33°Quick links: Valentine photo contest • Washington Legislature • Idaho Legislature • Gonzaga hoops • WSU hoops
This May 2009 photo provided by Runner’s World magazine shows Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in a yoga pose near her home in Wasilla, Alaska. Palin says she’d come out ahead if she went one-on-one with fellow jogger President Barack Obama in a long run, according to an interview published online Tuesday. (AP Photo/Runner’s World, Brian Adams) Question: Do you think Sarah Palin could beat President Barack Obama in a foot race?
D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.
999 W. Riverside, Spokane, WA 99201
P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210
Main switchboard: (509) 459-5000 • (800) 338-8801
Newsroom: (509) 459-5400 • (800) 789-0029
Customer service: (800) 338-8801
© Copyright 2010, The Spokesman-Review
Sisyphus on June 30 at 2:05 p.m.
Yup, all the way to Russia.
Flag as inappropriate
Cabbage Boy on June 30 at 2:13 p.m.
I could outrun him to if he were chasing me. :)
Flag as inappropriate
redman on June 30 at 2:18 p.m.
Who cares, Palin out classes him totally.
Flag as inappropriate
Kage_Mann on June 30 at 2:19 p.m.
Just because barack is skinny, doesn't mean he's in shape. Sarah could beat him in one on one basketball and
then there's 2012.
Flag as inappropriate
nic on June 30 at 2:22 p.m.
Yoga? Isn't that a little New Agey for a fundemental Assemblies of God practicing woman?
Flag as inappropriate
Phaedrus on June 30 at 2:22 p.m.
I'll keep that in mind in case the GOP proposes that becomes the way we determine the leader of our country.
Flag as inappropriate
Phaedrus on June 30 at 2:23 p.m.
Sarah could beat him in one on one basketball and
then there's 2012.
Evidence as to why there is no credibility from this source.
Flag as inappropriate
Nick_Adams on June 30 at 2:28 p.m.
I doubt there's much Palin could beat Obama at, other than faux indignation over late night show jokes.
She is pretty hott, though.
Flag as inappropriate
scootermom on June 30 at 2:29 p.m.
Who cares?
I don't vote for a president because I think he/she can run faster than their opponent.
It's the brains that count. And Sara is going to lose every time.
Flag as inappropriate
Joker on June 30 at 2:32 p.m.
Sarah Palin wins in a distance race.
Here are the reasons why the Alaska Guv wins hands down.
1. Obama smokes. He can only go 90 feet before coughing up a lung.
2. Obama would get tangled up with some MSBNC anchor trying to ask a question about if he likes to eat pears and granola before running.
3. Sean Hannity from Fox News trips the President down the home stretch. The O'Reilly beats him with a tire iron until Secret Service stops him.
4. Oprah decides she wants to be the most important person in the universe again, causes the earth to split open, swallowing the President whole. She then has the exclusive interview with Joe Biden.
5. Palin, like many runners, has the ability to flip a switch in her brain to ignore pain and zone out (of course she forgets to turn hers back on afterrunning, and starts talking about how teenagers should abstain from sex).
Flag as inappropriate
BlueinIdaho on June 30 at 2:36 p.m.
Yup, that's the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Palin: “Classy”. Gawd, you can't even read a running magazine without having to witness another one of her inane commentry.
Flag as inappropriate
Sisyphus on June 30 at 2:36 p.m.
“Palin out classes him totally.”—ROTFLMAO What's your definition of class? You mean the taking his kids out for ice cream and his wife for an evening in New York very skilled orator and legal scholar v. photo op in front of a turkey slaughter, deer in the headlights, god fearing snow mobiler with a pregnant teen daughter?
Given his smoking she's got a safe bet on a foot race, the longer the better, but not on the court.
Flag as inappropriate
jreighley on June 30 at 2:37 p.m.
A pack a day will slow you down.
I suspect Sarah is a lot smarter than she lets on.. All the ad hominum attacks actually are quite silly, and they make her even more effective at accomplishing her Agenda.
