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1. Posted by Rob - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 14 hours, 6 minutes ago

   Palin will resonate with the blue collar constituency that Obama will NEVER get.  Her husband is a snowmobile rider and fisherman, she approves of aerial killing of poor animals, her 17 year old daughter is knocked up, the daughter’s boyfriend has the daughter’s name tattoed on his ring finger (how touching!!) , and Palin herself had a DUI for drunken driving and was just plain angry about the way her sister was treated and wanted retribution even if it meant an abuse of power.  She also believes that our presence in Iraq is the “will of God”  which is apparently consistent with Bush’s reference to it as a “crusade” (which it truly is)  and the fact that our soldiers over there have been using the Koran as target practice and humiliating the Iraqis for their belief in the Koran (Shame on them and America for that!!)  On that point, it is well-known that many American military commanders are proselytizing Chrisitanity over there and punishing troops who are not “believers.“  So, Palin is just the personification of America today. America is dumbed down, self-indulgent and self-righteous.  McCain’s choice of her as a running mate was a stroke of genius.  More Americans will identify with her than Obama.  What better way to get the blue collar vote than to have a blue collar candidate.  I tip my hat to McCaiin for political savvy!!

2. Posted by Scott - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 13 hours, 12 minutes ago

   ^ Left-wing nut.

3. Posted by Ed - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 13 hours, 8 minutes ago

   Governor Sarah Palin had a DUI?
   I thought it was her husband, about
   20-odd years ago, about the same time
   Obama admitted he was doing cocaine.
   Is there new info out?

4. Posted by Hugh - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 13 hours, 4 minutes ago

   Post 1, do you really think making fun of blue collar Americans is the way to win their support?

   That is the thing with liberals, if you don’t agree with them they call you dumb or stupid.  How about a healthy debate once in a while?

5. Posted by Rena - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 12 hours, 49 minutes ago

   Rob, when you make such ridiculous statements without getting all your facts right you sound no differnt that a right wing nut case. We need less nutcases in this country and more individuals who are concerned with facts—not propaganda (of either side). Also, Ed is correct. Palin’s husband received the DUI.  Furthermore, there is no punishing of troops who are not deemed “Christian” in Iraq. I have no idea where you get your information, but you are an embarassment to the Obama campaign and certainly no better than the religious right wing with all of their conjecture and moral certainties. Please feel free to start a debate—not a massive dumping campaign.

   P.S. I am an Obama supporter.

6. Posted by NotAHater - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 12 hours, 47 minutes ago

   Rob.  Clueless.  Does it make you feel better about yourself and your own situation to judge and rebuke others?  I guess you come from a perfect family and are just smarter than the rest of us!  If you need me, I’ll be sitting here with my bible and guns

7. Posted by AK - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 12 hours, 43 minutes ago

   Here are the facts as reported by the Anchorage Daily News:

   • Wooten used a Taser on his stepson.

   • He illegally shot a moose.

   • He drank beer in his patrol car on one occasion.

   • He told others his father-in-law would “eat a f’ing lead bullet” if he helped his daughter get an attorney for the divorce.
   I would hope that any citizen, governor or not, would report and request the investigation of anyone, law enforcement officer or not.  I would hope any governor would call for the head of the trooper in a a case like this - family or not. Palin urged action after the investigation stalled for more thana year.  “The record clearly indicates a serious and concentrated pattern of unacceptable and at times, illegal activity occurring over a lengthy period, which establishes a course of conduct totally at odds with the ethics of our profession,“ Col. Julia Grimes, then head of Alaska State Troopers, wrote in March 1, 2006.  The real story is: why is is this news and why aren’t all of the facts being reported.  In my book this is a plus for Palin.

8. Posted by dede - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 12 hours, 41 minutes ago

   Electing McCain and Palin is beginning to sound like Idiocicy, Luke Wilson Movie about the dumb and dumber procreating…..

9. Posted by DR - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 12 hours, 35 minutes ago

   While I don’t agree with the policies of McCain and Palin (and especially the evangelical ideologies espoused by Palin and her very rabid supporters)(and by the way - that doesn’t mean I support abortion - it means I try to look at all the issues), I think that the so-called working class is a little smarter, Rob, than you make them out to be.  I don’t think McCain picked Palin for her appeal to blue-collar people…I think he picked her to clinch his evangelical base (you know, the people that threatened to sit out of this election).  But then again, he could have picked Huckabee…but I think he wanted to clinch the on-the-fence-women voters.  Politics as ususal…in my opinion.

10. Posted by Ron - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 12 hours, 31 minutes ago

    Here is the bio on the person (Debra Cassens Weiss) who wrote this story:

    “Debra Cassens Weiss, a senior writer/online, joined the ABA Journal staff in 1986. She had worked as a news researcher for WMAQ-TV in Chicago, as a reporter and editor at the City News Bureau of Chicago, and as a newscaster at WMRO and WAUR radio (Aurora, Ill.). Deb holds a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law and a B.A. in English from the University of Illinois.“

    Clearly Ms. Weiss is an Obama supporter. The vigor with which the liberal media types like Ms. Weiss are trying to “dump” on Palin, with half truths and, in some cases, fabrications, confirms in my mind that McCain picked the absolute best person for VP. 

    End of discussion!

11. Posted by Commento - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 12 hours, 13 minutes ago

    A negative article about Sara Palin after a positive article about Michele Obama last week.  Also an article this week about the guy who is going to quit his job so he can work for Obama’s campaign. 
    Interesting choices by the ABA.

12. Posted by Melissa - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 12 hours, 12 minutes ago

    AK—those aren’t “the facts.“ Those are merely the facts as reported by Sarah Palin and her husband to the police, with no judge, jury, or response from the accused.

13. Posted by Jim - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 12 hours, 12 minutes ago

    Could the criticism of the religious right’s “moral certainties” stem in a willful refusal to live by them?

