We Pick Dick!: photo from a Richard Nixon for Governor rally in 1962

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My New Dick — Sarah Palin channels a President

[ATIT reheated, from five years ago]

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor
Illustrations by Jack Brummet, All This Is That Arts and Letters Editor

On July 3, 2009, Governor Sarah Palin announced that she would not run for re-election in the 2010 Alaska election and would resign by the end of the month. Palin stated that since August 2008, she and the state had been expending an "insane" amount of time and money ($2.5 million) responding to "opposition research", 150 Freedom of Information Act requests and 15 "frivolous" legal ethics complaints filed by "political operatives" against her. 

As I watched Palin's strangely jangled and jittery "resignation speech" last week, I was reminded of another speech--Richard Nixon's famous "last press conference" after losing the 1962 Governor's race in California (to Jerry Brown's dad no less). Not unlike Sarah Palin, the press rode Dick pretty hard, put him away wet, and eventually he came a little unglued. The night of his gubernatorial trouncing, he listened to his bitter staffers, and finally snapped. He went out to give his concession speech. It was a rambling sixteen minute affair tinged with bitterness toward the press and his critics. Sound familiar?

"I leave you gentleman now and you will write it. You will interpret it. That's your right. But as I leave you I want you to know — just think how much you're going to be missing. You won't have Nixon to kick around any more, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference. . ."

Dick Nixon had been called a user car salesman, red baiter, Ike's lapdog and all the rest. Sarah Palin, after the rogering she received from the press in the election, and following the final, staggering blow of last week's savage Vanity Fair article, and the unending lawsuits and investigations, decided to throw in the towel. On this chapter. Palin resigned as Governor and, like Nixon, did not talk about the future. But keep your eyes peeled. She is running, and resigning from office will only enable her to run stronger, faster, and harder. Like it or not, Sarah Palin has a base. And all it takes to become President is building on that base. Remaining as governor would not help build that base; staying in office will only lead to further diminution of her reputation. Now she needs to do her homework, start campaigning for other politicians, mend fences, collect I.O.U.s, travel, give speeches, and begin nipping at Mitt Romney's bootheels.




The media is wrong. Sarah is making the smart move. Jimmy Carter came out of nowhere (well, Georgia) with no base and far less name recognition. And he got to the big seat, trouncing a sitting President. Palin needs major rehab to her damaged political image--the damage caused by media and liberals, and most importantly, her self-inflicted wounds.

Soon to be Ex-Governor Palin will have to go to war with the Republican Establishment. She can easily best the Band of Clowns left to defend the blown husk of the G.O.P.

Compare Nixon's speech -- Listen to the audio of Nixon's infamous speech via the History Channel -- to the Palin resignation speech:





Dick Nixon was elected President of the United States of America exactly six years after his "last press conference."

[Ed's note] Paul Constant wrote in The Stranger on July 29 2014 that "She's a political figure who has spent every last dime of political capital that she earned through her half-term as governor of Alaska and as a failed vice presidential candidate. Politically, she's washed up. She has no power. Nobody who works in Washington, DC, owes her favors. Her fan base has shrunk to a few hundred thousand unfettered loons, meaning she doesn't even have the ability to promote change through petition or boycott anymore...."

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Photographs of President Richard Nixon with Sammy Davis, Jr.

By Jack Brummet, National Affairs Ed.

In honor of RMN's departure 40 years ago, I'm sharing some photos of The Trickster with Sammy Davis, Jr.

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Dick Nixon resigned 40 years ago this week

By Jack Brummet, Presidents Ed.

On August 8th, 1974, President Richard M. Nixon appeared on television and announced his decision to resign the presidency effective at noon the next day. 

The announcement was the result of the Watergate scandal and investigations involving the President's staff spying, committing burglaries, dirty tricks and other acts targeting the President's "enemies" and political opponents. 

In the end, it was the White House-orchestrated cover-up, and the sworn testimony of Nixon staff members before a televised Senate investigative committee, that led to the impeachment and downfall of The President. 

After his actual resignation on August 9th, Nixon's staff met in the White House for a tearful farewell to a man they had served for many years.