Dumb old W sure did hoodwink congress into authorizing that invasion What an idiot he was. Calling your opponent stupid when you can't beat them really only exaggerates your won inadequacy.
Yes she lost VP, but I suspect she is still unbeatable in Alaska.
Flag as inappropriate
Kage_Mann on June 30 at 2:41 p.m.
She is pretty hott, though.Nick_Adams on June 30 at 2:28 p.m.
Isn't this a sexist comment?
Flag as inappropriate
Kage_Mann on June 30 at 2:44 p.m.
Yea, Obama going out for an evening in NY cost taxpayers $150,000.
Flag as inappropriate
Cabbage Boy on June 30 at 2:44 p.m.
Love the “skilled orator” line Sis. I needed a good laugh.
Flag as inappropriate
toadman on June 30 at 2:46 p.m.
“Isn't that a little New Agey for a fundamental Assemblies of God practicing woman?” - nic
You silly.. it's called “spirit stretching.”
;-)
I refuse to comment on Palin, as it will cause me to throw up and sin all over the place. All I'll say is, No way, No AG'er in office, if I can help it…
Flag as inappropriate
Phaedrus on June 30 at 2:50 p.m.
I suspect Sarah is a lot smarter than she lets on.
LOL!
Somebody should tell her that last October and November when she was a candidate for the Vice President of the United States would have been a good time to “let on.”
Flag as inappropriate
Phaedrus on June 30 at 2:53 p.m.
a fundemental Assemblies of God practicing woman?
Palin is an AG? Isn't that the same denomination as the pastor that held a gun service last week? Shouldn't he be worried about souls not six-shooters?
Flag as inappropriate
Nick_Adams on June 30 at 2:54 p.m.
Look everyone! Kage is giving sensitivity lessons. What's next, Governor Palin giving geography lessons?
Flag as inappropriate
Joker on June 30 at 2:54 p.m.
Kage,
George W. Bush took more vacaton than any President in the history of Presidents. How much did it cost to run the government operations out of his ranch in Texas?
Flag as inappropriate
Kage_Mann on June 30 at 2:55 p.m.
Phaedrus, lifes work is to attack Mary and Sarah.What a bully,
attacking two christian women. I bet your moms proud!
Flag as inappropriate
Sisyphus on June 30 at 2:56 p.m.
“I suspect Sarah is a lot smarter than she lets on”—let me know when you find evidence of this. I scoured and am at a loss. No scholarly papers. No list of accomplishments. A weak resume.
“I suspect she is still unbeatable in Alaska.”—actually I predicted she would have a tough fight next year for her job. And it appears she is still very polarizing but slipping steadily in approval ratings:
Governor Palin now has an overall positive rating of 54 percent and an overall negative rating of 41.6 percent. Most significantly, 24.8 percent of respondents rated her as Very Negative, while 30.5 percent rated her as Very Positive. Thus Governor Palin continues to inspire a strong passionate and emotional response on both sides of the proverbial “aisle”.
Nationally she's dead even. A poll last January shows that she would get trounced if she ran against Senator Murkowski.
As far as W, yes I would agree that his administration lied to get us into the Iraq War.
Flag as inappropriate
Kage_Mann on June 30 at 3:00 p.m.
Joker, how do you know George took more vacations and BTW-
he was still working on his ranch, even while on vacation.A president never can completely escape his work.
Flag as inappropriate
Sisyphus on June 30 at 3:01 p.m.
Geez cabbage, I've yet to see all the Republican hopefuls put together fill a stadium. Even the Minneapolis convention was rife with empty seats.
Flag as inappropriate
Kage_Mann on June 30 at 3:05 p.m.
Nick, even Cindy said, I was showing my sensitive side lately.
Flag as inappropriate
Joker on June 30 at 3:08 p.m.
Yes, Phaedrus is working for Satan.
As a good Christian woman, I know Mary reads the Bible, including a rare passage about tax increment financing, David 12:01.
