FACT CHECK: Palin's Book Goes Rogue on Some Facts

Lies just keep coming. I don't think Republicans (and lots of Democrats) nowadays don't know what the truth is.

in reference to:

"PALIN: Says she made frugality a point when traveling on state business as Alaska governor, asking ''only'' for reasonably priced rooms and not ''often'' going for the ''high-end, robe-and-slippers'' hotels.THE FACTS: Although travel records indicate she usually opted for less-pricey hotels while governor, Palin and daughter Bristol stayed five days and four nights at the $707.29-per-night Essex House luxury hotel (robes and slippers come standard) overlooking New York City's Central Park for a five-hour women's leadership conference in October 2007. With air fare, the cost to Alaska was well over $3,000. Event organizers said Palin asked if she could bring her daughter. The governor billed her state more than $20,000 for her children's travel, including to events where they had not been invited, and in some cases later amended expense reports to specify that they had been on official business.------PALIN: Boasts that she ran her campaign for governor on small donations, mostly from first-time givers, and turned back large checks from big donors if her campaign perceived a conflict of interest.THE FACTS: Of the roughly $1.3 million she raised for her primary and general election campaigns for governor, more than half came from people and political action committees giving at least $500, according to an AP analysis of her campaign finance reports. The maximum that individual donors could give was $1,000; $2,000 for a PAC.Of the rest, about $76,000 came from Republican Party committees.She accepted $1,000 each from a state senator and his wife and $30 from a state representative in the weeks after the two Republican lawmakers' offices were raided by the FBI as part of an investigation into a powerful Alaska oilfield services company. After AP reported those donations during the presidential campaign, she gave a comparative sum to charity."
- FACT CHECK - Palin's Book Goes Rogue on Some Facts - NYTimes.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Transcript: Obama Tokyo Press Conference (11-13-09)

President Obama held a press conference in Tokyo along with the Japanese PM, HATOYAMA. Complete transcript. Excerpt below:

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, first of all, I am impressed that the Japanese journalists use the same strategy as American journalists -- (laughter) -- in asking multiple questions.

Let me, first of all, insist that the United States and Japan are equal partners. We have been and we will continue to be. Each country brings specific assets and strengths to the relationship, but we proceed based on mutual interest and mutual respect, and that will continue.

That's reflected in the Japan-U.S. alliance. It will be reflected in the resolution of the base realignment issues related to Futenma. As the Prime Minister indicated, we discussed this. The United States and Japan have set up a high-level working group that will focus on implementation of the agreement that our two governments reached with respect to the restructuring of U.S. forces in Okinawa, and we hope to complete this work expeditiously.

Our goal remains the same, and that's to provide for the defense of Japan with minimal intrusion on the lives of the people who share this space. And I have to say that I am extraordinarily proud and grateful for the men and women in uniform from the United States who help us to honor our obligations to the alliance and our treaties.

With respect to nuclear weapons and the issues of non-proliferation, this is an area where Prime Minister Hatoyama and I have discussed repeatedly in our meetings. We share, I think, a vision of a world without nuclear weapons. We recognize, though, that this is a distant goal, and we have to take specific steps in the interim to meet this goal. It will take time. It will not be reached probably even in our own lifetimes. But in seeking this goal we can stop the spread of nuclear weapons; we can secure loose nuclear weapons; we can strengthen the non-proliferation regime.

As long as nuclear weapons exist, we will retain our deterrent for our people and our allies, but we are already taking steps to bring down our nuclear stockpiles and -- in cooperation with the Russian government -- and we want to continue to work on the non-proliferation issues.

Now, obviously Japan has unique perspective on the issue of nuclear weapons as a consequence of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And that I'm sure helps to motivate the Prime Minister's deep interest in this issue. I certainly would be honored, it would be meaningful for me to visit those two cities in the future. I don't have immediate travel plans, but it's something that would be meaningful to me.

You had one more question, and I'm not sure I remember it. Was it North Korea?

'Countdown' Transcript (11-12-09)

Read the complete transcript of 'Countdown' with Keith Olbermann (11-12-09). Excerpt below:

OLBERMANN: We know about this Harvard University study, details of which have come out in two doses: 44,000 Americans die each year for want of insurance. Now, we know that 2,266 veterans die each year for lack of insurance. You have a better chance surviving kidney disease than you do lack of insurance in this country. Why has this so seldom seen couched, presented in the moral imperative terms the same way that the abortion debate is?

