Criminy. The woman has been governor of Alaska for the last few years. 

She just finished a run at the Vice Presidency wherein, by admission of McCain campaign staffers, they tried to stuff her brain full of governmental knowledge in massive cram sessions for the Veep debate.

And THIS is what comes tra-la-ing out of Bailin’ Palin’s mouth on ABC?

But when I asked Palin if she ever decided to pursue national office again, as she did less than a year ago when she joined Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in the race for the White House, wouldn’t she encounter the same political blood sport? Can such ugliness ever be avoided?

Palin said there is a difference between the White House and what she has experienced in Alaska. If she were in the White House the "department of law" would protect her from baseless ethical allegations.

"I think on a national level your department of law there in the White House would look at some of the things that we’ve been charged with and automatically throw them out," she said.

There is no "Department of Law" at the White House.

Why do I feel the need to express mail a copy of the full School House Rock cartoon DVDs to Palin with a lovely hand-penned card telling her to watch the whole thing and take notes?

"Department of Law." Robert Jackson is turning over in his grave right now.

Note to Sarah:  The Department of Justice are not the President’s own, personal attorneys, despite what Dick Cheney may have told you.  Read up on some basic civics before you hurt yourself.

Churros via cynk.

I have heard a lot of crazy-assed Appalachia jokes in my day. Growing up in West Virginia, it’s part of the territory, I suppose.

But…the Appalachian Trail now comes with Argentina?!? Sweeeeeeeet.

SC Governor Mark Sanford.  What a goober.

Why am I getting that "true colors shining through" feeling here from strutting peacock Sen. Bob Corker:

Sen. Bob Corker blew off his meeting with Sonia Sotomayor last week. Hobbling along with her leg in a cast, she was 10 minutes late and he said he didn’t feel like waiting. “I decided to proceed on to the next meeting,” he told a Tennessee Press Association breakfast in Chattanooga.

Lest you think that Corker is a GOP anomaly, I give you exhibit B:

Despite the fact that Senate conservatives had repeatedly vowed to give Sotomayor a “fair and respectful process” that gives her a “fair opportunity to provide full and complete answers” to any questions about her record, Corker is now the second GOP senator to refuse to meet with Judge Sotomayor. Last week, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) also blew off his meeting with Sotomayor and announced that he made up his mind vote against her nomination in 1998 — eleven years before she was actually nominated.

Our nation is run by temperamental three year olds.

Just when you think you can’t find anything else to laugh about… (more…)

All the smarmy Republican legal smear tactics?  Say it straight out: it’s all about the right-wing moolah.

Jane said it all here, but I’m risking a repeat:

Boy, does this sound familiar:

While conservatives say they know they have little chance of defeating Mr. Obama’s choice because Democrats control the Senate, they say they hope to mount a fight that could help refill depleted coffers and galvanize a movement demoralized by Republican electoral defeats….

Steaming kettle via JustABigGeek.

The American Constitution Society recently held a discussion regarding SCOTUS nominee, Judge Sonia Sotomayor. It was moderated by the wonderful Dahlia Lithwick of Slate, who had her hands full.

My favorite part of the back and forth was the discussion regarding real world, life experience versus, as Ed Whelan condescendingly describes it:…indulging your experience in an improper way.

If ever there were a “pot, this is kettle” moment

Political pundits, electoral operatives and former elected officials are like the undead: just when you think they’ve been buried, they rise up again from the political graveyard. No matter how craptastic their myriad sins may be — stealing from public coffers, ethical lapses out the wazoo, being a race-baiting bigot, whatever — they continue on your teevee and in print.

There are plenty of questions that need to be asked an answered on legal grounds about Sotomayor before confirmation. She’s well-qualified, well-versed in the law, and more than capable of explaining her rationale on any number of those opinions in open session in the Senate.

And they should be asked, by Senators of both parties, based on her actual words and writing.

An anti-Sotomayor ad has hit the airwaves and it piqued my interest on who was really behind it.

It’s an odd ad, edited narrowly to portray a very stilted picture of Sotomayor — in short, it’s a classic political hit piece. Watch for yourself:

It’s from the Judicial Confirmation Network, headed by Gary Marx and Wendy Long.