“The Lord warned David about rebuilding Gomorrah with tax increment financing, God promised to smite down any building constructed with taxpayer dollars. David ignored those warnings because the serpent told him there would be green space and public art included in the plans if he gave the Egyptians money to make the project happen. Then as a new city was emerging, Gabriel came down from the heavens and laid Gomorrah to waste again.”
Flag as inappropriate
Joker on June 30 at 3:18 p.m.
I know he took those vacations days because there is group of professionals called reporters. They track things like this and then report to the public.
A little googling on the Internet (a series of tubes) found that he spent all most of 879 vacation days in Crawford Texas.
Granted, I am sure he did some actual work on his vacation, presidents really don't get much time to themselves. That's a lot of time away from the White House. I am sure the costs of running a second white house surpassed a night at the theater.
Flag as inappropriate
misc on June 30 at 3:30 p.m.
Isn't that pose somewhat 'of the devil' ???
Flag as inappropriate
fortboise on June 30 at 3:34 p.m.
No, I believe Barack Obama would beat Sarah Palin in a foot race. Easily.
Flag as inappropriate
JBelle on June 30 at 4:02 p.m.
absolutely. She's a runner and has practiced yoga for a long time. She says she will beat him in a long race. easy. Strength and endurance will beat the short sprints that is basketball everytime. In Phil Knight's book, he says that in the average basketball game, a player runs two miles. ( In the average soccer game, a player runs eleven miles.) AND she is not nor has ever been a smoker. Lungs count in cardio. Big time.
Flag as inappropriate
JBelle on June 30 at 4:03 p.m.
And if there is trash talk in long distance running, she may have a really good shot at beating him at that, too.
Flag as inappropriate
Ron_the_Cop on June 30 at 4:57 p.m.
My money is on Palin running, jogging, one on one basketball, common sense, and intellect over Obama:-) And too boot she's no left leaning Marxist. So there!
Flag as inappropriate
eagleeye on June 30 at 5:07 p.m.
Bush had 879 vacation days in 8 years???!!!!! I didnt know he worked for the City of CdA !!
Flag as inappropriate
KJJ on June 30 at 5:15 p.m.
Nitpick
She's doing it (Tree Pose) wrong. The foot is supposed to go above or below the knee, definitely not on it…
I think she could probably take Obama in a marathon though.
Back to politics.
Flag as inappropriate
Phaedrus on June 30 at 6:07 p.m.
two christian women.
Self-proclaimed, but without any visible evidence.
Flag as inappropriate
Charlie on June 30 at 6:10 p.m.
If GWB had 879 days vacation as eagleeye says, then by my calculations congress in those same 8 years had 1672 days vacation. Did congress do anything? I want to dock congress a few bucks.
Flag as inappropriate
Phaedrus on June 30 at 6:12 p.m.
I want to dock congress a few bucks.
Congress costs us more money when they are in session than when they are on vacation, let them go.
Flag as inappropriate
spokelooneh on June 30 at 7:19 p.m.
Palin would beat Obama in a foot race?
This is what's considered reasoned political debate these days?
Sad, but true.
As it turns out, a very insightful article about SaraCuda came out recently in Vanity Fair:
Oh, but first, a really great picture of SaraCuda and Cindy McCain:
http://www.vanityfair.com/images/poli…
“…More than once in my travels in Alaska, people brought up, without prompting, the question of Palin’s extravagant self-regard. Several told me, independently of one another, that they had consulted the definition of “narcissistic personality disorder” in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—“a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy”—and thought it fit her perfectly.
When Trig was born, Palin wrote an e-mail letter to friends and relatives, describing the belated news of her pregnancy and detailing Trig’s condition; she wrote the e-mail not in her own name but in God’s, and signed it “Trig’s Creator, Your Heavenly Father.”
…”
NPD, definitely.
The whole article is chock full of interesting anecdotes about SaraCuda's ignorance and mean-spirited back-biting and betrayal of friends and enemies alike.
For the bulk of you with Short Term Attention Span Disorder, lemme summarize:
Worst VP candidate in modern history, and completely unfit for POTUS.
