In case you missed it — heaven knows why — Sarah Palin made the network rounds on Tuesday, explaining again why she quit like a coward self-effacingly passed the ball last Friday. And during one of her sandy standups, out popped this gem:

“I don’t think it will be the day after day after day of ethics violation charges that are frivolous, that are ridiculous. I think on a national level your department of law there in the White House would look at this, the things we have been charged with, and automatically throw them out, not make somebody hire their own personal attorney to get out there and fight.”

Of course, everybody jumped on the “department of law” reference, chortling at the latest example of Palin’s fitness for offices she doesn’t ditch. And Talibunny apologists said there really is an Alaska Department of Law, although it’s the same as justice departments elsewhere, and not part of the Governor’s Office.

But as we were considering amusing angles to play on the story, we stopped short.

Read more »

Ladies and gentlemen: it’s been a long day. We need some culture, I think. I give you Sviatoslav Richter and Rita.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDUTTRGOJdE

Remember the good old days?

[ Crooks & Liars Flash video not available. ]

The Las Vegas Sun had a report Sunday that fleshed out the story of John Ensign’s philandering:

When Sen. John Ensign hired Doug Hampton to be his senior aide in November 2006, Nevada Republicans were baffled.

Hampton was an unknown, without a policy profile or political experience.

According to eight Nevada and Washington Republicans, Hampton’s chief qualification: He and Ensign were best friends, as were their wives.

“It was a hire based on a relationship,” said a prominent Republican who was granted anonymity to speak freely.

“Best pals,” said another Republican. “It was ridiculous.”

Yesterday, TPM linked to the piece and asked if perhaps Ensign hired fellow Promisekeeper Hampton to help him keep his little soldier in his pants:

Read more »

Tangy teen Talibunny's pose seems to say: "I cant wait until I can grow up to rob Alaska blind and transform the GOP into a laughing stock cult of Jesufascists, KKKers, cackling methheads, skinheads, toothless militiamen and Limbaugh listeners!"

Insane Jesufascist hillbilly Alaska Governor Sarah ‘Talibunny’ Palin is facing her 10,000th ethics complaint by an infallible witness to the truth who claims her collection of per diem payments to stay at home, instead of residing in the governor’s mansion in Juneau or accepting the fact that she is a commuter employee who drives to work at a state office building, is a criminal enterprise amounting to an illegal increase in salary, Stinque.com has learned.

Alaskan civic hero Zane Henning filed his complaint with the state and fired off a blistering, righteous press release this week charging the Talibunny with grasping nickel-dime profiteering at state expense:

“I am charging that the Governor has given herself a raise for personal gain by using the per diem process, which is in direct conflict with Section 39.52.120. (a) of the Alaska Executive Ethics Act,” Henning wrote. “The State of Alaska provides housing in the state’s capital of Juneau for our Governor, so there should be no extra expense if she desires to stay in her own home. More than a thousand state employees commute from the Mat-Su Valley daily and none of them get to pocket free money.”

Read more »

• ABC: Live coverage anchored by Charles Gibson.
• CBS: Live coverage anchored by Katie Couric.
• NBC: Live coverage anchored by Meredith Vieira.

Read more »

Jesus Christ:

STOCKTON (CBS13) A Stockton family says the image of Michael Jackson appeared on his tree stump the day the King of Pop died.

Like the “Virgin Grilled Mary” or “Cheesus,” the family thinks they’ve got an unusual spiritual image staring right at them from their own front yard. Felix Garcia has lived in the house for 22 years, and has never noticed the apparent image in his birch tree stump.

He might wind up bigger than Jesus.