posted on October 22, 2008 07:56:23 AM
When asked by a third grader what the job of the Vice President is, Sara Palin said:
""A vice president has a really great job because not only are they there to support the president's agenda, they're there like the team member, the teammate to the president," Palin continued. “But also, they're in charge of the United States Senate, so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom. And it's a great job and I look forward to having that job.”
While the Vice President does serve as president of the Senate, according to the U.S. Constitution, the vice president’s role is fairly limited to casting tie-breaking votes.
Article I of the Constitution states that "The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided."
She has said versions of this explanation 3 times now, so she can't say she misspoke or was misquoted.
posted on October 22, 2008 08:55:40 AM
Oh, I wish they would defend her. It would be hilarous. The biggest defense I have seen is that she is pretty!
***
A poll is not a prediction. It is a snapshot of how people are thinking right now.
posted on October 22, 2008 09:08:58 AM
Palin's latest poll numbers are not good, which is not good for McCain. Palin is even more of a drag on the McCain campaign than Bush.
posted on October 22, 2008 09:52:35 AM
Now wait a minute, consider what she is quoted as stating.
How does this - "Article I of the Constitution states that "The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided."
Limit this - " ... they're in charge of the United States Senate, so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better ... "
The VP presides over the Senate. While having no vote, except in the event of a tie, the VP is not precluded from taking an active role in working with the Senators to move legislation through the Senate. The VP is free to sheppard the administration's proposed legislation to passage. Instead of squirreling themselves away, like VP Cheney, the VP can be right there mixing it up in the Senate. And, I see no reason why the VP can't speak out on as an advocate of legislation. Contrary to what you might believe, the VP can be a more forceful voice, of and to the people, than Majority Leader Harry Reid.
I'm not sure she fully understands what she is saying. However the statement is quite correct.
posted on October 22, 2008 10:24:33 AM
While some might consider the expenditures on behalf of Palin's appearance unethical, it is perfectly legal. Apparently, there are times when ethics and law butt heads.
[ edited by kozersky on Oct 22, 2008 10:27 AM ]
"While some might consider the expenditures on behalf of Palin's appearance unethical, it is perfectly legal."
True enough, and I don't think it's unethical (unless the intent was to cash out while the campaign is still running, or if you knew that wasn't what the tax-exempt contributions to the party were intended for).
To me the point is the hypocrisy of aligning yourself with Joe SixPack and then spending $150K on clothing.
I think even a plumber making $250K per year (they all do, don't they?) would have a difficult time paying the credit card off that month.
posted on October 22, 2008 03:03:20 PM
"Cash, the shopping sprees were an integral part of McCain's economic stimulus plan."
The $13K/month makeup woman was gravy.
I will be happy when this is over, assuming that the right thing happens. Tempers at the gym, where I see most of my political back-and-forth, have been getting short. People there have lost a lot of money, and a trainer had to get between two usually well-behaved seniors (I'm guessing 65+ years old) who were casting blame and just a few moments from fisticuffs (or what would pass for fisticuffs). Since the gym has a stated policy of disassociating itself from any injuries or deaths taking place on the premises, I anticipated having to help tip the guys into the dumpster if they had heart attacks during the altercation.
posted on October 22, 2008 03:27:13 PM
Hey Helen, great job in locating a relevant Code. Now if you could find a few cases that would flush out the code, that would be extremely helpful.
What about the Election Commission? Any information from them?
posted on October 22, 2008 04:01:03 PM
The FEC is looking into it - The Republican party claimed that they bought the clothes, the clothes belong to them and will be given to charity after the election is over.
posted on October 22, 2008 04:24:20 PM
There is always an answer to these problems. At first blush, the explanation sounds fine to me. Of course, she can always keep the clothes and pay the taxes due from her left over campaign funds.
She just might need the clothes when she is presiding over the Senate. You just never know.
posted on October 22, 2008 05:44:51 PM
I'm glad she has to give them back. At the same time, if Obama had called me on short notice instead of Biden (I waited for his call and it never came), the Democratic party would have to help me fill out my wardrobe. Let's face it, politicians have become media figures and people expect them to look fantastic. Since McCain is no longer fun to look at, Palin has to pull a double load in the media department. I'm much more appalled at what she says than how much they paid to fix her up.
posted on October 23, 2008 04:52:43 AM
pixiamom - Since she's already a Governor and politician, she should have her own wardrobe already. She's not exactly poor.
Cheryl
Whitman said she and McCain share a philosophy of scaling back the role of government. a point of view partly shaped by her EBay experience. "The EBay model is very Republican in its essence -- it's about making a small number of rules and getting out of the way while not overtaxing the community," she said.
