David Letterman Compared to Pig

Moe Lane compares David Letteman a pig.   Not a good idea Moe.  Comparing Letterman to a pig is offensive, to pigs.    There was a time when liberals used to feign anger when minor children were compared to animals.

Welcome to the most intense nightly read anywhere on the ‘sphere The BitsBlog Nightly Ramble

• Disgusted: I see Ed Whalen has apologized. It’s my considered opinion he was not in the wrong and had nothing to apologize for, and indeed treated “Publius” far too gently, if anything.  But he’s now given the left what they wanted;  he’s sounded full retreat.   The only lesson being taught here in the end, is that if a liberal screams loud enough, everyone else falls over, including people who should have far more courage. Like, we didn’t know that already, right?  Personally, I’m disgusted with this turn of events. (Spit)
• Oops: Sonia Sotomayor, Obama’s nomination to the USSC, fractured her ankle, yesterday.  She’ll be OK, we’re sure. But is there anything in the idea that the one she fractured was her RIGHT ankle?
• The world-wide collapse of the left: With the vote results from Europe coming in, wherein the left is getting handed it’s collectivist ass... the EU falling from favor, and now with Englands regional elections handing Labor a defeat it’ll take 20 years to recover from,  and even in our own country with the huge defeat for the left out in California with the propositions leftists favored being defeated by huge margins,  and ‘states rights’ legislation popping up all over, I submit the anger against the left is an established fact. Of course, I’ve said this before.  But don’t be too quick to view this huge defeat of the left as a victory for the right, yet,says American Thinker’s Bruce Walker. I think that’s correct. The lesson, here is that people around the world are unified on one point. They don’t want the left running things. The degree to which this defeat for the left becomes a victory for the right, then, depends on how much the right seperates itself from the policies espoused by the left. For the American Republican party, that means moving away from trying to be ‘liberal lite”.
• Drill, Baby, Drill  is being heard again. About damned time. You do know that since Obama was placed in office, and he stopped all discussion of added offshore drilling, the price of oil has doubled? Gee, no connection there is there?
• California is doing WHAT with welfare?  They’re seriously considering eliminating it. Now THERE’S a reason to move to California.
• Boycott GM?  I’ve made the comment in the recent past that I may have purchased my last GM product, since I’m not at all interested in supporting the UAW.  So, along comes Reynolds, today:
  

  RUSH LIMBAUGH calling for a boycott of GM products. This is actually serious, as I believe his listeners were formerly big GM fans. Then again, judging by the latest Rasmussen Poll, a boycott seems to have self-organized already..

  Well, look, he wasn’t calling for a boycott as much as saying he wouldn’t be shocked it it happened. And by the lights of the poll Glenn links, he’s right; it’s already happening. This comment from Limbaugh, though, goes directly to something about him I’ve said many times, in these spaces;  Limbaugh’s biggest talent is identifying what people are already thinking, and saying it better, and with greater logical force. People don’t jump on Limbaugh’s bandwagon, as much as he jumps on theirs. That’s not a bad thing. Indeed…. Were that more pols did the same.

•  Bye bye, Globe: Looks from here like the Boston Globe is on borrowed time. The cause? Unions, of course.
•  I don’t own flip-flops… So there.
•  Unemplyment:  Does anyone remember Obama saying we were going to keep unemployment at under 8%? With unemployment now at 9.5% and rising, that promise seems to have been forgotten. Of course now we’re seeing predictions by those watching of 11% unemployment or higher.

There’s been much fury and spittle being passed back and forth recently regarding the outing of “Publius”… his real name and position being revealed, by Ed Whelan over at National Review, incidental to an argument over the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the United States Supreme Court.  Whalen has, alas,  since apologized as he should not have, having done nothing wrong, thus giving the left another full retreat. The lesson learned, of course is that when a liberal screams loudly enough, the principles of the thing go away and everyone apologizes for offending the liberal.

But that apology, in my view, takes none of the weight off the discussion that springs from the occurrence.

