Ace of Spades HQ

September 09, 2008

Your Daily Dose Of Anti-Palin Hysteria
— DrewM

With St. Andi taking 'a few days off' (wink, wink) the Washington Posts steps up to the plate and promptly swings and misses at three straight pitches.

The ostensible hook for the story is Palin's per diem and travel expenses, especially for her family and her trips home to Wasilla from her official residence in Juneau.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.
The governor also has charged the state for travel expenses to take her children on official out-of-town missions. And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife
...The governor's daughters and husband charged the state $43,490 to travel, and many of the trips were between their house in Wasilla and Juneau, the capital city 600 miles away, the documents show.

I guess the idea being chick governors are more expensive then dudes because they have families or something. Except they aren't. At least Palin isn't. According the Post story itself all of this is legal and oh yeah, she spent far less than her predecessors.

Gov. Palin has spent far less on her personal travel than her predecessor: $93,000 on airfare in 2007, compared with $463,000 spent the year before by her predecessor, Frank Murkowski. He traveled often in an executive jet that Palin called an extravagance during her campaign. She sold it after she was sworn into office.
"She flies coach and encourages her cabinet to fly coach as well," said Garnero, whose job is equivalent to state controller. "Some do, some don't".

So let me sum up, a governor bills the state for legal reimbursements and oh yeah spends a lot less than her predecessors on personal travel and that rates a front page story under the headline: Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home?

I'm starting to feel bad for the MSM. I mean, they are now reduced to debunking their own 'scoops' in their own stories.

Perhaps when St. Andrew returns from his ~~double-secret probation~~ few days off, he'll be able to do better.

Posted by: DrewM at 07:00 AM | Comments (44)
Post contains 391 words, total size 3 kb.

Was there ever a story riper for political jujitsu? McCain needs an ad out on the web NLT today stating that a WaPo investigation found that Gov. Palin "turned down thousands in per diem she could have claimed, stayed with her family by working at home when possible, and reduced the travel cost to the taxpayer by 80%".

At this point, McCain and company are somewhere between the O and the D in Obama's OODA loop.

Posted by: David at September 09, 2008 07:03 AM (Hj9yW)

2 Who is Obama's veep pick again? Anybody? Bueller?

Posted by: Dreagon at September 09, 2008 07:04 AM (wk5RZ)

3 "Perhaps when St. Andrew returns from his double-secret probation few days to get off, he'll be able to do better."

Fixed, sort of.

Posted by: Andrew Sullivan at September 09, 2008 07:05 AM (UUwxQ)

I see the Post needs some lessons in Flung Poo. You are supposed to let go.

Posted by: Javems at September 09, 2008 07:07 AM (hq71Y)

5 Careful - that big old spotlight you're shining around is going to singe the ears off of that young, clean, articulate guy standing over there.

Posted by: roy at September 09, 2008 07:13 AM (cB77O)

6 Palin heated residence used for her own children using state funds. No, really.

Posted by: Potosi Joel at September 09, 2008 07:14 AM (TPRbZ)

7 I expect Obama's Butt-boy will be gone for longer than a few days. It will take a while to get an object the size of his swelled head out of any rectum, even one as well-worn as his.

Posted by: Evil Old Rich White Guy at September 09, 2008 07:18 AM (Tcw2v)

8 I told the Post to just shut the hell up. I charge more expenses than that to travel around my House District.

Posted by: Charlie Rangel at September 09, 2008 07:18 AM (Q1lie)

9 Palin heated residence used for her own children using state funds.
No, really.

And she used other people's children to do it!

RethugliKKKan!

Posted by: Sean Bannion at September 09, 2008 07:18 AM (epqk/)

10 #1 They should incorporate this into her stump speech.

Posted by: JB at September 09, 2008 07:18 AM (qxc7J)

11 Hell, I got more breaks on my mortgage than that!

Posted by: Angelo's Friend Chris Dodd at September 09, 2008 07:20 AM (epqk/)

12 Dear Ace, Drew, et al.,

I've taken a few days off so I can rest my power gluts - you know, those hunks of man-flesh that you and others dream of having. With the body of journalistic excellence that I have put out lately, well, I just need some rest from all of the research I've done on that LYING BYTCH SARAH PALIN. I KNOW THAT SHE IS HIDING SOMETHING FROM HER SORDID, HEDONISTIC PAST THAT WE IN THE MEDIA NEED TO FUCKING KNOW. WE NEED IT SO WE CAN HELP OUR MESSIAH, BARAK OBAMA, ASCEND TO THE EXHULTED THRONE OF LORD PROTECTOR OF ALL BEFORE US!

