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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Palins, gone fishin'

Posted: Monday, July 06, 2009 12:01 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under:

From NBC’s Andrea Mitchell


WASILLA, Alaska -- The latest Tweet from Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin -- on her time off with the family in Bristol Bay -- where she says they have gone for decades to do commercial fishing:

"Grateful Todd left fishing grnds to join me this wkend; but now he's back slaying salmon & working the kids @ the site; anxious to join 'em!"

She tweeted yesterday that she was going to join the work crew for one day picking fish.

Video: NBC's Andrea Mitchell and Vanity Fair's Todd Purdum talk about the response to Gov. Sarah Palin's resignation and why the Alaska governor decided to step down.

Over the weekend, her lawyer told NBC News that the local FBI office had taken the unusual step of issuing a statement confirming that there is no ongoing federal investigation into Palin's affairs. 

Palin's attorney sought the statement to rebut blogs claiming she resigned because of an impending scandal. Attorney Tom Van Flein says those blogs are defamatory and has threatened to sue media outlets repeating them unchallenged.

Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who will replace Palin on July 26th, told NBC Sunday that she first told him of her plan to resign last Wednesday -- two days before her announcement. He believes that the pressure of continuing ethics challenges and mounting bills -- now estimated at more than $500,000 -- contributed to her decision to resign.

Video: Alaska Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell – who will take over for Gov. Sarah Palin when steps down at the end of July – joins NBC’s Lester Holt to discuss the former vice presidential candidate’s decision.

Palin's attorney also tells us that her legal defense fund has raised approximately $250,000 toward her outstanding legal debt. He stressed that 15 out of 16 ethics challenges against her have been dismissed -- including a challenge to the way she set up her legal defense fund.

In addition to Palin's book deal, she is being offered lucrative speeches and has been approached about talk shows. She is expected to earn millions on the book and other deals once she is out of state government -- after July 26.

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Comments

Cut and run.  She just up an' cut and run.
The elites in New York are a "fatal cancer" on our nation.
Slaying Salmon... WTF??? If she's not slaying wolves from a chopper or field dressing moose... she's 'slaying' salmon... What a lady!

Slay = kill - murder - assassinate - massacre - slaughter (ooops those were the poor turkeys!) - butcher - exterminate...

Simple Sarah... the mouth that keeps on giving!
In response to an earlier topic....Feisty says she can finally be proud to call herself an American again and be proud on the 4th of July because someone she likes is in the White House. What kind of fair-weather, spineless weasel are you? Telling people you are Canadian when you go to other countries?


I am a die-hard republican and I have NEVER been ashamed to be an American, no matter where I am or who is president. EVER. I am just as proud to celebrate the 4th of July under Obama as I was under Clinton...and Bush and Reagan and Carter etc...

The fact that you would think such a thing, then externalize it on a message board says a lot about you and your political views. It also says a lot about the other people on here that they never took you to task on it. It's apparently the way they feel too. It's so-called Americans like you that make me fear for our future.
From NBC’s Andrea Mitchell
WASILLA, Alaska -- The latest Tweet from Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin -- on her time off with the family in Bristol Bay -- where she says they have gone for decades to do commercial fishing
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Sarah has been off the job since she tasted fame in the lower 48's. Behind 16 ethics charges against her and legal debs of 500,000 thousand dollars(reported earlier). This woman has always been about the Benjamin’s.
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Nash, Thanks for the information. These hacks are just spewing BS. They have no facts. I am not aboard for everything the Prez is doing with his economic policies either, but he is "attempting" to battle the monster. Biden always makes gaffs and I do think that more money should be released to fight this monster. China is pumping money into their economy...more money than we are. But if there is a need to spend more, we'll just here more rhetoric from the party of no and the media's spin. Excellent fact check! Still can't teach clowns anything lady.
A Palin talk show won't fly. Her ramblings will be fun for a while, but folks will tune out in short order out of boredom.

A Palin family reality show is a different story. 'SARAH AND TODD PLUS SCANDALS'!
With only 3 weeks left she goes on vacation???

