Alaskan Cat Fight!!!

So, Republican Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski released a statement today in response to the Palin resignation stating, "I am deeply disappointed that the Governor has decided to abandon the State and her constituents before her term has concluded.” This would seem odd, a Republican criticizing another Republican so openly. The backstory explains why it is not.

Frank Murkowski was a US Senator from Alaska. He ran for Governor and won. Just before taking office, he resigned his Senate seat and as governor had the power to appoint his successor for a two year term. He appointed his daughter Lisa (see above). Meanwhile Governor Murkowski gets caught up in a huge scandal and the lowly mayor of Wasilla runs in a Republican primary against him--defeating him. This mayor, Sarah Palin, spent the primary campaign bashing the hell out of Governor Murkowski for his corruption---and won!

Needless to say, there is no love lost between Sarah Palin and Lisa Murkowski. But the reality of the situation is this: two totally underqualified individuals having a public political exchange of words. The Senator here tried to have the last laugh. Maybe Senator Murkowski is trying to distance herself from whatever shitshow is about to erupt surrounding Palin, but I think there's more (or less, depending on your perspective) to it.

Lisa Murkowski and Sarah Palin are like two girls everyone went to high school with. Lisa Murkowski was the homely girl who was only popular because her father was rich and bought her nice things, and while expensive makeup can only fix some things it can at least help a face that is some mix of otter and sewer rat (see Murkowski picture). What the makeup hides physically, family wealth and connections hide mentally and Lisa (or whoever it was in your high school) did better than the life she was qualified for: the return counter clerk at Payless.

Sarah Palin is that girl from your high school who came from almost nothing and actually might have worked the return counter at Payless. However, she had good looks and that got her by. Her intellect couldn't impress a squeeze bottle of mustard, but a willingness to blow strangers in order to get ahead did her well. If the money isn't there to fulfill all your dreams, can a talented tongue offer you success? You betcha!

~Ginger

One for the Birds

So, Alaska Governor, 2008 GOP Vice Presidential nominee, and barely literate Sarah Palin announced today she is stepping down from her job as her state's chief executive. While I'm sure Slim and I will have much to say about this over the coming days, I want to blog quick about my first impression.

Despite a silly, contradictory, rambling, and voice-cracking announcement by Alaska's favorite former sportscaster, some people in the GOP will find this speech "selfless" or "magnanimous" or whatever they can spin as they pray to Jesus that her screams of good faith are louder than Mark Sanford's latest letter to Penthouse. However, not everyone bought this load of crap. Chief among them: birds. If you listen to her speech, as she describes her positive record on ethics and her decision is for the good of Alaska, there is a pelican (or whatever the hell birds they have up there that haven't been asphyxiated in an inlet of Saudi sweet crude) making a laughing sound. Maybe Palin thought her record had killed enough wildlife that an outdoor press conference was safe, but it wasn't the case. Nothing says I'm screwed like a flock of birds off camera not having any of it.

Like I said, more to come; Happy 4th!

~Ginger