HYRTN: September 5th, 2008

New edition every Mon-Fri at around 9pm PST

Have You RED The News? for September 5th, 2008:

1. Alaska state jet didn't fly on eBay

"ANCHORAGE, Alaska (CNN) — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin bolstered her fiscal-conservative credentials early in her term by putting her predecessor's state jet up for auction online.

"That luxury jet was over the top," she told Republican National Convention delegates when she accepted the party's vice presidential nomination Wednesday night. "I put it on eBay."

Since Palin was chosen as Arizona Sen. John McCain's running mate last week, the story has become a cornerstone of the Republican effort to paint Palin as a reformer who took on her own party establishment.

"How many saw her speech a couple of nights ago? Wasn't it fabulous?" McCain said Friday during a campaign stop in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. "You know what I enjoyed the most? She took the luxury jet that was purchased by her predecessor and sold it on eBay — and made a profit."

But it turns out the twin-engine Westwind II was a tough sell on the Web — and the state eventually pulled it offline and sold it through an ordinary brick-and-mortar brokerage, for a loss, a spokeswoman said Friday.

"Governor Palin has been correct in saying that she put the plane on eBay," McCain campaign spokeswoman Maria Comella told CNN. "They did end up selling it for $2.1 million. but not on eBay."

Palin's predecessor, Frank Murkowski, bought the jet for $2.7 million in 2005. The following year, Palin unseated Murkowski in the state's Republican primary and became governor: Upon taking office, she wanted to unload what former aide Meg Stapleton called "a symbol of corruption."

Stapleton told CNN that Murkowski paid too much for the jet, and that it was costing taxpayers money just sitting in the hangar.

"Eventually you had to concede and say, 'How often are we going to pay these bills and waste more state dollars?' " she said.

When putting it on eBay failed, aircraft broker Rob Heckmann was called in to sell the jet. Businessman Larry Reynolds bought the five-passenger jet for sold for $2.1 million. And Reynolds is now seeking another $50,000 from the state for unexpected maintenance issues with the aircraft."

Wow, so Failin figured out how to use the internet and now she's suddenly exonerated from all her shortcomings? I know most Goppers are still having trouble getting their emails to work, but anyone with half a brain can see just how stupid this publicity stunt really was. What really makes this great, though, is that Failin bragged about something she failed to do! I can seen my clever moniker for her as well-suited.

Speaking of which, look out for this upcoming auction in November, folks:

"Your personal freedoms, the security of America's economy, world peace, Hope"
Cost: Your Vote for Barack Obama

2. McCain, Palin pledge to 'break some china' in Washington

" STERLING HEIGHTS, Michigan (CNN) — At a large rally in Michigan on Friday, his first day campaigning after accepting the Republican presidential nomination, John McCain promised to upend the Washington status quo, arguing that the Democratic ticket doesn't have the chops to do so.

"That's why this ticket is the ticket to shake up Washington, because Sen. Obama doesn't have the strength to do it," McCain said. "He has never bucked his party on any issue. Never. If you want real reform, if you want real change, send the one's who've actually done it. Send the team of mavericks who aren't afraid to go to Washington and break some china."

Introducing McCain, running mate Sarah Palin boasted, "There is only one man in this election who has every really fought for you, and that man is John McCain.""

Funny McCan't mentions breaking China, as I'm sure his voracious appetite for ignorance and war will most likely lead to a breaking of diplomatic ties with the nation of China. That's right, I went there.

As for chops, McCan't? Don't you mean how you plan to "chop" the minimum wage in half (he hasn't announced it but I can totally see him doing something like that!!!). The only "shaking" you'll be doing is in your boots when Obama creams you in less than 60 days.

And leave it to Failin to spout off another party-written blurb about the worst presidential candidate ever. And what's the deal with this "maverick" label they've been giving themselves? I've got a different one for them to try on: "losers."

3. Palin hammers Obama on Iraq policy

"CEDARBURG, Wisconsin (CNN) – Sarah Palin took to her attack dog role with gusto on Friday morning, calling John McCain “the only great man in this race” and disparaging Barack Obama’s judgment on the troop surge in Iraq.

Watch: Palin slams Obama on Iraq

Reading off notes, Palin mocked Obama for telling Fox News on Thursday that the surge “has succeeded in ways that nobody anticipated.”

“I guess when you turn out to be profoundly wrong on a vital national security issue, maybe it’s comforting to pretend that everyone else was wrong too,” Palin said, adding that McCain was “the one leader who did predict success.”

The crowd cheered when Palin reprised a pithy line from her convention speech that mocked Obama's professional background.

Watch: Palin: I had "actual responsibilities"

“I guess a small town mayor is sort of like a community organizer only you have actual responsibilities,” she said, responding to critics who accuse her of lacking experience."

Will somebody please get this woman a scratching post? You'd think someone running for vice president would have more important things to do than spread lies about her opponents, but then again a few months ago she didn't even know what a Vice President does. I guess she's still on her training wheels.

We'll see how "great" McCan't is when the economy's even deeper in the toilet and he still can't remember how many bathrooms he owns (hint: it's an average of 2.5 per property).

Sorry, Failin, somehow I have a hard-time believing you were "actually responsible" when your under-aged daughter had pre-marital sex. Or did you already forget that happened?

4. Heart condemns McCain-Palin use of 'Barracuda'

"ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) — Blasting through the Republican convention hall is the 1977 hit "Barracuda" by rock band Heart.

It's a shout-out to Sarah Palin. When she played basketball in high school, the soon-to-be Republican vice presidential nominee earned the nickname "Sarah barracuda" for her fierce competitiveness.

Some of her opponents revived the "Sarah barracuda" nickname after she became mayor of her hometown, Wasilla, in 1996, defeating a three-term incumbent.

UPDATE: Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart said Thursday night that Universal Music Publishing and Sony BMG have sent a cease and desist notice to the McCain-Palin campaign over their use of 'Barracuda.'

"We have asked the Republican campaign publicly not to use our music. We
hope our wishes will be honored," the group said in a statement that said they "condemn" the use of the song at the Republican convention."

This one's just great. Even the aging hipsters are standing up against the Goppers. I'm not surprised the Goppers took the song without asking. After all, they did the same with the country (yeah, about those votes in Florida...).

Hopefully someone at Gopperville still has a trace of a heart left and will pull the song from their propaganda machine.