Sent: Sunday, September 07, 2008 8:45 AM
Subject: What Does The Prayer Really Say?
Gov. Palin: ex-Catholic? Stop bugging me about it
CATEGORY: SESSIUNCULUM — Fr. John Zuhlsdorf @ 4:56 pm
I am getting strange and even hysterical e-mail from quite a few people about VP candidate Sarah Palin being an "apostate Catholic".
"BUT FATHER! BUT FATHERFATHERFATHER! WHY aren’t YOU paying ATTENTION to THIS???!?".
Some e-mail is reasonable and mature. Some includes lots of SHOUTING and UNDERLINING.
Tip for the future: If you write e-mail like that to me, I delete it, mostly unread.
However, about Sarah Palin as "apostate", ...
To my knowledge Gov. Palin was baptized in the Catholic Church, but her parents left the Catholic Church for some Protestant sect when she was around 12 years old.
I don’t hold twelve-year-old children accountable for the actions of their parents.
Would that be even slightly rational?
I understand she attends a non-denominational Christian church of some sort.
"Apostasy" is accomplished by a formal act, not by being taken away from the Church as a child and then growing up in a Christian sect.
I wish she were a Catholic! I wish everyone were Catholic! But she’s not, and it seems not to be her fault.
Some who are Catholic really aren’t… and in the case of some politicians that is their fault.
Until it is revealed that Gov. Palin has made some sort of formal act of apostasy from the Catholic Church or done something anti-Catholic, I think you ought to breathe deeply and regularly, trying breathing into a paper bag, and maintain some control.
And stop shouting at me about it.
http://wdtprs.com/blog/
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Saturday, September 6, 2008
the Delorius Passion?
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2008 9:48 AM
Subject: Marian Catholic Family Forum - Olympics - Powered by ForumCo.com - The Forum Company
BTW... John is your quote from the Delorius Passion? Wasn't this book so problematic (the problems attributed to much creative elaboration on the part of the translator) set aside as unreliable? I'm no scholar on this (so please feel free to correct me), but I do not believe anything in the Delorius Passion is binding in anyway on the faithful.
http://mariancatholicforum.forumco.com/topic~TOPIC_ID~1575.asp
Subject: Marian Catholic Family Forum - Olympics - Powered by ForumCo.com - The Forum Company
BTW... John is your quote from the Delorius Passion? Wasn't this book so problematic (the problems attributed to much creative elaboration on the part of the translator) set aside as unreliable? I'm no scholar on this (so please feel free to correct me), but I do not believe anything in the Delorius Passion is binding in anyway on the faithful.
http://mariancatholicforum.forumco.com/topic~TOPIC_ID~1575.asp
The Precepts
The Precepts
You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.
We must "sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord" (Sunday), as well as the principal feast days, known as Catholic holy days of obligation. This requires attending Mass, "and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days."
You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
We must prepare for the Eucharist by means of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). This sacrament "continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness."
You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.
This "guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy."
You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
"The fourth precept ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart." See below for more about fasting & abstinence.
You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.
"The fifth precept means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability."
(These quotations are from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in its section about the Precepts of the Catholic Church (#2041-3).)
Note that these precepts of the Catholic Church are required, unless you have a legitimate reason for not meeting them. For example:
If you are sick, tending to a sick child, or camping in the wilderness on Sunday and cannot get to Mass, it is not a grave violation to miss Mass that day.
Children, the elderly, and pregnant or nursing women do not have to fast on normal fast days (Ash Wednesday and Good Friday).
Go beyond the minimum!
Always remember: the precepts of the Catholic Church are minimum levels of participation in the life of the Church. Out of love for Christ and a desire to advance in the spiritual life, you will normally try to do far more than they require.
Many people recommend that Catholics:
Attend Mass at least one more time a week. (Most Church parishes celebrate Mass every day of the year!)
Go to confession at least once a month, and find a regular confessor so he can give you better guidance.
Find a good spiritual director to give you sound guidance for growing in the spiritual life.
Receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at every Mass, if you meet the guidelines for reception (are free from mortal sin, etc.).
Make a habit of practicing penitential and charitable acts beyond those required by the precepts of the Catholic Church.
Contribute as much as possible to the material needs of the Church and the needy.
This brief article on the precepts of the Catholic Church is just one of a series of articles about Catholic morality. There are also more articles for the beginning Catholic available from our home page.
You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.