GADDY: Keith, it is by some of us seen very much by a moral perspective, but your very question highlights the problem that we`re facing right now, and that is that some people in the religious community understand morality one way and some people understand it another. That`s why the United States Congress is commissioned not to legislate sectarian morality but to legislate policies that are good for the whole nation.

The real question in any debate in Congress ought not be what do the scriptures say, but what does the Constitution say. Not what does it mean to be a good Christian, Jew or Muslim, but what does it mean to be a good American.

OLBERMANN: In relation to Congressman Stupak`s amendment, specifically. The Catholic bishops now say they can`t support any health care plan that includes a provision for abortion. Again, the alternative to that is: no provision, no plan, and another 44,000 Americans dying in the next year because of insufficient insurance and another 44,000 after that.

How does that make sense in terms of, to use a phrase, "right to life"?

GADDY: Well, I understand that every religious tradition ought to have a right to advocate for its moral perspective. But once you jump into the political arena, you have to play politics like everyone else plays. Obviously, the Catholic bishops are deciding to play hard ball politics. Now, they also have a responsibility to take the reciprocal action that comes from that.

And there are other people in this nation who understand pro-life to go beyond the life of a fetus, and include the life of an adult. And this legislation is -- by the broadest definition -- pro-life legislation. It varies from that only in one or two traditions that maximize this issue of abortion as the moral issue that trumps all other moral issues.

OLBERMANN: The Catholic archdiocese of Washington also says it`s not going to be able to continue its social service programs it runs for the district. That means no help with homelessness, with adoption, with health care clinics if the city is not going to change its proposed same-sex marriage law. How does -- explain -- help me understand how that makes sense.

GADDY: I can`t help you understand how that makes sense. Compassion is compassion. And compassion does not take all of its goods and run away when it doesn`t get its way in a political decision that represents the will of the nation.

The Catholic Church is doing the right thing in advocating for its point of view. The Catholic Church is a good citizen of this nation as are other good citizens in the religious community and beyond. And if they lose on this point, that shouldn`t trump their commitment to showing compassion in any community.

OLBERMANN: Lastly, a taste allegory religious question. The Michael Moore film, "Capitalism: A Love Story." He`s got Jesus refusing to heal a sick man because the sick man has a preexisting condition. Is that in good taste? Is it in bad taste? Do you think it makes a religious or moral point?

GADDY: Well, I hope that anybody in the religious community, as well as outside, has a sense of humor. Lord knows we need it these days.

OLBERMANN: Yes.

GADDY: It does make a point. It makes a point that within the Christian tradition, healing is a priority and efforts to establish healing are in the best interest of all people.

S.C. GOP castigates Lindsey Graham

It shows how intolerant the Republicans have become. Bipartisanship is now taboo within the GOP.

in reference to:

"GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham’s decision to work with Senate Democratic leaders on cap-and-trade legislation has sparked a mutiny back home, culminating in an scathing rebuke from the Republican Party in one of the most populous counties in the South Carolina. In a harshly-worded resolution approved Monday, the Charleston County Republican Party condemned Graham for undermining “Republican leadership and party solidarity for his own benefit” and tarnishing “the ideals of freedom, rule of law, and fiscal conservatism.” The resolution recited a litany of grievances against Graham beyond his position on climate change legislation. “Graham has shown a condescending attitude toward his constituents by calling them ‘bigots’ when they opposed his stance on amnesty for illegal aliens,” read one portion of the resolution."
- S.C. GOP castigates Lindsey Graham - Andy Barr - POLITICO.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Source: 9/11 Mastermind to NYC for Trial

This could be security issue. It is also going to be a circus. I'm not sure I understand why he couldn't be tried under a military court.

in reference to:

"An Obama administration official says accused Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other Guantanamo Bay detainees will be sent to New York to face trial in a civilian federal court. The official tells The Associated Press that Attorney General Eric Holder is scheduled to announce the decision later Friday morning. The official is not authorized to discuss the decision before the announcement, so is speaking on condition of anonymity."
- Source: 9/11 Mastermind to NYC for Trial - CBS News (view on Google Sidewiki)