I will point out to you that this kind of ‘outing’ is hardly new.  Oh, more than granted that it is a bit more heated than most, given the politics behind it, but for the moment, let’s ignore that aspect and stick to the general aspects of blogging anonymously.

( Full Disclosure: I’m also known as “BitHead”.  That said, I can also honestly say I’ve never having done anonymous blogging, myself… Even in the pre-blogging, UseNet days, I made no secret that I am ‘BitHead” and “BitHead” is me… the nick being more of a promotional exercise than anything else. I’m no more secret than Glenn Reynolds is for being known also as “InstaPundit”. As a result of that experience, and the logic behind that choice, I’m less than sympathetic to “Publius”.)

Trying to hide one’s identification while spreading one’s ideals seems to me inherently contradictory. Our politics are supposed to be a reflection of our most personal values and beliefs. So, in a free society, how seriously can we take an argument about one’s most cherished beliefs, if they won’t even sign their name to them?

I am reminded of the signatories to the Declaration of Independence, and the consequences they all, to a man suffered at the hands of King George. I dare say the consequences “Publius” might now face pale in comparison.  If we take that lesson, though, taking a stand means having the courage to subject yourself to the consequences… both good and bad… of that stand. Secrets have a tendency to be exposed eventually despite any efforts, and when they are so exposed, they tend to distract from the arguments being made… as “”Publius” ” is now finding.

In other situations, such as when you’re blogging about the people you work with or for, being anonymous might be useful, but strikes me as outright underhandedness, and is so childish I won’t even address it fully, here, except to say I personally despise such things.

But here it is… Because of the increased amount of damage that one can do while so cloaked in anonymity, writing anonymously about someone else, as was being done by “Publius” here, requires an increased caution… even while allowing such a person to toss caution to the winds, since they are then disconnected from the direct consequences of their comments. Publius crossed that line, exposing someone who was using his real name  to some very real if less than fully tangible consequences so as to push a particular political agenda. Whalen in my view had nothing to apologize for and he created more damage than he yet knows by doing so.

As to that agenda, and to this point, I have made no judgments as regards the politics involved. That’s because the two situations deserve to be examined separately, but since it is important to understand the reason underneath the intensity of this argument, I will provide you an example; let’s go back to “Publius” on  June the second;

I’m getting extremely annoyed watching the media repeatedly quote the “wise Latina” line without putting it in context. I saw it in the Post this morning, and have since seen it on TV a couple of times — with nary a word about context.

Basically, any reporter who quotes this line out of context is affirmatively misleading the public.

If you read the speech, you’ll see that Sotomayor is in the middle of discussion of race and gender discrimination cases. She’s saying that, in those type of cases, the experiences of minorities would hopefully lead them to reach better results as judges than all-white, all-male panels.

That argument only works if you make the assumption that the judges in question are allowing their ethnicity to influence their decisions, and that being both racist and within that racism, activist, is a net positive. Remember when ‘Blind Justice” was a goal?  The most generous read, then is that “Publius”‘ position is laughable on it’s face. Would he make the same allowances for an all minority panel of judges, and the influence of one white male judge’s ethnic activism being the leaven? I think not.

So we can either accept “Publius'” argument, or we can believe our lying eyes when we  read the direct quote of the judge in her own words:

“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experience would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.”

“Publius” says this line was delivered within a particular context. Trouble is, it’s not true.  CQ Politics:

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor delivered multiple speeches between 1994 and 2003 in which she suggested “a wise Latina woman” or “wise woman” judge might “reach a better conclusion” than a male judge.

Those speeches, released Thursday as part of Sotomayor’s responses to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s questionnaire, (to see Sotomayor’s responses to the Senate Judiciary Committee click here and here) suggest her widely quoted 2001 speech in which she indicated a “wise Latina” judge might make a better decision was far from a single isolated instance.

This speaks to a group politics activism on the part of Sotomayor and her defenders that deserves no place on the bench of the highest court in land. If a white male were to utter such a phrase once, much less repeatedly, the left wouldn’t be able to heat the tar and gather feathers fast enough.  Yet, this is what our friend “Publius” has been defending, from his formerly anonymous perch. And of course attacking from behind his cloak, anyone who dared disagree.

