The scene in Clearwater

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin reacts after being introduced by Sen. Joe Lieberman. St. Petersburg Times photo by Douglas R. Clifford. A gallery is here.

St. Petersburg Times photos by Atoyia Deans

Comments

[tom]

John McCain would pay for his health plan with major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid, a top aide said, in a move that independent analysts estimate could result in cuts of $1.3 trillion over 10 years to the government programs.

The Republican presidential nominee has said little about the proposed cuts, but they are needed to keep his health-care plan "budget neutral," as he has promised. The McCain campaign hasn't given a specific figure for the cuts, but didn't dispute the analysts' estimate.

The rest of the article can be read on the WSJ.

Lieberman, ha ha ha. If Obama goes up a couple more points in the polls, he'll jumps ship and try to become a DEM again.

[Gene Smith]

Before we got all goo-goo about the huge crowd Palin drew: "Clearwater police estimated the crowd at 4,500."

http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2008/10/palin-crowd-est.html

Let's see, Coachman Park holds about 12,000. Sounds like she couldn't fill the park. What happened to all the Palin excitement?

[Conservatives are more charitable than liberals]

Sarah Palin has given more money to charity in the last 2 years than Joe Biden has in the last eight...and she makes considerably less money.

Senator Biden and Obama think that the government should put a gun to your head to force you into charity.

11:51 yes, of all the McCain lies, the Healthcare plan is the most evil. It would result in 20 million more Americans without health care and countless others with diminished coverage. The fiscal side is pure smoke and mirrors. Everyone would be in worse shape than now, except his corporate pals, of course.

[Wingnut Re-education camps are not "Charity"]

11:55 Christian charities don't count. They are religious re-education facilities. If you want to help people, give to non-denominational charities, or volunteer your time to them. Religious charities just aim to churn out more political wingnuts.

That's funny, Gene because as of Friday the Times posted this:

Palin tickets going fast

CLEARWATER -- Tickets are going fast for Sarah Palin's speech at a rally Monday morning at Coachman Park in Clearwater.

"People keep coming in one after another," said Tony DiMatteo, chairman of the Pinellas County Republican Executive Committee. "We'll probably sell out of them, and we were given 9,000 tickets."

He thinks the GOP's offices in St. Petersburg and Safety Harbor will run out of the free tickets by the end of today. The offices are open until 6 p.m.

If there any tickets left, DiMatteo said they'll be given out tomorrow morning at the Pinellas GOP headquarters, 4707 140th Ave. N, Suite 108, in the Airport Business Center near the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport. The office's phone number is (727) 539-6009.

Some tickets are also available at GOP offices in neighboring counties.

[The irony of RPOF]

OMG! Don't vote Obama, the Democrats will:

• Destroy the economy
• Govern through incompetence
• Endanger our national security
• Damage our military
• Kill jobs
• Shrink the middle class
• Increase spending
• Incur runaway deficits
• Threaten our Constitutional rights

Oh no, don't vote Democrat! Don't throw us into that briar patch!

[Why can't Obama tell the truth?]

CNN has already fact checked the false claims Obama is making:

...Those figures back up a conclusion from the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center: that McCain’s health plan, offering a tax credit of $2,500 per individual and $5,000 per family, would be a net tax cut initially for many.

As the CNN Truth Squad has previously reported, the center calls McCain’s health care plan a tax cut for virtually all Americans through 2013 and for the middle-class through 2018, which is as far as the center has projected. But the center says long-term, some of those benefits might erode if the tax credit did not keep up with costs of health care.

Obama, at his campaign stop, cited studies that suggest millions of Americans may lose their employer-provided health insurance under McCain’s health plan. A study published in Health Affairs in September did estimate that 20 million people may lose employer-based coverage and take on other insurance coverage, and that plans would likely be “less generous.” McCain says his plan would give people more options, increase competition, and lower costs. Which side is right is a matter of opinion and difficult to predict.
Either way, Obama left out critical context.

[Tom]

She only got 4,500 people to show up out of a metro area with 3 million people?

[Barracuda = "fish out of water"]

11:52 Gene, the Palin tickets went on sale BEFORE the VP debate. Then people got their fill of the her blather and stayed home in record numbers afterwards.

[it was crowded]

more like 10,000

palin can barely speak our language. mccain would not last two terms in the white house. how is this woman fit to govern? she is horribly unqualified, in spite of all her evangelical talking points and baloney.

