Palin herself and the McCain campaign's response to the Troopergate report is a fine example of the "gaslighting" that has been going on for the last 8 years by the Repug[nant]licans. In the film, "Gaslight", the main character, played by Ingrid Bergman as a 19th century heiress, was convinced, every so kindly, by her nefarious husband that the gas light dimming she (and we, the audience) actually saw did not occur. Other events ensue in the same manner, undermining Ingrid's perceptions of and faith in her own observable reality until hubby gets Ingrid installed in an insane asylum (which is what they called them in those days)so he can strip her of her wealth.

I observed a habitual "gaslighting" as an administrator in a residential psychiatric facility for teenagers. Generally, our clients/residents were "acter-inners" -- depressed and suicidal but not delinquent or sociopathic. Well, one of the exceptions, a sociopathic and manipulative 14 year old, when being told, upon observation by a staff member, that he was violating the rules by being in the room of another resident said, "I wasn't in his room!" as he stepped out of it.

As Rachel Maddow said last night, "up is the new down, night is the new day ..."

What I don't understand is the Repugnacrat's seemingly total unawareness that their comments are videotaped and repeated over and over in the blogosphere and on cable for everyone to see. We don't have to depend on written or verbal reports from the mainstream new sources. It's mind-boggling how ignorant they continue to be of the damage they wreak to their own credibility. The Obama campaign can just sit back and watch the McCain implode on its own recklessness. Yayyyy!!!

>>It has the right ring, or should I say, clank, to it.

"tin-pot (also tinpot, tin pot), adj. Small-time, inferior".<<

Reminds me of the song from the musical "Fiorello!" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiorello! when low-level bureaucrats from a corrupt New York administration are asked how they managed to afford to purchase a yacht, mansion, etc on their salaries and they sing that they saved the money in "a little tin box, a little tin box, that a little tin key unlocks ..." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiorello_La_Guardia

Kind of like the explanations the Repuglicans give for their criminal behavior after they are caught.

I wonder if Alaska has a recall statute?

And, if Bob the Banker sells some of his non-401-k, non-IRA investment securities at a loss (a likely scenario this year), or sells one of his real estate investment assets at a loss (like a new build he bought at an over-inflated price atthe height of the bubble), he can take the long term capital loss deduction. No one talks about it but it is an allowable deduction that offsets long term capital gains. If he has too much in losses to use them all this year, he can carry them forward to next year.

What a hard life Bob the Banker has. He is probably crying all the way to the bank!

I am soo delighted others enjoy and respect Ms (Dr?) Maddow as much as I do. She is incredibly intelligent and rational without being snitty about it. She listens! She allows her guests to say their piece and asks intelligent follow-on questions. And she doesn't let any s??t pass but she confronts it with such class and perceptiveness.

I hadn't heard Rachel on Air America and I rarely listen to AA otherwise because often the level of discourse is often as offensive as from the R wing bullies.

I have a crush on Paul Krugman and am so delighted to see him so often on MSNBC. And Melissa Lacewell is so thoughtful and informed.

They are all charming -- if I can use that old-fashioned word -- poised, interesting, articulate, gracious, witty, and easy to understand. Those are real conversations -- not harangues.

And, speaking of level of discourse, our 150-member Arizona Commercial Real Estate Women (not one of your "commie-symp-liberal front groups", to be sure!) featured Susan Jacoby ("The Age of American Unreason") as our luncheon meeting speaker yesterday and she received a standing ovation following her speech. Afterward, as some of us milled around the book-signing table, I heard a number of women comment on how much they enjoy Rachel Maddow.

Omigod!!! If Obama is elected, if the Dems get a filibuster-proof Senate, if progressive representatives are elected to the HR, and if we have Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann for commentary, I will have died and gone to heaven! Hopefully we will see the end of the mendacious, snarky Repugnican campaigning that began, in my memory, with Richard Nixon red-baiting Rep. Helen Gahagan Douglas to win his first national election to the House.

Now all the Dems have to do is curb their tendency to shoot themselves in the foot with good intentions or loose lips gone awry (see Rachel's comments about and to John Murtha, Barney Frank, and John Kerry). Gentlemen (and Rep. Pelosi), please put brains in gear before sticking feet in mouth and sinking the entire enterprise! Diplomacy and graciousness is powerful and inexpensive!

... until I read, "Lying is the most fun a girl can have ..." It will be interesting to see how this turns out.

Will anyone with a speck of reason make the chop-logic leap that her attacker is somehow part of a wider plot? Will it become a M/P campaign diversion?

Perhpas it's a "victim of criminal act" version of Munchhausen Syndrome.