(Cross posted on Broadsides.org)

Let’s do Sarah Palin. Wait. That didn’t sound right. So, make that: Let’s consider Sarah Palin. I’ve been pondering words about Palin all weekend but every time I tore myself away from the unbearable relaxation of the holiday weekend and thought I was going to string two or three thoughts together, the terms of the discussion would change. I mean, how fast did the discussion morph from Palin’s “fake birth” (thanks, Kos!), to her daughter’s real birth? Nanoseconds.

And, of course, we only have the Internet and the self-important liberal bloggers to blame for the whiplash-like speed to which the Palin story has been changing.

If, as they like to declare, the Denver Dem-lovefest was their “finest hour,” the Palin coverage in the days that followed has certainly been the liberal blogosphere’s darkest hour. No sooner than they were able to unpack and frame their “official” passes to the Dem Party in Denver, the lib-blogs snarled at the gentle rain on their parade that the McCain campaign provided by picking-say what?! – a goddamn woman.

Ouch. There’s nothing that pisses a liberal off more than having a politically-correct trump card played before they’ve even had time to clean up from the mess of their premature victory ejaculation. Dude!

But the Palin card was played and the response was u.g.l.y. – just as the McCain folks were certainly hoping. Sure, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the Republicans, but I’ll bet the upper-tiers of the McCain campaign are happy that the initial Palin attacks were largely blown away by the coverage of Hurricane Gustav.

There is, after all, nothing more ugly than liberals beating up a woman, a mother of five, an elected (and popular) governor, and, by all accounts, a hyperkinetic outsider who has reached the top in what is certainly considered to be a real man’s state. Good luck with that.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty to attack when it comes to attacking Palin. You know, things like THE ISSUES. But the lib-dips have taken the McCain bait and, instead, decided to run with breathless (and untrue) stories about her “fake pregnancy,” her faux-scandals (trooper-gate, snore), flying while pregnant, and her connection with an Alaska independence party that believed in localism and – yes – independence. Gasp! The silliest aspect to the lib-dip coverage was its use of rightwing Alaska Republicans’ quotes about Palin. Yo, fellas – because, they are mostly fellas – the rightwing Republicans hate her because she pulled the rug out from under the self-proclaimed “good ole boys” that ruled the roost before she chased them from office.

Like I said, stick to the issues. You know, things like her anti-choice position, her pro-drilling position (no pun intended – hey, she IS a mother of five), and her disastrous environmental record that can be summed up by three words: Fuck the bears. Well, not literally. But you get my point.

And, please, stop with the “experience” nonsense. Do the Dems know how many women and thinking men that the “no experience” argument is totally and completely pissing off – especially in an election cycle that has been monopolized by Barack Obama’s helium-filled balloons of “change”? Warning: Palin will eat the wine glass lib-dips alive with that accusation if she ever gets the chance.

Speaking of experience, here’s a fun little snippet from Dennis Perrin (http://dennisperrin.blogspot.com), one of my newly found favorite bloggers:

Watching the libsphere in hysterics over Sarah Palin has been entertaining, and no attack on her is considered too low or too coarse to post in a comments section. Apart from her reactionary positions, the main lib beef, as I recently noted, is with her inexperience. Liberals demand seasoned insiders like Joe Biden to help guide the empire, someone who can properly manage the machinery of state, bomb the right countries, spy on the right people, and above all, normalize imperial matters after eight years of “wrong” turns. Palin is an affront to their sense of professionalism. Thus the constant abuse.

Bingo.

Damn, I miss the issues. But, unfortunately, we’re all stuck in some kind of nightmarish sitcom-like presidential campaign, whereby the issues are damned while we take thoughtless swims in the varnish that will – hopefully – fend the scuff of meaning away for at least another four years.

After an entire day of protests, civil disobedience, and rioting, the St paul Police (with federal agents and the National Guard) have entirely sealed off downtown St Paul and are making mass arrests.  Legal observers, street medics, and journalists (including Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman) are among those arrested.

From my coverage over at Integral Psychosis:

1:15 (EST)/12:15 (CEN): A handful of demonstrators have breeched the security fence around the convention center; pepper spray being used heavily; busload of 50 National Guard troops has arrived inside the security perimeter around the Xcel Center.