Yeah, Tom...

Because some of us actually have to work, unlike the typical Obama supporter who is sitting at home with a bag full of cheetos waiting on her welfare check.

[Liberals only generous with other people's money]

"11:55 Christian charities don't count."

So you're telling me that of all the charities out there, Senator Biden still couldn't find any non-Christian charities to give to?

Like I said...liberals are only generous with other people's money.

[Liberals are only generous with other people's money]

Reaching into one's pockets to help out his fellow man is laudable and praiseworthy.

Reaching into another's pockets is despicable and worthy of condemnation.

My brother who was at the rally said they moved all the people over to one side so as to make it appear more full so they could take some pictures.

It made him mad because there was plenty of room to stretch out on the other side. It was completely empty.

[FLV]

So they expected 9,000 - quoting 12:02 who quoted GOP (number of tickets printed to be distributed) and had a crowd about half that size?

I find that interesting - the Catholic school that bused its kids themselves certainly isn't an isolated case.

The guy who rode his bike and said "he wouldn't wait in line, but there weren't any lines" can't be isolated either.

Sounds like she energized her base, but the bloom is off the rose.

[Jason H]

Look at Palin's taxes. She only paid 9 percent of her six figure income. She is dodging taxes. Her husband claims his fishing boat, and snowmobiles as tax right offs, even though they are not a business, just hobbbys. Palin rights off her house payments because she works at home, and she didn't even pay taxes on the money the state gave her to sit at home!
Todd Palin was part of the Alaskan Liberation Party, and it shows. The palins are dodging their taxes in a time of war, that is treason.

While Obama scares the hell out of me, his brainwashed followers conceren me even more. The media is feeding oxygen to the confused, frustrated and angry Obama mob. America is severely polarized and all it will take is one small spark to ignite the class warfare that is being promoted by the left wing kooks. In the absence of any responsible leadership, and inflamed by the media, this country is tottering on a complete breakdown. Wise up clowns.

[Sean K]

“They are also building schools for the Afghan children so that there is hope and opportunity in our neighboring country of Afghanistan,”

-Sarah Palin

[Jason H]

The majority of Obama supporters are college educated. I wouldn't call them confused. They know exactly what is going on, and what went on for the past four years.

Reporter: Governor Palin, you believe in an energy policy based on drilling for oil derived from the carcasses of dinosaurs- creatures you deny ever existed.

Palin: Hmmph. Whaddaya want? I'm a lovable scamp!

Reporter: True, but could you address your recent assertion that Afghanistan borders the United States?

Palin: ...

Reporter: I'll give you a hint: Afghanistan does not border the United States.

Palin: Whaddaya want? I'm Sarah Palin! *honk*

Reporter: God bless you, Governor Palin. You lovable scamp!

[Jacob]

12:13, I went to the Tampa Obama rally directly from my downtown office job. Yes, Democrats work too. In fact, the majority of my office is full of Obama Democrats and we all make over $100k a year. Drive through wealthy sections of Tampa and you'll see just as many Obama signs too. This whole idea that most Democrats are welfare recipients is too funny.

[steve]

TO: The irony of RPOF

you are kidding, right?

The republicans have ALREADY -
• Destroyed the economy
• Governed through incompetence
• Endangered our national security
• Damaged our military
• Killed jobs
• Shrunk the middle class
• Increased spending
• Incured runaway deficits
• Threatened our Constitutional rights

[Michael]

Jason H, you are right. All of my college educated friends are for Obama. Those who didn't go further than High School - you got it, are voting for McCain.

Morons: The reason there were more people at the barrack HUSSIEN obama rally is because unlike Democrats, Republicans have jobs and careers to go too.

That's funny, 12:31, My wife and I have Graduate Degrees and we're voting for McCain Palin.

Most of my friends, family, and colleagues are voting for McCain.

McCain will win in the EC vote.

Really smart person: it's "Barack". "barrack" is what soldiers live in. And it's "Hussein." OK? You're welcome. Now get back to your job or career. Care to tell us what it is you do for a living, genius? That's ok - I don't blame you for not wanting to tell the truth.

Why in the world is Joe Lieberman with Sarah Palin, seriously?

Give us Mitt Romney thank you not Joe Lieberman.

Say it "ain't so" that it was Joe.