One wonders if, the consequences now being re-attached to his words, those arguments will be altered. That effect is now somewhat blunted, at least for past writings, but one must wonder how this all will work going forward.

Lee Cary over at American Thinker:

In a one sentence order, Justice Ginsburg left open the possibility that the SCOTUS may scotch the Chrysler-Fiat deal that gives 29 cents on the dollar to the Indiana Fund and other Chrysler bondholders.

Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Order read as follow:

“UPON CONSIDERATION of the application of counsel for the applicants, and the responses filed thereto, IT IS ORDERED that the orders of the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, case No. 09-50002, dated May 31 and June 1, 2009, are stayed pending further order of the undersigned or of the Court.”

So, what does this mean?  According to scotusblog.com,

 

 

 

The action had almost no legal significance, however.  The deal remains in legal limbo until Ginsburg, as the Circuit Justice, or the full Court takes some definitive action. There is now no timetable for further action at the Supreme Court, although the terms of the deal allow Chrysler’s new business spouse — Fiat, the Italian automaker — to back out as of next Monday if the deal has not closed.  Moreover, the papers filed in the Supreme Court have suggested that Chrysler is losing money at the rate of $100 million a day, pending the sale. That gives the Justices some incentive not to let much time pass before acting.

(snip)
 
The wording of Ginsburg’s order — “stayed pending further order” — is the conventional way by which a Justice or the Court carries out an action that is expected to be short term in duration, and not controlling — or even hinting at — the ultimate outcome.  Any speculation that her order meant the Court was leaning toward a further postponement would be unfounded.

 It strikes me as interesting that the order should come from, arguably, the most liberal member on the court, though what that means to the ultimate outcome of this thing, I don’t know.  Likely not much. Ginsberg strikes me as the least likely candidate for an FDR -era style judicuial frontal assault on Obama’s agandae, though stranger things have happened.   And no, I don’t think this is an action of her initiation. She wouldn’t be acting at all, I suppose, but for suits going through the lower courts, specifically, circuit courts in NY.  Rather, she was forced to act based on their actions.

However that may be, the order wouldn’t have been issued at all, if the thing wasn’t at least being altered, I should think.  The only way that wouldn’t be true is if someone had ideas in their head about intentionally scotching the deal with Fiat… which is also always a possibility, of course. Given that Monday deadline, whatever happens here is going to happen quickly.

Remember though, in your specualtion that all Ginsberg actually ruled on here was the stay, pending a grant of cert which would allow the case to be heard by the USSC.

To boldly go where no ssanel male blogger dare go, from the Vagina Monologues, a play by Eve Ensler:

“If it was rape, it was good rape”.

From Brussels Journal:

In November 2008 a Dutch journalist, Joanie de Rijke, was abducted by Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. She was held captive, raped repeatedly, and released after six days for a ransom of 100,000 euros ($137,000). After her ordeal, she acknowledged that her captors “did horrible things to me,” but added in several media interviews “They also respected me,” and emphasized “They are not monsters.”

Hat tip:   Gateway Pundit.

You tell me, and we will both know.

It was nice while is lasted.   New York State is back to its norm, a divided government.   In a surprize move, the New York State reppublican regained control of the state senate, James M. Odato, Rick Kaelin and Irene Jay Liu, Times-Union:

ALBANY — In a dramatic late afternoon overthrow of the Senate leadership, Senate Republicans joined by two dissident Democrats took control of the upper chamber and installed Sen. Pedro Espada as president.

Minority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Rockville Center, was returned to the position of majority leader, the post he held until Democrats took control of the chamber after the November election.

This does not seem to bode well for blind man David Paterson’s hold on power.    On the other hand, it can not but held the besieged New York State taxpayer.