14. Posted by Bill - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 12 hours, 1 minute ago

    What does this “story” have to do with “Breaking Legal News” or “Evidence”?
    The caption should be “Let’s Trash the Conservative Woman”, or at least, “Political Opinion”.  It is no wonder many lawyers question the political agenda of the ABA.

15. Posted by Edge - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 59 minutes ago

    Journal, you really need to report the news and not cheerlead your views which are apparent.  Bias and prejudice are notorious siblings when not watched.

16. Posted by Ed - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 53 minutes ago

    Where’s the articles regarding Obama’s campaign admitting they flouted campaign laws by funnelling $800K to the corrupt, under investigation, indicted, partisan, and discredited ACORN by mis-reporting who the money went to and for what purposes?
    Palin has had more critical press scrutiny in the last few days that Obama has had since he snnounced his run for the presidency.  It’s a shame to see the ABA follow suit.

17. Posted by DR - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 48 minutes ago

    I’m sorry, Bill, and everyone else who thinks the article is a trashing of Sarah Palin, but after reading it several times…I couldn’t glean anything negative from it other than that she had hired a lawyer (hmm…that might be negative).  The negativity started with Rob’s personal opinion and started snowballing and now, suddenly, the whole is a trashing of everything apple pie!  You people are a tad touchy!  I could complain about how the ABA writes about “BigLaw” all the time without any interest in the middle guy/gal (which represents a majority of American attorneys).  BigLaw firms don’t strike me as lefties with leftie policies.  So get off your high horses when something you like gets criticized.  We all deal with it.

18. Posted by A Democrat - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 48 minutes ago

    Possibly as many as three Supreme Court appointments in the next term.  Does religious zeal matter?

19. Posted by Agree - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 44 minutes ago

    Post #10 and 11 have it right.

    I thought the ABA was neutral? 

    This is one of the top legal stories of the week?  How so?

    What garbagio.

20. Posted by ed - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 41 minutes ago

    Actually, Governor Palin did NOT hire an attorney.  She, and other office members, are being defended in their official capacity.  A private attorney was retained to represent them because the state AG was conflicted.  That’s how I read the facts on the link to this story.  Of course, the headline and story doesn’t represent that fairly - sounds like she has personally hired a personal attorney - which I don’t believe is accurate.  But hey, it makes better copy that way.

21. Posted by Ed - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 38 minutes ago

    Even the source story contradicts it.

    
    Thomas Van Flein now represents Palin and her office.

    “The governor is entitled to representation through council, and her attorney general was unable to provide it in this case,“ Van Flein said. “There’s nothing unusual or surprising about that.“

    Van Flein said he was hired by the Department of Law because Attorney General Talis Colberg is unable to represent Palin.

    “The Department of Law had a potential conflict of interest, because Mr. Colberg, Attorney General Colberg, made contact with Mr. Monegan about Trooper Wooten,“ Van Flein said. “That would make him a potential witness, and thus there’s a potential conflict.“

22. Posted by Pete - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 37 minutes ago

    Let’s see, the same author (Debra Cassens Weiss)who writes the glowing story about the associate that quits his job to work full time for the Obama campaign, writes the “Evidence” article about Sarah Palin sending an e-mail supposedly criticizing an official for not adequately investigating an ex-family member on the state payroll who had threatened and actually harmed her family.

    What kind of agenda does the ABA have here? By the way, I donated a lot money to the McCain campaign in the last few days because he selected Palin.  I am waiting for an article on me in next week’s ABA e-Journal. 

    Palin is a person that took on a corrupt incumbents in her own party and won.  Don’t we lawyers usually celebrate people who root out corruption?

23. Posted by Stevie B - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 36 minutes ago

    The thing that truly amazes me is the number of people who fall for pure propaganda—saying all else is irrelevant (including the issues) given B Hussein O’s “message of hope” and “change”.  I’m reminded of others swept into office on hope and change - Hitler, Castro, etc…we must look at the issues from BOTH sides.

    The scary thing here is that this cop was allegedly abusing tasers and threatening to shoot people.  Tasers are a potentially lethal weapon—they have little margin of safety.  They should ONLY be used when the only other alternative is to use a bullet. 

    It sounds as though the cop may have really needed discipline.

    A governor should ensure that complaints against her state’s police are investigated and resolved in a timely manner.  If there was a pattern and practice of stalling and dropping investigations against officers, then heads should have rolled.

24. Posted by Eric - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 30 minutes ago

    I agree with the comments about the ABA’s decision to run the story. Is this even news?  Palin, by my understanding, is not a lawyer, so why are we concerned about an *alleged* ethical investigation?  Where is the story about Joe Biden, who admittedly plagarized material while in law school?  And then was accused of plagarizing again while on the 1988 campaign stump for president?  Where is the discussion of any of Obama’s (who is also an attorney)ties with William Ayers?  The bias of the Journal is what has caused millions of attorneys to leave the organization.  Report on issues important to lawyer’s practices, not thier biases or prejudices.

25. Posted by AK - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 30 minutes ago

    Sorry Melissa, your’re wrong.  If you took the time - as I did - to read the ADN article, you would find that the “facts” were contained in an investigative record contained in 482 pages and many hours of recorded interviews.  You would also have read that Wooten was represented by his union in the proceedings and that the discipline was reduced from 10 to 5 days suspension and that union rep believed he was punished appropriately.  So there was a process for response, and he was represented.  As one would expect, there are differing accounts of some of the events, but one fact is he tasered a 10 or 11 year old.  Here, I’ll save you the work:  http://www.adn.com/politics/story/476430.html - but my guess is the facts don’t actually interest you.

26. Posted by hypo critter - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 7 minutes ago

    We should only be upset if she didn’t call for him to be fired.  A law enforcement officer who 1) shot a moose without a permit, 2) Tasered his stepson and 3) drank while driving a police car. Maybe in Obamaland this is well respected law enforcement officer but I’m glad that Palin has the huevos to want the guy fired. The guy is an embarrassment to law enforcement and flaunts his power - everyone who voted for George Bush must absolutely love him too.