We must "sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord" (Sunday), as well as the principal feast days, known as Catholic holy days of obligation. This requires attending Mass, "and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days."
You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
We must prepare for the Eucharist by means of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). This sacrament "continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness."
You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.
This "guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy."
You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
"The fourth precept ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart." See below for more about fasting & abstinence.
You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.
"The fifth precept means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability."
(These quotations are from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in its section about the Precepts of the Catholic Church (#2041-3).)
Note that these precepts of the Catholic Church are required, unless you have a legitimate reason for not meeting them. For example:
If you are sick, tending to a sick child, or camping in the wilderness on Sunday and cannot get to Mass, it is not a grave violation to miss Mass that day.
Children, the elderly, and pregnant or nursing women do not have to fast on normal fast days (Ash Wednesday and Good Friday).
Go beyond the minimum!
Always remember: the precepts of the Catholic Church are minimum levels of participation in the life of the Church. Out of love for Christ and a desire to advance in the spiritual life, you will normally try to do far more than they require.
Many people recommend that Catholics:
Attend Mass at least one more time a week. (Most Church parishes celebrate Mass every day of the year!)
Go to confession at least once a month, and find a regular confessor so he can give you better guidance.
Find a good spiritual director to give you sound guidance for growing in the spiritual life.
Receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at every Mass, if you meet the guidelines for reception (are free from mortal sin, etc.).
Make a habit of practicing penitential and charitable acts beyond those required by the precepts of the Catholic Church.
Contribute as much as possible to the material needs of the Church and the needy.
This brief article on the precepts of the Catholic Church is just one of a series of articles about Catholic morality. There are also more articles for the beginning Catholic available from our home page.
Buying vs Renting
Buying vs. Renting
There are many considerations to weigh before purchasing a home
- Fri, Feb 22, 2008
Provided by Informa
A home is one of the most expensive purchases most of us will ever make during our lifetime. Whether you decide to rent or buy, either choice comes with its own rewards and risks. Homeownership offers many advantages over renting including:
Advantages of Buying versus Renting
Buying Renting
Tax write-off No tax write-off
You can upgrade your home as you see fit Need permission to make any changes
Build equity in your home as value appreciates Your money goes toward the landlords equity
Control of loan payment options Rent can increase periodically
Pride of homeownership You have no ownership
While owning your own home has many benefits, there are still risks to consider:
Disadvantages of Buying versus Renting
Buying Renting
You're responsible for property maintenance Your landlord or manager handles general repairs
Need to sell, rent or lease property in order to re-locate. May have to wait until market conditions are right Freedom to move once your lease expires
You pay for all your own utilities, property taxes and insurance May include utilities, property taxes, and property insurance
Home improvement upgrades can run into thousands of dollars You're not financially responsible for improvements
However, all things considered, homeownership is by far one of the best single investments you can make given the potential long-term benefits.
When does it make sense to buy?
People, who have generally rented their whole lives, purchase a home for various reasons. Owning something of value with a chance of watching their investment appreciate is one reason. Purchasing a home to save money over the long-term is another.
Example
Let's say you're currently renting a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment. Your monthly rent is $1,000. You find a two-bedroom, two-bath at a market price of $250,000 (roughly the national average.) You have $25,000 saved - enough for a 10 percent down payment. For the purpose of this example, you're looking to finance $225,000, which includes closing costs.
Using one of several mortgage calculators on the Internet, your monthly payment would be approximately $1,385 for a 30-year fixed loan at an APR of 6.20 percent (the national average). After taxes and appreciation in equity, your monthly payment over five years would average $499 per month.
Costs Savings of Buying versus Renting
Calculations Rent Purchase
Monthly rent/estimated mortgage payment $1,000 $1,385
Purchase price of home $250,000
Percentage of down payment 25,000
Length of loan term (years) 30
Interest rate 6.2%
Years you plan to stay in the home 5
Yearly property tax rate 1%
Yearly home value appreciation rate 4%
Results
Price of home after appreciation $304,163
Remaining balance after 5 years 209,887
Equity in house 94,276
Tax savings (28% bracket) 23,030
Avg. monthly payment over time 1,047 499
Total payments (over 5 years) $62,820 $29,973
Total savings if buying $32,847
Source: Ginniemae.gov. These calculations are estimates only. You should always seek the guidance of financial or tax experts before making any buying decisions.
