Steven Waldman

Steven Waldman

Are You In a Pro-America Part of the U.S. or an Anti-America Part?

posted by swaldman | 1:00pm Friday October 17, 2008

The Washington Post reports from a Sarah Palin rally:

“Palin also made a point of mentioning that she loved to visit the “pro-America” areas of the country, of which North Carolina is one. No word on which states she views as unpatriotic.”

Are You In a Pro-America Part of the U.S. or an Anti-America Part?
UPDATE: The McCain campaign offers some context for the quote.



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Comments read comments(26)
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JoHo

posted October 17, 2008 at 1:50 pm


If Sarah Palin truly wants to push this line of wedge rhetoric, she needs to spine-up and stand on the ground of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City and make this statement.



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Gene

posted October 17, 2008 at 1:53 pm


I live in the pro-America side of the city and commute to the anti-American side. Both have their perks.



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Richard Clark

posted October 17, 2008 at 2:00 pm


Sarah Palin really makes me ill. She is an American Fascist.



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Charles Cosimano

posted October 17, 2008 at 2:17 pm


Just think of how dull this campaign would be without Sarah the Mad.



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Mike Considine

posted October 17, 2008 at 2:26 pm


What do you think we should call Alska?
Sarah Palin allows Todd Palin to run shadow government in Alaska and participate in unethical conduct. After living with the current vice presidents abuse of power do we really want Sarah and Todd a heartbeat away from the Presidency of the USA?
“Testimony compiled as part of the Alaska inquiry, and a Los Angeles Times review of email logs from the Palin Administration, shows that Mr Palin was a fixture in the governor’s office, spending about half his time there.
He attended cabinet meetings that are supposed to be closed to the public, and was copied on a wide variety of high-level government correspondence on issues such as contract negotiations with the police officers’ union, native Alaskan issues and the privatization of a dairy near the Palins’ home town of Wasilla.
The recent report concluded that she knowingly “permitted Todd Palin to use the Governor’s office and the resources of the Governor’s office, including access to state employees, to continue to contact subordinate state employees in an effort to find some way to get Trooper Wooten fired”.
Why should Todd Palin’s shadow government scar Americans…? Todd Palin was a member of the Alaskan Independence Party founded by Joe Vogler for seven years (1995 – 2000)… this is the 3rd largest party in Alaska and has run on the platform of secession from the USA.
Joe Vogler” who said this: “My government is my worst enemy. I’m going to fight them with any means at hand.”
And this:
When the [federal] bureaucrats come after me, I suggest they wear red coats. They make better targets. In the federal government are the biggest liars in the United States, and I hate them with a passion. They think they own [Alaska]. There comes a time when people will choose to die with honor rather than live with dishonor. That time may be coming here. Our goal is ultimate independence by peaceful means under a minimal government fully responsive to the people. I hope we don’t have to take human life, but if they go on tramping on our property rights, look out, we’re ready to die.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eniG9l_7its&eurl=http://minnesotaindependent.com/12165/palins-friends-the-america-hating-iran-conspiring-aip
If you go by the McCain campaign’s way of thinking Sarah Palin and her husband has been palling around with this USA hating group with an Iranian connection. Vogler disappeared under suspicious circumstances in May 1993, just weeks before he was scheduled to give a speech to the United Nations on Alaskan independence, sponsored by the government of Iran.
I point this out not as much because I think the Obama Campaign should follow the negative tone of McCain, but to point out how hypercritic the McCain/Palin ticket is. How can Palin run on a ticket that continues to say “County First” and yell USA, USA at their rally’s when she and her husband openly support the AIP.
We do not need to elect more hypocrites to run this country and we do not need Todd who would not be an elected official to have the power that Sarah has given him in Alaska on a federal level. Does this man and this woman’s beliefs and style of governing not scares anyone but me? Does this Women’s willingness to lie and not accept facts as truth not remind anyone but me of the current administration? Is it not obvious that she and McCain will say anything even hate speak to win this election even if it tears this country apart?
Wake up America we do not need more Hypocrites in the White house nor do we need a shadow government run by a seven year member of the Alaskan Independence Party or their Iranian pals!



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Don

posted October 17, 2008 at 2:28 pm


Maybe she thinks reservations are not “Pro-American”, and so she doesn’t like going to them.



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Alicia

posted October 17, 2008 at 2:31 pm


Richard, I don’t think Sarah Palin knows enough to be a Facist. But she might follow one – or spread hatred that could be exploited by others.
As someone who likes to give people the benefit of the doubt, I am appalled that John McCain picked this woman to be his running mate.



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Brit Michelle

posted October 17, 2008 at 3:01 pm


Just because she realizes that some parts of the country are against what we stand for, doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with her. I adore her. She is a good Christian who stands up for what she believes in. Go Sarah!



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Sami

posted October 17, 2008 at 3:35 pm


Why is it so hard to understand that MY location (Sumter, South Carolina) is nothing like San Francisco, California.
Your attempt to smear Governor Palin fall short for anyone with the ability to think for oneself.



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Fab

posted October 17, 2008 at 3:42 pm


Its too bad this place is owned by Fox corperation. Please stop the political agenda stuff.



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mary ann

posted October 17, 2008 at 3:45 pm


I didn’t know there were two Americas. I have always thought that the Constitution/Bill of Rights guaranteed all Americans the right to express their opinions – pro/anti – regardless of where they lived.
However, I am not naïve. I do know there are areas of this country where, should a person express their views; they would stick out like a sore thumb. I do so wish that, as a country, we could get back to debating the issues instead of digging our heels in and not listening to other’s opinions. I know I am not always right – but then I am not always wrong either.