27. Posted by Craig - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours, 2 minutes ago

    And what does this have to do with “Evidence” or the proper mission of the ABA?  Does it matter to the ABA or this author that the state-employed trooper possessing a firearm furnished by the state is alleged to have threatened the life of the Governor and members of her family?  Did that bit of information get edited out of the article?

28. Posted by liberal veteran - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 11 hours ago

    I come to this issue as a former military officer, and as an Obama-Biden supporter.

    Anyone who criticizes the governor of a State for seeking the termination of a state employee who carries a deadly weapon on official business and makes homicidal threats ... they must be a little bit out to lunch on the moral and ethical duties of a commander-in-chief (which presumably is Gov. Palin’s then and current position vis-a-vis the Alaska State Police and the Alaska National Guard).

    If I had permitted one of my armed watchstanders to remain on duty with a “condition three” weapon, after hearing at second hand that he had threatened to kill his father in law ... and if that watchstander then had snuck that deadly weapon home and carried out his threat ...

    MY commanding officer would have lost his career, and probably would have been up in front of an admiral trying to explain his poor judgment in letting me supervise watchstanders.

    One of a c-in-c’s duties is to maintain discipline all along the chain of command.  A police commissioner, who takes no substantive action against a reportedly dangerous subordinate, poses a grave threat to command discipline.

    To me, despite the personal-life side issues, this incident reflects well on Gov. Palin’s command judgment.

29. Posted by Anita Flinn - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 50 minutes ago

    It’s time for America to grow up and stop hiding behind religion.  Palin and the conservatives views on Pro-life do not negate the majority of folks who are pro-choice.  Pro- choice doesn’t mean a disregard for the life of another, it means freedom to choose PERIOD!  It is this narrow way of thinking that divides and destroys our Spiritual Freedom. 

    Sarah Palin exercises her right to choose to carry her down syndrome baby and her daughter Bristol chooses to keep her baby.  That’s great!,  but it doesn’t give her or anyone else the right to legislate our right to choose for our family. 
    The Rick Warren forum with Senator MCCain and Senator Obama was very disheartening to me.  I think it clearly crosses the line with seperation of church and state.  Hindu, Judism, Islam, and any other religion is excluded from such clearly staged and blatant attempt to push christianity in the faces of the public.  One’s religion and social preferences need to stay out of the political arena.

30. Posted by AK attorney - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 49 minutes ago

    I"ve followed this story closely since it broke several months ago.  Palin omits several key facts.  The tazering occurred while Wooten was still married to Molly and the Palins NEVER reported it; they waited TWO years until the divorce was filed and used it strictly to gain custody.  The illegally tagged moose was also shot two years earlier than actually reported - after Palin’s dad had butchered it and Sarah had eaten it.  Sarah ate the moose long before she reported it was illegally shot.  She uses people to get her way - Just Another Politician; but Alaska is small and she’s inept at covering her tracks well.  But, I’m sure she’ll improve now that she has the RNC to hellp.

31. Posted by Rob - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 49 minutes ago

    Rena—You apparently don’t read the New York Times.  About a month ago they did a long article about how troops are harrassed for not attending prayer meetings and badgered for not being true beilievers. They are also discriminated against in terms of promotions etc.  Even though it sounds like something that seems impossible ,my source was the NYT.  So go find the article in their archives and read it before you dismiss my statement.  When I read it , I too was shocked but when I considered how the right wingers view this whole thing as a way of “christianizing the heathens” it all makes sense.  They want to export our corrupt government (which has pork-barrel legislation, sexual abuse of congressional and White House interns, legislation crafted and enacted with money and expertise from lobbyists, senators in bathroom stalls wanting sex from other men, and on and on and on) all over the world and have been doing that for years out of a warped sense of self-righteousness.  How about killing the Indians off, enslaving black people , stealing Texas, Nevada and other states from the Mexicans in Mexican American War in 1845, using the sinking of the USS Maine as a pretext for starting the Spanish American War, the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba in 1962, using the Guk of Tonkin incident in 1964 as a pretext to get into Viet Nam after assassinating then- Vietnamese President Diem in 1963, the CIA assassination of President Allende of Chile in 1971 and ,of course, using the “weapons of mass destruction” (which they STILL haven’t found despite the American occupation of that country for years!!!!) , as a pretext to accomplish a “regime change “.  Yet we have the gall to criticize Russia for invading Georgia for invading Georgia because it is a sovereign nation??!!!  Last time I checked, Iraq used to be a sovereign nation until we occupied it and took it over. But it was ok for us to invade them to effectuate a “regime change”  without any provocation.
    I saw a float at a parade recently which depicted an american soldier with a gun in one hand and the bible in the other.  That tells the whole story about what this atrocity is all about and the what the American mindset is on all of this:  Ignorance, hubris, self-righteousness and arrogance to do whatever they want to do just because they think they can.  Read your history, folks!!

32. Posted by Rick - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 48 minutes ago

    I do find the ABA’s article choices telling.  Where’s the article about Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (D) resigning?

33. Posted by AK attorney - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 48 minutes ago

    This is NOT about tazering. THis IS about “Abuse of Power” at the highest level of state government.

34. Posted by Pete - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 39 minutes ago

    Anita,

    You say the Rick Warren forum “clearly crosses the line between separation of church and state”.  Since when did the Rick Warren event become sponsored by the Government?  He invited the two candidates to show up, and they accepted.  The questions were thoughtful and fair, and both candidates responded.  What’s wrong with that?

35. Posted by Common sensical - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 34 minutes ago

    The entire issue is a sideshow.  The entire campaign is being covered like an entertainment festival.  The most important facts are that McCain, whether you like him or not, is in questionable health and that Palin is about as qualified to be President as the man or woman in the moon.

