But it can't be said that the Obama campaign wasn't aware of her as at least a possible choice.

We all knew she was a possible candidate. We had discussions about this very case like a week before she was picked. It isn't a sudden realization on anybody's party.

1.) Is extra-judicial punishment of criminals ever acceptable? If so, is there a line and where do you draw it?

2.) Is firing somebody you can legally fire, solely for failing to comply with an illegal request, ever acceptable? If so, is there a line and where do you draw it?

If your answer to both the above is "No", then whether or not the trooper was proven scum, and whether or not Palin could legally fire somebody, is all totally beside the point.

Since Beldar is an attorney, perhaps he can join the team of GOP attorneys that is racing to Alaska as we speak to do a bit more complete job of vetting than was done in the first place.

Taking rhetoric to a hyperbolic conclusion. And you called me on this tactic just recently...

While we are not quite into Eagleton territory, I would imagine that something akin to full blown panic is taking place at RNC HQ...

What would your reaction be if I said that?

My reaction would be that Bit has made yet another in a very, very long series of unsupported statements.

If it it pathetic, why do you do it so often bub?

I have seen a number postings to this effect, which I used as the basis for that comment, but not anything conclusive, so it is an open question at this point.

What would your reaction be if I said that?

Pathetic, Anjin.

I note that even though you have now produced several volumes of posts regarding Palin, you have not produced even a single sentence supporting serious charges you make against Wooten's police union.

Guess its one of those "unsupported lies"...

Eric, I see that you have engaged Beldar in a lengthy debate, including this exchange.

Thanks, Kate. I'm sure Beldar knows his legal stuff, but I still feel he's being rather myopic, burying himself in perhaps relevant details but missing the overall point: that Palin should have stayed away from Wooten, even though she may have been his "boss" in some sense, and simply been satisfied with the discipline that the departmental policies and procedures meted out (or sought redress via some other legal proces). Palin invited this controversy on herself by at a minimum appearing to act inappropriately.

Wooten may be a scumbag, but that is ultimately irrelevant to the investigation over Palin. Being a lawyer, Beldar should understand that.

You also don't understand what "prima facie case" means. Perhaps you're not a lawyer...

I am not a lawyer. Are you?

Just a friendly hint, but you might take a look at Beldar's blog and find out who, and what, he is before you go any further down that road.

Did the Palin pick surprise Barack Obama's campaign?

Yes. They believed the media for one in their lives and it turned out to be a mistake. Though the Democratic National Committee had a research folder prepared for Palin, the VP rapid response team read up on Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and Joe Biden all week. The Obama campaign was caught by surprise and scrambled to figure out the best way to respond. By the end of Friday, they seemed to have settled on a two-pronged response: Obama, Biden and the campaign would be respectful and Democratic allies would aggressively peddle research to the media, simultaneously trying to convey the impression that they respect the historic nature of the pick while doing their best to discredit Palin.

So the DNC was prepared, and the Obama campaign squandered that preparation, if this is to be believed. But it can't be said that the Obama campaign wasn't aware of her as at least a possible choice.

So, your support of her is because she's a woman?

No. but I will admit I went a lot Sully with my comment. I had just gotten of the phone with my sister. The point I was getting at is that both men and women face different problems, as well as shared problems. What is key is how they face those problems, and what the outcomes are. The women in my life are all strong, level-headed problem solvers. And so is Sarah Palin.

Trivial attacks resonate negatively because I've seen trivial, and yes, misogynist attacks upon women dear to me. And so have most Americans.

As for the police unions, I'm busy enough trying to get abreast of this issue.

No doubt. Reason I bring it up, though, is I've always figured the political attachments of all the players to be foundationally important to any investigation like this. Were it otherwise, I'd have looked at Ted Stevens as a possible source of this nonsense... retaliation for bringing the man's misdeeeds into the open as she did. Given his connections, I'd not put it past the man.

As it is, I think you'll find the GOP in Alaska, Stevens included, as in other states, wants nothing to do with the union movements.

The reality here is that Palin is cooperating fully-without subpeona. The charges have come from people with an obvious ax to grind.

And there it is, my friends.

The reality here is that Palin is cooperating fully-without subpeona. The charges have come from people with an obvious ax to grind. The guy she supposedly put pressure on says he was never asked by anyone to actually fire the guy. The only conversations Palin personally had were when she first became governor and they were discussing security details. And Anjin San whether you think she should have said anything or not, knowing that the governor has a crazy brother in law who is a cop and threatened to kill her father and destroy the governor is probably something worth discussing with the guy who heads up the security details wouldn't you think?

Time will tell whether this was a good pick or not, I still like the woman. I like what she stands for, and I think her willingness to take on corruption from her own party is exactly the direction our government needs to go. And that is part of the problem-when you take on your own party you build a lot more enemies especially in a state controlled by the corrupt portion of the party.

That fact should be considered in the midst of this investigation as well.

She is my wife... She is my sister... And I hope she is my daughter

So, your support of her is because she's a woman? Her policies are just a rationale for you and are not important for themselves? How else should I interpret this?

I'm sure this is exactly why McCain chose her.