Palin (duh)'s ties to terrists

[Watser?]

Now that Palin (duh) brought up the 'guilt by association' meme, it's open season on her and McCain's ties to all kinds of very dubious groups. Here's what Salon dug up on the Alaska Independence Party:

"My government is my worst enemy. I'm going to fight them with any means at hand."

This was former revolutionary terrorist Bill Ayers back in his old Weather Underground days, right? Imagine what Sarah Palin is going to do with this incendiary quote as she tears into Barack Obama this week.

Only one problem. The quote is from Joe Vogler, the raging anti-American who founded the Alaska Independence Party. Inconveniently for Palin, that's the very same secessionist party that her husband, Todd, belonged to for seven years and that she sent a shout-out to as Alaska governor earlier this year. ("Keep up the good work," Palin told AIP members. "And God bless you.")

and it gets better:

Vogler's greatest moment of glory was to be his 1993 appearance before the United Nations to denounce United States "tyranny" before the entire world and to demand Alaska's freedom. The Alaska secessionist had persuaded the government of Iran to sponsor his anti-American harangue.

That's right ... Iran. The Islamic dictatorship. The taker of American hostages. The rogue nation that McCain and Palin have excoriated Obama for suggesting we diplomatically engage. That Iran.

The Palins' un-American activities | Salon

Here's Palin (duh) sending her love to the AIP earlier this year (notice the absence of the accent...)

http://nl.

YouTube - Sarah Palin and the Alaska Independence...

[freemonkey]

Originally Posted by Watser?

(notice the absence of the accent...)

hahahahahaha. She loves America Israel Alaska!!

[Watser?]

Meanwhile this dirt has come out on McCain:

Barack Obama has his William Ayers connection. Now John McCain may have an Iran-Contra connection. In the 1980s, McCain served on the advisory board to the U.S. chapter of an international group linked to ultra-right-wing death squads in Central America.

The U.S. Council for World Freedom aided rebels trying to overthrow the leftist government of Nicaragua. That landed the group in the middle of the Iran-Contra affair and in legal trouble with the Internal Revenue Service, which revoked the charitable organization's tax exemption.

The council created by retired Army Maj. Gen. John Singlaub was the U.S. chapter of the World Anti-Communist League, an international organization linked to former Nazi collaborators and ultra-right-wing death squads in Central America. After setting up the U.S. council, Singlaub served as the international league's chairman.

McCain linked to group in Iran-Contra affair - Yahoo! News

[erimir]

Originally Posted by Watser?

(notice the absence of the accent...)

I could still detect a little bit of the same accent.

The question is: is she downplaying her accent in that video, or playing it up for the national electorate?

I think it's probably a little bit of both since Americans will downplay regional accents when speaking in formal contexts, generally speaking, so I wouldn't be surprised if she was. But then again, politicians are notorious for playing up regional accents, so one might think if she had a strong Alaskan accent, she'd play it up for the Alaskans too (esp. the Alaskan Independence Party!).

That said, I think it's safe to say that her accent is much milder than she's been putting on this past month or so.

[Qingdai]

Thing is, my husband his family and many of my friends are from Alaska and they don't have that accent! My sister in law has a bit of the nasal sound in her voice, but generally they all pronounce the "g" in "ing" words and don't sound like garsh darn idjiots.

I think Palin (duh) is just trying to sound generically "folksy" which I find irritating.

[erimir]

It's possible that her accent has influence from her parents, who were from Idaho.

But I wouldn't expect an Idaho accent to sound so Minnesotan. Like I said, I could detect an accent, which had some similarity to what she's been sounding like.

So yeah, as I said, I think she's exaggerating it quite a bit - and she's probably also adding in other "folksy" touches. Although I must say, who the hell still says "doggone" seriously?

The -in'/-ing thing is a pretty generic feature found to some extent (as far as I know) in all casual varieties of English. I'm sure some small percentage of Alaskans do pronounce most -ing words with -in'... but that's true pretty much anywhere in the US. I somehow doubt that Palin (duh) is one of them.

[Clutch Munny]

"We have a great promise to be a self-sufficient state."

[Dingfod]

Idahoans don't have that accent. Alaskans I have known don't. Even though I have said I wondered where it comes from because her parents didn't have much of one in their television interview, her lack of her current accent in that video in the OP took me by surprise. She doesn't have it, not much anyway. It's a put-on. What a phony.

[LadyShea]

I almost started a thread on her accent. I have worked with numerous Alaskans over the years, and they do not have that accent. I don't know any Idahoans, so I am unsure if it's from there, but it sure sounds Great Lakes or even a bit North Dakotan to me.

[The Lone Ranger]

I know lots of Idahoans, and none sound remotely like Palin.

Cheers,

Michael

[JoeP]

* JoeP is confused
Is this the "Politicians using accents" thread?

[Watser?]

It seems to be.

Anyway, yeah, Bush is of course not a real Texan either. Just as fake as Palin.

[Ensign Steve]

LOL:

Campaign Lesson: Alienate the Media and They Might Forget to Airbrush Away Your Mustache

At least we know she flosses.

[Qingdai]

I also know a lot of Idahos and not her accent either.

The idea of Alaska being self sufficient is laughable. Especially considering they have to import everything except fish, cabbage and oil.

Perseverating just a little longer on the accent, do a Google or YouTube search for "Martha Generic" from the cartoon Bobby's World.

Can't link since I'm at work and YT is blocked, but find an audio clip.

I knew I'd heard this before...

[erimir]

Hmmmmm... so I guess the Minnesota-like sound to her accent is mostly made up then, eh?

[Angakuk]

According to this article from Slate the accent is characteristic of the Matnuska-Susitna Valley region of Alaska and it does owe alot to depression era transplants from the Minnesota and North Dakota region.

[chunksmediocrites]

I dunno. I associated with plenty of people from Matanuska Valley, but I don't recall much of an accent. There were some with Texan and Oklahoman twangs as a lot came up during the oil rush, but not their kids. The only accent I know of for sure in Alaska is from the native* populations, and even then that can be hit and miss, especially in the younger generations.

*"Native" in Alaska always refers to the people of the Athabascan, Inupiak, Aleut, and other tribes. My sister is caucasian and was born in Alaska, and still lives there, but she would not refer to herself as a native Alaskan nor would anyone else from Alaska, at least not the way Californians refer to themselves as "native Californians."
Yay! Alaska trivia!

[erimir]

Well, nevertheless, we can all agree there's something funny going on with her accent given that video where it's almost non-existent.

Speaking of that video, she likes the Alaskan separatists!

[Deadlokd]

Stop trying to derail the thread erimir.

YouTube - Bobby's world - jets choo-choos and...