36. Posted by Independent - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 33 minutes ago

    The independents will decide this election and we will be listening to both sides carefully before making our final decision.  The liberal and conservative “wingnuts” are certain to hurt, not help, their respective party’s cause. 

    The more reasoned opinions of each party will carry the day. The recent personal attacks on Palin’s family are likely to backfire if they turn off independents from voting for the party that represents these views, even if those views are only shared by a vocal few.  Each side needs to control their loudest and most critical representatives or risk losing this election. 

    Off the soapbox - what does this article have to do with the practice of law?  At least the Obama story has relevance to a lawyer leaving his law firm.

37. Posted by ABA CRITIC - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 31 minutes ago

    Hey…I’m just a mid-life career changer (aka “baby lawyer” - by the way, Army Commander - and, apparently, crusading coverter of Iraqis) but, after ignorantly getting involved with the ABA, it absolutely disgusts me (similar to commentors 14, 15, 19, 22 & 24) to see this association (via Debra Cassens Weiss and others) devolve into a Democratic PAC.  ABA, you lament losing membership while, at the same time, alienating attorneys like me who can’t stand the leftist tripe you spew forth for the masses.  STOP IT or fade into irrelevance.

38. Posted by Owl - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 22 minutes ago

    I love hearing the ultra-libs get so emotional about…..everything.  They’re so desperate for power that they are even willing to attack a woman, with kids, fighting the good fight for equality, etc., married for 20 years, who has achieved a tremendous amount in a comparatively short period of time.  This should be inspirational to all women and the liberals, always SAYING they support women’s achievement and equality, should be the loudest among those praising her.

    So, why, you might ask, do we hear such vitriol, with the more liberal the speaker positively correlating with how hatred-filled their remarks are?  The answer is simple.  It is because she is a conservative.  Period.

    The Republicans are “supposed” to be the party of the old, fat, white men, greedy and corrupt as they smoke cigars in the back room while covering their hands with blood money. The Democrats are “supposed” to be the party of the little guy, the underdog, the minorities, the women…..everyone who has been disenfranchised in our country and is looking for a fair shot.

    It absolutely destroys these pre-conceived foundational beliefs of the Democratic party when you have women (!!) or minorities who are successful, love their families, true to their faith, etc., who are Republicans…..AND conservative.  They cannot stand it and it drives them crazy.  Why?  Because it portends the erosion of the Democratic party’s power base.  The greatest enemy of the survival of the Democratic party is successful, contented people, and this is never more true than if those successful, contented people are women or minorities.

39. Posted by Anita Flinn - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 22 minutes ago

    Politics as usual!  That’s the point.  Neither candidates would refuse to go, because they’re both courting the evangelical votes. They’re both running for a government job P.O.TU.S. When does life begin? These questions were all designed by a christian pastor to get christian based idealogy answers.  When does life begin? Good & Evil? Sorry, one group of folks don’t get to seek the answers they’re looking for and make life altering decisions for me.

40. Posted by Andy the Lawyer - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 19 minutes ago

    According to the few in-depth reports on the subject, the trooper WAS disciplined through the proper channels within the Alaska government.  His punishment was a 5 day suspension without pay.  Sarah Palin, dissatisfied with this result, then tried to use her power to get her ex brother-in-law fired.  When a high ranking underling whom she instructed to fire the trooper refused to do so, she fired him.

    The trooper may well have been a bad guy, a bad husband to Palin’s sister, a bad dad and a bad cop.  But the central issue here isn’t Palin’s motives but her actions, which appear to have violated Alaska’s ethics laws for state governmental officials. 

    The simple bedrock principle here is the same one that got Richard Nixon nailed for using the IRS to harass those on his political enemies list—You don’t use the power of your elective office to settle personal scores.  If you do, you will be punished.

41. Posted by Craig - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 10 hours, 2 minutes ago

    Andy the Lawyer, what “simple bedrock principle” says it is unethical for the Governor of a state to insist that a state trooper (who works for state and carries state issued firearms) be fired for threatening the lives of the state’s chief elected official and her family?  This is not Hillary Clinton and the White House Travel Office. Are you seriously suggesting that it would have been wrong for Richard Nixon to insist that a Secret Service or ATF Agent who threatened to shoot him or his family members should have been fired?

42. Posted by ABA Critic SUpporter #37 - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 9 hours, 54 minutes ago

    ABA hasn’t gotten a nickel from me - I am riding the free membership after passing the FL Bar.  ABA, and this article, are lacking depth and demonstrate bias.  But who is surprised after its behaviour dealing with the Supreme Court nominees.

    Rob at #1, either you are a igno-moron or just having a little reverse psychological fun. It must be the latter because no one can be as stupid-sounding as your contribution.

43. Posted by John Phillips - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 9 hours, 47 minutes ago

    Another troopergate.  I seem to recall that while Bill Clinton was governor of Arkansas, he used troopers to protect his trysts with Gennifer Flowers and others.  That didn’t disqualify him from being President, so I wouldn’t think this would disqualify Palin from being Vice President.

44. Posted by realist - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 9 hours, 37 minutes ago

    Does America need another right-wing ideologue in the White House?

    I’m sorry to be so “elitist” but I like my leaders to be educated and to be from and raise educated families.

45. Posted by john - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 9 hours, 21 minutes ago

    Can someone please tell me what Sarah Palin’s accomplishments are and why she’s qualified to be VP and possibly Pres. other than she is extreme right wing, a woman, and kinda good looking (I think Tina Fey is sexy)???  Everyone is saying she has all these accomplishments but I still haven’t heard anything significant. Please don’t bore me with “she took on the corrupt Republicans.“  Besides the fact that that makes Republicans admit they were corrupt, HOW did she take them on?  Also, please don’t start on Obama perceived lack of exprience - my question is specific - what are HER accomplishments as governor of Alaska?  Please omit any BS about how she ran a town of 6,000 people.  That is just laughable when used to tout “experience.“  Any clown can get elected in tiny towns where everyone knows each other and you grew up there all your life and it is basically just a popularity contest like high school (incidentally my high school had just slightly less people than that entire town).

