So what do YOU think I should do with it?

I mean I have some ideas but I'm not sure how many of them are viable or even worth my time.

Oh wait, some of you might be a little lost.

Go below the fold if you are confused.

FDL Book Salon with author Joe McGinniss.

Courtesy of the Rogue blog:

FDL Book Salon Welcomes Joe McGinniss, The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin 

Author: Joe McGinniss 

Sunday, September 25, 2011 1:55 pm Pacific time 

Welcome Joe McGinniss, and Host Phil Munger “EdwardTeller”, (Progressive Alaska) 

The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin

This is your chance to speak directly to Joe McGinniss, ask him a few questions, and perhaps offer a little emotional support after the rather eventful last week he just had.

I imagine he would appreciate any kind words he might receive at this point.

Just when you thought the RAM Tweets could not be any more scandalolus. Wrong again Spanky! Update!

This comes from the same guy who has been posting all of the other tweets from RAM, and the same guy who sent some of them to the Daily Caller.

In other words it looks legitimate, which would reinforce what I have believed about RAM's relationship with Palin all along, and WHY she has dropped off the face of the planet.

Update: Oops looks like it might have been too good to be true.  If THIS tweet is to be believed that is:

I also stumbled upon THIS interesting tweet from RAM alluding to a planned dinner with the Alaska bloggers that Phil Munger attempted to set up quite a while back, before RAM was officially working for Palin.

 I always KNEW she cancelled because of me. Not that it breaks my heart any.

Still it is kind of hurtful considering I am the ONLY one who seems to be actively trying to find out what happened to her.  I even put her face on a milk carton. (Well on the internet anyway.)

Remember if anybody sees her, first stifle your scream of horror, and then contact me immediately!

Dave Weigel calls the Mat-Su Hospital. Does this really answer anything? Update!

Dave Weigel, who famously went WAY out of his way to discredit Andrew Sullivan on his own blog, decided to call the Mat-Su hospital and ask if Trig Palin was born there:

The clerk, realizing that Washington, D.C. reporters don't typically cold call her hospital, asked me if this call was about "our former governor." It was. Was Trig Palin born there?

"Oh, that's not even a question," she said. (If my reception was better I could have heard her eyes rolling at this point.) "Yes. Everybody here remembers that. Yes, this is where the Palins come -- this is their family hospital."

Well that is more than most journalists have been able to get out of the Mat-Su Hospital, who usually has taken the "We don't discuss our patients with the media" approach to these questions.  If indeed they are willing to go on the record now, that is a good thing.

But having said that who accepts "Yes. Everybody here remembers that. Yes, this is where the Palins come -- this is their family hospital." as an answer to the question that Weigel posed?  Was there somebody in the building who was there the day that the Governor gave birth? Why didn't Weigel wait to write his story after he talked to somebody with more information than this clerk? Or did he try, and nobody else would respond?

And while we are on the subject how does Weigel, or anybody, explain why CBJ, who was once a very approachable fixture in Wasilla, is now essentially channeling Greta Garbo? Here is what Phil Munger, the only Alaskan blogger who knows Johnston, recently wrote about this bizarre situation:

CBJ, as she was often called locally, was a very public fixture around Wasilla up to the time of Trig's birth. Our daughter attended ballet with one of CBJ's kids for years, and I often saw CBJ somewhere or another around Wasilla or Anchorage at least once a week for well over a decade. Between the time of Trig's birth - early 2008 - and the issuance of the election eve letter purported to be from her, CBJ was far less evident. Since the letter was issued, CBJ has been unavailable to comment on it or on any other matter related to Trig and Sarah Palin.

(And Phil if you read this feel free to chime in.)

I have developed very little confidence in Weigel's journalistic abilities ever since he misquoted Shannyn Moore, and used that as the basis for attacking Sullivan on the babygate issue. (BTW neither Moore, nor Weigel, has ever publicly corrected that story, which still burns my ass.)

This article also makes mention of strange policy decision which took place at Mat-Su Hospital:

One of the original concerns Sullivan had with the Trig Palin story -- one that's based on an absent fact, and not on innuendo -- was that Mat-Su Regional did not list Trig Palin's birth on its website. There's a portion of the web site, the baby nursery, where newborns are listed. Trig, born on April 18, 2008, is not there. And that's somewhat curious. So: Is every baby born at the hospital listed on the web site?

