By P Begala

I wish Hunter S. Thompson had lived to see this.

As Hunter said, "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Sarah Palin makes Mark Foley, the congressman who sent filthy emails to pages look almost normal. She makes David Vitter, the senator who was hanging out with hookers, look almost boring. She makes Larry Craig, caught hitting on a cop in a men's room, look almost stable.

She makes John Ensign, the senator who was having an affair with a staffer, look almost humdrum (and compared to the rest of the GOP whack-jobs, he is). And she makes Mark Sanford, the governor with the Latin lover, look positively predictable.

It was an almost impossible mission, but in resigning from office with 17 months to go in her first term, Sarah Palin has made herself the bull goose loony of the GOP.

Let's stipulate that if there is some heretofore unknown personal, medical or family crisis, this was the right move. But Gov. Palin didn't say anything like that. Her statement was incoherent, bizarre and juvenile. The text, as posted on Gov. Palin's official website (here), uses 2,549 words and 18 exclamation points. Lincoln freed the slaves with 719 words and nary an exclamation; Mr. Jefferson declared our independence in 1,322 words and, again, no exclamation points. Nixon resigned the presidency in 1,796 words -- still no exclamation points.

Gov. Palin capitalized words at random - whole words, like "TO," "HELP," and "AND," and the first letter of "Troops."

Gov. Palin's official announcement that she is resigning as chief executive of the great state of Alaska had all the depth and gravitas of a 13-year-old's review of the Jonas Brothers' album on Facebook. She even quoted her parents' refrigerator magnet. (Note to self: if one of my kids becomes governor, throw away the refrigerator magnet that says: "Murray's Oyster Bar: We Shuck Em, You Suck Em!") She put her son's name in quotations marks.

Why? Who knows. She writes, "I promised efficiencies and effectiveness!?" Was she exclaiming or questioning? I get it: both! And I don't even know what to make of a sentence that reads:

*((Gotta put First Things First))*

Ponder the fact that Rupert Murdoch's Harper Collins publishing house is paying this, umm, writer $11 million for a book. Ponder that and say a prayer for Ms. Palin's editor.

I'm no latter-day Strunk & White, just a guy who was struck by Palin's spectacularly rambling and infantile prose. It bespeaks a rambling and infantile mind. But perhaps not. Perhaps this is all a ruse. Perhaps Gov. Palin wants us to believe she's an intellectual featherweight who is slightly shallower than an actor on High School Musical. Maybe she's trying to throw us off the trail.

Naah. A lot of people thought that about George W. Bush. He couldn't be so block-headed, they said. He couldn't be as childish and churlish as he came off. Oh yes he could. And so, too, might Ms. Palin be as vapid and puerile as her inane statement suggests.

We will know. In the fullness of time (and I predict, not much time) we will know. Again and again in her statement, Gov. Palin returned to the nettlesome ethics inquiries that have been visited upon her since she signed on to be John McCain's running mate. No doubt they are annoying. But does anyone believe that's why she's resigning? No, there's more to this story. And Ms. Palin's resignation only increases the chances that we will all know the rest of the story soon. Or, as she might put it:

We will all KNOW the "rest of the Story" *((SOON!))*

Begala the author is a Democrat croonie. Just look at how unstable he is in his article. The man is clueless and in a panic.

Unemployment at 10%

Korea firing missles.

Troops in Iraq

Inflation to set in next year

record level deficits.


Thanks you Mr. Obama

Unemployment at 10% - Result of Bush's economic meltdown that Obama inherited.

Korea firing missles. - It's a US holiday... That's what NK does. Look at last few years.

Troops in Iraq - (Forgot about Afghanistan?) - Both inherited from Bush

Inflation to set in next year - So now you are a prognosticator? If so, why didn't you foresee the economic meltdown?

Record level deficits - You're kidding right? Did you notice where the deficit was when "W" took office and where it was when "W" left it?

Get a clue and pull your head out of your 4th point of contact!

Obama promised that unemployment would not get above 8%. Where is it now lady troll lib? 10% How about inflation? Should I expect that you would understand economics?