The outcome could dramatically change should an unforeseen economic downturn or financial hardship occur (e.g., home improvement costs, catastrophic damage, etc.). While, no one can predict if home appreciation values will spiral downward, or if mortgage interest rates will rise, it's clear that under the right circumstances home ownership can be financially rewarding.
There are many considerations to weigh before purchasing a home
- Fri, Feb 22, 2008
Provided by Informa
A home is one of the most expensive purchases most of us will ever make during our lifetime. Whether you decide to rent or buy, either choice comes with its own rewards and risks. Homeownership offers many advantages over renting including:
Advantages of Buying versus Renting
Buying Renting
Tax write-off No tax write-off
You can upgrade your home as you see fit Need permission to make any changes
Build equity in your home as value appreciates Your money goes toward the landlords equity
Control of loan payment options Rent can increase periodically
Pride of homeownership You have no ownership
While owning your own home has many benefits, there are still risks to consider:
Disadvantages of Buying versus Renting
Buying Renting
You're responsible for property maintenance Your landlord or manager handles general repairs
Need to sell, rent or lease property in order to re-locate. May have to wait until market conditions are right Freedom to move once your lease expires
You pay for all your own utilities, property taxes and insurance May include utilities, property taxes, and property insurance
Home improvement upgrades can run into thousands of dollars You're not financially responsible for improvements
However, all things considered, homeownership is by far one of the best single investments you can make given the potential long-term benefits.
When does it make sense to buy?
People, who have generally rented their whole lives, purchase a home for various reasons. Owning something of value with a chance of watching their investment appreciate is one reason. Purchasing a home to save money over the long-term is another.
Example
Let's say you're currently renting a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment. Your monthly rent is $1,000. You find a two-bedroom, two-bath at a market price of $250,000 (roughly the national average.) You have $25,000 saved - enough for a 10 percent down payment. For the purpose of this example, you're looking to finance $225,000, which includes closing costs.
Using one of several mortgage calculators on the Internet, your monthly payment would be approximately $1,385 for a 30-year fixed loan at an APR of 6.20 percent (the national average). After taxes and appreciation in equity, your monthly payment over five years would average $499 per month.
Costs Savings of Buying versus Renting
Calculations Rent Purchase
Monthly rent/estimated mortgage payment $1,000 $1,385
Purchase price of home $250,000
Percentage of down payment 25,000
Length of loan term (years) 30
Interest rate 6.2%
Years you plan to stay in the home 5
Yearly property tax rate 1%
Yearly home value appreciation rate 4%
Results
Price of home after appreciation $304,163
Remaining balance after 5 years 209,887
Equity in house 94,276
Tax savings (28% bracket) 23,030
Avg. monthly payment over time 1,047 499
Total payments (over 5 years) $62,820 $29,973
Total savings if buying $32,847
Source: Ginniemae.gov. These calculations are estimates only. You should always seek the guidance of financial or tax experts before making any buying decisions.
The outcome could dramatically change should an unforeseen economic downturn or financial hardship occur (e.g., home improvement costs, catastrophic damage, etc.). While, no one can predict if home appreciation values will spiral downward, or if mortgage interest rates will rise, it's clear that under the right circumstances home ownership can be financially rewarding.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Mother Teresa
Sent: Friday, September 05, 2008 9:17 AM
Subject: "Give God Permission"
And so, on her feast-day, there's no better time for a brief compilation of Mother Teresims:
The dying, the cripple, the mental, the unwanted, the unloved -- they are Jesus in disguise.
Little things are indeed little, but to be faithful in little things is a great thing.
It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.
Nakedness is not only for a piece of clothing; nakedness is lack of human dignity, and also that beautiful virtue of purity, and lack of that respect for each other.
There is a terrible hunger for love. We all experience that in our lives - the pain, the loneliness. We must have the courage to recognize it. The poor you may have right in your own family. Find them. Love them.
There is more hunger in the world for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.
Before you speak, it is necessary for you to listen, for God speaks in the silence of the heart.
Speak tenderly to them. Let there be kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, in the warmth of your greeting. Always have a cheerful smile. Don't only give your care, but give your heart as well.
The more you have, the more you are occupied, the less you give. But the less you have the more free you are. Poverty for us is a freedom. It is not a mortification, a penance. It is joyful freedom. There is no television here, no this, no that. But we are perfectly happy.
If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.
Do not allow yourselves to be disheartened by any failure as long as you have done your best.
We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.