Nixon actually made a pretty coherent speech to his people, considering the insanity, scandal, and chaos that savaged the White House even before his reelection in 1972.  

Richard Nixon's final speech to his staff, August 9, 1974:

   I think the record should show that this is one of those spontaneous things that we always arrange whenever the President comes in to speak, and it will be so reported in the press, and we don't mind, because they have to call it as they see it. But on our part, believe me, it is spontaneous. You are here to say goodbye to us, and we don't have a good word for it in English -- the best is au revoir. We'll see you again.

   I just met with the members of the White House staff, you know, those who serve here in the White House day in and day out, and I asked them to do what I ask all of you to do to the extent that you can and, of course, are requested to do so: to serve our next President as you have served me and previous Presidents -- because many of you have been here for many years -- with devotion and dedication, because this office, great as it is, can only be as great as the men and women who work for and with the President.   This house, for example -- I was thinking of it as we walked down this hall, and I was comparing it to some of the great houses of the world that I have been in. This isn't the biggest house. Many, and most, in even smaller countries, are much bigger. This isn't the finest house. Many in Europe, particularly, and in China, Asia, have paintings of great, great value, things that we just don't have here and, probably, will never have until we are 1,000 years old or older.   But this is the best house. It is the best house, because it has something far more important than numbers of people who serve, far more important than numbers of rooms or how big it is, far more important than numbers of magnificent pieces of art.   This house has a great heart, and that heart comes from those who serve. I was rather sorry they didn't come down.      We said goodbye to them upstairs. But they are really great. And I recall after so many times I have made speeches, and some of them pretty tough, yet, I always come back, or after a hard day -- and my days usually have run rather long -- I would always get a lift from them, because I might be a little down but they always smiled.    And so it is with you. I look around here, and I see so many on this staff that, you know, I should have been by your offices and shaken hands, and I would love to have talked to you and found out how to run the world -- everybody wants to tell the President what to do, and boy, he needs to be told many times -- but I just haven't had the time. But I want you to know that each and every one of you, I know, is indispensable to this Government.    I am proud of this Cabinet. I am proud of all the members who have served in our Cabinet. I am proud of our sub-Cabinet. I am proud of our White House Staff. As I pointed out last night, sure, we have done some things wrong in this Administration, and the top man always takes the responsibility, and I have never ducked it. But I want to say one thing: We can be proud of it -- five and a half years. No man or no woman came into this Administration and left it with more of this world's goods than when he came in. No man or no woman ever profited at the public expense or the public till. That tells something about you.    Mistakes, yes. But for personal gain, never. You did what you believed in. Sometimes right, sometimes wrong. And I only wish that I were a wealthy man -- at the present time, I have got to find a way to pay my taxes -- and if I were, I would like to recompense you for the sacrifices that all of you have made to serve in government. 

   But you are getting something in government -- and I want you to tell this to your children, and I hope the Nation's children will hear it, too -- something in government service that is far more important than money. It is a cause bigger than yourself. It is the cause of making this the greatest nation in the world, the leader of the world, because without our leadership, the world will know nothing but war, possibly starvation or worse, in the years ahead. With our leadership it will know peace, it will know plenty.    We have been generous, and we will be more generous in the future as we are able to. But most important, we must be strong here, strong in our hearts, strong in our souls, strong in our belief, and strong in our willingness to sacrifice, as you have been willing to sacrifice, in a pecuniary way, to serve in government.    There is something else I would like for you to tell your young people. You know, people often come in and say, "What will I tell my kids?" They look at government and say, sort of a rugged life, and they see the mistakes that are made. They get the impression that everybody is here for the purpose of feathering his nest. That is why I made this earlier point -- not in this Administration, not one single man or woman.    And I say to them, there are many fine careers. This country needs good farmers, good businessmen, good plumbers, good carpenters.    I remember my old man. I think that they would have called him sort of a little man, common man. He didn't consider himself that way. You know what he was? He was a streetcar motorman first, and then he was a farmer, and then he had a lemon ranch. It was the poorest lemon ranch in California, I can assure you. He sold it before they found oil on it. [Laughter] And then he was a grocer. But he was a great man, because he did his job, and every job counts up to the hilt, regardless of what happens. 