46. Posted by Wordygirl - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 9 hours, 19 minutes ago

    realist:  yes, you are an elitist, and of the worst sort.

    ABA:  please understand that your membership wants and needs articles and features on our profession, on how we can improve our careers and profession in general, not agenda driven political drivel.

47. Posted by Ed - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 9 hours, 18 minutes ago

    Can someone please tell me what Barak Obama’s accompllishemnts are and why he’s qualified to be President other than he is extreme left wind liberal?

48. Posted by DianaD - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 9 hours, 2 minutes ago

    This article is completely relevant because Palin said she wasn’t directly involved with this, but her office may have been.  Now we’re finding out that she lied.  Whether or not you agree that she abused the power of her office to help her family, lying isn’t acceptable.

49. Posted by Charles Paul Gallagher - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 8 hours, 58 minutes ago

    I assume the Journal will have an Article on Biden’s Plagiarisms. Perhaps he could hire as a Speech Writrer the former Fordham Law Student from whom he plagiased the Jurisdiction Article..Any other Law School would have expelled Biden.

50. Posted by Ed - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 8 hours, 57 minutes ago

    Where was her lie?  She said the the firing of her head of the Public Safety Commissioner was not in retribution for his not firing the trooper.  What fact has come to light to contradict this?  She never said that she had concerns about the trooper or communicated regarding it.  Please be accurate before making such allegations.  Your post wouldn’t pass Rule 11 due diigence

51. Posted by Hypocrisy Hater - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 8 hours, 49 minutes ago

    Nice contrast to “Associate Quits O’Melveny & Myers to Volunteer Full-Time for Obama” - similar to the Us Weekly magazine covers of “Michelle Obama: Why Barack Loves Her” versus “Babies, Lies & Scandal.”

    Don’t you just love the liberal, biased media?  Think Ms. Weiss is in the tank for Obama?  Does she or anyone in the liberal media discuss Obama’s Ayers and Rezko scandals?  Pathetic.

52. Posted by Andy the Lawyer - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 8 hours, 48 minutes ago

    Responding to Craig (#11)—yes I am.  If the trooper had threatened Palin or her family, the law provided her with the same remedies as anyone else would have—get a civil harassment injunction, or press criminal charges for assault or uttering a terrorist threat.  But she was not entitled to misuse her power as Governor to retaliate for personal or family affronts.

    As for Nixon—correct again.  He had the power to get the secret service to arrest anyone who threatened his life or his family’s lives, and to press criminal charges for those federal offenses.  He did not have the power to lawfully order the IRS to harass any such person in retaliation for such threats.

53. Posted by Andy the Lawyer - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 8 hours, 42 minutes ago

    Responding to Ed (# 17)—Barack Obama is qualified to be president because after 6 years of bouncing around academia he got a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism, he thinks government is a sock puppet of “God,“ he can field dress a dead moose, he spent years driving his children to and from ice hockey rinks so they could play sports, and he’s experienced in using lpaid lobbyists to suck down tens of millions of dollars of federal money for infrastructure improvements to her tiny town in the great frozen north.

    Oh wait—that’s Sarah Palin.

54. Posted by RL - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 8 hours, 40 minutes ago

    Ed,
    What is an extreme “left wind” liberal?  Even assuming that you meant an extreme “left wing” liberal, that phrase is redundant, i.e., liberal are also referred to as “left wing”.
    BTW, the far left is not at all fond of Obama as they consider him too establishment or a sell-out.  Many people of the far left would have preferred Ralph Nader or Dennis Kucinich.  Of course, when someone’s viewpoint originates from far to the right, even John McCain can look like an “extreme left wind liberal.“

55. Posted by DJ Jazzy Jeff - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 8 hours, 28 minutes ago

    Hypocrisy Hater (#51) - US Weekly?  You point to US Weekly to substantiate your position?  Get a hold of yourself Mr. Hater - it’s not like we’re talking about the Herald, Post, or Times.  It’s US Weekly, you know - a no-substance tabloid mag.  Garbage.  Tripe.  Just to give you an idea, I sometimes peruse my girlfriend’s US Weeklies for pictures of bone-thin and collagen injected celebs while on the can.  That’s about all that magazine is worth.

56. Posted by Rob - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 8 hours, 26 minutes ago

    To ABA Critic—If I’m such a moron or just having “fun” , how come you don’t refute a SINGLE one of my assertions?  Do you think “regime change” in the name of spreading “democracy” is worth the money and blood we have lost in the Iraq Crusade?  Go ahead and answer that one!

57. Posted by Go Gators - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 8 hours, 13 minutes ago

    Andy the Lawyer “smart guy”,
    Name us one of Obama’s accomplishments.  You are well versed in your talking points…i mean Palin’s accomplishments.  I am sure you can name one accomplishment.  Only thing is being a community organiser (aka chicago machine thug), running campaigns, and voting “present” do not count as accomplishments.  Name just one….

58. Posted by Sophie's Mom - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 7 hours, 53 minutes ago

    Go Gators - I can name you one of Obama’s accomplishments: pulling one over on America and actually becoming a major political party’s candidate with less than one term in federal office and a hollow voting record. No matter how you slice it, not only is that quite a feat - it’s scary as hell.

59. Posted by Bill Caraccio - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 7 hours, 49 minutes ago

    “pictures of bone-thin and collagen injected celebs while on the can”

    The papparazzi have definitely gone too far!!

60. Posted by Ed - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 7 hours, 49 minutes ago

    The wind refers to the oratory.