Presidential historians have already stated that Obamas budget is the worst ever.

Since you've now posted this 3 times, and I've called you out on it each time. Please show my proof where Obama said unemployment will never exceed 8%. So far, you have ignored my requests. Could this possibly prove that you are a liar???

Read and respond with more lies Libby. Obama and his administration told the American public the Stimulus package would hold unemployment below 8% and create 3.5 million jobs.



June 23 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama said a second stimulus package isnt needed yet, though he expects the U.S. unemployment rate will exceed 10 percent this year.

I think its important to see how the economy evolves and how effective the first stimulus is, Obama said at a White House news conference.

He said it is pretty clear that unemployment will continue rising before the recovery takes hold and said it isnt surprising that initial forecasts from his administration missed the mark.

The economy has lost about 6 million jobs since the recession began in December 2007. The jobless rate jumped to 9.4 percent in May, the highest in more than 25 years.

Obama signed the $787 billion stimulus bill in February, and his chief economic advisers had forecast it would help hold unemployment below 8 percent. It included tax cuts and spending on infrastructure projects that the president pledged would save or create 3.5 million jobs.

I dont feel satisfied with the progress that weve made, Obama said. He cited the need to speed up distribution of stimulus funds and do more work with a program to modify existing mortgages, which hasnt been keeping pace with all the foreclosures that are taking place.

Foreclosures

Foreclosure filings in the U.S. surpassed 300,000 for a third straight month in May and may reach a record 1.8 million by the first half of the year, RealtyTrac Inc. said June 11.

The median price of an existing home has fallen 26 percent from the peak reached in July 2006 as sales slumped and financial institutions auctioned off foreclosed properties. While the losses have devastated some families, others were able to buy a house for the first time because of the drop in values.

Obama defended his initial stimulus projections, saying the economy worsened once the legislation was enacted only weeks into his presidency.

Nobody understood what the depths of this recession were going to look like, Obama said. It was only significantly later that we suddenly get a report that the economy had tanked.

Its not surprising, then, that we missed the mark in terms of our estimates of where unemployment would go, he said.

Worse Layoffs

Obama said without the stimulus legislation, the recession would have been worse and states would have been forced to lay off more teachers, police officers and firefighters.

Stephen Stanley, chief economist at RBS Securities Inc. in Stamford, Connecticut, said a second stimulus isnt necessary and may be counter-productive because of the impact on the deficit.

The stimulus hasnt provided any impetus to growth, he said. In light of the record so far, I dont think theres a crying need for a second program.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moodys Economy.com in West Chester, Pennsylvania, said its still too early to tell.

If unemployment is well into the double digits and still rising, it would indicate broader problems in the economy and serve as a catalyst for more policy action, he said.

If it doesnt look like the economy is going to revive, come out of recession in any significant way, then I think another stimulus package will come back on the agenda, he said. Both politics and economics will come together and argue for another round.

Spending and Deficits

Obama sought to address growing public concern about his spending plans and the deficit, which the Congressional Budget Office projects will hit a record $1.85 trillion this year.

While saying legislation to enact his health-care overhaul and clean energy proposals are crucial to future U.S. economic growth, Obama said both initiatives must and will be paid for.

Revamping the health-care system will not add to our deficits and will be paid for through savings and efficiencies, he said. Our top priority has to be control costs.

While the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll showed Obama with an overall approval rating of 65 percent, his handling of the federal budget deficit received positive marks of only 48 percent.

Obama said at his news conference that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke has done a fine job under very difficult circumstances. He declined to answer a question about whether he would reappoint Bernanke, whose term ends in January 2010, saying he was not going to make news on that subject.

He said that, while the Fed could have done a better job anticipating systemic risks to financial markets, it has performed better than other regulators in responding to the economic crisis.

Since the crisis has occurred, Ben Bernanke has performed very well, Obama said.

"and his chief economic advisers had forecast it would help hold unemployment below 8 percent"

Still waiting... tick tock

Face it Libby the Obama man is over his head.