The Working Week Ahead

Just when folks are getting up-tight about the end of Labor Day and the return to work, there is good news. Add zest to your time in the salt mine by starting an office pool concerning the time and day of Sarah Palin's speech declining her nomination as GOP VP due to "family obligations", "obligations to the people of Alaska" and/or other pablum devised by the so-called GOP "think tank".

Why? Professional Republicans are not going to put up with all this nonsense from someone who hasn't earned their chops in the GOP world, and who cannot raise money. For those of you in a news vacuum, here is a round-up.

First, check out Steve Benen's report on CBS.com. Highlights:

* The spin for Palin is that she challenged the allegedly corrupt Alaskan United States Senator Ted Stevens. Stevens, of course, is facing seven felony counts for corruption. The truth is that Palin allied herself with him throughout her brief political career.

* Palin claim to fame as a reformer is unfounded as she did not oppose the "bridge to nowhere".

* Palin is not in charge of the Alaska National Guards when national defense matters arise, and thus has -0- national security experience.

Second, there is scandal. Troopergate. No, not Bill Clinton's troopergate or Eliot Spitzer's troopergate. Her own Troopergate! Then there is her minor child who is five months pregnant (is there a statutory rape law in Alaska?), and weird stuff including many of her public policy stands, including her support for aerial shooting of wolves and bears.

I bet when old Senator John McCain wanted to steal the spotlight from Senator Barack Obama, this not what he had in mind. In fact, this is yet another reason to call into question McCain's judgement.

Accordingly, there is an opportunity for those of us who actually know how many homes we own to have fun and run a pool concerning the time and date of Governor Palin's speech declining the nomination. Presumably, the GOP VP is to be nominated on Wednesday night; the GOP's convention web site is a bit vague. But let's stick to that schedule for the sake of the game.

Enjoy!