Anchorage Daily News endorses Obama

And for good reasons:

Gov. Palin has shown the country why she has been so successful in her young political career. Passionate, charismatic and indefatigable, she draws huge crowds and sows excitement in her wake. She has made it clear she's a force to be reckoned with, and you can be sure politicians and political professionals across the country have taken note. Her future, in Alaska and on the national stage, seems certain to be played out in the limelight.

Yet despite her formidable gifts, few who have worked closely with the governor would argue she is truly ready to assume command of the most important, powerful nation on earth. To step in and juggle the demands of an economic meltdown, two deadly wars and a deteriorating climate crisis would stretch the governor beyond her range. Like picking Sen. McCain for president, putting her one 72-year-old heartbeat from the leadership of the free world is just too risky at this time.

It seems Gov. Palin is striking out on her own, and we here at Operation: Sarracuda wish her lots of luck. She's going to need it. Many, many newspapers across the country are endorsing Sen. Obama - including ones that have endorsed George Bush in the past.


by Rope Hoover Palin

A visit to Wasilla, the real 'Merica

The parting shot is probably the most profound: that somehow us blue-staters are not as American as those in Appalachia or the deep south. Or, hell, Alaska.

What this says to me is, to Palin, any part of the country that doesn't agree with her worldview isn't the "real" America. When, in fact, the different parts of the country and our different outlook are what make America so grand. Imagine if everyone thought like George W. Bush or Sarah Palin. Scary, right? But that's exactly what they want: an America that nods in agreement, unblinking, when they talk.

My blue-state office job doesn't make me less of an American than the farmer in Iowa, or the fisherman in Alaska, or the soldier serving in Iraq. My blue-state city (conservative though it may be) has some of the same wacky folks that Wasilla does. My blue-state outlook is just as patriotic as those folks at the McCain/Palin rallies who shout "terrorist" at the mention of Obama - even though I don't like the thought.

I'll question your judgement, or your ethics, but I'll never question your patriotism. I'm not that cowardly; I can think of better insults.

We're pretty cool here in the blue states. People I know from red states are amazing people, too. A great man has said that already.

by Rope Hoover Palin

Palin accent, schtick all an act, says Alaskan

From Nick Jans over at Salon.com:

As for that frontierswoman shtick, take another look at that hairpiece-augmented beehive and those stiletto heels. Coming from a college-educated family, living in a half-million-dollar view home, basking in a net worth of $1.25 million, and having owned 40-some registered motorized vehicles in the past two decades (including 17 snowmobiles and a plane) hardly qualifies Palin and her clan as the quintessential Joe Six-Pack family unit -- though the adulation from that quarter shows the Palins must be fulfilling some sort of role-model fantasy...What's with the smug posturing, recently adopted fake Minnesota accent, and that gosh-darn-it hockey mom pitch? Maybe it plays well in Peoria (and presumably Duluth), but it's all an act. "She's definitely put on a new persona since she's been a vice-presidential candidate," says Kertulla, who has worked closely with Palin for the past 18 months. "I don't even recognize her."

by Rope Hoover Palin

Women and polar bears vote 'NO' on Palin

Turns out that polar bears AND Alaskan women want nothing to do with Sarah Palin.

USA Today reports that a crowd of "hundreds" (which is a lot for Alaska) came out to protest Sarah Palin's welcome home party in Anchorage. From the report:

One person strolled through the crowd in a polar bear suit. The bear was holding a sign that said, "Polar bear moms say No to Palin," a reference to Palin's opposition to placing the polar bear on the threatened species list because that could interfere with drilling for oil off Alaska's coast.

So not only do women reject Palin's VP nod, but polar bears - feeling threatened by a gun-totting "hockey mom" - turned out to protest, too.

The Mudflast blog has pictures from the event, which we here at Operation: Sarracuda are grateful for.

by Rope Hoover Palin