Welcome, one and all to the most intense nightly read anywhere on the ‘sphere…The BitsBlog Nightly Ramble

This is the “Proposal” Edition

• Spin City: You can be reasonably assured of the Republicans pointing up the failure of the so-called ‘stimulus’ to help the American worker, while the Democrats are going to be spinning like tops, the data surrounding the unemployment numbers.  Indeed, they seem to be spending more time this week spinning than legislating. Understandable, given the negative feedback they’re getting.  Of course the facts are that the stimulus money for the most part has yet to be spent, in majority. And there are a number of folks who think the Obama economy is unspinnable.  The Tension at the WH is palpable. They know it’s not working. Actually, I’m betting that they think their biggest problem is that everyone else knows it, too.
• Why the delay on TARP repayment? A string of articles in the MSM this morning, like this one in the Washington Post  that suggests banks are ready to payback their TARP loans. Now, the thrust of the story appears to be that the Federal Government is prepared to ALLOW banks to repay their loans. Allow?  Why would the disallow a repayment? Well, for one thing, The Administration may not be ready to give up control of the banks. Indeed, if the play is that the banks are (yet again) forbidden to pay back their loans, watch for some serious screaming.
• Mickey Kaus on Saturn:: Mickey Kaus has demanding comments on Saturn.  He also suggests this ‘green car’ nonsense is just that.
  

  

  Mickey Kaus

  Environmentalism has become the latest distraction and delusion for Detroit. Chrysler admits that small, fuel efficient FIAT models aren’t going to sell in large numbers–but hey, they’re going to have a “halo effect” that will “burnish” the entire Chrysler line! Chevrolet will only sell a few thousand Volts–but the bicoastal elite appeal of green will suck media-addled buyers into the “reinvented” GM.

  No. Detroit cars will sell when they’re bulletproof, not when they’re green (or, in Lutz’s new spin, when they’re made by a company that also sells something “green”). But only one of the Big Three U.S. car manufacturers has made dramatic progress catching up to Japan on the bulletproof front–and it’s not Chrysler or GM. It’s the one that hasn’t gone broke.

  Amen and Amen. And those points have not been received by the Obama administration yet. You do know the answer to the question of how this is going to effect the supposed recovery, right? And we know that this takeover of GM was all about two things… saving the Unions and making a feint to ‘greenism’.  About that… even the Democrats are starting to get concerned.

• Green, isn’t.  Yeah, that’s what I said. Even scientists are admitting it.  The angle on this article is obviously aimed at covering the asses of the green crowd, but even there, they’re forced to admit the mantra we’ve been getting all these years from them, is flawed. It’s amusing to see these morons get tied up in their own illogic, but tragic that they have the power of government behind them.
• I know what you mean, Billy.  I really do. I am struck by the underlying similarity of your comments to mine, just a few Father’s days ago.  I am also struck also by the cruel trick time plays on us that your father’s passing and mine should both fall so closely in the rolling year to Father’s day. It sharpens that feeling somehow.
• Aren’t we the world’s pariah?  Boortz looks at our ‘aid’ with the Air France crash investigation, and wonders if we’re so evil, why are we being asked at all? Boy’s got a point. And I wonder if anyone in our government has the stones to point  that out.  Meanwhile,  I spoke to the 65th anniversary of D-Day on Friday. (Ran it On Friday’s Ramble because Saturday writing around here tends not to get nearly the exposure.)  Seems the people of Normandy haven’t forgotten.  Meanwhile, the Euro-press is saying Obama’s snubbing Europe. Apparently, his magic is fading faster than I foresaw.
• Sotomayorism of the day:  The Death penalty is ‘racist’.
• Computer models are only as smart as their programmers: Which, as it turns out isn’t all that smart. The Computer models on the recent bout with Pig Flu put everyone in panic mode. Of course, it didn’t happen the way the computer models said it would. Now, Al Gore’s Current channel is reporting based on  computer modeling with Global Warming? Now there’s another way to read such reports… as a bald faced lie.
• Anonymous Blogging? No. I’ve watched the back and forth between Ed Whalen and “Publius” and frankly, I think Whalen has the better part of the argument, particularly given the usual ‘in- the- gutter” nature of the output of Obsidian Wings. As Jonah points out,
  

  

  Jonah Goldberg

  In short, I think the answer to this question depends entirely on the conduct of the anonyblogger. It seems counter-intuitive to bullies and cowards who like the idea of sticking pins in voodoo dolls from a safe distance, but anonyblogging requires more politeness and decency even though it liberates you to use less.  If you are honest, fair-minded, and polite I think people should probably respect your anonymity. If you play fast and loose with the truth and are altogether a shabby person, I am at a loss as to why everyone should respect your desire to hurl insults and brickbats from the safety of anonymity.