“The pattern is inescapable: she takes disagreements personally, and swiftly deals vengeance on enemies, real or perceived.”
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/fe…
Oh, and when she and McCain lost, she had actually pre-recorded a concession speech. When informed by McCain people that VP candidates don't normally do concession speeches, she pressed on hard to get it aired. Until McCain personally told her, said, “No way”
Flag as inappropriate
Gregor_Samsa on June 30 at 8:19 p.m.
Palin makes such clueless and dense statements. Embarrassingly so. You can almost imagine Trig Palin one day looking at his mom and saying “MOM YOU SO DUMB SUMTIME”
I truly hope she is the best the GOP can dredge up in 2012. What a speedbump.
Anyhow, Michelle Obama could kick Sarah's skinny hind end at running and probably arm wrassle Todd Palin into a blubbering and simpering submission.
They are such horrid people. I hope they are in the news every week.
Flag as inappropriate
Cindy H on June 30 at 8:42 p.m.
Kage_Mann on June 30 at 3:05 p.m.
Nick, even Cindy said, I was showing my sensitive side lately.
I did?
Sigh. Let this be a lesson to us all:
Friends don't let friend drink and blog.
Flag as inappropriate
hmoffsuite on June 30 at 8:46 p.m.
gregor. The eloquence of your rant is evidence of why liberals are a joke, in most cases. This is one of those. Rant on, oh wise one. Its people like you that got Obama elected. That, sir, is the problem we are now facing in America. Re-read your post and tell me how intelligent it sounds, ok?
Flag as inappropriate
nic on June 30 at 8:56 p.m.
That's OK, hmo… The eloquence of ron the cop's rant is evidence of why conservatives are a joke, in most cases. Its people like him that will never get Palin elected.
Flag as inappropriate
Me on June 30 at 8:57 p.m.
Gregor - you assault me again and again.
I'm not a HUGE fan of Palin, but I have to say that based on how I was raised (think Montana/Idaho Trailer trash, never on welfare,but close, done good, got education, worked hard) I can relate to her. She is much more of a real person than the usual elitist rich 'bitc##' types preaching to me, but living SO differently from me. When you say “They are such horrid people” I'm assaulted and stunned.
I am such horrid people…..
Not as smart as you (according to you), not as informed as you (according to you) - thus not worthy of opinion or insight. Somehthing to be horrified by….
Flag as inappropriate
Gregor_Samsa on June 30 at 9:01 p.m.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem
Flag as inappropriate
Me on June 30 at 9:11 p.m.
Thanks Gregor - You explained your position perfectly with that link! I get where you are coming from now!
“consists of replying to an argument or factual claim by attacking or appealing to a characteristic or belief of the person making the argument or claim, rather than by addressing the substance of the argument or producing evidence against the claim”
Thanks for clarifying how you came to decide that Sarah Palin is just dumb.
Flag as inappropriate
Gregor_Samsa on June 30 at 9:13 p.m.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycholo…
Flag as inappropriate
Me on June 30 at 9:17 p.m.
Spokelooneh - guess I'm probably a manipulating Biatch too…….
Sorry - while YOU all don't think she's smart I think she sometimes shoots off etc, without thinking, but I don't think she's dumb.
I have heard that the main reason some people don't like her is because she's “married to a snowmobiler” - what??? My husband is a mechanic and I didn't go to college - so therefore 'manipulating Biatch' I guess. I know I'm not running for VP, but heaven forbid I wanted to run for some local office and 'be so common'
Flag as inappropriate
Gregor_Samsa on June 30 at 9:17 p.m.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_e…
Flag as inappropriate
Me on June 30 at 9:18 p.m.
OK Gregor - I can play
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elitism
Flag as inappropriate
hmoffsuite on June 30 at 9:24 p.m.
The irony of this thread is that Palin is more qualified to be the President than Obama, the community organizer.
Flag as inappropriate
Gregor_Samsa on June 30 at 9:28 p.m.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laughter
Flag as inappropriate
Me on June 30 at 9:31 p.m.