"No, it's not automatic," said the clerk. "Truth be told, we do take security photos of all the babies, but if the parents want their babies listed on the web site, they can request it. We're really sensitive about it, though. I think the hospital took up the policy not to publish names automatically because of possible baby kidnapping issues."

I would like to point out that Mat-Su made this decision AFTER the birth of Tripp Johnston, and that it remains the ONLY hospital in Alaska to make this strange, and unnecessary, choice. Oh and by the way, there has NEVER been a baby kidnapped from the Mat-Su Hospital.

The fact that something stinks in Wasilla about this birth, should be a scent that even a pathetic excuse for a journalist like Dave Weigel should have the ability to sniff out.

Update: Phil Munger is clearly no fan of Dave Weigel either. Make sure to read what Phil says about the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center and how unlikely that it was the Palin "family hospital."

(BTW, and completely off topic, for those who are having trouble leaving comments, I do know about it and have contacted Google.  Other bloggers are having similar difficulties and have complained, so I hope it will be rectified soon.  Until then your best bet is to use a Google account. Apparently THOSE are getting through just fine.  Thank you for your patience.)

Top Ten Things From 2009 For Which I Am Grateful

10) Alaska! I love this state, and cannot tell you how often I look out at the sky, and the mountains, and simply have my breath taken away. I have worked very hard this last year to fix the politics in Alaska, support the original inhabitants of Alaska, and to protect the beautiful wilderness of Alaska. How could I not, when this place has given me so very much?

9) The "so close we can almost taste it" passing of the Health Care reform bill. Yeah I know it is not passed yet but who could have imagined, even two years ago, that we would be this close to passing a bill that will help 36 million previously uninsured Americans get healthcare? Sure it is not perfect, not by a longshot, but it is SO much better than what we had before.

8) The faithful visitors to this blog! If it were not for you all keeping me honest there is just no telling what kind of unscrupulous things I might get up to. Seriously, I appreciate all of your support and all of your informative and fascinating comments.

7) Being placed on Sarah Palin’s “banned list”. That absolutely MADE my Christmas this year! My only regret is that if I had known Sarah was going to be so generous I would have made sure to get her something. Oh I guess if I keep digging around I may come up with something to pay her back. LOL!

6) The resurgence of 3D at the movies! Wow how did I ever watch movies without things flying off of the screen and bouncing off of my forehead? Do you remember back when you cared more about the acting and the story line than you did about super hi-definition images coming right at you at an alarming rate? Ah we were so young and naïve back then.

5) Pizza! Nothing more needs to be said. Simply the most perfect food on earth.

4) My fellow Alaskan bloggers! AKMuckraker, Dennis Zaki, Shannyn Moore, Celtic Diva, and Phil Munger, I love you guys! How could I have ever made it through this last year without your support, your informative e-mails, and your playful teasing? No way would this have been as much fun without so many brilliant, talented people standing by my side.

3) My daughter. She is the center of my world, the owner of my heart, and the reason that I will never stop fighting the bad guys (and gals) and searching for the truth. I love you angel.

2) President Barack Obama. To finally have a man in that office with the intelligence, the morality, and the honestly of this man absolutely makes my heart sing. I worked my ass off for him and I will do it again in 2012. Our country deserves a leader who REALLY takes his job seriously and who is working everyday to make this a better country. And, yes, that man is Barack Hussein Obama.

And the number one thing that I am grateful for from 2009 is....

1) That John McCain and Caribou Barbie did not win the election! Nothing gives me more pleasure this year than knowing that the American people finally woke up, and rejected the policies of the Republican party and that we do not have Uncle Fester and Queen Ester running my country.

I guess on a side note I should probably thank Sarah Palin and the idiots who forced McCain to select her as well. If Sarah had not come along and scared the holy crap out of the independent voters we may now be facing this financial crisis with a man in charge who suspended his campaign so that he could study the problem and then essentially shrug his shoulders. A man who believes that all you need to win a war is more bullets. And a man who has had cancer numerous times, and whose running mate would have been anxiously standing beside him while he slept and watching his chest rise just waiting for the moment when it would suddenly stop and give her the break that Pastor Muthee had promised her was coming her way.

Author Joe McGinniss, Diane Benson, Mr. Whitekeys, and the "Celebrity table".

As I drove out to Palmer for the "Friends of Mat-Su" fundraiser, I took a moment to drink in the beauty of Alaska in early October.

