**UPDATED with statement from FOX40 News**

Courtesy of The Right Scoop

Another shining example of the disrespect that is heaped upon conservatives, in general, and Governor Sarah Palin, specifically…

After giving a speech at California State University, Stanislaus, the governor was mocked by cameramen from Sacramento’s FOX40 station who were covering the event live.  The best quote (may not be exact due to audio quality):

Now we know the dumbness doesn’t just come from soundbytes…

The video didn’t capture all of their commentary, but you get the idea.  We’ll just wait here for the FOX40 apology to Governor Palin and the unsuspecting public who wanted to tune in and hear what she had to say.

Stay classy, “objective” media.

- tdc

FOX40 Contact Info:

• Phone Number - Main: (916) 454-4422
• FOX40 Live - Leigh Anne Keys, FOX40 Live Exec. Producer - leighanne.keys@fox40.com

*UPDATE:

• FOX40 News issues a statement in response to the controversy surrounding the post-speech commentary.  It reads, in part:

The comments overheard were made by reporters assembled from other newspaper and television outlets, and at no time was the voice of our photographer or our reporter heard on the stream. It’s very likely that those reporters and photographers were unaware, or simply forgot, that there was one television station with an open microphone broadcasting to the world.

PLANNING IS OVERRATED

As many/some/one of you may know, I recently took a spontaneous and all-too-brief trip to the great state of Alaska.  My original plan was to travel up north for a late-summer vacation, however, I tend to fold like a wet nappie when peer pressure is combined with travel incentives.  Thus, a couple of weeks ago, when I was repeatedly told that I should just “come on up”, it seemed silly to do anything other than blindly obey.  So, in the end, I justified my quick, unplanned trip with the following reasoning:

1. I had to help my friend, Eddie Burke, with his campaign for lieutenant governor.
2. It was only polite that I travel to meet some of my peeps and tweeps that I had heretofore only known online.
3. I planned to go up anyway…why not go twice?

In my head, these reasons were sufficient enough to push the “Purchase Ticket Now” button on the Travelocity website, and pack up the oversized backpack that had previously seen its way through a couple of European jaunts.  What was done, was done.  No time for guilt or regrets.  So, before I knew it…away I went!

THE BEST OF INTENTIONS

In the airport, I had grandiose dreams of using the Tumblr mobile blogging app to regale my (six?) readers with fascinating yarns about my Alaskan adventures - the sites, the sounds, the wildlife, the folks….But, after an initial test post to make sure the app worked, I quickly realized there would be no mobile blogging after I landed.

You see, Alaska is just too darn gorgeous…

…the four-wheelin’ too darn fun…

…and the moose too funny lookin’…

…I couldn’t tear myself away from the reality of it all long enough to write it up!  So, I apologize for not logging every moment of every day to share here on tdc.  But, let me assure you:  you don’t need my words to understand what a wonderful experience it was.

WITH AN ALASKAN HEART

You can probably imagine the stunning beauty of the natural environment in Alaska.  The mountains are huge, the skies vast, and the rivers cool and crisp and glacier-blue.  Indeed, these are the things I thought of first when I stepped off the plane in Anchorage and took in my first glimpse of our nation’s Last Frontier. 

Over the course of my six days in the MatSu Valley, however, I soon found that the most appealing aspect of this larger-than-life arctic state lies in the kindness of her people.

Alaskans are nothing less than the most universally generous people I have ever met.  Not some of them…all of them.  And the people I came to know are the reasons I am eager to return for another trip. Certainly, there are other towns to visit and fishing to do; but, most importantly, I now have friends I miss and can’t wait to see again: 

• the story-telling collector
• the camera-wielding tour guide
• the hatchet-wielding four-year-old
• the spunky entrepreneur in pink
• the gun-loader
• the peas and strawberries kid
• her whipped cream brother
• the matriarch who remembers everyone’s name
• the Rainbow Coalition family
• the snarky-yet-kind diagnostic mom-to-all
• the bluegrass couple
• the funny quiet man in the corner
• the teacher who didn’t know anyone
• the kids who play outside
• the man who owns the coffee shop where you have to ask for sugar and then wait ‘til he goes back into the pantry to look for it and bring out a big tub(!)…

For six days, this was my Alaska.  I arrived expecting to be mesmerized by the scenery, but I left having been blessed with new friends.  Many thanks to all of you - you know who you are - who filled my spontaneous Alaskan experience with your uniquely Alaskan spirit.  See you again soon…

-tdc

*All photos by tdc (except the one OF tdc…that was taken by K.F.)

The Alaskan adventure begins! The first step is testing out the mobile blogging app…of course.

Stay tuned for updates from the road as tdc heads north!