But let's not cheat the tax payers of Alaska by being a "Lame Duck" for the next 18 months.
I am a die-hard republican
Always Proud, Wash, DC (Sent Monday, July 06, 2009 12:13 PM)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nuff said... Next....

ps:  other countries mean out of THIS country - not just Mississippi!
Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who will replace Palin on July 26th, told NBC Sunday that she first told him of her plan to resign last Wednesday -- two days before her announcement. He believes that the pressure of continuing ethics challenges and mounting bills -- now estimated at more than $500,000 -- contributed to her decision to resign.
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I am onboard with Feisty's comment this morning...there's more to her stepping out than meets the eye. This one is covering up for something bigger than we expect. She was almost in tears when she made the announcement. More like "forced" to resign...
Interesting how the attorney admits that one ethics compliant wasn't dismissed. Palin said she had 15 ethics compliants filed against her, and they were all dismissed. That may be technically true, but the ommission of the one valid complaint left the impression that she was exonerated on all ethics compliants.

Also why would she need to spend a half million personally defending against any of the 15 ethics compliants that lacked merit? I believe the defense cost were from the troopergate, which had/has merit. She was never sued in her individual capacity, and there was no reason for a legal defense fund. No doubt people brought some stupid ethics charges against her, (one had to do with her wearing Todd's snow machine jacket!)but who cares about meritless charges.  

Dear Always Proud, Wash, DC:

I am proud that you were always proud.

If people being honest about how they feel is a problem for you, don't try to make it a problem for me.

The days of simplistic rah-rah BS passing as "policy" is over.

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

I am focused on POLICIES that produce RESULTS, DEBUNKING oft repeated LIES (like President Obama said unemployment would not go over 8% - he NEVER SAID THAT!) . . . not DISTRACTIONS that always keep us from reaching our goals, like who is "proud" and who isn't.

For the first time in our adult lives, we don't need your permission to be American, proud or otherwise.

Get used to it.
It's so-called Americans like you that make me fear for our future.
Always Proud, Wash, DC (Sent Monday, July 06, 2009 12:13 PM)

And for me, it is Americans like you who scare me...blind allegiance to a government that you don't like is not patriotic, it's idiotic.  And saying you are not proud because you disagree is not necessarily a bad thing.  I was not proud of this country in the way we dealt with a lot of things the last few years...definitely does not make me unpatriotic.

If I had lived during WWII I would be ashamed at the way we treated the Japanese here in this country.  If I was living during slavery, I would be ashamed.  If I was living during the Jim Crow days, I would be ashamed...as a matter of fact, I am ashamed that my country was involved in any of those things.  So stop with the blind allegiance, or at least stop berating people who have the nerve to step up and say they disagree and are ashamed.
"Grateful Todd left fishing grnds to join me this wkend; but now he's back slaying salmon & working the kids @ the site; anxious to join 'em!"
------------------
What ever happened to "catching and processing salmon...why "slay"? This woman...you wonder why the Vanity Fair article put everything into such perspective...
I see we have the perfect left wing reporter to report on Palin. What's next? Palin goes to the restroom?
Keep up the good work Andrea! Let us know when Sarah goes to the grocery store.
What a model of personal and public responsibility and honoring the commitment of Alaskan taxpayers! Great move from Palin!

This is truly ridiculous...

http://www.political-buzz.com/
The elites in New York are a "fatal cancer" on our nation.
Dave, Tn
I live in Iowa, and I'm about as down to earth as they come. I've enjoyed visiting New York, but can't imagine living there (the cost and traffic alone would drive me nuts). But Dave's statement is moronic. As much as I'd hate living in NYC (unless I won the lottery and could actually afford to live in Manhatten), I'd much rather live in the worst area of NYC, than anywhere in TN. Talk about a backward state, over the GOP Governors veto they passed a law allowing guns in bars. Only a bunch of backward legislators would think firearms and alcohol mix. I for one would rather be viewed as an "elite" from NY, than a knucklehead from TN!
Cut and run.  She just up an' cut and run.
Rorschach


Yeah, it's better to stay and die of old age, like the Democrats do.

