vet her enough and that is coming to light.
The only reason he put her on the ticket is because a) she's a woman and b) he needed a Hail Mary pass to salvage his flagging campaign.
His decision to put her on his ticket with such little checking into her background calls his judgment into serious question.
I think the McCain folks did a heck of a job doing their vetting with out talking to a bunch of folks who could not have kept their mouth shut and had nothing important to offer anyway....get over it folks...she has the job and we will all learn if she is up to it, not only over the next 60 days but over the next 8 years....and then we may all get to watch her become the first female President of the US.
Righ now, I am like Mathew...who is watching the store in Alaska...we have a lot of things going on and a bunch more things that need to get started...
FbxCycler -
Nice first post - do you guys actually continue to post under the same name or do you re-register after each post?
Oh - and where are you really from...
Palin and Parnell gone? How about Frank Turney for gov?
Someone noted they wanted honesty in office. I think you want to vote for McCain then. That's the one area the press or the opponents don't seem to be able to solidly nail him on. Prior to this election, nobody questioned McCain's integrity or honesty. So the man has always been going to have my vote. If I had to hazard a guess, I would bet that is why McCain picked Palin as well as the politically obvious reasons. If you ever truly listened to Palin speak, at many of the different functions around Alaska, you would realize, politics or not, she has what it takes to command.
Hi Matthew,
Thanks for the comment. Just wanted to let you know we put together the "Who would be in charge?" story the day that the VP announcement was made. It was published Aug. 29. Here's the link:
http://newsminer.com/news/2008/aug/29/if...
Rod Boyce
"If McCain and Palin win, does Parnell take over? What if Parnell wins too?"
In keeping with Alaskan republican politics, Palin would appoint Bristol or Piper for the governorship.
Sarah Palin Sucks!!! I do NOT trust her, to much confussion already! I think she is lame for focusing more on being in ANY part of government when she is obviously NEEDED at home. Come on - a baby under a year at home with health issues... a 17 year old with a baby bump ALREADY in life. She is proud to be viewed as a "pit bull" - yeah now that's a classy broad! I think she should put family first, yeah she has a husband, but I am sure he could use her help teaching their children about the birds and the bees, about condoms, etc.... And yes, everyone makes mistakes, but when you put yourself in the spot light you open yourself & your children to public comment. What I also dislike about her - is her shadyness, she thinks it's not ok for the media to shine a light on her daughter / pregnancy issue, but it's perfectly fine and patriotic for her to toot her own horn when it comes to her good son who is off to fight for us! That is a game.
I do not like her speeches, her voice is more bitter driven than heart driven. We need change, not more drama!
I am a young woman who would never vote for McCain anyway - but he totally sealed the deal for me and others I know. I believe in woman and that we can do ANYTHING, but I also believe you should put FAMILY FIRST - not country! Leave that job for the people who are ready, willing, and able to do what needs to be done. I am sure there will be plenty of great woman to come who ARE qualified for this job in the future - but Sarah is NOT that cat!
And one more thing - that poor kid Levi who is now pretty much forced to marry into the Palin crew... bet he didn;t see that trap coming. I don't doubt his love for the mom to be...but I can promise in this day and age, those young kids probably don't stand a chance for survival ....marriage is hard, and should not be entered untill you are truly ready. Does anyone really think they are ready?
Forced marriage I agree, is that a scheme the republicans came up with so it will be more legit?
So wonder who vented Obama? With all the baggage he has carried around his pick of Bidden and all his family problems, and past issues that caused his 88 presidential run to cease it looks like the media is looking only in one (republican) direction. No wonder most of the major newspapers are loosing money these days. I heard several folks in Safeway this morning saying that they are no longer buying the newsminer due to their obvious bias against Sarah. Won’t be long before the DNM starts laying off folks due to fewer folks buying it.
No doubt about it! If we all think they are about to be happily wed. we will better except the issue of teenage pregnancy. Games! But the sad thing is - these kids are real people..... they are in the long run, the ones who get hurt by the over exposure. I would never do that to my kids if I had any.
Republicans - most of them, are pretty corrupt. Full of scams, and ugly marketing tools. I worked for a republican senator before running for re-election.... (I worked for a small business he owned - not for the republican party!!!!!!!!!!) - scams left & right! Lies left and right - I will NEVER trust republicans.... not even the females! They seem to me to be a little less human than the rest of us.