-tdc

Last night, Governor Sarah Palin sent out a nice update about the glories of summer in Wasilla, Alaska:  Gardening, lawn mowing, children playing, and a creepy Massachusetts writer with no talent and a wild imagination who has decided to vacation next door to the Palin family home for the next five months.

What was that last part, you ask?  Yes.  That’s right…we speak of Joe McGinnis.  The author of a hit-piece in the now-defunct Portfolio magazine has decided that in order to research his new book (a longer-winded hit piece on the governor?) he needs to be up close and personal with his subject.

Somehow, both Joe and his publisher (Random House) decided that next door to the Palins would be an appropriate place to set up shop.  For the rest of the world, however, this new living arrangement is decidedly inappropriate and shockingly invasive.  It is truly appalling to see how far some people will go in their obsession with Governor Palin and her family and this situation reeks of harassment! 

Creepy McG. has stepped way out of bounds on this one and, despite the Governor’s humorous write-up, the Palins must certainly be ill-at-ease knowing this guy is just a few feet away from their family home.  Creepy’s vacation plans may be technically legal, but they are anything but decent.  The Palins are average citizens who have a right to some semblance of privacy.  Now, it seems, they’ll have to alter yet another aspect of their daily lives to take the time and resources to build a fence between their home and their unwelcome observer.

This whole situation is absurd and Creepy McG. is clearly disturbed.  Random House Publishing should be ashamed to have any association with this man and should act immediately to get his backside out of the Palin’s backyard.

- tdc

*Photo by Governor Palin (via Facebook)

Happy Mother’s Day to all the fab maternals out there!  You practice your craft with all the grace, expertise, and humor that Betty White illustrated on last night’s episode of Saturday Night Live - Thank you mamas and thank you, Ms. White!!

- tdc

Today, via Facebook, Governor Sarah Palin endorsed Carly Fiorina in the race for California’s senate seat currently occupied by Barbara “You Better Call Me ‘Senator’” Boxer.  Needless to say, the online universe (especially Twitter) is in quite a tizzy because many conservatives support the other strong Republican candidate, Chuck Devore, and do not agree with Governor Palin’s decision.

Frankly, I don’t know a whole lot about Ms. Fiorina versus Mr. Devore, other than what I see go by in the social media-sphere.  But, in reading Governor Palin’s note about her endorsement of Fiorina, I have a couple of observations. 

In part, the Governor’s note reads:

Carly is the Commonsense Conservative that California needs and our country could sure use in these trying times. Most importantly, she’s running for the right reasons. She has an understanding that is sorely lacking in D.C. She’s not a career politician. She’s a businesswoman who has run a major corporation. She knows how to really incentivize job creation. Her fiscal conservatism is rooted in real life experience. She knows that when government grows, the private sector shrinks under the burden of debt and deficits. We can trust Carly to do the right thing for America’s economy and to make the principled decisions she has throughout her professional career.

The focus on fiscal conservatism, business experience, and life experience are indications that Governor Palin:

1. Weighted fiscal concerns and real-world knowledge quite heavily in making her decision to endorse Fiorina.


2. Is making an effort to support a talented team of individuals to take on Washington, D.C.  Each of the people she has publicly supported has his or her own strong skillset that will add value to the political discourse that shapes our policies.  While in office, Governor Palin demonstrated the fact she evaluates people based on the expertise they have to offer to the task on hand.  As governor, she didn’t require that everyone in her administration with agree her on every issue.  That philosophy got a lot done in Alaska.


3. Is as courageous as ever.  She had to have known the backlash that would come from the Fiorina endorsement, and she did it anyway.  Agree with her decision or not; but, once again, Governor Palin put her political capital at risk to do what she thinks is right.  How many politicians ever do that, let alone with the frequency that Governor Palin is willing to?

It will be interesting to see how this endorsement, and those to come, play out during the election cycle.  On the one hand, Governor Palin inspires cheers and kudos for endorsing veterans in their respective races for congress (including conservative rock star, Allen West); and on the other hand, she stirs up controversy with her support of Fiorina and Rand Paul (R-KY).  What are we to make of this?

Well, this outsider can only draw conclusions from the evidence presented, and that evidence indicates that Governor Palin continues to prove that she is perhaps the most unconventional politician to hit the U.S. stage in generations.  A fact that drives those on the Left and (per today’s chatter) the Right absolutely batty.

While we all continue to discuss the merits of Governor Palin’s endorsement strategies, let’s remember to thoroughly research the candidates we are arguing about, and then make a donation or volunteer for those who represent our values.

Most importantly, though, let’s all remember to get out the vote.  Ultimately, those are the only endorsements that will really count.

- tdc