   Nobody will ever write a book, probably, about my mother. Well, I guess all of you would say this about your mother -- my mother was a saint. And I think of her, two boys dying of tuberculosis, nursing four others in order that she could take care of my older brother for three years in Arizona, and seeing each of them die, and when they died, it was like one of her own.    Yes, she will have no books written about her. But she was a saint.    Now, however, we look to the future. I had a little quote in the speech last night from T.R. [Theodore Roosevelt]. As you know, I kind of like to read books. I am not educated, but I do read books -- and the T.R. quote was a pretty good one. Here is another one I found as I was reading, my last night in the White House, and this quote is about a young man. He was a young lawyer in New York. He had married a beautiful girl, and they had a lovely daughter, and then suddenly she died, and this is what he wrote. This was in his diary.    He said, "She was beautiful in face and form and lovelier still in spirit. As a flower she grew and as a fair young flower she died. Her life had been always in the sunshine. There had never come to her a single great sorrow. None ever knew her who did not love and revere her for her bright and sunny temper and her saintly unselfishness. Fair, pure and joyous as a maiden, loving, tender and happy as a young wife. When she had just become a mother, when her life seemed to be just begun and when the years seemed so bright before her, then by a strange and terrible fate death came to her. And when my heart's dearest died, the light went from my life forever." 

   That was T.R. in his twenties. He thought the light had gone from his life forever -- but he went on. And he not only became President but, as an ex-President, he served his country, always in the arena, tempestuous, strong, sometimes wrong, sometimes right, but he was a man.     And as I leave, let me say, that is an example I think all of us should remember. We think sometimes when things happen that don't go the right way; we think that when you don't pass the bar exam the first time -- I happened to, but I was just lucky; I mean, my writing was so poor the bar examiner said, "We have just got to let the guy through." We think that when someone dear to us dies, we think that when we lose an election, we think that when we suffer a defeat that all is ended. We think, as T.R. said, that the light had left his life forever. Not true.     It is only a beginning, always. The young must know it; the old must know it. It must always sustain us, because the greatness comes not when things go always good for you, but the greatness comes and you are really tested, when you take some knocks, some disappointments, when sadness comes, because only if you have been in the deepest valley can you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain.     And so I say to you on this occasion, as we leave, we leave proud of the people who have stood by us and worked for us and served this country. We want you to be proud of what you have done. We want you to continue to serve in government, if that is your wish.     Always give your best, never get discouraged, never be petty; always remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.     And so, we leave with high hopes, in good spirit, and with deep humility, and with very much gratefulness in our hearts. I can only say to each and every one of you, we come from many faiths, we pray perhaps to different gods -- but really the same God in a sense -- but I want to say for each and every one of you, not only will we always remember you, not only will we always be grateful to you but always you will be in our hearts and you will be in our prayers.    Thank you very much.

Former President Richard M. Nixon on the morning of August 9, 1974.

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Ex-Governor Jeb Bush: Running for President?

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Ed.

From Time Magazine, May 1, 2014: "Former President George W. Bush gave his younger brother Jeb his endorsement Thursday should he decide to run for the White House in 2016.

"'I hope Jeb runs,' Bush told CNN. 'I think he would be a great president. I have no clue what’s on his mind and we will talk when he’s ready. I noticed he’s moving around the country quite a bit.' 

“'Hey Jeb, if you need some advice, give me a call,' Bush said."

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Governor Chris Christie offers to resign?

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Ed.
illustration by Jack Brummet

Governor Chris Christie offers to resign?  That's how I read the statement he made last Thursday:  

"My promise to the people of the state is that if there’s any other evidence that comes forward that requires action to be taken, I will take it, no matter how much it hurts me personally or dismays me because this is the job I asked for and I’ve got to do it."

The Governor seems to be saying that if that "smoking traffic cone" does turn up that he will punish himself by resigning, since he instantly terminated two top aides when evidence of their complicity was released.

You have to guess that over the last week the shredders were grinding, magnets and hard disk tools were doing their thing, and that anyone even remotely related to the Governor's office has scrubbed, hidden, erased, and burned any even remotely troubling memo, voicemail, email, tweet, text message, and Facebook post.  But as we've all learned over the years, you can never find everything. . .and all it takes is one.