61. Posted by Jon Edwards - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 7 hours, 30 minutes ago

    well, I have family in Wasilla who know Sarah on a first name basis, and apparently love her and her family.  Guess I will rely on their opinion, rather than some “journalist.“

62. Posted by DR - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 7 hours, 30 minutes ago

    To:  Bill Caraccio
    Your post was hilarious!  Although I had a superb appreciation for DJ Jazzy Jeff’s post too and his intent therein.

63. Posted by DJ Jazzy Jeff - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 7 hours, 25 minutes ago

    I wish I spent half the time proofreading my anonymous internet posts than my work.  What you all have already figured out is that I meant to say “I sometime peruse my girlfriend’s US Weeklies while on the can for pictures of bone-thin and collagen injected celebs.“  But the mental image of bone-thin collagen injected celebs on the can is humorous nonetheless.!

64. Posted by Joe - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 6 hours, 42 minutes ago

    It’s funny that so many people who 8 years ago voted for a man that couldn’t even name key world leaders, now have a problem with the qualifications of a US Senator from one the country’s most populous states.  As for Palin –Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphy’s comments hit the nail on the head – she’s not the best person for the job and the selection was cynical.

65. Posted by ABA Critic - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 5 hours, 33 minutes ago

    Rob #1 and #57   So you weren’t just having fun? O.K., take this observation: you are a fanatic, probably with no boundaries in your life; otherwise, you would have to admit you stand for something. You are also a raver…you lost most people in your third sentence. Shorten it up a bit. Keep your audience awake.

66. Posted by ckc - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 5 hours, 25 minutes ago

    # 29:  Anita, sweetie, please explain how the Vice President, or President for that matter, is going to “legislate our right to choose for our family. “

    #31:  Rob, sugar, please explain your support for the position that the NYT is unbiased and accurate and, therefore, reliable.

    #44:  Realist, honey, please explain at what level of formal education does a person become “educated”.  Is a J.D. required?  Must the degrees be awarded by particular universities, located perhaps on the east coast?

    #45: John, pumpkin, please explain why a good looking candidate with few, if any, accomplishments is a problem at the bottom of the ticket; but, not at the top of the ticket.

67. Posted by Andy the Law - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 5 hours, 4 minutes ago

    Responding to # 61—I, too know many ordinary,delightful, charming people.  Like Palin, none of them should be President of the USA.

    For eight years the GOP has excelled in convincing many of its members that war is peace and that the security of Fortress America requires the evisceration of basic privacy rights.  But the Palin nomination seeks to convince America that mediocrity is excellence.  Orwell may not be spinning in his grave, but he surely is chuckling within it.

68. Posted by Ellen Barshevsky - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 4 hours, 21 minutes ago

    I haven’t made up my mind on who to vote for but I think that this woman looks like Jerry Steinfeld’s girlfriend Elaine from TV.  Am I the first person to notice it?  We could have Elaine in Washington.

69. Posted by pxy - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 3 hours, 8 minutes ago

    this article belongs in the tabloids not the ABA journal.

70. Posted by DAJ - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 2 hours, 37 minutes ago

    Having stumbled on this discussion, I must say it is a fun read.  It also supports my previous decisions that 1)  The ABA is not worth joining, unless it gets its big nose out of politics, except as to legal issues, and2) we lawyers are as dumb and predjudiced about politics as everybody else- we just say it better!

71. Posted by NW - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 1 hour, 37 minutes ago

    I’m a Republican and Andy, #67, got it right.

72. Posted by H2 - 2 months, 4 weeks, 22 hours, 7 minutes ago

    #66 Got it right.

    “I’m sorry to be so “elitist” but I like my leaders to be educated and to be from and raise educated families.“
    Umm, wow, guess if ones family is not educated they are screwed, they can never be a leader.  Your parents have to be educated and your kids have to be educated?!

    And what DOES that mean???  I would assume that most people posting are attorneys and look at these comments.  Some of the comments can’t even wrap their head around simple legal issues.
    Separation of church and state?
    What the?

73. Posted by H2 - 2 months, 4 weeks, 21 hours, 55 minutes ago

    As long as we are talking about ethics…No one cares about Biden’s record of constant lying and exaggerating?  That he eventually dropped out of his presidential campaign because he lied so much.
    Plagiarizing in law school, then plagiarizing campaign speeches when he ran for president, saying he won awards when he did not.
    Remember this?  Biden responding to a question about where Biden went to school and how he did.
    ““I think I have a much higher IQ than you do,” replied Biden, who went to Syracuse University College of Law. “I went to law school on a full academic scholarship.”

    He told the astonished man that while he admittedly did not do well his first year because he didn’t want to be in law school, he did much better his second and third years and ended up in the top half of his class. “I won the international moot court competition.”

    Without being asked, Biden then boasted about his performance in college, at the University of Delaware, telling Frank that he had been named the “outstanding student in the political-science department. . . . I graduated with three degrees from college. . . . And I’d be delighted to sit back and compare my IQ to yours if you’d like, Frank.”
    All of the above were lies, except for the law school and it was not verified whether he won the moot court competition.
    Biden’s response?
    At the time, he told a reporter, “I exaggerate when I’m angry.”
    We want this guy to be a substitute president?

    His wife and daughter were NOT killed by a drunk driver.  But I guess he must have been angry when he said this.

74. Posted by Undecided Voter - 2 months, 4 weeks, 16 hours, 57 minutes ago

    There’s actually a better signal-to-noise ratio in this thread than some others…if one ignores the first post, at least.

    Whether or not there’s bias in ABA coverage, I agree this story seems to be inappropriate for the ABA Journal. I want and expect articles that are about the law in some way, whether useful or not. This article is about the law; if it were about someone unknown it might be appropriate; but it’s an exceedingly well-known, well-covered story. I don’t expect articles like this that are an uninformative expurgated version of what every newspaper in the U.S. has discussed about “troopergate”. Give me something new about this story or legal analysis, or don’t bother covering it.