[Jason H]

You are in the minority of McCain supporters then.

Btw Obama is going to blow McCain out in the EC vote. Obama leads in every poll, bigger leads then GW had in 2004. History shows that whoever leads in the first week of October, never looses that lead.

Pretty obvious that there's about 10,000 people in the park. Pic 10/23 in the Times gallery:

http://www.tampabay.com/specials/2008/photo_galleries/palin_in_the_park/

You're wrong, Jason...you'll see.

McCain will win EC vote.

By the way...it's "LOSES" not "looses"...you're not doing much for your college-educated argument.

[Jason]

Looks like 5k to me. Did they get to hear another Palin gaff today? Did she talk about our neighbor Afghanistan again today? Or how about how she lied about a bridge in alaska, or how she lied about that plane she didn't sell on e-bay?

[Jason]

I'm wrong? My proof is 50 years of elections. What's yours? Your gut feeling?

Check out real clear politics, or fivethrityeight.com if you want to see hard facts.

It's "gaffe", not "gaff", Jason.

You ARE edu-micated, aren't ya?!

[Jason]

Btw congrats on loosing the war on terror. The attack on 9/11 was an attack on our economy. Bin Laden knew the only way to take down the USA, was to allow ourselves to destroy our own economy. After eight years of a Bush economy, and a wasted war in Iraq. We have lost. America is no longer an economic super power.

Bush took our debt from 6 trillion, to almost 12 trillion in 8 years. The terrorists have won their war on our economy.

[Jason]

Yes, let's attack my typo's not my message, because you can't attack facts.

Gee, I'm shocked, more losers without jobs were at the Obama rally.

God, what a beautiful woman.

This PhD microbiologist is voting McCain/Palin.

And my lawyer wife is voting McCain/Palin.

The "educated" crowd going for Obama are those who just graduated and haven't worked to see just how much of their paycheck goes to the government.

If you're not a liberal when you're 20, you have no heart.

If you're not a conservative when you're 40, you are a moron.

Both parties suck, but the Republicans just want to take less of my paycheck than the Democrats.

[Jason]

If you think a paying a few thousand less in taxes on a 250k+ income is worth having McCain/Palin in charge of the country, you have no foothold in reality. Your dollar will loose more in overall value then you would gain in paying less taxes.

Palin must be looking back at what a “Bridge to Somewhere” actually looks like!

McSenile/Ho-sixpack 08! "Honor Last"

[Jason]

"The Bush administration has shelved plans to set up a diplomatic outpost in Iran, in part over fears it could affect the U.S. presidential race or be interpreted as political meddling, The Associated Press has learned."

Party First

The Dow Jones Industrial average has continued its downward slide throughout the day following Nancy Pelosi's Democratic Congress giveaway last week. As I write this, the Dow is down nearly 600 points. Are we listening to all of the best and brightest to lead us out of the mess in which our great nation of many talents presently finds itself? We have the brain power of some 300 million people - some of the most educated people in the world - and this is the best political discourse we can come up with in our time of perilous need? We need to be listening to as many smart people as we can. Make your voice heard. Let everyone know you want to hear from ALL the people who have overcome onerous burdens to have their names appear on this year's ballot.Please go here and see what I'm talking about:

http://www.thirdpartyticket.com/

[Jason]

This backslide in our economy started in the late 90s, don't pin it on just Pelosi. The Rot goes alot deeper, back to the deregulation Reagan passed. Up through the current Bush administration. Clinton is equally guilty.

You're the one pointing out your superior education, Jason.

The facts are Obama's questionable relationships with

Ayers,
Wright,
Rezko,
Iran Sympathizer - Rashid Khalidi and terrorist financier - Khalid Abadullah.

Which one was Chuck Crisp and which one was Scary Fail'n? I think they wear the same shade of lipstick!

[GR]

Can someone help me figure this out, why is Senator Joe "Loserman" campaigning with Governor Palin? Of all the people, HIM! I look at Loserman as political lizard, you know, changes colors when it seems beneficial "FOR HIM". He is not a Floridian, and, he is not a represenative of the State, so what is his vested interest? I am beginning to worry, I am a Republican. We have enough work to do without this "hangers on" running around the State. As for the crowd, I was kinda surprised at the turnout, not in a good sense either! We have our work cut out for us but we WILL prevail, guaranteed!