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Chris Christie praises himself in apology

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Ed.
illustration by Jack Brummet

In his 108 minute "apology" Thursday, Governor Chris Christie never really apologized.  He did, actually, but not for anything he did. “I’m telling you: I had nothing to do with this.” As David Letterman said, he "boldly took responsibility by blaming everyone but himself."   And then he told us about himself:

• “I’m a very loyal guy.”

• “I am not a focus-group-tested, blow-dried candidate.”

• “I’ve worked for the last 12 years in public life developing a reputation for honesty.”

• “I’ve engendered the sense and feeling among the people closest to me that we’re a family.”

• “I’m a person who cares deeply about doing my job well.”

• “I’m incredibly loyal to my people.”

• “I was the class president and athlete.”

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ATIT Reheated: The GOP/Tea Party March To 2012—an army of pinheads, charlatans, mountebanks, narcissists, and third-rate grifters

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor

and Jack Brummet, Social Mores Editor

[reprinted from ATIT, December 30, 2010] 

The GOP Presidential candidates are charging out like clowns from a clown-car.  Of course, getting in to The Show early, or even just announcing, is pretty cheap.  And it increases your cash flow, your paid trips, marketability, and even perceived gravitas.  Democrats on the other hand are holding back.  To declare against a sitting President is generally an exercise in futility and, at times, a near-suicidal political act.  However, strong candidates have pulled it off (most notably Bobby Kennedy, whom we did not get to see go the distance) and won roles at the convention, and promises of plum diplomatic jobs or cabinet positions. 

Jeb Bush - who knows what he'll do?

Congressman Pence

Politico reports the House Republican Conference Chairman from Indiana is considering stepping down from his GOP leadership post to prepare for a possible presidential run in 2012. 'Though the 2010 mid-term election is just barely over, the pressure is on Pence and other GOP hopefuls to state their intentions.

Ex-Governor Romney

Mitt Romney has already been running for a couple of years, really ever since the night he conceded to John McCain during the primaries.  He seems to us like one of the more plausible candidates to whom Democrats might defect (maybe his biggest appeal to Dems and most horrifying to GOP/Tea Party members is the pretty excellent health care system that he pushed for in Mass.).   We think his religion is no roadblock.  Yeah, we don't think a Hari Krishna will become president soon, but a Mormon?  Sure, why not?  We are fine with a Jewish or Moslem president, but don't think that happens anytime soon.

Ex-Governor Huckabee

Ex-Governor Mike Huckabee won the Iowa primaries last time around, had a huge buzz...and for a few weeks, he was the "It Guy," appearing on the cover of Newsweek, and was the focus of numerous political talk shows. He may or may not run.  He seems to like his current FOX news gig. [Ed's Note: nearly half of the GOP hopefuls and toe-dippers are on the FOX payroll in some form or another.]

Ex-Speaker (and architect of the Contract On America) Gingrich (painting by Jack Brummet)

Newt Gingrich, another FOX hack. . .who knows? We guess he will indeed run.  Newt is a guy who craves the limelight.

Governor Pawlenty

Tim Pawlenty could be running...he is visiting several key, early primary states.  He has a book out.  He was maybe Number Two on McCain's VP list.  But alas, he has a personality like shirt cardboard.   His Q factor is virtually zero.

John Bolton

John Bolton, the neocon diplomat (and former undersecretary of state) has publicly toyed with the idea.  He may jump in for a primary or two if he can get enough of his fat cat friends to pony up enough cash to make a short, respectable run. 

Guvnah Barbour

Haley Barbour, the (once) well-thought of Governor may have killed his changes recently with racially insensitive--no, inflammatory--remarks on how nice the south was back in "the good old days."

Senator Thune

John Thune, who, a few years ago, stomped Democratic powerhouse Tom Daschle in South Dakota, is textbook politically handsome.  And like Tim Pawlenty. . .about as exciting as yesterday's oatmeal.