Democrats - Party of new ideas? No, not really.
I will never understand the politics of personal destruction...

You can, and should, form you own opinions  about subjects, and then vote for the person whose philosophy most closely suits your own.  You can disagree with policies, but not engage in personal attacks on the politician whose policies you disagree with...

I oppose most of Obama's domestic agenda, but I do not believe he is evil.  I think he is wrong.  There is a difference.

Oh, and Anita-I tried to respond to this in another post:  under Reagan, the HIGHEST level of unemploymentwas in 1982 and 1983-9.7% and 9.6% respectively.  In millions, (that's the total of all-including disaffected workers no longer actively seeking employment), was 10.7 in each of those years.  Unemplyment fell by more than double digits in 1984 to 7.5%, and continued declining from there, to 5.5% in 1988, his last year in office.

He also inherited, (as you love to refer to it) an inflation rate of 13.5%-that dropped to 10.3% in 1981, at the end of his first year in officed, then decline almost every year; when he left office, it was at 4.1%.

I could not find the full numbers for interest rates during his years in office; suffice to say that in 1988, when he left office, the interest rate on a 30 year mortgage was 9.05%.

What 'facts' exactly are you spouting?  Your numbers do not exist anywhere but in your imagination.
Did anyone else notice how guilty Governor Palin seemed during her news conference? Some pundit said she seemed nervous, but I think she was nervous because she feels guilty.
Now Left wing wacko groups can force a governor to resign with frivolous lawsuits.

Democracy is dead.
You all have missed the obvious on this one... Sarah's got her eye on the ball.  Allow me to give you guys a couple of clues; it's round, it starts with an 'O', it's in Chicago (as well as many other places).  Sarah's folly is to become a COMMUNITY ORGANZER.  She knows we don't think she's very bright so she's out to proof everybody wrong.  Maybe somebody should have told her she was already in the best possible position she could be in if she was serious about 'organzing the people'.  As governor of Alaska she had a tremendous platform to speak from.  But her narcissisim is taking her further and further down that 'bridge to NOWHERE'.  My only wish for her is that somehow, someone, or something prevents her from jumping off that bridge (I'm showing her more compassion than she or O'Reilly's shown President Obama while calling for his death).  I think the women needs help and on friday she sent an S-O-S!
She can't finish her term?  She should have know that politics can be nasty; more so on the national stage.  If she can't finish the term of governor in the state that is the most removed, then I don't know how she can expect to lead many more people as president or what ever else she plans on doing.  
Just another cut and run republican. Who is nailin palin these days?
I am a die-hard republican and I have NEVER been ashamed to be an American.........

Always Proud, Wash, DC (Sent Monday, July 06, 2009 12:13 PM)
=============================

If you were proud that our nation atttacked Iraq, burning, killing, and maiming innocent men, women, and children who never attacked us, then know this, you are an evil diehard republican.