Anyway, I'll be resting in a secret bungalow with some of my other "friends", and dreaming of the day that you too, will see the light, share your throbbbing python of love with me and PLEDGE YOU UNDYING ALLEGIANCE TO THE ONE THAT IS CHOSEN.

Tootles,

"Randy" Andy Sully

Posted by: "Randy"Andy Sully at September 09, 2008 07:24 AM (FmHHv)

13 Any bets on which "journalist" will be the first to ask the pop-quiz question, "Governor, who is the head of state of [insert name of obscure country here]?"

Posted by: angler at September 09, 2008 07:25 AM (kSuu1)

14 Of course the travel expenses in Alaska are high. Remember that Juneau is on an island without any roads connecting to the mainland and the only way to get there is by air or sea. Not that it would matter anyway, the closest mainland you would have to drive most of the way through Canada.

Like most things Alaska, lower 48 logic doesn't really apply.

Posted by: John at September 09, 2008 07:28 AM (Ykb3o)

Drew, the capital of Alaska is Juneau, not Juno.

Juno was the recent movie, and before that, the goddess wife of Jupiter in Roman mythology.

Damn illiterate Rethuglicans! You only support Caribou Barbie because you aren't edjumacated!

Posted by: Log Cabin at September 09, 2008 07:29 AM (b/W64)

16 Log Cabin,

Yes it is. And for correctly identifying today's "Daily Dose of DrewM.'s Idiocy" you will receive all Ace of Spades content free this month. Thank you and enjoy!

Posted by: DrewM. at September 09, 2008 07:32 AM (hlYel)

17 I thought it was "Junooohhhhhhh". I guess that was another movie.

Posted by: Potosi Joel at September 09, 2008 07:34 AM (TPRbZ)

18 Potosi Joel,

Actually Andrew Sullivan took a break from his vacation (heh, heh) and emailed to say, "It's Jeeeewwwwwwww? No!"

Posted by: DrewM. at September 09, 2008 07:37 AM (hlYel)

19 The Deciders are so befuddled, they can't even get me worked up for a good Fisking anymore

Posted by: eddiebear at September 09, 2008 07:37 AM (wnU1W)

20 Just some nit-picking;

John at September 09, 2008 12:28 PM - Juneau is on the main land, but there still isnt any roads there (mts and glaciers in the way).

Posted by: vivictius at September 09, 2008 07:39 AM (ViRFH)

21 So, Gov. Palin spent 1/5 of what her predecessor spent.

Posted by: grc at September 09, 2008 07:40 AM (MYjln)

22 Who gives a crap? By the way, nice ass Gov.

Posted by: Turd Fergeson at September 09, 2008 07:44 AM (5ap+X)

23 Joe Biden's most recent trips spanning 6/23/04 to12/10/05

18 months, right? Hmmm....

More than $70,000.

FAIL

Posted by: Warden at September 09, 2008 07:48 AM (KXbGD)

24 Here's an idea--let's total up what Gov. Palin spent from state funds on travel and then total up what it cost US taxpayers from you know who jetting around the world on military aircraft for "official purposes." That would be fun, huh, kids?

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at September 09, 2008 07:51 AM (B+qrE)

25 Man this is nothing. Get a load of this piece of shit from Time & Michael Kinsley:

Although Palin, like McCain, talks about liberating ourselves from dependence on foreign oil, there is no evidence that being dependent on Alaskan oil would be any more pleasant to the pocketbook. Alaska is, in essence, an adjunct member of OPEC.

Alaska = OPEC? Really? Alaska is of the 57 states Asswipe! It's part of America.
The whole article practically paints Alaska as Saudi Arabia and Palin as some Sheik, with the bs meme that Alaska is wrong to charge, not tax idiot, for it's oil.
Alaska isn't taxing oil produced somewhere else, it's Alaskan oil dimwit. That isn't a windfall profit tax, it's not even a tax. It's a charge. Don't states in produce natural gas from state lands charge the companies for it? On top of any taxes?

Why is a windfall-profits tax good for Alaska but not for the U.S.? Well, it's obvious, isn't it? People in Alaska are better than people in the rest of the U.S. They're more American. Although there are small towns and farms and high school hockey teams in the lower 48, there are fewer down here, per capita, than in Alaska. And there are many more journalists and pollsters and city dwellers and other undesirables who might benefit if every American had the same right to leech off the government as do the good citizens of Sarah Palin's Alaska.