MatthewErickson......you have not been paying attention. Your questions of succession have already been covered in a News-Miner article....8/30. They are way ahead of you.
cancergirl- first I would like to say you are also obviously a "classy broad" yourself. Next~
"Come on - a baby under a year at home with health issues... a 17 year old with a baby bump ALREADY in life. She is proud to be viewed as a "pit bull" - yeah now that's a classy broad!"
You have NO IDEA what type of health issues Trig might have- Down's Sydrome can be mild to severe, and problems he may or may not have are unknown to us. The Palin family has a child to take care of and you can bet they will take care of him. Not only that who says the mom is the only one to take care of kids? Who says dad can't do it if she is in the position.
A baby bump ALREADY in life? Guess what, that's not what we want for our kids, but it sure as heck does not disqualify Ms. Palin in any way. What kind of mother would ever say "honey, I WAS going to accept the nomination, but you tainted the family name soooo badly that I just knew I would never make it- so I declined." Yeah buddy, I would absolutely love my kid to know I passed up a life opportunity and it was "all her fault". NOT! Whatever, how immature can you people be to even suggest that since things have happened that were unplanned and will change the course of that young girls life that it should also hamper her mother forever as well!
You know what else? The whole pit bull thing was a joke- not an I AM a pit bull. But so what? Right now I am viewing a lot of posters on this board as something much "yuckier" than a pit bull. Oh, BTW I have a pit bull- best dog in the world, kind, loving and gentle. But let me say, a dog came in my yard once and growled at my pit, and my pit got hold of that dog's ear and drug him home by it, dropped him off in his garage. Yup, loving, gentle, kind, AND protective? What are wrong with those qualities- whether in a person or a dog? Better than some qualities I am seeing out of some of the posters on DNM.
"I believe in woman and that we can do ANYTHING, but I also believe you should put FAMILY FIRST"
Just because you think she is not putting her family first does not mean anything. YOU do not get to see what goes on in the dynamics of that family. YOU do not know if the family agreed they were in or not in on this. YOU do not know if Todd decided he could be a "house daddy" or what plans they may have made. A true family would probably want their family member to do what is good for them, but like I said none of us have any idea what goes on in their home, and it is not cool to judge and sling trash around just because it is what WE think our standards are.
There is alot more to the newspaper than political stories. If people want to stop supporting a local business by not buying the newspaper anymore due to politics... they are shallow! - They might want to stop watching television and going on-line as well!
cancergirl-
And one more thing, that poor kid Levi decided to have a relationship with Bristol all on his own. They decided to do what they did all on their own. The behavior they chose has consequences- that they have to face. That does not mean that they HAVE to marry- bet no one is forcing them to either. You are pretty ridiculous to make such a promise that they will never make it when you do not even know them. Marriage is hard, but for those who are willing to work at it, and not be so flippant to fall in and out of love rather than being committed to staying in love, and making a happy family it is worth it. I dare say that many folks who got married were not "truly ready". I knew my husband (of 19 years now) for 2 months, and was 18 when we married. I probably was not ready, had a lot of growing I could have done. But here we are 19 years and three kids later, still married.
You are pretty negative as well as judgemental- not sure I would want to be your friend, or for that matter aquaintance.
Looks who's calling people shallow.....
well grover - that's the beautiful thing about america.... I am free to have and express my opinion.... and you are as well!
Also - I don't doubt fathers at all - I am very involved in something called fathers for rights... and know some super dads. Dad's Rock! Pit Bulls Rock! - the actual dogs I mean - but I have met a few wild ones.
Peace.
chief asked "who vented Obama?" Theirs been plenty of venting at Obama, chief.....mostly from the likes of the druggie (can't remember his name) radio host and his ilk. Or did you mean to say "vetted"? If so, Obama has been vetted, by the media, probably more than any other candidate in history.
chief also said "Bidden and all his family problems".......tell us about his family problems, chief.....inquiring minds want to know!
.....and "Won’t be long before the DNM starts laying off folks due to fewer folks buying it." Don't count on it! I'd be willing to bet that the readership and sales are UP significantly since the announcement.
