All of the information the foregoing frames and messages pertain too have been diaried ad nauseum so I want to go back to what I do quite well which is framing an argument. There are 5 major frames that the GOP is using to frame Palin. All are lies. But they need to be rebutted.
The GOP is trying to frame Palin as follows:
Palin is a reformer, someone who stood up to her own party, an ethical fighter against corruption, fiscally responsible, an everyday mom,
It is ALL bullshit. Here are talking points to rebut the false frames. (I'll dissect them first.)
1. GOP Talking Point - Sarah Palin is a reformer.
Wrong. Sarah Palin is the corrupt status quo who protects special interests and caters to wingnuts on social issues. She believes government is about misusing power to reward cronies and abusing power to punish political enemies. She's Monica Goodling and Karl Rove rolled into one. (Bold means repeat 100 times over) It's not just troopergate, it's her entire governing philosophy.
2. GOP Talking Point - Sarah Palin is someone who stands up to her own party.
Wrong. Tube Stevens campaigned with Palin in 2006 as did Don Young. Palin is all about protecting Alaska's Republican Party, perhaps the most corrupt political machine in America. She's their poster girl. The only time Palin "stands up to her party" is to try and get somebody out of her way to attain the power so she can protect the party. This happened in Wasilla when she sought the mayorship and it happened in the GOP primary when she sought the governorship. If Palin is criticizing Republicans, it's because they hold positions that she wants control of in one form or another.
3. GOP Talking Point - Sarah Palin is an ethical fighter against corruption.
Wrong. Palin is the poster girl of corruption. She is under investigation for misusing power and her entire political career is about abuse of power and cronyism. She supported the Bridge to Nowhere and is now lieing about it. (For more details see teacherken's diary on the rec list and Eugene Robinson's article in the Washington Post.) She also seeks to give a Canadian oil company control of a vital Alaskan pipeline in exchange for them lining Palin pockets.
4. GOP Talking Point - Sarah Palin is fiscally responsible.
Wrong. Palin is the poster child of irresponsible government spending. She is a reverse Robin Hood, taking from the middle class and giving it to the special interests. As mayor of Wasilla, she left the city in 20 million dollars worth of debt, forcing the community to cut back on AP classes at the local high school. The budget she signed into law had more spending than ANY budget in Alaska's history.
5. GOP Talking Point - Sarah Palin is just your everyday mom.
Wrong. She owns 3 homes. Her vindictive husband is Big Oil. She's not poor.
Other areas to attack Palin fairly relate to her far right views on global warming, aerial wolve hunting, creationism in science class, abstinence only education, her links to secessionists, dominionists, and the Hitler loving Pat Buchanan. As for John McCain, point out that you don't want somebody sitting in front of that button who makes large decisions without even doing a background check. A person who chooses a Vice President in this fashion is scary and dangerous.
Moreover, when the GOP tries to make false allegations of sexism, point out two things. Point out all the policy positions Democrats support that help eradicated sexism and list the multitudes of Republican women (Snowe, Rell, Whitman, Hutchinson) who, while I disagree with them most of the time, are certainly qualified to be vice president. Palin was picked because she is bat shit crazy and according to Max Blumenthal at The Nation, she was apparently thrusted upon McCain by James Dobson. Simple as that.
Personally I would not be surprised if Palin withdraws from the ticket within the next few days citing "personal reasons." There's never been a worst vice presidential pick of a major party in American history. Eagleton? He was better.