I keep hearing that Sara Palin "attacked" Barrack Obama and that these "attacks" were "unfair." Let's examine what she actually said.
1. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a "community organizer," except that you have actual responsibilities. A good sound bite but is not mean but is a comparison. Also sounds true to me, although I have never been a Mayor.
2. I might add that in small towns, we don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening.
We tend to prefer candidates who don't talk about us one way in Scranton and another way in San Francisco.
This is a biting comment for sure, but Obama did make the statement, the context is accurrate and I think it is safe to say that most of us do not like people saying one thing to our face and another behind our back. Since the Obama campaign loves to bring up McCain's "100 years in Iraq" comment, I think this is fair.
3. We've all heard his dramatic speeches before devoted followers.
And there is much to like and admire about our opponent.
First line is sarcastic, second is even-handed.
4. But listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform - not even in the state senate.
Sarcastic, but a 47 year old who has authored two memiors is strange.
5. This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting, and never use the word "victory" except when he's talking about his own campaign.
I think this is a fair question how a candidate for President talks about this nation's current conflict.
6. But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed ... when the roar of the crowd fades away ... when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot - what exactly is our opponent's plan? What does he actually seek to accomplish, after he's done turning back the waters and healing the planet? The answer is to make government bigger ... take more of your money ... give you more orders from Washington ... and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world.
Clearly the most biting, sarcastic comment. The "turning back waters, healing the planet" comment was over the top.
7. America needs more energy ... our opponent is against producing it.
Victory in Iraq is finally in sight ... he wants to forfeit.
Terrorist states are seeking new-clear weapons without delay ... he wants to meet them without preconditions.
Al Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America ... he's worried that someone won't read them their rights? Government is too big ... he wants to grow it.
Congress spends too much ... he promises more.
Taxes are too high ... he wants to raise them. His tax increases are the fine print in his economic plan, and let me be specific.
The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes ... raise payroll taxes ... raise investment income taxes ... raise the death tax ... raise business taxes ... and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars. My sister Heather and her husband have just built a service station that's now opened for business - like millions of others who run small businesses.
How are they going to be any better off if taxes go up? Or maybe you're trying to keep your job at a plant in Michigan or Ohio ... or create jobs with clean coal from Pennsylvania or West Virginia ... or keep a small farm in the family right here in Minnesota.
How are you going to be better off if our opponent adds a massive tax burden to the American economy? Here's how I look at the choice Americans face in this election.
These are policy statements and comparisons. Whether you agree or not is up to the listener.
All in all this stuff is less "mean" and "unfair" than the attacks on Palin's daughter, motherhood and family.
