Alaska National Guard

We now learn that the claim that Palin was "well traveled" and even visited Iraq was a lie.  In fact, Palin made a trip to Kuwait and the closest she got to Iraq was a border station.  It's unclear if her foot actually touched Iraqi soil at the border, but that hardly qualifies as visiting Iraq.

Bridge to nowhere: Palin supported the bridge during her campaign for governor.  In fact, Alaska still took the bridge to nowhere money but spent it elsewhere.  She only opposed it after Congress removed the earmark.

Speaking of earmarks, another claim is that Palin is a reformer and hates earmarks.  The truth:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/...

The train wreck continues:

* McCain's selection of a hard-right Christian conservative is potentially radioactive to the Jewish voters he had hoped to attract, especially when they learn that Palin was present two weeks ago when her church hosted David Brickner, the founder of Jews for Jesus. Palin's minister said the proselytizing organization "is on the leading edge in a pressing, demanding area of witnessing and evangelism," and Brickner described terrorist attacks on Israelis as God's "judgment of unbelief" of Jews who haven't embraced Christianity. H/t Dave at Progress Ohio. Palin herself has described U.S. soldiers in Iraq as "on a task from God," and her minister describes the conflict as a "religious war" for Christianity.

* RNC Chair and former Ohio House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson inadvertently confirmed the relative obscurity of Palin by calling her "Sarah Pawlenty."

* As noted by Paul on this blog last night, Palin failed to disclose her interest in an Anchorage car wash on her financial disclosure forms, and the business venture was an ignomious failure ultimately shut down by the state.

* In addition to Palin's hostility to teaching real science in school (i.e., her support for teaching creationism and abstinence-only sex education and her belief that human activity does not contribute to global warming), we learn that her plan for education in Alaska professes support for schools that teach "patriotism" and says that since "employers know what is needed for the workplace" they can "provide curriculum and expectations for students."

* Marie Wilson, founder of the White House Project, has a thoughtful piece called "Hostage to Abortion Politics" in which she explains that McCain's selection of Palin "reveals a deep distrust in women to make their own decisions about their bodies, and selecting this particular woman largely based on her stance on one issue is the latest insult not just to Governor Palin, but to women as a whole—and to our democracy."

* McCain's claim that Palin's vetting was lengthy and thorough is debunked today by the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post. In the latter piece, Dan Balz reveals that Palin wasn't interviewed by McCain's vetting team until the day before McCain announced his pick.

* Palin used her gubernatorial line item veto to slash funding for teenage moms.

* Time reports that Mayor Palin tried to ban books from the library.

* Introduced by McCain as a reformer opposed to earmarks, Palin sought earmarks both as mayor and as governor (31 earmarks worth $197.8 million in next year's federal budget), and she supported the "Bridge to Nowhere" as a gubernatorial candidate in 2006.

* Palin is alleged to have foreign policy experience by virtue of being titular commander of the Alaska National Guard, but its real commander -- adjutant general Maj. Gen. Craig Campbell -- says that neither he nor Gov. Palin play any "role in national defense activities, even when they involve the Alaska National Guard. The entire operation is under federal control, and the governor is not briefed on situations."

* McCain canceled an appearance on Larry King Live last night as a result of Campbell Brown's tough questioning of McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds about Palin's qualifications, and Palin is avoiding the press altogether.

AAPP says: I don't often agree with much of Richard Cohen's articles. (Hat Tip Joyeta for the link) But this one is right on point. He writes about the whole issue of Sarah Palin, who is trying to become Vice President of the United States, because she is an active member of the PTA, a soccer mom, and a beauty pagent winner.