   With respect to Blevans’ conduct, I think who he blogs with, a fair measure of this.  I note with interest that the defenders of “Publius” are the same ones who urged people … on Publius’ own site, BTW…  to take pictures of GOP delegates at the last convention, hoping to use such pictures against the party. Does anyone think the anonimity of those being photographed would be protected? Or are such photos taken with the express purpose of exposing it? The double standards employed by these folks are astounding. Or, at least, they should be. Alas, they’ve become all to common, to the point where they get accepted by people who should know better.. people who call themselves libertarian, even. (Shake of the head)   Ethics? Don’t make me laugh. Don’t complain to me about the ethics issues surrounding Whalen unmasking “Publius” unless you’re ready to explain to me what is ethical about constant attacks from someone who by their own design, is protected from the consequences of their bomb throwing. And that’s even absent the political aspects of this, which takes this discussion to the next level.   I note comments from Mike Hendrix at Cold Fury about this, too. (I gotta link this guy more often.. he deserves far more than I’ve given him. And you can tell him that, if you like.)  I’m currently working on extended comments, though, which may appear anywhere, depending.  Let you know.   At the bottom line, I’m with Don Surber on this one:

  

  Don Surber

  Why are we protecting the “rights” of people to say nasty things anonymously about people who use their real names?It should work the other way around. We should protect people from anonymous attacks.

  Exactly. As I say, I’ll comment more on this later.

• Speaking of thin skin:  Did you notiice Ed Shultz?  Clearly, the guy’s off his meds again. Not newsworthy of itself, but within the charge of Whelan having thin skin, it seems a reasonable response.
• The West wins in Syria: Roger Simon points to an electoral loss for Hezbollah and Syria.  One you’re not likely to hear much about from the Dinosaurs, or as he suggests, the Huff and Puff.
• The Politics of Race: Shelby Steele has an interesting op-ed up in The Wall Street Journal today.It’s interesting to watch liberals reacting to his editorials, because their first instinct is to call anyone who is a conservative a ‘racist’… a charge which clearly doesn’t work, here.
• The GOP’s war on the grassroots Continues:  I continue to watch in amaze as the GOP does it’s level best to separate itself from the group it most needs to win elections… the conservative grass roots.  Latest evidence of this is their on again -off again bit with Palin having a speaking role for the NRCC fundraiser. 
•  On TV tonight:  Speaking of Palin, she’ll be on Hannity tonight, I hear. And I fully expect that interview to be the topic of discussion (And much wailing and gnashing of teeth)  by this time tommrow.
• There’s something about this….  NOLA mayor Ray Nagin has been quarantined in China after possible exposure to the H1N1 virus, according to reports. Now, if we could convince them to KEEP him…
• Finally:  I’ll commend to your reading the great Mark Steyn, commenting on Obama’s so-called speech to the Muslim World.

I’m going to take a moment to ask you to support BitsBlog advertisers when you can.

End of Bleg.

Mrs. Clinton, who isn’t exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, tells her former employee and  television journalwhorist, George Stephanopoulos that the one has somehow passed the “Three AM”‘  test, from Jill Lawerence, Politics Daily:

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sunday morning gave her version of how she came to work for the man who bested her in last year’s bitter primary battle, and what she thinks of him now. She comes out looking great, natch, and so does he.

Clinton chose to make her first Sunday show appearance since the campaign — and since becoming President Obama’s secretary of state — with her husband’s former White House aide, George Stephanopoulos, on ABC’s “This Week.”