1:45 (EST)/12:45 (CEN): Protesters have one major intersection held, including a police bus blocked in! cops are regrouping around them.  Journalists (including MSM), clearly marked with credentials, on the streets being pepper sprayed en masse by roving bike cops.  Break-away “Funk the war” march approx 300 people.

2:00 (EST)/1:00 (CEN): A second intersection is being successfully blocked by locked-down protesters; heavy street fighting between cops and black bloc, with at least one officer reported “down”- National Guard and riot cop reinforcements arriving.  Horses being used to ram into folks blocking an intersection (and holding a police bus).

2:30 (EST)/1:30 (CEN):  Intersections of Kellogg & Summit, 7th & Wall, 8th & Wall, Kellogg & Cedar, and possibly more all entirely blocked; there appear to be at least half a dozen fairly well coordinated and tactically organized anti-authoritarian blocks throughout downtown St Paul.  Delegate buses are being blocked from getting to the Xcel Center, with one bus having its windows smashed in.  Heavy street combat between black bloc and riot cops along John Ireland St.  Legal observers now being detained.  Cops in complete disarray and running in odd formations, sometimes right past blockades without even stopping.

3:00 (EST/2:00 (CEN):  Most intersections have been cleared by riot cops; over 100 arrested; delegate buses re-routed out of St Paul; several roving anti-authoritarian blocs continue; cops charging on horses, rubber bullets, tear gas, and tasers being used all over; National Guard arriving at heaviest clashes with concussion grenades; police now driving squad cars into crowds; total fucking chaos in Saint Paul!

Watch it all live (1 minute delay) from the UpTake.

3:15 (EST)/2:15 (CEN):  On-scene lawyers and legal observers being detained and taken away; cop cars being destroyed; rubber bullets and tear gas everywhere; bricks being removed from buildings and thrown at windows.  Injured protester pepper sprayed while down, is detained and being denied medical attention.

3:45 EST)/2:45 (CEN):  Most RNC events & speeches cancelled for the day, Bush cancels RNC appearance, McCain possibly canceling appearance (perhaps acceptance speech will happen in Gulf Coast).  Of course, Hurricane Gustav is being blamed for all this, though many (including some in the MSM) are doubting that’s the only reason.  The permitted anti-war march, including Iraq Veterans Against the War, is underway with approx 10,000 people.  Some intersections still being held.  

4:45 (EST)/3:45 (CEN): Clashes in the streets continue; lawyers being denied access to Ramsey County Jail (where most people are being held); the hospital nearest the protests is on “lockdown” after being inundated with people seeking medical attention from pepper spray and rubber bullets.  Metro Transit services into Downtown St Paul have been suspended.  Convention delegates who were being moved towards the Xcel Center on foot came into face-to-face confrontation with a group of protesters.  Several intersections still being blockaded and black bloc vs riot police and National Guardsmen confrontations continue throughout the city; 300 people are on the receiving end of a horse stampede; street medics are being targeted for arrest.   Unconfirmed reports of live ammo being fired near the Exel Center.

5:45 (EST)/4:45 (CEN):  Very heavy street fighting continues; cops have now blockaded all Northern bridges out of the city and appear to be moving in a highly controlled, “pincer formation” through the city, pushing everyone to the SE towards Kellogg Park.  I’ve now read & heard several MSM reports that “a small handful of protesters turned violent” and that “20 people have been arrested”.  Also, a woman has just been run over by a car (apparently not a cop car, but just a jackass right-winger).  She is in need of serious medical attention, the cops are standing by doing nothing.

6:00 (EST)/5:00 (CEN):  An entire bloc of protesters has been pinned into an intersection and is being arrested (approx 40 folks)- police making the arrests are beating people senseless as they do so, including Democracy Now! journalists.  Tin Can Comms, one of  several live feed demo newslines, is not responding and may be raided has been raided; nine people arrested and charged with “conspiracy to incite riots”; legal observer on hand was denied being shown the search warrant; computers, etc, seized.  Concerns now for other on the ground update centers who may be raided.

7:00 (EST/ 6:00 (CEN):  Police and National Guard have entirely sealed off Downtown St Paul and are making mass arrests, including DN! host Amy Goodman.