Governor Daniels

Mitch Daniels (Governor of Indiana) dismissed a presidential run in June 2009, saying "I've only ever run for or held one office. It's the last one I'm going to hold."   In February 2010 he told a Washington Post reporter that he was open to the idea of running in 2012. 

The Donald

Donald Trump has made some noise about making a Presidential run.  It's hard to see how a national joke could get much traction in Iowa or New Hampshire.

Ex-Governor Palin (painting by Jack Brummet)

Sarah Palin.   She's certainly open to the idea--if not the reality--of running for President.  If she does make a go of it, it will be fascinating watching her in those early primaries.

Ex-Senator Santorum

Rick Santorum, the former Pennsylvania Senator who was obliterated in the 2006 election, may just be tempted to run.  Another FOX guy.  He is almost in the national joke category, along with Trump.  He is probably best known for his positions on the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Social Security, intelligent design, homosexuality, and the long-forgotten Terri Schiavo case.

Governor Christie (painting by Jack Brummet)

Chris Christie--a guy we think could go all the way.  He's a Republican who is seen by his own party as soft on immigration; is against gay marriage, but in favor of civil unions (just like President Obama!); is not strong with the pro-gun lobby; favors medical marijuana; and while opposed to it, is soft on abortion and doesn't believe it is the state's duty to ram it down the throats of the people.   However, the Tea Party wing of the party does not take a blue dog approach.  You're either with them, or against them.  With all the other neo-con and tea-party alternatives, it's hard to see how Christie could ever garner much support within his own party.

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NY Daily News calls the House of Representatives the "House of Turds"

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Ed.

This Affordable Care Act battle/government shutdown has been well-reported and the finger pointing is now well underway.  Rather than contribute to the stream, we're just reprinting the Daily News' cogent front cover from this morning.

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Sweatpants Gipper: Ronald Reagan goes casual

By Mona Goldwater, Fashion Ed.

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The complete (so far) painting oeuvre of George W. Bush (24 paintings and counting)

By Jack Brummet, Painting and American Art History Ed.

As you have possibly read, a hacker--Guccifer--purloined these photographs of Ex-President George W. Bush and his paintings by hacking into the Bush family's email.  He originally furnished the stolen photos to The Smoking Gun and recently, to Gawker.  Three batches have been released so far.  We already knew a little about POTUS 43's painting from his art teacher's website and interviews.

Guccifer hacked the accounts of Dorothy Bush Koch and at least five others with close ties to the Bush dynasty. To highlight his brilliance, he furnished The Smoking Gun with a series of paintings  by Ex-President George W. Bush.  He also included a string of emails about Bush’s ailing father, POTUS 41. And, this week, he sent along to Gawker a new batch of photos of Dubyah's oil paintings. 

A scary dog behind bars with a prospect of the White House

In a package on Georgia’s WAGA-TV, Bush 43’s art teacher, Bonnie Flood, said the president regularly opts to draw household pets.

“He started off painting dogs. I think he said he painted 50 dogs,” Flood said. “He pulled out this canvas and started painting dogs and I thought, ‘Oh my God, I don’t paint dogs!”

Cats, dogs, and a still life

a photo of the President's painting of his recently deceased dog Barney

The artist at work, painting a church

Self portrait in the shower

Bathtub self-portrait

Twelve photos of paintings that Guccifer gave to Gawker

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Republicans for gun control

By Mona Goldwater, Societal Mores Ed.

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Speaker John Boehner, self immolation, and the G.O.P.'s rapid slide into irrelevancy

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Ed.

The Bone makes his sequestration face. I am not a fan, but admit I feel for him. He has tried, but is pretty much helpless while his party is hell-bent on self-immolation, not to mention relishing his humiliation  every step of the way. 

The Speaker thought getting Bachmann, Palin, Paul, Herman Cain, Rick Perry, et al, out of the way would help. But the instant they shuffle one whack job out the door, another wingnut steps in to fill their shoes. And that's the way I like it.

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What did Ann Coulter do this time?

By Jack Brummet, ATIT Editor-in-chief

I missed a lot of news in the last eight days while I was in Moscow, I think. I'm seeing all this vituperation & castigation of Ann Coulter (not that she doesn't deserve it in her normal course of business). I saw some news of her using the "R" word re: BHO. Is that the uproar, or did she say something else/worse?

