Steve Lopez goes to Wasilla

Steve before: "I cannot wait to see Wasilla -- it's gotta be gorgeous!"

Steve after: "She was mayor of this?"

Not enough Steve? Check out his columns on his Alaskan adventure here and here.

-- Veronique de Turenne

Video: Myung J. Chun

Comments

[Ray Garcia]

After Wasilla and your "fact finding" trip to Alaska, please go to Chicago and check on the community work and its progress as promoted by our potential President Obama. But please provide some balance and interview those that have not seen any improvement in their lives. I really think that this experience has prepared him for the meetings with the President of Iran and Mr. Putin too. After all, its a tough environment that grew his diplomatic skills and executive skills too. Managine a community budget has to be more complex that a the State of Alaska, eh?

[Apparently it is]

"[Managing] a community budget has to be more complex that a the State of Alaska, eh?"
Apparently for Sarah Palin it is. Just ask Wasilla residents how they feel about the $22 million in debt she left them with

[Sean K]

LOL... 'apparently it is' response to Ray Garcia is awesome. One of the best replies I've seen on these comment boards. Mr. Garcia's lame, uninformed and cynical attempts at sarcasm were completely destroyed by 2 simple, truthful sentences. Kudos to 'apparently...'

[Barry Goyette]

According to politifact.com, the $22 million in "long term" debt was due mostly to voter approved bond issues, for infrastructure projects and a community center that were needed due to growth in the community. It is true that Mayor Palin lobbied for these funds, but I think the suggestion that somehow palin went on a spending spree, and left the town in a financial mess is incorrect.

[Eileen W.]

Ray Garcia needs to do his research and broaden his knowledge base of the brilliant and beautiful Senator Obama. The Community Organizer work was done shortly after he graduated from Harvard University and it is the most humble form of community service.

Please don't let your limited intellect destroy your view of Mr. Obama who only has your and my best interest at heart. Palin is the worst excuse for a woman that I've seen in a long time. I wonder what she was shooting at when her daughter needed her?

Thank you Mr. Lopez for being our eyes at this most critical time in the election process.

[Barry Goyette]

The language used in Eileen W 's comment is so typical of the level of discourse in this campaign. Obama is "brilliant and beautiful", Palin is "the worst excuse for a woman" and Mr. Garcia has limited intellect. All for barely hinting that the point of view of Mr. Lopez might be somehow slanted. (didn't seem that way at all to me).

It's frustrating, because the language being used is so desparate, and baseless. I think when the first mention of "the community organizer" appeared at the RNC, it was after a 2-day blitzkrieg engineered by the Obama campaign to make sure we all knew that Alaska doesn't have many people in it, and isn't important. That being governer of such a backwards place is essentially insignificant. Whereas spending 20 of your first 40-odd months in the senate running for president, combined with the community organizing skills, certainly makes one highly qualified for the country's highest office. I think it was a fair comparison, albeit we all need to remember that Obama isn't running against Ms.Palin. Regardless, essentially what we have is both pot and kettle calling each other black, and the rest of us using language like Eileen W.

The thing that most bugs me is that as a very moderate republican, I was heavily leaning towards Obama in this campaign. That was until he started showing us he was really just another politician. But more importantly, It was when the left started showing it's true colors, abandoning the lofty discourse of their leader, and instead became purveyors of the worst kind of character assassination, that I have turned right down main street.

I choose to see this election not as good versus evil. I have no need to villify the person I'm not going to vote for. I see two honorable men who have the ambition to lead this country. I'd like to see us talking about what they really believe, not some political cartoon version of their characters. Hopefully the debates will lead us back in right direction. And then, hopefully the best man will win.

[Venicementor]

Steve Lopez is exactly one of the reasons why I pulled my subscription to the LA Times. He is a mean spirited SOB who states his opinion under the guise of being a reporter. Shame on you!! You have no sense of grace and are pretentious and self-righteous with your attempts to trash, not only Sara Palin, but also everyone who has had anything to with her at one time or another. I could give a rat about what you think about Palin, or anyone else, for that matter.

For what ever it is worth, I am for neither candidate but think it not necessary to trash either party in the manner as you see fit, in order to make a point or to show whose side your on. You have no dignity and are poor excuse for a human being! I am sure that stating your observations in the manner in which you did, because you thought you were clever. Instead you are just another condescending jerk! BTW, don't you realize how many people you are offending with your "high and mighty" description of Wasilla, those who live in small towns like it, all over the U.S? I guess I should have realized that the L.A. Times is indeed the "rag" it has become. Kiss your job goodbye Mr. Lopez, the Times will be "dead and gone" fairly soon - thanks to the likes of you!

[Venicementor]

Posted by: Barry Goyette | September 23, 2008 at 07:44 PM

Hear, hear Mr. Goyette. I am glad to see that there are still human beings amongst us, who are gentlemen. You speak of "honor" which is obviously something you know about. Thank you

[kendall]

Wasilla's the equivalent of Barstow or Victorville.
Do you want your Vice President of the United States from a backwater, rinky-dink town?