You won’t be surprised to hear what has happened to Clinton’s onetime doubts about Obama’s ability to protect the nation, famously aired in her primary-season TV ad saying it’s “a dangerous world” and asking voters whom they want to answer that 3 a.m. phone call at the White House. The doubts are “absolutely” all gone, she said

Meanwhile outside the delusional walls of Obamaland in the real world the Norks have convicted two Americans of spying, from Blaine Harden, Washington Post:

TOKYO, June 8 — A North Korean court sentenced two U.S. journalists to 12 years in a labor camp Monday, as the government of Kim Jong Il continued to ratchet up tension with the United States and its neighbors.

Laura Ling and Euna Lee, television reporters detained in March along North Korea’s border with China, received harsher sentences than many outsiders had expected. But several experts in South Korea predicted that talks will begin soon to negotiate their release.

Mrs. Clinton wasn’t able so specify exactly what this supposed Thee AM test was.   Stephanopoulos, being the good stooge that his is, didn’t bother to ask the follow-up question and Ms Lang and Lee were not available for comment.   Sleep tight, Team Obana is on the job,, somewhere.

A picture is worth 1000 words, goes the saying.  An e-mail echange with my wife just now:

What’s with the “angry black woman” picture on Matt Drudge’s page? I assume  that’s the French President’s wife(?) with Michelle Obama. What’s with  the ugly face?

(Shrug) The woman is perpetually angry, in my observation.

Where she directs that anger though, is indicative of something much deeper.  French President Sarkozy is one of those moving Europe to the right while Obama moves us left. There’s been a fair amount of bad vibes off that whole thing as a result, particularly where Mrs Obama is concerned. You may recall it was on account of Mrs Obama that dinner between the Sarkozys and the Obamas  was cancelled.

Her anger… perhaps more correctly,  her obvious distaste for Mrs Sarkozy Du Jour, (Carla Bruni) given her relationship with Sarkozy, and all he represents, speaks to something I have long suspected… What few political principles Barry holds come from her…. And that does not speak well of either of them. Remember that she was the reason he got involved in Jerry Wright’s chuch of hate, too. 

Each fairly small things, (at least on the Obama scale…) but highly indicative.

• @melissatweets Check comment 92 on yr latest at PJM #
• @melissatweets Check comment 94 on yr latest at PJM (correction) #
• @melissatweets When gov runs healthcare yr hlth isn’t the primaary concern -rather how much you cost govt #
• #TCOT #HHRS #TBRS BitsBlog: Video and comments on Obama Cairo Speech/ Hind-Lick Maneuver: http://bitsblog.theconservativereader.com/?p=21192 #

Represenatatives Steny Hoyer,  Chris Van Hollen and Daniel Maffei have sent a letter to the one:

Dear President Obama:

We are writing to express our concerns about General Motors’ and Chrysler’s decision to close profitable automobile dealerships across the country, and urge you to ask GM and Chrysler to delay final action on proposed closures pending further review of the decision to consolidate dealerships and the process by which Chrysler and GM selected the dealerships to close.

Closing these dealerships will put over 100,000 jobs at risk at a time when our country is shedding jobs at an alarming rate. We also question the criteria being used to determine which dealerships should be closed and the fundamental fairness involved in this effort. It is our view that the market [sic] rather than leaving it up to the manufacturers whose poor leadership contributed to their demise. Furthermore, we believe car dealers will be key players in any effort to revive the American auto industry.

We believe the dealerships are one of the auto industry’s key sources of strength and the manufacturers should continue to honor their agreements and contracts. The dealerships, and their more than 1 million employees, form personal relationships with customers that often contribute to brand loyalty and will be key to General Motors’ and Chrysler’s recovery following this economic downturn. While we understand the desire to reduce the number of unprofitable dealerships, no one has yet sufficiently explained the need to close profitable dealerships.

We recognize that efforts by your Auto Task Force prevented the total liquidation of General Motors and Chrysler, as well as their dealership networks. We commend your efforts to help these businesses survive these challenging economic times.

However, we are concerned that manufacturers are closing profitable dealerships to circumvent current contracts which could require expensive buy-outs under normal conditions. We are also concerned about allegations that dealers that have previously stood up for their rights against the manufacturers are being targeted by these closures. We believe that the forced closures of profitable dealerships needs to be scrutinized by the Task Force to prevent additional future financial loses [sic] to General Motors and Chrysler and job loses [sic] across the United States

We may consider legislative proposals to ensure that dealers and their employees are treated fairly, and we look forward to your timely response

Hat tip:  DRJ, Patterico Pontifications.