The trees were exploding with color, the ash colored clouds drifted lazily across the sky, and the snow dappled mountains seemed to painted in bold brushstrokes against the horizon. The majesty of Alaska that constantly surrounds me occasionally catches me by surprise, and today was such a day.

When I arrived in Palmer I was at first surprised, and then pleased, to find that after ten years it had not changed one little bit. The open meadows, and rustic buildings that have always defined Palmer in my mind, were exactly where my memory expected them to be.

Unlike its neighbor, the now gaudy and over developed Wasilla, Palmer still retains its unique identity and welcoming ambiance.

I turned onto the Palmer fairgrounds which, with the all of various booths lined up along the fence, looked desolate and a little lonely. It was not long before I arrived at Raven Hall for an evening with the one and only Mr. Whitekeys.

I have seen Mr. Whitekey's shows numerous times in the past and have always found them enormously entertaining, and tonight would prove no different.

I found the table that our host Phil Munger had reserved for us and sat down with some of his other guests, who I did not know, but who turned out to be fans of both IM and Mudflats. (Oh did I mention that AKM was with me?)

Soon I was introduced to author Joe McGinniss, who is up here researching HIS Sarah Palin book, and who also turned out to be a huge fan of both AKM's and I. (I swear I will NEVER get used to hearing that.)

Mr. McGinniss entertained us with tales of the colorful characters he has met while doing research for the book he is currently working on and back in the 1970's for his novel Going to Extremes.

About then the lights dimmed and Mr. Whitekeys and the Spamtones took the stage. For over 90 minutes Whitekeys had us roaring with laughter as he pounded his keyboard and told endless jokes (often with an adult theme) about the sometimes dumb and colorful things that make up the history of Alaska.

For me the highlight of the show had to be when Whitekeys was joined by the Sarah Palin impersonator, who had us all in stitches as she struck a pose and burst into song about her trials and tribulations in attempting to run our state. AKM, who had never seen a Whitekeys show, was literally tearing up with laughter.

At one point, to the surprise of us all, the screen flashed this picture:



Which loyal Mudflatters will recognize from a May 14, post on Mudflats concerning possible titles for Sarah's new book. (Yes my friends you guessed it, Mr. Whitekeys is indeed a Mudflatter.)

During the show somebody mentioned that our table was occupied with far more people than the other tables in Raven Hall, since it contained AKM and spouse, myself, Phil Munger and his wife Judy, Diane Benson and her husband, Joe McGinniss, and a few other local friends of Phil's.

This inspired somebody to remark that our table was the "celebrity table", at which time AKM nudged me and said "Look, we are at the celebrity table". I leaned over and whispered "You do know that one of the reasons it is considered the celebrity table is because YOU are sitting here". AKM's look of horror and sudden realization was pretty darn funny. All night long people had been coming up to her to congratulate her on her Rachel Maddow appearance and to say what fans they were of the Mudflats, but it had still not occurred to her that she had attained the status of "celebrity".

I also managed to have another one of my conversations with Diane Benson about her plans for running against Congressman Don Young in 2010. She has become so used to these conversations that she actually walked up to me to initiate it instead of waiting for me to corner her as is the usual.

We did talk a little about that subject (no commitment yet), but she also wanted to talk about a small independent film she made called "For the Rights of All". About the Alaskan natives struggle for racial equality and the bravery of Elizabeth Peratrovich, who Diane portrays in the film. It sounded very interesting and I will be keeping an eye out for it.

When we had all said our good byes, it was time for the long drive home, at which time I pondered the amazing journey the Alaskan Bloggers had embarked on, and wondered where it would all lead.

(BTW here is AKM's take on the evenings festivities.)

The Beast asks "Is Sarah Palin too stupid to live?"

Yeah I know it is kind of mean, but it is also hysterical. Would I lie to you?

My favorite line is, “When William Shatner is making fun of the way you talk, you’ve really got a problem.” How true is that?

My friend Phil Munger also has posted a funny video from the Headz Up gang. It features a conversation between the Twitter Quitter and Glenn "Crybaby" Beck. Go check it out.

I am a little disappointed right now because I was all set to sit in a darkened theatre with my favorite movie date, my daughter, and let my mind turn to mush as 3-D images of mayhem were thrown at my eyes from the movie "The Final Destination 3-D". But then she had to cancel because of work.

Yeah I know it is not exactly "Shakespeare in the Park", but hey sometimes I need a cerebral mini-vacation.

