Chris Matthews Eviscerates Nancy Pfotenhauer.

Chris Matthews is like a monkey with a gun. Sometimes he’s kind of wacky and unpredictable and you never feel quite sure of what he’s going to do. Other times, he takes careful aim and hits the bad guy right between the eyes. This time, Republican spokeswoman Nancy Pfotenhauer was the one with the big shiny bullseye right in the middle of her forehead. The subject of the conversation? How is it that Sarah Palin still does not know the job description of the Vice President? If you have not seen Matthews’ verbal flaying and subsequent evisceration of Palin via Nancy Pfotenhauer, you are in for a real treat. If you’ve already seen it once, watch it again. It’s almost a seismic event.

Don’t just click. Make sure you’re comfortable. Get yourself a glass of wine, or a cup of tea, or a shot of Jack Daniels. Get out those comfy sweat pants. Popcorn even, if you’re so inclined. It will wait for you.
(waits)
You’re back! Good.
Roll ’em!

Wow. There are just no words. He wiped the floor with her, crumpled her up like a little paper towel, and with two fingers, dropped her in the trash.

There was one other time Chris Matthews approached this type of brilliance. There may have been others, but this is the one that springs to mind. It was back in June of this year, when Kevin James made a reference to Neville Chamberlain as an appeaser….and had no idea who Neville Chamberlain was, or what he did, and Chris Matthews would not let him off the hook. Since we’re all enjoying this Chris Matthews love-fest, here’s that classic for you to enjoy.

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Jury Dismissed for the Day at Stevens Trial.

The jury in the Senator Ted Stevens corruption trial has left for the day. (door closing noise)

They were supposed to leave at 4:45pm, but asked permission to leave early.

The jury returned to Sullivan’s court at 4:25 p.m. Sullivan said they had sent a note.

Paraphrasing, he said jurors wanted to leave early. “Kind of stressful right now – we need a minute of clarity right now.”

No problem, Sullivan said. “Of course I will let you go.”

What does this mean? I was expecting a request for more dry erase markers, or a question about an electrical invoice, or something else. But “Can we go early because we’re stressed out?” I didn’t see that one.

So, what do you think?

The Obama Landslide in Alaska. It’s All How You Look at It.

Brand new poll numbers came out yesterday from Ivan Moore Research, here in Anchorage.

McCain-Palin – 53
Obama-Biden – 42

While McCain/Palin still has a double digit lead, frankly this is a really big deal.

Here is the way Alaska fell out for the last three presidential elections so you can compare:
McCain 53 – Obama 42 (results on 10/21)
Bush 62 – Kerry 35
Bush 59 – Gore 28
Dole 51 – Clinton 33

So, the McCain/Palin ticket in Alaska has managed so far to generate only slightly more interest than Bob Dole. Remember him? And that’s with our governor on the ticket! That’s not much in the way of bragging rights. As a matter of fact, I’m ready to call this a major psychological victory for Obama and the Democrats in Alaska. I feel quite comfortable, in my non-scientific way, to tell you that if Palin were not on the ticket, we’d have a horse race here, in the ruby-reddest-flaming-lobsterized- fire-engine-colored state you can imagine.

As an Alaskan, I’ve been spending a lot of time in the last two months with a metaphorical bag on my head, sinking down in my chair, but now I’m actually feeling a little proud of us. *satisfied sigh*

If the latest Palin debacles of wardrobe-gate, and travel-gate have any effect, and the race goes to a single digit spread, you’ll hear Democratic corks popping all over the state. That’s a landslide.

Palin’s “Respectable Republican Leather Jacket” Must Go.

Every once in a while, we need to cleanse our minds from matters of the inner workings of Alaska’s Personnel Board, 263-page reports from the Legislative Council, Workers Compensation claims by Alaska State Troopers, and take a break with something that requires little thought, or research. In this spirit, the big story yesterday was the outlandish $150,000 Palin wardrobe, provided to her by the Republican National Committee. Half of this staggering sum was spent at one store, the Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis. It’s against the rules for a campaign to pick up these costs (remember the John Edwards $400 haircut?), but due to a loophole (a button hole perhaps?), the RNC was allowed to foot the bill.

While I don’t claim to know what is going on in the minds of Republicans these days, I recall my Grandmother, who passed away in 1986. She was what I like to think of as a “good Republican”. She was fiscally conservative, quietly religious, and kind-hearted. She had no patience for scandal or dishonesty from politicians, and when presented with same, would sit herself down at the table in her sunny yellow kitchen and write a letter to the offending party, in small, perfect penmanship, giving them “a piece of her mind.” Sometimes the envelope would be reused, if she had received one in the mail in good condition. Why waste paper? She had raised a family during the Depression, and she understood the value of things. She donated to Republican candidates; not much, but she gave what she could. I never asked her personally how she felt about Richard Nixon. I suspect that Watergate gave her unending heartburn, but I also suspect that Nixon’s comment about how Pat Nixon didn’t have furs, but wore “a respectable Republican cloth coat,” resonated with her. My Grandmother had a respectable Republican cloth coat too.

I shudder to think what this principled woman, with whom I once shared a home, would think about Sarah Palin. What would be going through her mind if she had lovingly and dutifully written her $15 check, in her perfect penmanship, to the RNC, only to find out that it had been used to laminate Sarah Palin with a shiny red leather jacket and new stiletto heels? It would take 10,000 Republican grandmothers like mine to pay for that wardrobe.

It is surprising in some ways, that the “real Republicans” have not mutinied. Some have, but there hasn’t been the mass exodus one would expect. Too many Republicans suffer in silence, hoping that their party will come around; that they will spontaneously stop lying, race-baiting, subverting the constitution, and spending money like drunken sailors who like women in red leather. I think they’re going to have a long wait.

Meanwhile, back at the McCain campaign, we hear today that the six-figure wardrobe will now be donated to a “charitable purpose” after the campaign. So, keep your eyes peeled for a shiny red leather jacket at a Salvation Army store near you, and I’ll let you know if Sarah Palin comes back to Alaska in a respectable Republican cloth coat.

Bedtime in Alaska – Open Thread – Wasilla

Busy day today. Hard to keep up with all the Governor’s antics!

For a great laugh, and a sad/funny look at Wasilla, including an interview with the current mayor (who has “actual responsibilities”), check out this clip from The Daily Show.

Understanding “Real America”