OBVIOUSLY you deliberately said what she did was unlawful. NO—they said what she did was not ethical but was lawful. If you can't or won't print the truth , then it screams what you are all about.

"Governor Palin knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda, to wit: To get Trooper Michael Wooten fired," the report said, which was released in part in Anchorage Friday evening."

From Trooper Wooten's 2006 suspension letter, written by the Commander of the Alaska State Police at the time:

"Your unacceptable conduct appears to have continued and even escalated,"

[...]

"It is nearly certain that a civilian investigated under similar circumstances would have received criminal sanctions."

[External Link]

Well there you have it, folks. Governor Palin, despite having personal knowledge of a police officer who was "rogue" by any reasonable definition, behaved unethically by taking part in an effort to have Wooten fired.

As I said before, if Wooten were still married to Palin's sister, the "Troopergate" narrative would read " Palin used her position to keep rogue brother-in-law cop on the job."

The "bipartisan" committee consisted of one man, Senator Hollis French, a rapid Obama supporter and Democratic activist who hired another hyperpartisan Democrat to investigate. Branchflower takes 260+ pages to make one point which is also contradicted in the same report. All in all, the report is something like you'd expect to be produced by the Ontario Human Rights Commission reporting on the Conservative Party. Standard BS.

McCain is a terrible candidate ( although the Democrats may yet convince me to vote for him ) and some of his supporters almost equal the average Democrat for venom. But while McCain is simply clumsy, Obama is urging his supporters to get in the faces of those with whom they disagree. As usual the media attitude is that Democrats can act like fascists because they are angels while Republicans must act like angels because they're really fascists.

I think the US needs another Carter and that's what Obama will be. I just hope Obama doesn't follow through with his isolationist promises. One thing's for certain Steve better meet with Obama very soon after the election because lots of Canadians love Obama. He should really try and make it look like they get along really well.

There needs to be a correction. ACCORDING TO THE ALASKAN PAPER, she did not fire him, but asked him to take a different position. He refused and then quit. There was no severence package. He went behind Palin's back to go to Congress and request money for a "Crime Lab". This was something she had already vetoed. I'd call it insubordination and just cause for firing. Obama was quick to send in his clowns, a fellow democrat by the name of French forced his way in to handle the case. Seems as though Obama has his hands going everywhere. In Missouri, he enlisted a prosecutor and sheriff to arrest anyone who makes a false statement about him. In his case everything said about him is false. Fortunately the Govenor stepped in a said no way was this going to happen in his state. Then we have ACORN who were trained by Obama, writing up false registrations, using dead people and deli names in atleast 11 states. 5000 IN Missouri alone. And now we find out Obama was corresponding and phoning Odinga in Kenya. Odinga is responsible for thousands of deaths since he didn't get elected and has tried to become the leader anyway. Probably trained by Obama too. God help America, if he becomes president.

How does one get "unlawfully abused" from this statement from the Branchflower report itself:

"In spite of that, Governor Palin's firing of Commissioner Monegan was a proper and lawful exercise of her constitutional and statutory authority to hire and fire executive branch department heads."

But, hey, if the dems want to defend a state trooper who tasered an 11-year-old, drank on the job, and threatened the life of a person, then by all means please go ahead. After all, they are electing a man who associates himself with unrepetent domestic terrorists, racist preachers, Chicago crooks, perpetrators of voter fraud, etc.

Birds of a feather and all that...

Unfortunately, it doesn't matter whether the citations are accurate or not. What matters is the message, and the message that will be sent is that Gov. Palin broke the law (we have a fricken lawyer making that claim. What likelihood will a brick-layer have for understanding this).

So, even though Gov. Palin did something that I would want every Governor to do (fire cops that tase kids because they're curious and threaten to kill law abiding citizens), the message that will get out is that she broke the law.

And it will be a rare journalist who will examine this report critically.

Screw the Palin misdirection. This will be much more fun to watch:

"No, ma'am. He's a decent family man [and] citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign's all about. He's not [an Arab]."

The next implication you'll hear will be that McCain thinks Arabs aren't decent. Read it again.

I don't think the damage to Governor Palin will be too bad if people get a look at those that investigated her:
[External Link]

Penny's anti-redstater prejudices are one display -- again.

