Palin says Democrats spreading misinformation and lies

Friday 05th September, 06:49 AM JST

ST. PAUL, Minnesota —

Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Thursday blamed supporters of the Democratic presidential ticket for spreading “misinformation and flat-out lies” about her and her family.

But her spokeswoman said Obama’s campaign was not responsible, even though a Palin fund-raising letter named the Democratic ticket with the words: “the Obama-Biden Democrats have been vicious in their attacks directed toward me, my family and John McCain.”

The Obama campaign has raised questions about Palin’s qualifications based on her six years as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, and less than two years as governor, but Obama himself has said her family should be off-limits. He also said he would fire any staffer who talks about it.

Palin spokeswoman Maria Comella said: “We appreciate the fact that he came out and condemned this kind of personal attack.” Asked whether Palin thought Obama or his running mate, Delaware Sen Joe Biden, were personally responsible for the attacks mentioned in the letter, Comella said, “No.”

Asked who was to blame, the spokeswoman said, “You want me to tick through all the stuff that’s been ticking through all the blogs the past few days? What about the stuff that was on Daily Kos, that rumor that was spread?”

Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said “the only ‘flat-out lie’ is this ridiculous claim, and it proves that John McCain has wasted no time in teaching Sarah Palin the ways of the Washington he’s inhabited for the last 26 years.”

Palin herself met with Republican governors Thursday and said afterward that leading a state means you have to make decisions and not just vote “present.”

“We don’t have a ‘present’ button as governor — we are expected to lead, we are expected to take action and not just vote ‘present,’” said Palin, who is in her first term as Alaska’s governor. “So there’s a big difference, of course, between the executive and legislative branches and our experience.”

Palin was referring to Obama’s days in the Illinois Senate, when he voted “present” dozens of times among the thousands of votes he cast in his eight years there. The move is common among Illinois lawmakers, but has become a favorite Republican complaint about Obama.

The vice presidential candidate met with the governors on the morning after her speech to the Republican National Convention. In the days since her selection as John McCain’s running mate was announced, questions have been raised about the 44-year-old governor’s qualifications and experience, and it was revealed that her unmarried, 17-year-old daughter is five months pregnant.

In the fund-raising letter issued Thursday, she cited “the Obama-Biden Democrats” and said the “misinformation and flat-out lies must be corrected.”

Palin said Thursday that she has “a big job cut out in front of me running for vice president.”

She did not take questions from reporters.

Meanwhile, McCain’s campaign is denying a tabloid report that Palin had an extramarital affair. “It’s a vicious lie,” spokesman Steve Schmidt said.

The campaign is considering legal action, the senior adviser added.

The National Enquirer wrote in its edition dated Sept 15 that Palin had an affair with a business associate of her husband, Todd Palin. He discovered the infidelity and dissolved the business, the article said. It attributed the allegation only to “an enemy” of the Alaska governor.

“The smearing of the Palin family must end,” Schmidt said in a statement.

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Latest 15 of 113 Total Comments Show All

JoeBigs at 09:20 AM JST - 6th September

WhiteHawk No, in truth all she did was visit U.S. troops. Obama's done that too, right?

Yes she did, but I have a strange little question..... Now how long has the war been going on? Points finger in the air, greaaaat political photo op time! True true Republican values! :kick in the marching music:
WhiteHawk at 11:03 AM JST - 6th September

JoeBigs:

Now how long has the war been going on? Points finger in the air, greaaaat political photo op time!

And she's been governor of Alaska since the war started, is that what you're trying to say? Or are you saying she was running for VP when she visited the troops?

Funny you should bring up photo ops. Obama was scheduled to visit wounded troops during his presidential campaign), but when told he couldn't bring his film crew, he made his first executive decision and decided that visiting troops wasn't worth the bother if he couldn't use the footage in a campaign commerical.

That, my friend, is a true Democrat value, especially one of your generation.

I have a friend who makes a couple of trips to Afghanistan a year, and was present when Obama visited. Mr. "Cares about America" walked right past the troops and into the VIP tent. No wave, no "good day", no "Hi, I'm Barack Obama and I'm running for president". Nothing.

Not only does Palin talk to the troops, but she talks to them as real people. She doesn't talk down to them and her voice isn't dripping with condescension or pity. She sees them as heroes and not as victims. Obama just doesn't have that value.
Madverts at 04:49 PM JST - 6th September

"That, my friend, is a true Democrat value, especially one of your generation."

Heh, give it a rest whitehawk and remove the partisan blinkers. Republicans are the kings of slime, despite the dems using similar tactics.
JoeBigs at 04:59 PM JST - 6th September

WhiteHawk That, my friend, is a true Democrat value, especially one of your generation.

Actually my generation is the WHO generation.....

Obama was scheduled to visit wounded troops during his presidential campaign), but when told he couldn't bring his film crew, he made his first executive decision and decided that visiting troops wasn't worth the bother if he couldn't use the footage in a campaign commerical.