It might be wise for dear leader to find someone to read the letter to him.   Congress mght be starting to wake-up.

and, he  ought to consider changing it.    Allah Pundit, Hot Air, reports Chris Matthews thinks is “paranoid” to think the Obamatards are control freaksg, who wnat to control every aspect of your peraonal liffe.     On the other toe, Ed Morrisssy, Hot Air, reports the Obamatards want to pry through your medicial records.

In the Syracuse Post -Standard today:

The crowd greeted Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin with cheers and applause as she hoped out of her SUV and climbed in the back of a 1959 Cadlilac to start the Founder’s Day parade today in Auburn.

Palin was the star attraction, and she didn’t disappoint, waving to the crowd and posing for photos with two Auburn firefighters just before the parade began.

“She’s really a lot cuter than on TV,” said Anita Petrosino of Auburn

Petrosino was there to see her two granddaughters march in the parade.

The sidewalks were jammed nearly shoulder-to-shoulder in many places along Genesee Street as on-lookers jockeyed to get a glimpse of Palin, her husband, Todd, and daughter, Willow. At one point, the trio got out of the car to walk along the parade route.

Palin waved and smiled, connecting with the crowd and acknowledging their cheers.

…

John Adams of Cleveland. Adams and his daughter, Erin, got up at 5:30 a.m. to be in Auburn this morning. By 9 a.m., they were seated in folding chairs and talking with other Palin fans. John Adams likes Palin’s politics.

“She makes me think of Ronald Reagan,” John Adams said.

“For the first time since Reagan, I’ve found a candidate that … sounds like Reagan and that has some Reaganesque qualities,” said Adams, 56. “She’s not the speaker Reagan was, but she believes the same things Reagan believed and talk that way, and that inspires me.”

Erin Adams said Palin shows that a conservative woman can get respect.

William Richmond, of Norfolk Va., drove 10 hours to see Palin. He thinks she was “tarred and feather” during the campaign because of her beliefs.

“She’s pro-life,” he said. “She means the world to us as far as the pro-life movement goes. She’s Christian and she’s not afraid to say it. She’s not afraid to speak out”

There’s lost more of course, at the link.

The TV interviews I’ve been seeing on the stations in Syracuse and Rochester tend to run along the same lines.  Keep in mind; Auburn is not an overly large place.  yet to turn out there seems to have been many times that size of the population of the town.  I wonder if the GOP leadership is listening.

Addendum:  (David L)

We never need to fear that though we’re not a perfect nation, that we must apologize for being proud of ourselves.

Sarah Palin, from her speech.    Conservatives 4 Palin has the video the entire speech, here

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.    I am going to keep this calm because I respect the calm, rational, historically informed, and politically ascute response of the Secure Arkanas rally, from Keep Arkansas Legal:

Secure Arkansas organized a rally in rememberance of the first terrorist attack since 9/11. Pvt. William Long was killed and Pvt. Quinton I. Ezeagwula was wounded by Carlos Leon (aka Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad). Channel 11 was the only TV crew out there with a camera, and the AR Dem Gazette sent a reporter and a photographer. The event had several speakers who did a wonderful job. Video footage of them will be uploaded soon. However, the most shocking part of the event was when a muslim fanatic crashed the event. The fanatic drove by and yelled at us, then parked in the parking lot and stood out with a homemade sign yelling anti-American and later anti-Semetic comments. Had this been a ceremony for Tiller, this would have been the top story for both local and national media. Since it isn’t a top story, it’s up to you to send this to as many people as possible. In case youtube deletes the video or the account, here are multiple links to see and share the video footage.

Video:

Hat tip video, SWDNL a/k/a, Pamela Geller, Atlas Shrugs.

By the power granted me by the great of  my own volition, I do hereby proclain every voice in the video, save the lone  female in the Hijab as honorary Swamp Stompers.