WOW, In my opinion this lady is delusional if she thinks anyone will take her seriously for any public office. From what i read she is going to abandon Alaska at a time when the State need real leadership. In my opinion she needs to spend about 8 years in college if she is serious about running for President; she is a lot like Nixon; HUGE chip on her shoulder. I watched both Charles Gibson & katie Couric's interviews. She was treated with "kid gloves" yet she whined to FOX (Murdock Fix News) that they treated her unfairly. Not once has she taken any responsiblity for her own ineptitude. In the speech she just gave she accepted NO responsibility for her own actions. Again in my opinion she behaves like a bully who cannot take the heat when she gets feedback from her own behavior.
If she is counting on that very small Christian base or the men who thinks she is "HOT" to get her into office she is going to be disappointed.  As a Christian myself I found her campaign speeches ugly & hateful. Even her own campaign managers called her a Wisillsa Hillbilly. Not in a million years would I ever consider her as President.
Always pounding in DC.Glad to hear you right wingers are so proud of your torture party,the party of family values,like Sanford,Like Ensign,Like Faillin,like Newt,hopefully you get the pitcher.You the proud,never took the oath,never put on the uniform,Proud to be at home with my mommy while others fight for your freedom.At this blog site we have people that voice there view from the Lefthand side of the street,while some rightys have come here and made real points,and made good arguments,for the Republican party.You of no name are like all the rest here,BoBo,Little dog,and all the moon walkers that live on earth,Why are you people so afraid to sing your name,there can't be all that many boys name Sue alive,is there?You are not alone when you said you where proud,no matter who was prez,I agree,but it is your party who are bent on your stuck on NO policy,instead of trying to make the Country that the Bushies ran like there own country club,your party is more interested in changing history after the war Blunders,and the torture partys Dead eye Ordered.Not to say who was at the switch when the economy went south,when the OIL war started,and all the phone lines that where tapped,the e-mails taken and read,you know,eves dropping on regular Americans.So being proud of you party ,have at it,your party is now rated in the low 20%,and that won't win to many contest.
"Always Proud"--I, too have always loved being an American no matter who was in the White House.  However, I will admit to being ashamed of our government, of its actions, and of its lies, especially during the previous administration.  When I had to face my class of international students the day that Bill Clinton's sexual escapades were revealed, I was embarrassed.  But the day our military invaded Iraq based on flimsy evidence (and without unilateral support from many of our allies)--I was ashamed that the President had rushed into an unprovoked war. As details of inhumane treatment of detainees came out, I was ashamed of the administrators who had OK'd and endorsed this abuse. Mostly, I felt helpless about doing anything except to vote against Bush in 2004 and against McCain, who seemed to be pushing a military response in too many situations.  McCain made the choice very clear when he picked Palin as his VP.  I don't hate Palin, but I detest her dishonesty.  At the time, her inarticulate responses to questions made her look like another Bush 2--a scary thought.  

Am I proud to be an American? Yes!  Am I proud of former Pres. G. W. Bush?  NO! He and Cheney made a mockery of our constitution. Am I proud of our current President? So far, yes. I don't agree with every decision Obama makes or every position he stands for, but I want to give him a chance to address issues that Bush ignored as he pursued his costly project in Iraq.
What a piece of work........can you say QUITTER.....Not a big surprise.........If I lived in Alaska I would have saved my fireworks to celebrate th end of Palin Palooza.......YEA..........
If Gov. Palin doesn't like the media intruding on her life, she should stop the twitter account.  She keeps trying to spin stories to put her image out the way she wants it to be seen.....it's her insistence on having it her way that makes other people want to show us the contradictions. There are several female politicians (governors, senators and reps) who manage to keep out of the limelight and get work done.  If she really wants to be out of the media spotlight, she should consult them, put her head down and work.  This is doubly true if there are personal or family problems (medical or otherwise) that have caused her to resign -- just let go for a while and let what you do speak for you.
Wait - I've figured it out.  Palin was just trying to beat the scandal about her relationship with Sanford!
I have always been proud to be an American and a Democrat.  HOWEVER, I have been ashamed of some of the things we have done - like invade another country and start a war (first time ever); torture; invasion of American's private conversations (Patriot Act).  But I have still remained a proud American.  We've shown that we can screw up big time, but we can also show that we've learned and are a better country than that.

I will always believe this is the greatest country in the entire world.  Don't try to make patriotism and pride a party issue.
Always Proud, Wash, DC (Sent Monday, July 06, 2009 12:13 PM)

Yep, republicans would NEVER do anything so horrible as pretend to be someone of another nationality because that would not be patriotic.

But hoping for your country's failure to prove a political point? Nothing wrong with that when you are a proud to be an American republican!

Not that people hoping for our great nation's failure should make us fear for our future!
She's not a crook, she's mearly an idiot!
Sarah Palin has something in common with George W.  They both relish in the political campaign and the excitement of the chase for the job.  But when they get there, governance is a bore.


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