You need to expand your channel search, instead of hitting fox try MSNBC try this link. It seems that Obama did have breakfast with soldiers and sailors on his visit to Afghanistan.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25745500/

I have a friend who makes a couple of trips to Afghanistan a year

It seems that either your friend made a mistake or MSNBC did....Hm now which one could it be? You decide, always fair and balanced...

Now to help you out with the truth, try this fact check. I swim through the muck to bring you the facts.

http://factcheck.barackobama.com/factcheck/2008/07/29/responsetomccain_allegations.php

Annenberg Fact Check: The McCain Ad's Insinuation That Obama Canceled The Visit Because Of the Press Ban Or The Desire For Gym Time "Is False."

The above is just one small piece of the truth. You will be amazed at how much good old McC was off. Hm could it be that he is off is meds again?

Hey I bring you the facts and not the spin, here on the No spinning spin zone. Only way Republicans wont read it is if they can not handle the truth!

More fact checks on Palin, if you read it you will be saved!

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/maverick_misleads.html

Here Palin trips up on her facts.....Did I say Trip?

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/gopconventionspinpartii.html

Here is one more good Old McC cherry picking through Obama`s views on Iran.

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/contextincludedobamaoniran.html

There more and more and more, read it live it and learn from it!

I only bring you the facts and NOOOoooooooooo Spin!
Farmboy at 07:24 PM JST - 6th September

So far, she hasn't told us which Democrats are doing this, or what lies they are saying. Who are the "Obama-Biden Democrats"? She doesn't say. The National Enquirer is fairly equal opportunity with its lies, so that really doesn't count. Certainly people have questions about her qualifications...that's a normal part of politics, and anybody running who can't take the heat should stay out of the kitchen. If she is expecting people not to scrutinize her life and policies because she is such a nice person, that seems really foolish.
Madverts at 08:10 PM JST - 6th September

"So far, she hasn't told us which Democrats are doing this, or what lies they are saying."

That doesn't matter to the faithful. She says they're lying and those loyal to the sect nod their heads and mummer agreement.
wookwook1 at 10:08 PM JST - 6th September

Farmboy Palin is turn out to be a great pick so far. Politics haven't been this interesting since...Barrack Obama. I agree with you though, her life and policies should be scrutinizes. Her kids should not.
wookwook1 at 10:08 PM JST - 6th September

Farmboy: Palin
Wolfpack at 12:36 AM JST - 7th September

Palin has the Left in a tizzy. She doesn't fit the stereotype that they have dreamed up for a conservative woman. The Left and the main stream media (which are one and the same) ignored John Edwards' story for nearly a year because they support him. They jumped all over Palin with scurrilous tabloid stories from the moment she was selected by McCain as his running mate. They see her as a threat to their view of what a proper professional woman should be.

The Leftist media and opinion writers went after Palin's daughter first because the conservative idea of abstinance isn't 100% effective - as if the Left's idea of family planning and aborting inconveniect children is. Palin's underage daughter is fair game when Chelsea Clinton is still being protected. Liberals quickly fell for the tabloid accusation that Palin's daughter was the real mother of her youngest child! All of the sudden, Liberals are concerned about Palin's children when for decades they have advocated aborting children that are a threat to a woman's career goals.

For those that are in denial that the Left and the main stream media are going after Palin because of her gender, have you not read the opinion pieces from the New York Times? Blatently misogynist.
ByakkoDono at 09:10 AM JST - 7th September

Palin, what a joke. I haven't followed the Rep convention but is she the one saying Obama shouldn't be voted because he lack experience ? And who's saying that ? An about two years worth (yeah right) experience gov from Alaska ? Wow if that's qualifying for VP the standars really went down the roof for the reps. Beside, she used to teach (or still does, can't remember now) creationism... that alone scream MENTAL CASE to me heh
ColAmerica at 09:13 AM JST - 7th September

ByakkoDono- McCain would not pick a unexperienced mental case as VP.

Already she is being talked about worldwide, and has a growing band of admirers.

Palin is correct, persons such as yourself are spreading misinformation and lies about her good person heh.
SezWho2 at 06:55 AM JST - 8th September

Wolfpack,

I don't think that the media is "going after" Palin because of her gender. I think they are going after her because she has played on her gender and because her resume sounds like a cross between a beauty pageant bio and a reprise of W-O-M-A-N.

She needs to make it clear that she is who she says she is. At the current time the glossy resume seems to me to be papering over some unanswered questions, questions which are a little jarring to say the least.
Hoss1 at 07:49 AM JST - 8th September

It didn't matter who McCain picked. The die-hard Republicans would have supported anyone. Too many people treat politics as sport. They have some strange need to support their political party even though they can't put forth a decent candidate. You're not Cubs fans people. Wake up.
toolongheremaybe at 04:55 PM JST - 9th September

Both sides badmouth the other side. And both claim foul play. I seem to remember someone talking about a "right wing conspiracy". Elections are like a game. Unfortunately, its a bit like soccer where people fall down and cry foul too often.
USARonin at 05:28 PM JST - 2nd October

Tina Fey is available and the pay is excellent.

I'm sure they're no shortage of male applicants for these "positions".