There is only one God and He is God to all; therefore it is important that everyone is seen as equal before God. I've always said we should help a Hindu become a better Hindu, a Muslim become a better Muslim, a Catholic become a better Catholic.
If we really want to love we must learn how to forgive.
It is a poverty to decide that an unborn child must die so that you may live as you like.
If we pray, we will believe; If we believe, we will love; If we love, we will serve.
We can do no great things; only small things with great love.
You and I, we are the Church, no? We have to share with our people. Suffering today is because people are hoarding, not giving, not sharing. Jesus made it very clear: "Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do it to me. Give a glass of water, you give it to me. Receive a little child, you receive me." Clear.
I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.
Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them.
I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. Do you know your next door neighbor?
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try.
Despite giving your best to the world, you may be kicked in the teeth. Give the best you've got anyway.
Make us worthy, Lord, to serve those people throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them through our hands, this day, their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give them peace and joy.
Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.
Well, let's do something beautiful for God.
http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/
Subject: "Give God Permission"
And so, on her feast-day, there's no better time for a brief compilation of Mother Teresims:
The dying, the cripple, the mental, the unwanted, the unloved -- they are Jesus in disguise.
Little things are indeed little, but to be faithful in little things is a great thing.
It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.
Nakedness is not only for a piece of clothing; nakedness is lack of human dignity, and also that beautiful virtue of purity, and lack of that respect for each other.
There is a terrible hunger for love. We all experience that in our lives - the pain, the loneliness. We must have the courage to recognize it. The poor you may have right in your own family. Find them. Love them.
There is more hunger in the world for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.
Before you speak, it is necessary for you to listen, for God speaks in the silence of the heart.
Speak tenderly to them. Let there be kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, in the warmth of your greeting. Always have a cheerful smile. Don't only give your care, but give your heart as well.
The more you have, the more you are occupied, the less you give. But the less you have the more free you are. Poverty for us is a freedom. It is not a mortification, a penance. It is joyful freedom. There is no television here, no this, no that. But we are perfectly happy.
If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.
Do not allow yourselves to be disheartened by any failure as long as you have done your best.
We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.
There is only one God and He is God to all; therefore it is important that everyone is seen as equal before God. I've always said we should help a Hindu become a better Hindu, a Muslim become a better Muslim, a Catholic become a better Catholic.
If we really want to love we must learn how to forgive.
It is a poverty to decide that an unborn child must die so that you may live as you like.
If we pray, we will believe; If we believe, we will love; If we love, we will serve.
We can do no great things; only small things with great love.
You and I, we are the Church, no? We have to share with our people. Suffering today is because people are hoarding, not giving, not sharing. Jesus made it very clear: "Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do it to me. Give a glass of water, you give it to me. Receive a little child, you receive me." Clear.
I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.
Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them.
I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. Do you know your next door neighbor?
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try.
Despite giving your best to the world, you may be kicked in the teeth. Give the best you've got anyway.
Make us worthy, Lord, to serve those people throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them through our hands, this day, their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give them peace and joy.
Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.
Well, let's do something beautiful for God.
http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
STICK WITH SARAH, WHO ENGENDERS EMPATHY, INSPIRATION
STICK WITH SARAH, WHO ENGENDERS EMPATHY, INSPIRATION
By Dick Morris 09.3.2008 Published on TheHill.com on September 2, 2008
Sarah Palin’s selection will end up as a big win for John McCain. He has to stay with her and quell any talk of pulling an Eagleton (after the time when 1972 Democratic nominee George McGovern pulled the plug on Missouri Sen. Tom Eagleton, who had been his choice for vice president). McCain and Palin will confound their critics and gain good yardage in the presidential race.
None of the criticisms of Sarah Palin amount to any misconduct on her part. Her daughter got pregnant. Her husband had a DWI 20 years ago. Her sister married a bum — a state trooper — who admits he shot a Taser gun at his 11-year-old son to instill discipline, and a lot of her friends and family badgered his boss to discharge him. Palin, acting without explanation, but with ample justification and within her authority, fired the trooper’s boss. All this comes to a massive “So what?”
The important thing about Sarah Palin is her public life. She has rooted out corruption and triggered scandals — real financial scandals, not salacious personal gossip — that led to the resignations of the Alaska Republican Party chairman and the attorney general and the defeat of the governor. It is that commitment to exposing corruption, reforming ethics, cutting spending and smashing the insider lobbyist-legislator relationships that dominate Washington that will be on display when Palin speaks out on Wednesday. Voters, anxious to change Washington, will love every minute of it.