Maybe what I see in her is some gutspah and not so much political correctness? Maybe I want someone to TELL me that they are vile instead of smiling, telling me what they think they want me to hear and then screwing me all at the same time! I would much rather someone tell me exactly where they stand so I can say I totally disagree with that rather than someone talking out both sides promising everything to all when we all know that isn't possible.
As I said I'm not a huge fan or hers, but if I were suddenly running for any office, I'm so outspoken and oppinonated I KNOW I would offend someone sometime somehow and so I guess I can relate on those terms.
Flag as inappropriate
Me on June 30 at 9:33 p.m.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dismissal
Flag as inappropriate
spokelooneh on June 30 at 9:33 p.m.
@Me: READ the Vanity Fair article I posted, if you dare to expand your horizons a millimeter.
Flag as inappropriate
Me on June 30 at 9:38 p.m.
spokelooneh - cmon - you KNOW I would not do any such thing!!! I am rigid, non-bending, unwilling to expand myself. I don't READ - are you crazy??? I only 'ditto rush' for God's sake! I wouldn't dream of doing anything anywhere near 'expanding my horizon' - oh the horror……
Geesh - I have cars to put on blocks, babies to change, cigs to smoke, 40s to drink and 'old men' (you know, husbands) to slap around….. geesh.
Flag as inappropriate
Gregor_Samsa on June 30 at 9:41 p.m.
Trig
Hey Gregor I likes Me!
Gregor
She's pretty spunky, huh?
Trig
She funny and mean to you!
Gregor
Oh she's not so bad, she's just standing up for herself.
Trig
I can too! I can too!
Gregor
What?
Trig
I can stands up too! Watch!
Gregor
Oh god don't Trig, NOOO
****CRASH*****
Trig
Ows, ows, my heads hurts
Gregor
Trigger, dude, you know you can't stand up without help!
Trig
Ows, I knows.
Gregor
Here, lemme help
Trig
Thanks Schmegrows!
Gregor
“Gregor”
Trig
Yeahs, ows.
Gregor
I gotta run, your mom should be home from her jog any moment now and I gotta go fix your dad's new snow machine.
Trig
Byes!
Flag as inappropriate
Kage_Mann on June 30 at 9:46 p.m.
I think Sarah could serve this country well in some capacity in the future.In a republican administration she could serve as
Secretary of the Interior.
Flag as inappropriate
Me on June 30 at 9:53 p.m.
OMG - Gregor are you REALLY making fun of a special needs child? I thought you all were so compassionate and loving of everyone? As long as they think like you only?
I have a special needs dog - her name is Nikki - want to attack? She might bite!
Flag as inappropriate
Kage_Mann on June 30 at 10:06 p.m.
Bob, how's the lake?
Flag as inappropriate
Gregor_Samsa on June 30 at 10:18 p.m.
I've never represented myself as either compassionate OR loving, on a good day I approach “warm blooded” but I would have to ask what a “special needs” dog is, as all dogs seem kind of special needsish to me.
Flag as inappropriate
Gregor_Samsa on June 30 at 10:28 p.m.
Bark Translator: On
Nikki
Hi Gregor!
Gregor
Hi Nikki
Nikki
Yum! Guess what I had for dinner?
Gregor
Your poop?
Nikki
No silly! The cat's poop!
Gregor
Cool
Nikki
Uh oh.
Gregor
What?
Nikki
I peed on the rug.
Gregor
Bad dog!
Nikki
I'm having a crisis. Your shaming me isn't helping.
Gregor
Sorry
Nikki
Oh I Iove licking myself!
Gregor
You're so lucky.
Flag as inappropriate
JamesBond on June 30 at 10:44 p.m.
Obama's a smoker. My pet sloth could beat him in a race.
Flag as inappropriate
Sam on June 30 at 11:18 p.m.
I could beat both of the in multiple sports. I'd even go as far to say that one-on-one I could beat that old-man President at basketball.
Flag as inappropriate
OrangeTV on July 01 at 12:38 a.m.
