The DNC held a news conference this morning for the press and it included Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius and Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. They both take on Palin and her speech point by point. And it's an unexpected surprise from the loyal Clinton supporter Wassmerman. Good for her. From Huffington Post
Sebelius:
- On being a "small town" mayor:
"I live in the American heartland, and have been a governor [here] for six years," she said. "I don't know any mayor in any small town in Kansas -- and we have a lot of mayors of small towns -- who hires a lobbyist and goes after earmarks the way Sarah Palin did." On Tuesday, the Washington Post reported that, as mayor of Wasilla, Palin secured more than $27 million in federal earmarks for a town with only 6,700 residents.
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- On the lack of substance in Palin's speech
Sebelius would have none of it. "What I hear from these folks in the heartland, is that people want to know how they're going to afford health care ... whether they're going to keep their jobs [and manage] the cost of gas and groceries," Sebelius said. "Again last night, what we heard were partisan attacks and no real solutions. ... I work with a Republican legislature every day. And I know what people expect us to do ... is to roll up your sleeves and get the job done."
That was just a warm up.
Wasserman Schultz:
- On Palin's habit of lying
Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz hammered a similar theme to Sebelius, saying that Palin "had a real problem with the truth last night" and adding that "even her hometown newspaper said she stretched the truth." (a reference to Thursday's Anchorage Daily News headline: "Some Of Palin's Remarks Stretch The Truth.")
- The lack of "authenticity" of her speech
"Whenever I have had to give significant speeches, I've spent a lot of time with the people assisting me in drafting remarks, adding my own voice," Schultz said. "Last night, I only heard Sarah Palin's voice [through] negative partisan attacks, with no substance or vision of where she thinks the country should go."
- And the "reformer" label the McCain's camp has been pushing
"Where is the beef? Where is the evidence? Sarah Palin is not a reformer, she is under investigation in her home state for the abuse of power in trying to get a state trooper fired... If her best example of being a reformer was trying to sell a plane on E-Bay, that is not my definition of reform."
And there is much more in the article. Please go read it. This is they type of pushback we have to see day in and day out. And like it or not, such criticisms will need to come from a woman. Whether it's fair or not, a man making these attacks would be labled a sexist in heart beat.
It's also ESPECIALLY good to see Wasserman out there defending Obama. She was one of the staunchest Hillary supporters during the primaries and her visible presence in the media as an Obama surrogate only solidifies that yes, the party is unified. I look forward to seeing Hillary deliver some knockout blows, and SOON!