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The Salt Lake City Tribune's stunning endorsement of President Barack Obama

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor

"Obama has earned another term"

Is this a mindf***er of all mindf***ers, or what?  On October 19th, The Salt Lake City Tribune came out and endorsed Barack Obama for President.  Why?  They lead into their endorsement with a couple of paragraphs praising his earl good works, in particular for the state of Utah.  

"The Republican nominee’s political and religious pedigrees, his adeptly bipartisan governorship of a Democratic state, and his head for business and the bottom line all inspire admiration and hope in our largely Mormon, Republican, business-friendly state."

And, then, they get down to business:    

"In short, this is the Mitt Romney we knew, or thought we knew, as one of us." 

"Sadly, it is not the only Romney, as his campaign for the White House has made abundantly clear, first in his servile courtship of the tea party in order to win the nomination, and now as the party’s shape-shifting nominee. From his embrace of the party’s radical right wing, to subsequent portrayals of himself as a moderate champion of the middle class, Romney has raised the most frequently asked question of the campaign: "Who is this guy, really, and what in the world does he truly believe?"

They go on to praise The President's domestic and foreign agendas, lavishing praise on his foreign accomplishments, as well as his shepherding of stimulus money and the courage it took, as well as his masterpiece, The Affordable Care Act (and the political capital he expended to make it the law of the land).

The Tribune damns Romney's promises and statements as both pandering, and unrealistic.  The President would do well to study this editorial and quote from it liberally in next week's debate. Hats off to the Tribune for their honest and courageous editorial.  Read the entire piece here. 

The editorial is a worthwhile read because this is a 'paper from a state inclined to support Mitt Romney both because of his religion and conservatism, and his stewardship of their beloved Olympic Games.  And now, nearly two weeks before the election, The President should quote liberally from the Tribune in his debate with the Ex-Governor next week. 

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VP Debate night: Fuel for the Romney surge, or, a chance to overcome Democratic inertia and hand-wringing?

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor

Tonight. Who knew this debate would blow up in importance like it has, with the potential to add fuel to Romney's surge or overcome the Democratic inertia and hand-wringing.

We have a lot of faith in Joe Biden, although, sure, in his last debate, he had a cream-puff lobbed his way (e.g., Sarah Palin v. Joe Biden VP Debate 2008). Go Joe!

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Ex-Governor Romney backs down, weasels, retrenches, stonewalls, bobs and weaves, and dissembles

By Pablo Fanque, ATIT National Affairs Editor

Illustrations by Jack Brummet

OK.  The Ex-Governor came out on top in a couple of polls today.  But he did not get there by standing fast or holding his ground.  He arrived there by weaseling, backing down, retrenching, and dissembling.

In a handful of key zones, Mitt Romney has begun to position himself as a centrist.  He doesn't have to worry about the Tea Party anymore.  They are going to hold their collective noses and vote for him.  But as for the rest of us:  

1) He now says he won't deport young illegal immigrants given a chance to stay in the United States by Obama...kind of weaseling in sideways to The Dream Act..  

2) Mr. Romney is also playing catch-up on the Affordable Health Care Act; far from his earlier stance of running as rapidly and far away from it as he could, he is now playing up the health care program a/k/a RomneyCare (with its individual mandate) that was his biggest accomplishment as governor of Massachusetts.  

3) Rhetorically, he's backed down from his own tax plan.  In the first debate, it was hard to analyze the difference between his and BHO's tax plan.  Honestly, it's hard to tell just what his plan is now, but it's a fine one, he says.  "Trust me."

4)  He even admitted in the debate that government regulation “is essential.”  "I mean, you have to have regulations so that you can have an economy work,” he told us. The way he stated it in the debate implied, "Oh you silly people, this is what I had in mind all along."  And, 

5)  After all the bobbing, weaving, and stonewalling over the last couple of weeks, the contrite Ex-Governor told Fox News last Thursday that his comment about the “47 percent” of the electorate he wrote off as moochers, freeloaders, and just flat-ass lazy, when he met with campaign donors, was “completely wrong.”  You said a mouthful Governor. 

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