I like Brussel Sprouts, so what?
Flag as inappropriate
Escapee on July 01 at 12:58 a.m.
Can Sarah outrun Obama in a race? Politically or intellectually, no…
Flag as inappropriate
Arch_Druid on July 01 at 7:05 a.m.
Hmoffsuite, “the liberals” are the ones cheering on Palin and presuming things about her that just ain't true. The rest of us are called realists. Guv Palin cost McCain big time when he had her as his running mate. Palin cost herself big time when she accepted McCain's offer. As Palin on the national stage had a worst case scenario of what not to say during an interview of any potential VEEP out there. Some one of intelligence wouldn't have tried drowning the interviewer in lots and lots of words. If you as a reasonably intelligent person couldn't understand what Palin was saying at any time, then it can't be some problem with you but with her.
In any case, plenty of real conservatives would have as much of a problem with Palin. And as for “Christian” women; so “Christian” that Bristol could get pregnant out of wedlock and ultimately become an unwed teenage mother? Now THAT'S liberalism to excuse something like this in the Palin family just because she has an R after her name. LOL!
Flag as inappropriate
toadman on July 01 at 8:18 a.m.
“The eloquence of your rant…,oh wise one. Its people like you that got Obama elected.” - hmo
SOOOO!! HMO admits it!! Eloquent and wise people voted for Obama!!! Wow.. coming from a (R) that's pretty heavy stuff. Are you insinuating that people who voted for McCain/Palin were…shudder…NOT eloquent and wise?
Dude.. HMO.. I think people in that party are gonna be upset with that.
;-)
See? Selective reading.
Palin is a church lady of the worst kind. That's all I really need to know. Also, she allowed the people in her crowds to continue to say hateful things, that she no doubt heard being yelled or chanted, during her rallies. Unforgivable, IMO. Even if I'd agreed with her ideas, she would have lost me there.
Flag as inappropriate
Cabbage Boy on July 01 at 8:32 a.m.
Nice shot at “Christians” there Arch.
Plenty of kids from good parents make bad choices. And plenty of kids from bad parents turn out fine.
Parenting isn't a science where there is a right and wrong way. It is an art. And usually requires lots of OJT. The oldest ones usually are the experimental models that have some scars from the not-so-good methods that were tried.
Flag as inappropriate
Cabbage Boy on July 01 at 8:34 a.m.
Toad,
Why don't you hold Obama to the same standard? He stayed around the hateful types for quite a long time, only to disown them when it became politically necessary.
Flag as inappropriate
spokelooneh on July 01 at 9:54 a.m.
Wow, everybody's picking up on the Vanity Fair article I referenced earler, CBS, National Review, Politico, even Faux News:
“…The in-depth profile, which describes Palin as the “sexiest and the riskiest brand in the Republican Party,” raises questions about McCain's decision to pick the Alaska governor as his running mate and her “disastrous” performance in the 2008 campaign — sparking a vicious back-and-forth between former advisers to the GOP ticket.
“Perhaps most painful, how could John McCain, one of the cagiest survivors in contemporary politics…ever have picked a person whose utter shortage of qualification for her proposed job all but disqualified him for his?” author Todd Purdum writes in his article published Tuesday.
…”
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/…
The Faux article rightfully highlights the new GOP as becoming more and more raucous with their infightingi, i.e. circular firing squad.
Whatever happened to Reagan's “11th Commandment”? Dead as he his, I guess.
Flag as inappropriate
Fishwife on July 01 at 10:20 a.m.
Sarah seemed like such a nice lady before she chose to enter national politics. Then flashbacks of Helen Chenoweth set in.
Flag as inappropriate
Kage_Mann on July 01 at 10:21 a.m.
Without Palin, McCain would have lost the election in a landslide.I know alot of republicans who only voted for McCain,
because of Palin.He's not likable and that's a detriment in politics where it pays to be likable.Anyway, it bothers me when the GOP nominates the guy, who the liberal media said;had the best shot at winning the presidency, on the republican side.
Flag as inappropriate