Pit bull, Barracuda with lip stick, whatever you want to call her, she stabbed some of her fellow GOP's in the back, AFTER the FBI started handing out the indictments. These must be the "powerful enemies" she once referred to. She used to suck up to Stevens and Young for earmarks in Wasilla until they were of no use to her any longer after the FBI raids. I will hand it to her, she is a bit ruthless, not the BS of a "servants heart" but more of an opportunistic serpent who claimed she cleaned house in AK. What total crap!
I agree with one thing - I am negative today. I am in the process of being treated for cancer - that taints my good spirits some days, sorry. But I am also negative because I am sick of my brother being sent to Iraq and coming home sick and worn out and in doubt of his own future because of the war. I am sick of... well - I am sick of all of allot going on right now in our country. And I seek change - I am affraid we won't get it from Sarah Palin and John McCain - irreguardless to their family lives. Sorry to have ruffeled your feathers. - I Gotta go - off to have dinner with friends and my husband of 15 years. ~:)
cancergirl, good for you admitting that your posts are tainted because you are in a negative mood. We all have those days, I have been going through cancer for 15 years and yes it gets flipping old, but having a positive attitude is everything in dealing with illness.
This story, how the Legislature wasn't contacted before McCain picked Sarah is laughable. He didn't have to contact anyone he didn't want to. I don't get everyone's opinion when I make a decision. He made his decision after meeting her, learning about her and that's the size of it. This story wasn't worthy of printing. Come on News Miner, I know there are more stories out there that are NEWS!! I am starting to wonder what is behind the News Miner, your focus is pretty slanted and you don't make any pretense about it.
Would a sound mother let her 17 year old daughter marry, even if it was her choice? Atleast wait a year or so
cancergirl-
Was not so much on you as all the posters that purport to know it all.
Man, we all have rough days- I am glad you have enough ATTITUDE to fight it out!
I get sick of these men coming home hurt (mentally and physically) as well. Part of it I am afraid is that they are not REALLY being allowed to get in there, fight, and finish it out. Their hands have been tied over there- thanks much to our leaders.
Hope you have a great dinner! You're right- good thing we can both speak our minds.
peace out x2. ;~}
akgg- uhhhh she won't be 17 forever, and no one said Ms. Palin is "letting" them get married tomorrow... Sometimes the best thing a mom can do when children are that age is let them make a choice. Pushing them one way or another with life things that big generally cause the exact opposite behavior a parent is looking for.
We will not get change from McPalin, that is for sure. And, if Palin ends up in the presidential seat - it will be worse than Bush, if that is possible. Bush at least kept Colin Powell around for 4 years even though Powell disagreed with Bush's approach to international policy and especially the Iraq debacle. Palin doesn't keep anyone around who disagrees with her for more than 5 minutes. She's a shallow attention-seeker. Thanks to senile, knee-jerk McCain she's finally getting all the attention she has craved her entire life! And, I agree with cancergirl, Palin is willing to put her family in the public spectacle to serve her own interests, regardless of the effect on those children.
McCain really blew it on this selection but it really clarifies the fact that he will make numerous knee-jerk decisions if elected rather than carefully thinking things through. We need someone with a brain who surrounds himself with people of diverse perspectives to ably solve the complex and important issues we face in this country and world. We need Obama.
Cancergirl, I pray that the Lord will lay his loving, healing hands on you and take the cancer from you.
Cancergirl...Have another drink..reality will come later
Amazing that the Marxists are coming here to put forth the narrow minded Marxist viewpoints of their Messiah, Barack Hussein Obama. They have a low opinion of many of us, for example, in an earlier post the following appears:
- - - - -
“How many Alaska Natives are going to vote for Palin just because she's a woman, without realizing that she'll just pursue more of King Pinocchio(Pathological Liar and Pathological Failure) and Shotgun Cheney's(Shotgunned his buddy while intoxicated) failed policies.”
- - - - -
Some folks have a very low opinion of Alaska Natives. Why should an Alaska Native be so stupid as to vote for Sarah Louise Palin just because she is female? I have never known Alaskan Natives to be so ignorant and so one dimensional as that. Obviously some people have a low opinion of the Alaska Natives must similarly hold a low opinion of those of us who are not (*SARCASM*) “SMART ENOUGH TO BE MARXISTS LIKE THEM”.