Race, sex and class warfare just isn't cutting it I guess. Now we need a war between the states too. Lord help us.

Posted by: Rocks at September 09, 2008 07:51 AM (Q1lie)

Kinsley needs to check out what some of the lower 48 do with oil revenue...well, those that drill, anyway. Hint: Google "Texas Permanent University Fund."

That was some dense willful ignorance on display there, Mikey.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at September 09, 2008 08:03 AM (B+qrE)

27 Funny... These fuckin asshole sons of bitch cunts never said word one about spend it all Deval Patrick. My 'Governor'. Where is he right now? Oh right he's in NY working on his book deal. Piece of fucking trash. Cadillac Deval we call him here. Telling us we need to tighten our belts while goes out anf buys $50K CURTAINS.

Bias? What bias? I ain't seen no bias.

You'll have to excuse the excessive cursing. This just boils my blood

Posted by: Melodic Metal at September 09, 2008 08:09 AM (JFsBJ)

28 Hey, this is off-topic, but I think Metallica has a better opinion of our soldiers than the Democrats.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=41722462

Posted by: JB at September 09, 2008 08:09 AM (qxc7J)

The nerve of that bitch. Being reimbursed for perfectly legal and justifiable expenses? I'm gob smacked.

Posted by: Old Dad at September 09, 2008 08:10 AM (JQwWt)

30 You think The Atlantic is forcing Milky Loads to take time off? I think he's just despondent.

Posted by: Daryl Herbert at September 09, 2008 08:23 AM (YvLui)

31 Makes you wonder how 312 days of per-diems works out relative to the salary of the chef for the governor's mansion she let go when she got there.

The quote of hers regarding that position in Newsweek, which she eliminated so as not to suggest to her successor governors that an official chef was needed, was classic practicality: "It's okay if they eat macaroni and cheese."

Posted by: Darren at September 09, 2008 08:46 AM (KHn2s)

32 Imagine what could be learned about Obama under this kind of relentless press scrutiny.

Posted by: Jones in CO what counsels against irrational exuberance at September 09, 2008 08:50 AM (VkNlv)

33 Son, if that's all you've got...then you ain't got shit.

Posted by: Monty at September 09, 2008 08:59 AM (4Pleu)

They have nothing on our girl. The more they flail about and pick on her, the higher her popularity goes. Meanwhile, Johnny Mac simply stays above it, looks presidential, and co-ops the "change" theme.

This is just too perfect, it could not have been planned, could it?

Rove, You magnificent....

Posted by: Log Cabin at September 09, 2008 09:13 AM (b/W64)

35 I looked at the per diem request that WaPo posts. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2008/09/09/GR2008090900280.html?sid=ST2008090900325&s_pos=list

She shows no money requested for lodging.

Posted by: Quilly Mammoth at September 09, 2008 09:14 AM (1OYfr)

36 After looking around the net, this is almost getting scary watching all of these so called writers just becoming unhinged. It reminds me of "The Running Man" where they make charges against the girl, like "she had relationships with two and sometimes three men in a year".

What is next that she dropped a candy wrapper once, or talked smack in a high school basketball game. Maybe she left a light on all night, or forgot to use her turn signal.

Posted by: Craig at September 09, 2008 09:58 AM (0nkpj)

37 What is next....?

Sarah Palin turned me into a newt!

Posted by: wiserbud at September 09, 2008 10:08 AM (IHbof)

38 I got better.

Posted by: wiserbud at September 09, 2008 10:10 AM (wWwJR)

39 I canceled my subscription to the WAPO years ago. They just went off the deep end when Bush was elected and have never been able to come back. There's simply no objectivity in their reporting anymore.
A sad demise for a paper that's now completely bat-shit insane with anti-Palin smears 24/7.

Posted by: joh at September 09, 2008 11:57 AM (1DPb/)

40 This is nothing. Nothing. There's an even bigger scandal lurking around the corner. I've got sources that tell me that Sarah Palin took money for the government to not work. Yes, that's right. She received money from the government in return for not working. Not even lifting a finger. I tell ya, "Paid Vacation-gate" is going to sink the Republican ticket.

Posted by: dorkafork at September 09, 2008 02:02 PM (kErJj)

41 How about "Unbelievably Fucking Stupid Journalist-Gate?"

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