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Jim

posted October 17, 2008 at 4:05 pm


I live in the Anti-America Part. Obama tends to have the highest support in the Anti-America Part; therefore, McCain/Palin are aiming their campaign at small towns.



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Tom

posted October 17, 2008 at 4:22 pm


Ya think there’s any way Gov. Palin could cross the barrier and pander some votes from the Anti-Americans to supplement her Pro-American supporters? Maybe a little speech or two about how America sux, sort of fly under the radar of the Pro-American conglomerate?



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Nancy

posted October 17, 2008 at 4:28 pm


I thought we were one nation under God.
I guess I was wrong…..I didn’t realise one part of America was more pro then other part.



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Brian aka New Age Cowboy

posted October 17, 2008 at 4:57 pm


Palin just jumped the shark. I’m quite serious.



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nmlhats

posted October 17, 2008 at 5:21 pm


I am pretty sure I live in the pro-America part (TX) but in an anti-American county (Dallas) and must be anti-American myself because I am voting for Obama. My community activity as a volunteer public school tutor, blood drive coordinator, food pantry volunteer, election clerk…I guess all that kind of stuff just reinforces the fact that I am some kind of America-hating crackpot or terrorist who doesn’t care about my country or my fellow citizens.



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Saadaya

posted October 17, 2008 at 5:25 pm


It depends WHAT America she refers to … These days if u give a rat’s @$$ about the American working class, the pro-corporation, pro-wealthy republicans want to label you a socialist. It’s easier to dismiss and discard people and ideas if you put a label on them, so that your opinions won’t be challenged by reason and critical thinking.
It doesn’t take a socialist to care a bit about the working class, especially when so many of us are getting laid off left and right (myself included), it only takes a bit of compassion.
oh … and we in the other America also vote!



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RJohnson

posted October 17, 2008 at 8:14 pm


“It doesn’t take a socialist to care a bit about the working class, especially when so many of us are getting laid off left and right (myself included), it only takes a bit of compassion.”
Yes, and it’s those of us in the working class who provide most of the spending that keeps this economy growing.
But as the conservatives are showing us, they really don’t mind socialism as long as it only benefits the wealthy.



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Warren Cheswick

posted October 19, 2008 at 6:21 pm


I’m not Republican, but I will say that from what I can tell about Sarah Palin, she probably didn’t mean to say this. She appears unable to construct words from thoughts and convey them in an accurate, clear way, and so her fuzzy thinking and vague diction seems to get her in repeated trouble. I imagine she was merely trying to pander to the crowd, and didn’t consider how everyone else would view the sentiment. This is yet another example of why Sarah Palin needs to go back to Alaska and give up the dream of serving on the national stage. We need leadership that is smarter, more educated, and has skill in logic and rhetoric, as well as a thorough knowledge of history and an understanding of how things work in Washington. America has reached a sad state, in my humble opinion, when one has to try to persuade through argumentation that these qualities are to be desired in our leadership. Some gun toting, moose hunting fundamentalist bible thumper can roll out of the Alaska woods shouting, “Maverick!” and people will actually throw away their vote on this person with no further thought or questioning.



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American

posted October 20, 2008 at 4:36 pm


She probably meant to say, “You guys are cool cuz you like to shoot stuff like me. that’s how i know you’re real Americans and you’re gonna vote for me cuz you’re not as smart as the rest of the country.”
Yeah I’m sure of it.



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Suzy

posted October 20, 2008 at 5:03 pm


Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just slit the USA down the middle and all republicans could be in their half and all the Democrats could be in the other half. I’d like to be with people who care for once and aren’t hating each other. Only in America…..



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DAPPER

posted October 22, 2008 at 1:45 pm


I’m a republican with a brain who doesn’t make $100K a year and doesn’t own a business. At this point, I’m disappointed in the Republican choice for president & vice-president, too. But, I can’t vote for Democrats in this important election because the Democrat party is pro-abortion and they openly support issues that I can not accept. So, what do I do? I don’t trust any of them. You can paint your beautiful pictures all day long. The reality is when the house and senate vote, they’re going to vote for whatever serves their interests no matter who is in the White House. It’s really easy to blame – it’s a lot harder to actually, really change things. And the changes that one person would make will be against the beliefs of the other person. I’m sorry, you can call me an idiot (which is typical when someone doesn’t think the way you do) but neither party has anything to offer me at this point.



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Titus

posted October 29, 2008 at 12:21 pm


If you ever hung out with liberal democrats, they think neocons are anti-american traitors. Its all about the marketing. From cable TV to AM radio, you are subject to same forms of divisive brainwashing.



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tricoaster

posted November 2, 2008 at 5:54 pm


Congress passes the legislation but the President can veto legislation. There will be no vetoes if they are of the same liberal party. we need a balance of power. I would vote republican, if for no other reason that that balance.



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darkmoonman

posted November 5, 2008 at 1:28 am


I live in the part of Washington state that lies west of the Cascades, which is THE most pro-american part of the USA – we believe in unconditional compassion, charity, and progress, and that the USA can always become better.



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Your Name

posted November 13, 2008 at 10:21 pm


I also live in western Washington state, and I believe it’s one of the more anti-American places I’ve ever lived (and I’ve been around). I am someone who loves America and thought America was the greatest nation on earth BEFORE Obama. I personally am sick of all the comments by celebrities and politicians who say, in effect, that NOW we can be proud of America. Some of us already were proud, and some like me, serve in the military to protect this great country. I have found Washington and Oregon to be sooo liberal that if you’re conservative in your values, watch out here.



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