Not to keep their contempt solely directed to the Alaska Native, the self anointed LUMINARIES, the Barack Hussein Obama Marxist theology supports also cast stones at the rest of us here in what they derisively call “FLY OVER COUNTRY”. Here is one of the statements where we who are not taking the garbage of “THE BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA” as gospel are being called “MUSHROOMS”... or “Religious Idiots”:
- - - - -
“Certainly not the Neo Con Parasites, Republican Mushrooms who are kept in the dark and fed feces by the Neo Con owned News Media Conglomerates.. Or the Religious Idiots!!
- - - - -
I was going to address the cancergirl, but you did a good job grover_alaska. I need not waste the bandwidth.
- - - - -
Bottom line is that the selection of Sarah Louise Palin by John Sydney McCain was a masterstroke of genius. That decision alone have shown those of us who were choosing John Sydney McCain as the lesser of two evils that we were WRONG. John Sydney McCain is a wise man who loves America and will seek to serve America and Americans, political parties notwithstanding. Sarah Louise Palin is the PERFECT Vice Presidential candidate.
Andrew Briseno...Come on up here....Your turn to buy
Well, I gotta say I wouldn't be thrilled with Parnell as gov.
I was bummed when he won the Lt. Gov. spot. Can't remember what it was, but I remember being pretty unimpressed with his legislative performance.
I don't think he has governor qualities.
Bummer #2:
Now we are all going to be forever subjected to another annoying, politically/media abused jargon term: "vetting."
Bet it makes its way further into the lexicon of the bureaucratic world. I can hear it now:
Vetting for superintendent; vetting for chancellor(s...how many are there now?); vetting for...
Sorry to hear of your battle against cancer, cancergirl. Hope you beat it!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/dis...
Another article where the reporter did not get it right. And Dan should know better.
Sarah saw illegal conduct by Ruedrich on the AOGCC. She blew the whistle, and Ruedrich lost his job and received the biggest fine in Alaska's history- One of the criminal acts he did was to give classified information to the oil industry for money.
Ruedrich is a traitor.
There is no reason a vetting team would contact a dirtbag like Ruedrich. As for the others- they are just politicians with no distinction. And Green hates Sarah. If she heard Sarah might be running for VP, she could not be trusted to keep that info secret. Hell, one of them already leaked to Halcro- another Plain hater- that they had not been contacted to gin up another negative story.
Oh DT-
I bookmarked that to follow later after the first couple pages.
I'm with ya, but w/o lots of live bodies or a really rich and wild SOB, it'll never happen.
Are you back? When's that beer? Where's Copper River?
Valid points are valid points. I am up there more than you know JayT; an irrelevant comment.... pft.
It never ceases to show the empty arguments of the the Barack Hussein Obama Chicago political muck raking operatives as their continual allegations that their point of view is the only valid one. That is the typical hard work of the Barack Hussein Obama operatives who seek to portray themselves as being the only ones who deserve to have their stilted viewpoint of Tax the income producers and give handouts to a new group of people so that they, the Democrat Political "Patronage System" can continue. Pretty funny really.
What is most clear is that John Sydney McCain actually did a MASTERFUL JOB of vetting Sarah Louise Palin. I have spoken to folks in the various Courthouses that I go to throughout the week and to the folks in Church; Both groups think that John Sydney McCain did a fabulous job in selecting Sarah Louise Palin as his running mate.
The fact that the Democrat Leadership recognizes this simple TRUTH is why the Democrat favoring Media is after Sarah Louise Palin like the Coyotes that they are. It sure is comical to see them scramble and inadvertently show the truth of their own basic thinking; Their brain dead attack on Sarah Louise Palin's MOTHERHOOD because the idiots could not think of any other way to try and bloody her up. At the Media did was to highlight their own SEXIST nature. PROGRESSIVES! HA!! What a sick joke. They are Marxists and Sarah Louise Palin got in their way so she became, for the Media and the Democrat Leadership, a LEGITIMATE TARGET to be taken down by any means and at any cost. They who are cheering Barack Hussein Obama call that being Progressives for "HOPE & CHANGE". What imbeciles. John Sydney McCain's Polling numbers are way up and in some polls he leads Barack Hussein Obama for the first time. It shows why the Media and the Democrat Leadership are really trying to TEAR DOWN, through sexist attacks or otherwise, Sarah Louise Palin.
Great Work Sarah!!!! Go get the folks to wake up and vote for John Sydney McCain.
Maybe the press should have taken Governor Sarah Palin's name on the VP list last spring more seriously.
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