Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
Today's dumbass quote of the day comes from the dumbass of the month, Sarah Palin. Speaking to ABC News she said:
As to whether another pursuit for national office, as when she joined Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in the race for the White House less than a year ago, would result in the same political blood sport, Palin said there was a difference between the White House and what she had experienced in Alaska. If she were in the White House, she said, the "department of law" would protect her from baseless ethical allegations."I think on a national level, your department of law there in the White House would look at some of the things that we've been charged with and automatically throw them out," she said.
You betcha. Like Rich Lowry, I too see starbursts when I see Palin speak too. But they're from banging my head against a wall and saying "how the hell did this person ever get in to a position of authority over anything other than a Dairy Queen?"
Politics
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Actually, most Dairy Queens I've been to have been far better managed than the government of Alaska under Palin. Otherwise, they would have gone out of business.
Posted by: MS | July 10, 2009 9:18 AM
Maybe the GM design bureau, or a Chrysler dealership?
Posted by: dogmeatIB | July 10, 2009 9:37 AM
Golly gee shucks, Ed, I guess you and your friends in the liberal media don't get it. It's about country. It's sad that you and your elite mustard friends just don't appreciate America.
Posted by: steve s | July 10, 2009 9:47 AM
Steve - I always thought Sarah was 'a little bit Country & a little bit Rock 'n Roll!" - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | July 10, 2009 10:22 AM
For those who might be wondering, the score after the first day of The Ashes is England 336 for 7 wickets in 90 overs.
The "department of law" thing sure does answer the "gotcha" journalism claims ... the journalists "gotcha" because you're a fucking moron Sarah...
Posted by: dogmeatIB | July 10, 2009 10:23 AM
Department of Law? Did someone ever actually confirm she graduated high school? The journalism degree has been in doubt for ages but now it would seem worthwhile to check further back.
Posted by: MikeMa | July 10, 2009 10:26 AM
I wouldn't buy a banana split from this woman...
Posted by: FBI Regional Bureau Chief GORDON COLE!!! | July 10, 2009 10:31 AM
Marielena Zuniga says: Palin bashing is women bashing
Yawn.
Posted by: Herod the Freemason | July 10, 2009 10:50 AM
Typical Palin, she just assumes that someone, somewhere exists to take care of the hard stuff. She doesn't know (or care to find out) who they are but she's confident that, whoever they are, they'll be there to clean things up for her.
Posted by: peaches | July 10, 2009 10:57 AM
I think you hit the nail on the head Peaches. Kudos.
Posted by: Abby Normal | July 10, 2009 11:18 AM
See, this just shows how inept the Clintons were. All those years of baseless accusations and witch hunts when all they had to do was turn to the 'department of law' to make them all go away. Silly Clintons.
Someone like Palin, with her natural charm, folksy ways, political acumen and encyclopedic knowledge of how government works could teach those political novices a thing or two.
Posted by: Art | July 10, 2009 11:37 AM
Ed, why are you belittling Dairy Queens?
Posted by: Mobius | July 10, 2009 11:47 AM
More like "a little bit batshit and a little bit insane".
Er... make that "a lot". My bad.
Posted by: Woof | July 10, 2009 1:02 PM
Now if we can just convince Sarah to wear two-foot long, blobby mascaraed fake eyelashes, triple-decker wigs and six-inch deep make-up. Dress her in a shit load o' dime-store rhinestones, one of them cutesy gingham shirts, brand spankin' new denims and hand-tooled Italian leather boots (that have never even heard tell of mud), then encourage her to caterwaul about how she's standin' by her alcoholic, wife-beatin', cheatin' farmin' man even though her dog's died, the crops are failin' and all seveteen of her children are dying of starvation. Then Sarah would be 100% Country. - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | July 10, 2009 1:20 PM
In Sarah's defense, what is called the Department of Justice at the federal level is called the Department of Law in Alaska, headed by the state Attorney General. I've lived in Texas for 15 years now and I still forget that what most people call the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) is known here at the DPS (Department of Public Safety).
Posted by: camanintx | July 10, 2009 1:32 PM
camamintx,
Fair enough, and I'm glad you provided that information.
But this is someone who was running for the position as vice-president of the federal executive branch. It's not too much to expect her to have some idea of what its various departments actually are named.
Posted by: James Hanley | July 10, 2009 2:06 PM
Channeling Sarah Palin,
And if those terrorists try to attack us again, I'm sure the department of guns will take care of them.
And we're going to increase the department of drugs to protect our kids from cocaine.
And we'll cut taxes so the department of money isn't taking all your, uh, money.
Posted by: James Hanley | July 10, 2009 2:08 PM
In Sarah's defense, what is called the Department of Justice at the federal level is called the Department of Law in Alaska,
But the problem isn't just her not knowing the name of the Justice Department, she seems to be under the mistaken impression that it exists to protect the president from all challengers. Now we might have seen some aspects of the Bush administration use of the Justice Department, but that isn't its freakin' job!
Posted by: dogmeatIB | July 10, 2009 2:24 PM
Not only that, but she seems to think they have the power to unilaterally quash charges filed against the president.
Posted by: DaveL | July 10, 2009 2:39 PM
Department of Law? Why Sarah probably thinks the Department of Order exists to get pizza for the POTUS.
Posted by: Rob Jase | July 10, 2009 3:19 PM
that's not surprising at all, to be honest. This very apropos blogpost makes a pretty good point about conservative vs. liberal relationship with authority; and Palin just demonstrates that conviction that authority must be respected per-se, not because of their deeds (and as such a person holding a position of authority may not be doubted or undermined in any way). She's in the good company of the likes of Berlusconi with this one.
Posted by: Jadehawk | July 10, 2009 5:54 PM
Even though I'm not getting any response from the Department of Law there in the White House, the Department of Welcomed Relief and Forgiveness is showing increased chatter. There is a sense of impending succor as the religious right tries once again to instigate Revival. This time. This time!
Posted by: Crudely Wrott | July 10, 2009 8:23 PM
I move that Sarah Palin be named Default Dumbass until such time as a more suitable Default Dumbass opens their mouth on a consistent basis. What say you?
Posted by: Strummer | July 10, 2009 11:02 PM
Wow. Like some, I had great hopes for Sarah Palin. I hoped she could be a strong female leader that the GOP needs to appeal to mainstream America and become believers in what it truly is, not how they would want it to be. These hopes were destroyed when she opened her mouth and spoke. If one cannot stand up to a "liberal media" and actually defend ones views, how can one be expected to do any sort of 'leadership? A friend of mine posted this link, which may be of interest.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124716984620819351.html#mod=most_viewed_day
Posted by: John | July 11, 2009 12:12 AM
Re the WSJ column from Peggy Noonan above:
While what Noonan writes is an apt description of Palin and why the GOP should reject her for now and ever, it's also hypocritical given her previous defense of Palin during the campaign when she knew then what she writes now.
I did like the quip that Palin doesn't know what she doesn't know, which I've been telling Palin supporters that surround me. I also liked Noonan describing Palin as a ". . . ponder-free zone".
While the Noonan article it appears harsh, it too narrowly condemns Palin. She didn't even discuss the astonishing dishonesty of Palin and other character failures, such as a distaste for actually working.
Posted by: Michael Heath | July 11, 2009 7:27 AM
@strummer #23: Perhaps she could share that title with Michelle Bachmann. They're in pretty fierce competition to be the most batshit insane Republican.
Posted by: Eric | July 11, 2009 2:27 PM