And then they will come to grasp the essential difference between McCain and Bush. McCain is an outsider and Bush, after three generations of Washington breeding, is an insider. McCain chose Palin. Bush chose Cheney.
The attacks on Palin mirror the problems that tens of millions of American women find in their everyday lives. To attack them would be to condemn themselves and their own choices in their own lives. Watching Palin standing strong and McCain backing her up will be inspiring to many of them. And the identification of the Democrats with the attacks on her will turn them off.
After Palin speaks, voters will give McCain huge credit for selecting her and standing by her despite the personal attacks. Women throughout the country will empathize with a person who has a difficult family. Single mothers will applaud her attitude toward her own daughter in distress. And the contrast between McCain’s toleration and understanding and Obama’s refusal even to consider nominating a woman will be apparent to female voters. McCain and Palin will get great credit for being outsiders, not cut from the plastic mold fashioned by political consultants.
Combined with the good public-sector performance in the face of Gustav — and the Republican willingness to suspend their convention while the battle raged — the Palin episode shows the best in the Republican Party and sends a signal that it is under new management.
The Republicans, McCain and Palin, will come through this crisis in great shape.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sep 3 2008 | Category: Dick's Articles | 1 Comment
By Dick Morris 09.3.2008 Published on TheHill.com on September 2, 2008
Sarah Palin’s selection will end up as a big win for John McCain. He has to stay with her and quell any talk of pulling an Eagleton (after the time when 1972 Democratic nominee George McGovern pulled the plug on Missouri Sen. Tom Eagleton, who had been his choice for vice president). McCain and Palin will confound their critics and gain good yardage in the presidential race.
None of the criticisms of Sarah Palin amount to any misconduct on her part. Her daughter got pregnant. Her husband had a DWI 20 years ago. Her sister married a bum — a state trooper — who admits he shot a Taser gun at his 11-year-old son to instill discipline, and a lot of her friends and family badgered his boss to discharge him. Palin, acting without explanation, but with ample justification and within her authority, fired the trooper’s boss. All this comes to a massive “So what?”
The important thing about Sarah Palin is her public life. She has rooted out corruption and triggered scandals — real financial scandals, not salacious personal gossip — that led to the resignations of the Alaska Republican Party chairman and the attorney general and the defeat of the governor. It is that commitment to exposing corruption, reforming ethics, cutting spending and smashing the insider lobbyist-legislator relationships that dominate Washington that will be on display when Palin speaks out on Wednesday. Voters, anxious to change Washington, will love every minute of it.
And then they will come to grasp the essential difference between McCain and Bush. McCain is an outsider and Bush, after three generations of Washington breeding, is an insider. McCain chose Palin. Bush chose Cheney.
The attacks on Palin mirror the problems that tens of millions of American women find in their everyday lives. To attack them would be to condemn themselves and their own choices in their own lives. Watching Palin standing strong and McCain backing her up will be inspiring to many of them. And the identification of the Democrats with the attacks on her will turn them off.
After Palin speaks, voters will give McCain huge credit for selecting her and standing by her despite the personal attacks. Women throughout the country will empathize with a person who has a difficult family. Single mothers will applaud her attitude toward her own daughter in distress. And the contrast between McCain’s toleration and understanding and Obama’s refusal even to consider nominating a woman will be apparent to female voters. McCain and Palin will get great credit for being outsiders, not cut from the plastic mold fashioned by political consultants.
Combined with the good public-sector performance in the face of Gustav — and the Republican willingness to suspend their convention while the battle raged — the Palin episode shows the best in the Republican Party and sends a signal that it is under new management.
The Republicans, McCain and Palin, will come through this crisis in great shape.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sep 3 2008 | Category: Dick's Articles | 1 Comment
Monday, September 1, 2008
Media obsession: 5 questions for Palin
Media obsession: 5 questions for Palin
By: John F. Harris
August 31, 2008 10:03 AM EST
If John McCain had picked Mitt Romney or Joe Lieberman to be his running mate, news organizations (Politico included) would have had profiles and analyses at the ready the instant the news went out.
Instead, McCain’s choice threw the chattering class for a loop, to put it mildly. And it turned political journalists into instant biographers who were scrambling frantically to learn the key political and personal details to answer the question of the moment: Who is Sarah Palin?
