TALE OF THE TAPE PALIN v. Obama

Tale of the Tape: Sarah Palin vs. Barack Obama

Sarah Palin (red)
Barack Obama (green)

Office being sought
Vice President
President of the United States and Leader of the Free World

Full name
Sarah Louise Heath Palin
Barack Hussein Obama II (anybody certain?)

Nickname
Sarah Barracuda
Barry Obama; "The One"

Public opinion
Smoking hot in a "naughty librarian" sort of way
May be The Messiah

Age
44
48

Children
5: two sons, three daughters
2: two daughters

Religion/Church attendance
Evangelical Christian;attends Juneau Christian Center when in Juneau and grew up attending Wasilla Assembly of God
Attended Trinity United Church of Christ for 20 years, a "black liberation theology" church formerly led by Rev. Jeremiah Wright and governed according to the Black Value System

Current Job
Governor of Alaska
Junior Senator from Illinois

Previous Public Jobs
Mayor of Wasilla, AK (1996-2002); President of Alaska Conference of Mayors;City Council member (1992-1996)
State Senator (1997-2004);Community Organizer

Executive Experience
Governor for 2 years;Mayor for 10 years
NONE

Foreign Relations experience
Governor of state that borders two foreign countries (Canada and Russia)
Chaired Senate subcommittee on Europe but never called it into session; once gave a speech to 200,000 screaming Germans who were attending a ROCK CONCERT that was "Paid for" by the Democratic Party.

Military Affairs experience
Commander in Chief of Alaska National Guard;Son is enlisted Infantryman in U.S. Army
NONE

Private Sector Experience
Sports reporter;Salmon fisherman
Associate at civil rights law firm

Speaking ability
Beautifully executed initial stump speech in Dayton, OH hockey arena without a teleprompter
An enter...wait--did you say without a teleprompter??

Spouse's name
Todd Mitchell Palin
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama

Spouse's occupation
Salmon fisherman;Former North Slope production supervisor for BP Oil
Vice President for Community and External Affairs at University of Chicago Hospitals;former Associate Dean of Student Services at the University of Chicago;former Executive Director for the Chicago office of Public Allies;former Assistant to the Mayor of Chicago;former associate at Sidley Austin law firm

Reaction to spouse's political success
Quit 17-year BP oil job when BP became involved in natural gas pipeline negotiations with wife's administration
Promoted and given 160% pay raise by UofC hospitals within months of husband's election to U.S. Senate; Employer received $1,000,000.00 federal earmark, requested by husband, after her promotion

Coolest thing about Spouse
Tesoro Iron Dog Snowmobile race champion (longest snowmobile race in the world);In 2008, while defending his championship, was injured when he was thrown 70 feet from his machine. He was sent to the hospital but still finished in fourth place
Sister of Oregon State University head basketball coach Craig Robinson

Most Courageous Moment in Public Service
Resigned in protest from position of Ethics Commissioner of Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in order to expose legal violations and conflicts of interest of Alaska Republican leaders, including the former state Attorney General and the State GOP Chairman (who was also an Oil & Gas Commissioner), who was doing work for the party on public time and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail.
Gave an anti-Iraq war speech to a crowd of anti-Iraq war demonstrators in Hyde Park in 2002

In Current Office Because...
Upset sitting Governor in GOP primary due to public support for her efforts to clean up corrupt government establishment
Republican opponent, who was leading in the polls, was forced to leave race after unsealing of divorce records exposed a sex scandal

Theme:
Change and Clean Government
Hope and Change;"Bringing Change from Outside Washington"

What they've done to live that theme:
Replaced entire Board of Agriculture and Conservation because of conflict of interest; Resigned from position of Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in order to expose corruption among members of own party
Selected 36-year incumbent Senator as running mate

Family Affairs
May have removed State Public Safety Commissioner as part of effort to protect sister in messy divorce and child custody battle
Often says, "I am my brother's keeper"; Brother lives in a hut in Nairobi on $12 per year

Union affiliation
Union member, married to Union member
Endorsed by a union

Iraq and Troop Support
Formerly (pre-surge) critical of apparent lack of long-term strategy for Iraq; Visited wounded U.S. soldiers in Germany;visited AK National Guard soldiers deployed to Kuwait; Son deploying to Iraq on 9/11/08 as Army infantryman
Gave an anti-Iraq war speech to a crowd of anti-Iraq war demonstrators;. ALMOST visited wounded troops in Germany, but decided to go shopping in Berlin instead

Bipartisan/"maverick" credentials
Married to a non-Republican; Exposed corruption within own party;Campaigned for Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell against corrupt GOP congressman Don Young; Called out Sen Ted Stevens (R-AK) to "come clean" about financial dealings that are under fed investigation
Talks about bipartisanship

Legislative Record
Passed a landmark ethics reform bill; Used veto to cut budgetary spending; Prevented "bridge to nowhere" that would have cost taxpayers $400 million dollars.
Voted "present" over 100 times as IL state senator
How they dealt with corrupt individuals in home city/state

Exposed legal violations and conflicts of interest of Alaska Republican leaders; Campaigned against corrupt GOP Representative; Ran against and defeated corrupt incumbent governor in GOP primary
Launched political career in home of unrepentant domestic terrorist Bill Ayers (and still refers to him as a part of "mainstream Democratic Chicago"; Purchased home with help of convicted felon Tony Rezko

Guns
Lifetime member of NRA and avid hunter;video can be found on YouTube of Palin firing an M4 at a military firing range
Worked to pass legislation in Illinois that would prevent all law-abiding citizens from owning firearms

Earmarks
Opposed "Bridge to Nowhere" project;Said Alaska should avoid relying on federal money for projects;Campaigned against porker Don Young (R-AK) in 2008 primary
Secured federal earmarks for wife's employer and for campaign bundlers

Abortion
Pro life;gave birth to 5th child knowing that he would have Down's syndrome
Pro-choice;only IL state sen. to speak against the Born Alive Infant's Protection Act, which required medical care to be given to live infants who survived abortions

Energy
Believes energy independence is a matter of national security;For drilling in ANWR, which is in her state
Says Americans should "get tune-ups" and "check tire pressure"; Says "we can't expect the world to be okay with" our use of heating and air conditioning

Environment
Chair of Alaska Conservation Commission (2003-4); Announced plans to create sub-cabinet group of advisors to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in AK
Talks about the environment a lot

Athletic prowess
Runs marathons
Has reporters tailing him to the gym

NOW - YOU TELL ME WHICH ONE OF THESE TWO CANDIDATES IS ETHICAL, NOT AFRAID TO GO AGAINST PARTY LINES, WORKS HARD, ACCOMPLISHES THINGS, AND IS A POLITICAL LEADER OF WHOM WE COULD BE PROUD?