    What WOULD be of legal interest—but might actually require someone to make an effort to write—would be article, biased or not, that actually tried to consider issues involving the separation between public and private functions and when they conflict (which this seems to be). Any “normal” citizen of Alaska could complain to the government if a trooper did these things, if the Governor of a state wants to complain in his or her personal capacity, what then? Pres. Bill Clinton lost a legal fight arguing he couldn’t be sued in his private capacity while in office.

    Even if there was a violation of the law or ethics, the reason for the violation matters to me, and taking action to try to deal with a death-threat uttering trooper sounds like a good reason to take action, even if the means violated ethics rules. If I expected perfection of public servants, I certainly wouldn’t have voted for Pres. Bill Clinton twice!

75. Posted by Ellen Barshevsky - 2 months, 4 weeks, 12 hours, 15 minutes ago

    I think they are UNFAIRLY targeting Mrs. Pelin because she is a WOMAN.  No one would care if she did these things if she was a man; even if true, these things happen EVERY day with MEN.  It is ONLY because she is a WOMAN and in the PUBLIC eye that she is being targeted.  That is VERY unfair!

76. Posted by associate - 2 months, 4 weeks, 11 hours, 52 minutes ago

    Ellen, for once, I almost agree with you.  They are targeting Palin because she is a conservative, not because she is a woman.

    I thought sexism in polite society was pretty much done with.  The high ranking democrats have proven me wrong this year, and I am not afraid to admit it.  After seeing this play out, I do have a bit more respect for you point of view.  It’s still not as pervasive as you would have use believe, but sexism is still definitely in play.

77. Posted by Andy the Lawyer - 2 months, 4 weeks, 8 hours, 50 minutes ago

    “Associate”—you’re mostly right.  She’s also targeted because she’s the poster child (is that gender neutral enough for you?) for the GOP’s new strategy of marketing mediocrity as excellence.  In a different context, the Brits call this: “Dressing mutton up as lamb.“

78. Posted by Bill Dickey - 2 months, 4 weeks, 4 hours, 53 minutes ago

    I have to agree with Ellen.  This is business as usual when men are in charge; corruption is rampant and targeting people is how men get their payback.  Here, if Palin was doing this, it is not different than what men do all the time.  Hence, the only logical conclusion is that they are pulling this out to smear her unfairly.  If they targeted all of the men who did this, there would be thousands of men targeted (and possibly replaced by women).  Something positive can come of this, Ellen, for women.

79. Posted by Rob - 2 months, 4 weeks, 3 hours, 24 minutes ago

    To ABA Critic Coward :  Like I need psychoanalysis and literary advice from some twerp who doesn’t even have the courage to use his name.  I couldn’t care less what you think about what I have said or how I have said it.

80. Posted by Burn, America, Burn!!! - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 hour, 41 minutes ago

    Hahahahahaha!!!!  Just look at what we’ve become.

    ROME, baby!!!  Burn, baby, burn!!!  Hee, hee, hee….oh, how we deserve it.

81. Posted by Undecided Voter - 2 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, 23 hours, 7 minutes ago

    Re:

    “Posted by Rob - 4 hours, 8 minutes ago
    ...Like I need psychoanalysis and literary advice from some twerp who doesn’t even have the courage to use his name. ...“

    This post wasn’t directed at me, except perhaps impliedly since I didn’t use my name either. You’ve posted as “Rob”. Even if that is your real first name, it’s not exactly courageous for you to post using it, anymore than it would be for someone to post as “John” or “Jane” or the like.

    My first name is “David”. Wow, I feel so courageous for having posted that. Now everyone will pay attention to my post, as opposed to my posting as—truthfully, and more descriptively—“Undecided Voter”.

82. Posted by Rob - 2 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, 21 hours, 28 minutes ago

    David, f/k/a “Undeclared Voter”—I’m very happy that my comment encouraged you to be courageous. So, since you’re feeling so courageous, have you decided who to vote for?  The bumbling , tottering ,old war monger and his “hockey mom”, aerial animal slaughtering running mate from Alaska or Barrack Obama ,who has managed , thru affirmative action, to coast thru his whole life without a single accomplishment to his name ( the presidency would be his first 4 year job) and his loose cannon, mentally impaired,  sanctimonious, plagiarist running mate Biden?

83. Posted by Undecided Voter - 2 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, 20 hours, 42 minutes ago

    That’s Mister—er, “X”—to you…

    Your post #82 though inaccurate or at least misleading in a number of respects (on both sides), is at least amusing.

    My preference is to decide which party’s candidates I think will be better for the U.S.

    However, if I can’t—and so far I can’t—then I will instead vote for the candidates who I believe will do the least damage. Given that both houses of Congress will still be in Democratic control, that would mean less damage could potentially be done by a Republican President, and so I would vote Republican for President and VP.

    I know the stereotypical late undecided voter is uninformed or uncaring; in my case, I think it’s more a matter of trying to be open to new information as it comes in. Interestingly, though normally I find right-wing commentators insufferable and arrogant and condescending, in recent days I’ve found left-wing commentators demonstrating these “qualities”.

84. Posted by Rob - 2 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, 6 hours, 34 minutes ago

    Ellen—I don’t see the sexism at play at all.  ALL of the candidates have been criticized and scrutinized whether they are male or female.  Why should Palin be insulated from it?  Specifically what criticism of her do you think is not fair?

85. Posted by Rena - 2 months, 3 weeks, 5 days, 11 hours, 45 minutes ago

    Rob,

    The american soldier with a gun in one hand and the bible in the other is propaganda. Take it for what it is. I spent 6 years in the military from 2000 to 2006. “They” aren’t discriminating against anyone, withholding rank, or flogging them for not falling in line with their bible toting ways. However, I’m sure you’ve heard “there are no atheists in foxholes” not to be derogated by “politics goes out the window once the first bullet flies by.“

    While you appear very knowledgeable about the historical and political prefaces for our wars (including Iraq)...don’t believe everything you read in the media. You might want to remember that just because someone says it (or writes it) doesn’t make it so. Everyone’s reality is subjectively defined by the person experiencing it or the money behind it to propaganize their status quo so that people who use only a newspaper for factfinding will fall in line.