This is a fluid moment — and a hazardous one — for both Palin and McCain. The default assumption of many reporters and editors is that someone who was elected Alaska governor just two years ago can’t be remotely prepared to be president on Day One, should the need arise. Conservative activists, meanwhile, have found a new heroine (check out our e-mail if you have any doubt) who loves to hunt and who strongly opposes abortion rights.
See Also
McCain: I may postpone convention
Obama vs. his staff
Obama calls Palin ‘up and coming’
The truth is, neither skeptics nor boosters really know all that much about Palin. Over the next 72 hours, whether she becomes a new star of the GOP or an albatross will be determined in large part by a wave of second- and third-day news coverage about McCain’s unexpected running mate.
Naturally, there will be the usual articles about her record in passing bills in Alaska and her positions on certain hot-button issues. But the inquiries that have the most potential to explode will delve into more sensitive terrain.
Based on the experience of several election cycles and (firsthand) knowledge of the professional habits and assumptions of the news business, here are five questions about Palin that reporters and editors will try to answer before she addresses the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., on Wednesday:
1. What’s in her passport?
The most intense doubts about Palin flow from a belief that the former mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, does not know enough to be an effective commander in chief.
How much her passport has been stamped does not necessarily speak to that. But if it turns out she has rarely traveled abroad — or has never been to any foreign country other than Canada — this will be seized upon instantly.
George W. Bush, for instance, had to swat away questions in 2000 about his thin travelogue.
Palin’s best hope on the sensitive point of her foreign policy credentials is that expectations for her in the Oct. 8 vice presidential debate in St. Louis against Joe Biden (chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee) are so low that Palin will be able to soar above them.
What we know so far
2. Who pays the bills?
This is a question that resonates especially with subjects who are not already on the national scene.
Most people who have been prominent on the Washington stage already faced extensive disclosure requirements and have seen or weathered financial controversies at close range. People who suddenly spring to fame, by contrast, are often unprepared for the onslaught of skeptical questions about their finances and business relationships.
Recall how the glow of history-making that accompanied Democrat Geraldine Ferraro’s selection as Walter Mondale’s running mate was soon overtaken by a furor over husband John Zaccaro’s business dealings.
What we know so far
3. Does she believe in evolution?
Palin was selected in part because she is a social conservative. And one complaint social conservatives have about the news media is largely true: Most reporters and editors are more secular in their outlook than the general public, according to a number of studies over the years.
This does not mean that Palin will receive biased coverage because of her religious views. But it does mean that many reporters trying to learn about her will be curious about the role religion plays in her life, whether she considers herself born again or evangelical, and whether she has espoused views that many journalists would consider exotic, such as a belief in creationism or prophecies of an eventual apocalypse.
What we know so far
4. What’s her family life like?
This is an especially sensitive one. But based on conversations with journalists, operatives and average voters, it is one that is on a lot of people’s minds: How does a mother of five children who are still at home, one of whom is an infant born with Down syndrome, plan to manage the demands of a national candidacy or the White House?
Is this a question that would be asked of a man? Certainly not in an earlier era, though cultural expectations about the role of fathers have changed enough that even a male politician might expect some questions on this score. And Palin supporters will surely, and perhaps legitimately, cry sexism if she is hazed about whether she is neglecting her family. But this is unquestionably a set of questions that Palin, as well as her husband, former high school boyfriend Todd Palin, can expect to face.
What we know so far
5. Has she been nice to people on the way up?
Big, nuanced biographical portraits of politicians take time. On the other hand, any good reporter can get a pretty fair quick sketch of a statehouse politician in a couple of days. Every one of the 50 state capitols has an in-crowd of legislators, political operatives and state reporters who love to gossip and are more than eager to share their thoughts with national reporters who ask: What’s your take on this person?
Whether the answers are favorable or damaging will depend less on Palin’s partisan leanings or her governing agenda than on how people who regularly deal with her find her at the personal level. Is she accessible to the press and does she answer questions straightforwardly? Is she vindictive to legislators who cross her? Does she have a sense of humor? Would you want to share a meal with her?
Politicians who are likable and have nurtured good personal relationships along the way find that their reputations are a lot sturdier when a hurricane of opposition researchers and reporters blows into town.
What we know so far
© 2008 Capitol News Company, LLC
By: John F. Harris
August 31, 2008 10:03 AM EST
If John McCain had picked Mitt Romney or Joe Lieberman to be his running mate, news organizations (Politico included) would have had profiles and analyses at the ready the instant the news went out.