Damian: Read the highlights of the report. It's a hack job which clears Palin yet tries to leave mud on her. They say she abused her power, yet did nothing illegal and acted within her power. They say she did it for personal gain, yet cite no evidence of how she benefitted. Under the statutes involved, "gain" is defined and she did not benefit in any way using the statute. No cash, no professional vertical mobility ... nothing. I think you were quick to use MSM reports to make your judgment.

Palin is clearly and completely innocent. In this political climate, do you think the dems on the investigative committee would've let this pass so easily if they had anything on her? And, don't forget, that back in the beginning of September, the chair of the committee was already taunting that he'd have a nasty surprise for the GOP. What a flop he delivered.

Palin is totally, completely, and wholly innocent.

Damian... Palin's still in this. It's still Palin's base v Obama's. The conservative "mob" - disenfranchised since Ronaldum Magnus left office - is returning.

The point about the economy tanking is being understood... the Market fears Obama and the "Change" left in a few pockets when he's through.

Put differently... If Hillary were in this race, she'd be out 15 to 20 points ahead. If it was Hillary/Biden v McCain and [say] Huckabee, the Demos would totally mop the floor with McCain in a few weeks.

As it is, it's Obama v Palin. Guess who's inspiring the conservative base in both Parties? Both are... Stick & Carrot.

This is purely anecdotal, though for what it's worth: Normally our neighborhood lawn-signs run about two to one Donkey to Elephant. This year it's tied. Same number of Demo signs, but the number of Republican signs has boomed.

My bet is on Palin by a small margin just outside of error.

Ran: Good point. This election comes down to Palin vs Obama. Without Palin, the Dems would deliver a win that'd all but wipe out the GOP.

The next battle for the GOP will be between the social/populist branch (Palinists) and beltway goepolitcal class. Palin has destroyed the careers GOP old boyz ... let's not forget. She is dangerous for each and every mainstream Washington stooge. There are a lot of GOP top dogs who fear her. There's nothing more dangerous for corrupt politicians than someone who runs on ideological old-style conservative values ... they can't be bought, they won't bend, and they use populist sentiment to get things done. That's what Obama is doing from the Marxist side of the aisle. Give me a populist con over a marxist any day, though.

Go Palin! POTUS 2012 or 16.

The coffin lid is still open in my view. A lot can happen in 24 days. There is still time for people to find out about Acorn and the CRA and Democratic role in the economic mess and when they do they will be hornet buzzing mad. Agree with Ran - The stock market is already thinking of an Obama presidency and it doesn't like the thought one bit.

Dudes I want to see this thing go to McCain because I think Obama's dangerous BUT this thing is so done it's not even funny.

John,
RealClearPolitics would back you up. It does look rather... 'over'. WW's point can't be overstated at this juncture.

RCP is decent. Here's what's not being measured, and thus why I distrust what the pols tell RCP:

One, the conservative base of BOTH parties don't see this contest so much in the present as in the future. By that, there are a lot of centrist Demos and Independents who truly wish it was Hillary up there.

For conservative & libertarian minded Republicans, they see this election as the step to 2012... Palin Country. They don't like McCain, never have, and that factor weighs on McCain's apparent negatives.

Thing is, quite a lot of both of these blocs will be voting for Palin... not an assumption in any of the pols. These people are routinely ignored by the lame-steam media in their reportage, too.

Two, there's the psych factor: Leftie contract dependent pols - such as Zoggers - would rather the Right not even show-up to vote. Make it appear done before it gets started. This year, the base is angry, and it [miraculously] is being reported. Angry people do show-up. Over-confident types tend to skip, thinking it's 'in the bag.'

Third, there's the New Media effect: Conservative and Libertarian leaning types tend to avoid pols... even the pols admit difficulty getting responses from them. Sample anecdote: A pol called us two years ago. I gave the gal such a hard time over the wording of the question. It was an ignorant, misleading question - rather like the comments Mr. Dawg leaves on the sidewalk. I pointed out to the gal how conservatives would see the question, and why direct answers to it were inherently problematical. The point being, pols often ask questions that naturally get the result they want to show their contractors... seldom are they objective so much as objectionable.

Last, but not least, McCain and company are only now pointing out how the Market turmoils got started in Market terms. WW's point stands: A lot can happen in three weeks. The mob is getting angrier and the markets more skittish. It's torches and pitchforks around here... with Congress scoring below 10% approvals, "change" may well be in the offing. It may well not favour Demos.

Dunno. I still say this is going to be much, much closer than being reported, with Palin in the lead.