Talking Points from Emily's List

#1  CHOICE
Gov. Palin is strongly anti-choice, opposing abortion even in cases of rape and incest.

#2  FISCAL “CONSERVATISM”
In 2003, then-Mayor Palin left behind almost $19 million in long-term debt in her town of 7084 people.

#3  ENVIRONMENT
Gov. Palin is among a shrinking group of politicians who are skeptical that humans are responsible for climate change.  She also wanted to take polar bears off the endangered list. 

#4  EDUCATION
Gov. Palin opposed funding for state preschool program in Alaska.  She supports teaching creationism in schools.

#5  FLIP-FLOPPING
Gov. Palin was for the so-called “Bridge to Nowhere” before she was against it.  While campaigning for governor, she supported the bridge and called the term offensive to Alaskans.  On the national level, however, she reversed her position and uses the once-offensive term.

From City Newspaper in Rochester NY:

Today's New York Times reports that as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, Palin wanted certain books banned at the town library. The librarian resisted and was fired.

And a Times editorial today fleshes out another side of Palin. In a speech to a church in Wasilla,, the editorial said, Palin referred to the war in Iraq as "a task that is from God," and "said it was 'God's Will' that the federal government contribute to a $30 billion gas pipeline she wants built in Alaska."

George Bush believes that God put him in the White House. Now we have a vice-presidential candidate who is confident that God is micromanaging pork barrel.

We cannot let ourselves believe that Obama has this election sewn up.  We cannot believe for one minute that things are looking pretty good for him.  We have to see view Obama as the perpetual Democratic underdog and do everything we can possibly do to get him elected. 

True words indeed.

#3  ENVIRONMENT
Gov. Palin is among a shrinking group of politicians who are skeptical that humans are responsible for climate change. 

I need to research this a bit, but Biden ought to go after her on this.   Without the tundra much of Alaska will be a waste land.  The frozen tundra caps methane and  prevents organic material from composting and producing methane to start with.
Thaw the tundra out and all that methane goes into greenhouse mode fast, accelerating global warming.  It is fair to ask the Gov of Alaska if all that oil she wants to pump and burn is worth leaving a wasteland to future generations.  

I'm less worried about Palin than about shooting ourselves in the foot.

First of all, the fact that only 37 million people were watching her speech (yes, I said "only") is pretty interesting to me. There are about 150 million women in the US as opposed to 39 million African-Americans. It makes sense Barack should have had 40 million viewing his speech, but how come only 37 million were watching Palin, especially considering she's "new news"??

Second, she's an extremist even by the standards of extremists. I have many friends who are pro-life to the extent that they have picketed Planned Parenthood, etc. But to a person (along with Cindy McCain) they disapprove of her hardline position against abortion in cases of rape and incest, and most of them also think it's terrible that Bristol will be forced to marry a boy she probably doesn't even love.

Third, the party is currently keeping Palin away from the media. This can't last forever.

Fourth, the scandals just keep on coming.

Overnight sensations generally are just that. That said, I'm glad your co-workers want to run for things. We shouldn't have a monopoly on that and actually, need to return DFA's focus to having our members run, IMO.

-- volney

Tom, quit working for Halliburton!  But I agree with you.  Some women will respect a pit bull hockey mom no matter what she believes (like God made us go into Iraq).  Blogging on the $200M bridge money that she KEPT (or the bridge road being built) won't dent the "Wonder Woman" perception.

So here are 4 suggestions:

1.Get other successful, experienced women leaders out on the campaign trail.  Get some prominent Alaskan women and other Governors to weigh in too.

2.Deluge the press with letters.

3.In discussions, focus on feelings.  Would you invite this mom into your house? She didn't even support a family member running for office. That's real good family spirit and solidarity. Who is taking care of the children and the fiancee the family didn't want (they pulled the daughter out of Levi's school, didn't you know?).

4.Get out the vote in the battleground states

Rove made a great chess move.  The Queen is always a dangerous piece.  But even a pawn can knock off the baddest lady on the board.

Volney, 

I agree with everything you say, but...obviously there are some people out there who don't. 

I've tried for years to stir up some passion among my coworkers--just to do the simply things like pay attention, read a newspaper, vote, etc.  Very few things, if any, in the 8 years of Bush sparked any sort of fire in them. 

But now Palin comes out of no where and she managed to do something.  I'm thinking that scandals don't matter at this point, because for whatever reason, Palin is a source of inspiration.  If the first few days of scandal revelation haven't made a dent in her veneer, I'm not sure what will.