Instead, McCain’s choice threw the chattering class for a loop, to put it mildly. And it turned political journalists into instant biographers who were scrambling frantically to learn the key political and personal details to answer the question of the moment: Who is Sarah Palin?
This is a fluid moment — and a hazardous one — for both Palin and McCain. The default assumption of many reporters and editors is that someone who was elected Alaska governor just two years ago can’t be remotely prepared to be president on Day One, should the need arise. Conservative activists, meanwhile, have found a new heroine (check out our e-mail if you have any doubt) who loves to hunt and who strongly opposes abortion rights.
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The truth is, neither skeptics nor boosters really know all that much about Palin. Over the next 72 hours, whether she becomes a new star of the GOP or an albatross will be determined in large part by a wave of second- and third-day news coverage about McCain’s unexpected running mate.
Naturally, there will be the usual articles about her record in passing bills in Alaska and her positions on certain hot-button issues. But the inquiries that have the most potential to explode will delve into more sensitive terrain.
Based on the experience of several election cycles and (firsthand) knowledge of the professional habits and assumptions of the news business, here are five questions about Palin that reporters and editors will try to answer before she addresses the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., on Wednesday:
1. What’s in her passport?
The most intense doubts about Palin flow from a belief that the former mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, does not know enough to be an effective commander in chief.
How much her passport has been stamped does not necessarily speak to that. But if it turns out she has rarely traveled abroad — or has never been to any foreign country other than Canada — this will be seized upon instantly.
George W. Bush, for instance, had to swat away questions in 2000 about his thin travelogue.
Palin’s best hope on the sensitive point of her foreign policy credentials is that expectations for her in the Oct. 8 vice presidential debate in St. Louis against Joe Biden (chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee) are so low that Palin will be able to soar above them.
What we know so far
2. Who pays the bills?
This is a question that resonates especially with subjects who are not already on the national scene.
Most people who have been prominent on the Washington stage already faced extensive disclosure requirements and have seen or weathered financial controversies at close range. People who suddenly spring to fame, by contrast, are often unprepared for the onslaught of skeptical questions about their finances and business relationships.
Recall how the glow of history-making that accompanied Democrat Geraldine Ferraro’s selection as Walter Mondale’s running mate was soon overtaken by a furor over husband John Zaccaro’s business dealings.
What we know so far
3. Does she believe in evolution?
Palin was selected in part because she is a social conservative. And one complaint social conservatives have about the news media is largely true: Most reporters and editors are more secular in their outlook than the general public, according to a number of studies over the years.
This does not mean that Palin will receive biased coverage because of her religious views. But it does mean that many reporters trying to learn about her will be curious about the role religion plays in her life, whether she considers herself born again or evangelical, and whether she has espoused views that many journalists would consider exotic, such as a belief in creationism or prophecies of an eventual apocalypse.
What we know so far
4. What’s her family life like?
This is an especially sensitive one. But based on conversations with journalists, operatives and average voters, it is one that is on a lot of people’s minds: How does a mother of five children who are still at home, one of whom is an infant born with Down syndrome, plan to manage the demands of a national candidacy or the White House?
Is this a question that would be asked of a man? Certainly not in an earlier era, though cultural expectations about the role of fathers have changed enough that even a male politician might expect some questions on this score. And Palin supporters will surely, and perhaps legitimately, cry sexism if she is hazed about whether she is neglecting her family. But this is unquestionably a set of questions that Palin, as well as her husband, former high school boyfriend Todd Palin, can expect to face.
What we know so far
5. Has she been nice to people on the way up?
Big, nuanced biographical portraits of politicians take time. On the other hand, any good reporter can get a pretty fair quick sketch of a statehouse politician in a couple of days. Every one of the 50 state capitols has an in-crowd of legislators, political operatives and state reporters who love to gossip and are more than eager to share their thoughts with national reporters who ask: What’s your take on this person?
Whether the answers are favorable or damaging will depend less on Palin’s partisan leanings or her governing agenda than on how people who regularly deal with her find her at the personal level. Is she accessible to the press and does she answer questions straightforwardly? Is she vindictive to legislators who cross her? Does she have a sense of humor? Would you want to share a meal with her?
Politicians who are likable and have nurtured good personal relationships along the way find that their reputations are a lot sturdier when a hurricane of opposition researchers and reporters blows into town.
What we know so far
© 2008 Capitol News Company, LLC
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