86. Posted by Anita Flinn - 2 months, 3 weeks, 5 days, 11 hours, 8 minutes ago

    TO SUM UP ALL OF THE COMMENTARY THUS FAR, LET’S HAVE GOVENOR PALIN COME OUT OF THE FOX HOLE AND FACE THE MUSIC.  BUT WAIT, SHE’S IN THE CLASSROOM OF CARL ROVE GETTING EDUCATED BEFORE SHE CAN COME OUT SINGING THE RIGHT TUNES!

87. Posted by Rob - 2 months, 3 weeks, 4 days, 6 hours, 6 minutes ago

    Rena—Propaganda is a reflection of what people believe and what they would like others to believe.  Many Americans believe, as does Palin, that it is the “will of God” that we continue to fight in Iraq.  Certainly, Bush believes it or he wouldn’t have made the freudian slip of calliing it a “crusade” which it is.  It is a religious crusade to effectuate a ‘“regime change” and to install a democracy in conformity with what America thinks the world ought to look and act like. 

    So I agree that the float I saw was indeed propaganda promoting beliefs held by many Americans and their leaders.  I also believe that that belief is arrogant, self-serving, delusional and is just the latest example of American hubris and imperialism which will ultimately bleed us and impoverish us to oblivion.  It is truly scary that Palin will be one heartbeat away from the presidency and will perpetuate such elementary school-style thinking. 

    Has anyone ever questioned whether all of these other countries we want to invade really want to import our corruption, incompetence, lobbyist-written legislation, massive bail-outs of companies and institutions, sexual exploitation of White House interns and congressional pages, inability to care for our own citizens in such natural disasters as Katrina,  sanctimonious right -wing “male” U.S. senators soliciting sex with other men in airports, and a military which humilliates and tortures those it conquers by subjecting them to water-boarding and by allowing (“just a few”)white trash soldiers to abuse them sexually just for “grins” and use their holy scripture as target practice?  I’m not so sure we should be so anxious to export our form of government and our “way of life.“

88. Posted by William Hollis - 2 months, 3 weeks, 4 days, 4 hours, 2 minutes ago

    Many views here, about Iraq, Iran and Islam. Having been based in Saudi Arabia as a jet captain for the Kingdomm, flying into these countries one soon learns, if they didn’t need your expertise they would kill you. They are taught form birth to kill the infildels, that ‘s anyone not a Muslum. It is in in the Koran.

    Living in Riyadh acoss from an abortion clinic, one could see cats, (they have triangular heads) with fetuses in their mouth walking done the roadway.  The fetuses were tossed out the window on to a pile in the street. Marraiges are arranged. I watched such from a new living location; she was maybe 12 or 13 he maybe 50-60. They say we Americans fall in love and then marry; but Moslems marry then fall in love. Women are shaved completely except the head before the cerimony.

    Friday noon is an import time as everyone is encouaged to meet at the town square. Here some hungary kid gets his hand lopped off becasue he stole a loaf of bread. They tie a rope around the two middle fingers then vacate the hand from the arm. A doctor is present to sew up the wound. How kind. It is in the Koran.

    Most all sheep herders are one -handed.  You may understand why.  You might understand why GI’s use the Koran for target practice.  The Koren preaches death while the Bible supposedly teaches love.

    If you haven’t been there to learn these things you are not qualified to speak on it.  And I din’r say we were perfect.  But having flown into and observed 75 foreign countries, you can’t beat the USA.

    wrh

89. Posted by Rob - 2 months, 3 weeks, 3 days, 6 hours, 58 minutes ago

    Re #88.  I know nothing about the Koran and therefore certainly don’t subscribe to its teachings .  But I do know the US invoked the Bible,which Mr Hollis claims “teaches love.“ when we committed genocide against the Indians and enslaved the Black race.  I have a photo in a book of Pope Pius blessing Nazi troops.  Indeed, many high-ranking Nazis were indeed christians. High-ranking officers who died were given elaborate christian burials under the auspicies of the church.  So , although the Bible DOES preach “love”  the Bible has been invoked many times by many people for evil purposes.  We can do without the brand of “love”  we’re practicing in Iraq.

    My only point was that an invader of a country does not “win the hearts and minds” of its people by disrespecting their religious scriptures.  To the extent we have done so, we have violated the very principles upon which America was founded on.  If Amercians , like Mr. Hollis, don’t like the Koran, then fine.  But for a so-called “democracy” to invade a country to effectuate a “regime change” and thus “liberate”  its people from a dictator while subjecting its people to torture, religious persecution, and sexual abuse just “for grins” (and to take pictures of the viciousness and inhumanity of their sexual violation of the prisoners !!!) is hypocritical and , in fact, represents a perverse form of hubris.

90. Posted by Anita Flinn - 2 months, 2 weeks, 4 days, 6 hours, 31 minutes ago

    I totally agree with 89.

91. Posted by WakeUP - 2 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, 12 hours, 20 minutes ago

    Melissa, the trooper admits he tasered his stepson.

92. Posted by WakeUP - 2 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, 12 hours, 11 minutes ago

    #17, the article is negative in 2 primary ways.  First, the article reports the contents of the 2 emails.  Monegan shouldn’t have shared those w/ the Wash com-Post in the first place.  Of course, the aforesaid paper hasn’t a professional bone in its proverbial body, but for the ABA to follow suit is a low blow and ethical detestable.  Second, it’s not what the article reports but that the article was published to draw into question Palin’s past when the Journal does not pay the same respect to Obama or Biden.