Besides I will watch almost ANYTHING as long as it is in 3-D. I might even sit through that "Notebook" movie if they made it jump off of the screen.

Okay maybe 3-D cannot save every movie.

But if you have not seen the movie "Up" in 3-D you are really missing something.

Mayor Sullivan vetoes anti-discrimination ordinance. Jerry Prevo rubs his hands together in glee.

"My review shows that there is clearly a lack of quantifiable evidence necessitating this ordinance," the mayor said. "My review also shows that the vast majority of those who communicated their position on the ordinance are in opposition."

What Sullivan fails to note is that most of that opposition came from OUTSIDE of Anchorage.

So now we know that Sullivan is clearly Jerry Prevo's butt-monkey. Raise your hand if you are surprised by that. Yeah I did not thiink so.

(I need to give a hat tip to my friend Phil Munger over at Progressive Alaska who first reported that Sullivan was going to veto this ordinance.)

Celebrating Shannyn's birthday, welcoming my daughter, and working the crowd.

Going to Shannyn Moore's house is always a wonderful and educational experience.

And last night was no different.

There was great food (Awesome steaks by the way Kelly!), good music, and tons of interesting conversation.

I had decided early on that interspersed with my usual Dionysian debauchery I would try to talk to a few of the notable local politicians and celebrities that are always a feature of Shannyn's parties. (Of course there was always the chance that I would get hammered and end up naked in the flower garden, but hey why focus on events of the past.)

Of course the first order of business was to greet and commiserate about recent events with my blogger buddies. We talked about AGIA, the Letterman/Palin kerfuffle, the equal rights ordinance, and a number of other blog worthy topics. There was much laughing and hugging and possibly a little groping (Sorry about that Phil).

Then it was time to put on the old feedback and try to soak some of the alcohol up I had been sucking down since I walked in the door.

As I sat down outside in Shannyn's backyard and began digging into my plate of delicious food, who should sit down next me but Diane Benson.

For those who do not know who Diane Benson is, she was narrowly defeated by Ethan Berkowitz for the Democratic nomination to run against Don Young for our one and only House seat in the last election. (She also came very close to defeating Young herself back in 2006.) And since Diane is my fantasy choice for running against Don again in the next election, I decided that now was the perfect time to talk her into running.

We talked for quite a while about the possibility of her running and I got the idea that though she was intrigued, and possibly even considering the idea, that she was also very concerned about raising enough money and if there would be enough support out there for her to run again.

Personally I think that Diane Benson would make an excellent candidate to run against Young, but I think Diane is going to have to hear that from a few more Alaskans then just me before she will jump back into that race again.

After I finished my steak I left Ms. Benson alone to talk with friends and set my sights on Harriet Drummond, who is the co-chair of the Assembly, and decided to ask what her opinion was on last Tuesday's public testimony concerning the equal rights ordinance.

Because I did not get her permission to post everything we talked about I will not be able to give you all of the juicy details of our conversation. But I can tell you that Harriet was very positive about the ordinance being passed and was very unhappy with the way it had been framed by Jerry Prevo and his followers. She also shared how she had been very moved by the testimony of the LGBT people and knew that many of the other Assembly members were moved as well.

After my conversations with both Diane Benson and Harriet Drummond I was feeling pretty positive. Right about then, as if on cue, my daughter called and said that she had just landed and to come and get her.

Our reunion was just as wonderful as I had imagined it and as I drove her back to Shannyn's party I listened and laughed through my daughter's story of the 18 hour plane ride from hell, her three five hour layovers, and the obscene amount of money they charged her for her bags. As usual my daughter talked in excited tones with dramatic hand gestures to help illustrate her point.

By the time we arrived at the party I had a dopey smile plastered to my face that told the whole world that I was beyond thrilled to have my daughter back home in Alaska.

I introduced her to ALL of my friends, and she made her usual great impression on them. (AKM and Shannyn dubbed her "mini-me" because of how much we look and talk alike) She discussed working at the PAC with Phil Munger, and then endeared herself to the rest of the Scooby-gang by poking fun at me and telling family secrets. (In my daughter's eyes NOTHING is too personal to share. Especially if it is something embarrassing about me.)

We did not stay very long because the flight had been exhausting for her and she wanted to go home, but Shannyn had taken such a shine to her that she invited her to come by anytime and added that she did not have to bring me along if she did not want to. (Hey, how did I get to be the odd man out?)

On the ride home my daughter said she was impressed with my group of friends and hoped that we could all get together often. I told her that I was pretty sure that could be arranged.

All in all it was a GREAT party, and I managed to make it through the entire evening upright and with my clothes still on. (Gee, maybe I am really am starting to mature.)

Thank you Shannyn (and Kelly) for a great evening. I can hardly wait for the next one.

Progressive bloggers catch Palinista John Ziegler bragging that his films are much superior to Michael Moor's films. I just threw up in my mouth.

Republican propagandist John Ziegler rips filmmaker Michael Moore from Dennis Zaki on Vimeo.

For all of you who may have not had the displeasure of viewing any of this moron's work, just go to this website and prepare to be underwhelmed.

It is beyond comprehension to me that this guy truly believes that he is a superior documentary maker to Michael Moore. If you want to put that to the test then go ahead and watch this "Media Malpractice: How Obama got elected and Palin was targeted", if you can stomach it, and then sit down to watch "Sicko" by Michael Moore. There is simply NO comparison.

This guy is a self aggrandizing hack, who constantly projects his own multiple faults on to other people and than attacks them.

I applaud my friends Phil Munger and Dennis Zaki for getting this guy's bullshit on film for all of the world to see.

Great work guys! I am very sorry I could not make it last night, but it looks like you guys did not need me anyhow.

Once again I am so proud to be a progressive Alaskan blogger.

Update: You can see a few more of Ziegler interview clips over at Progressive Alaska.

Alaska bloggers to be featured in chapter of book "Bloggers on the Bus: How the Internet Changed Politics and the Press".

My friend Phil Munger posted this on his website Progressive Alaska yesterday.

Eric Boehlert, one of the founders ofMedia Matters for America, recently finished a book about important aspects of the rapidly changing American political scene. The book, titled Bloggers on the Bus - How the Internet Changed Politics and the Press, will be released May 19th. Chapter Thirteen, about how Alaska's bloggers played a role in getting detailed information about Sarah Palin, and our kinky, sometimes difficult political customs out to an eager Outside press in late summer and early autumn of 2008, is called Saradise Lost. I spoke with publisher Simon & Schuster's publicist for the book, Christine Donnelly, this morning. She told me that the chapter on Alaska bloggers will bring up the role local blogs like Alaska Real, Andrew Halcro, Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis, Just a Girl from Homer, Kodiak Konfidential, The Mudflats, Own the Sidewalk, Progressive Alaska, The Immoral Minority and What Do I Know? played in both the McCain/Palin and Begich-Stevens campaigns.

When I started this humble blog back in November of 2004, I certainly never felt I would have such an impact on both local and national political history. And I never, ever imagined that I would have the opportunity to meet and work with so many amazing intellects as I have these last nine months.

The Alaska bloggers are a wonderful, magnanimous group of individuals, and I am honored to be counted among them.

You can bet I am going to be purchasing this book when it comes out, and I would undoubtedly do so even if I did not have a small mention within its pages.

(To read Phil's entire post just click the title.)

Progressive Alaska has a video of TeamSarah founder Jane Abraham talking about the Palin defense fund and those pesky ethics complaints.

I was going to post this, but my friend Phil already did, so go over and give him some love and don't put away that Maalox yet becasue this is yet another stomach churner.

Progressive Alaska posts Wayne Anthony Ross 1993 anti-gay bar association letter. This is a must read!

Here is just a sample of this incredibly homophobic missive:

"I am in favor of a repeal of the measure. I see nothing involving civil rights in this matter. We all, heterosexual or homosexual, have certain rights. This bill seems to give extra rights to a group whose lifestyle was a crime a few years ago, and whose beliefs are certainly immoral in the eyes of anyone with some semblance of intelligence and moral character."

And it just goes on and on from there.

How ANYBODY can seriously consider this guy for the most important law enforcement job in the state is completely shocking to me.

John Ziegler is a complete ass. Oh did you know that already?

I saw this on my friend Phil Munger's site, Progressive Alaska, and simply had to borrow it for myself.

Apparently there is yet ANOTHER cable show about dating called "The New Dating Story", that is so hard up for participants they were even willing to have misogynistic John Ziegler completely disappoint a nice young woman on camera for the world to ridicule.

So start the ridiculing.



Wow! Can you believe what a total dick that guy is?

No wonder he fawned all over Sarah Palin, that must be as much action as he has received from a female in quite some time. What a sad little man.

(Click the title to visit Phil's site and see his take on this video.)