Former NY Mayor Koch backs Obama, calls Palin 'scary'

[MAGICBULLET]

Source: politico.com

Former New York Mayor Ed Koch, who endorsed and worked for George W. Bush in 2004, is endorsing Obama today, NY1 first reported.

I asked Koch just now what prompted the move.

"The designation of Palin to be vice president," he said. "She's scary."

He said he was alarmed by the report that she'd triggered a conflict with the local librarian in Wasilla, Alaska by inquiring about the possibility of banning books.

"Any time someone goes to the library and says, 'I want to ban books,' and the librarian says 'no,' and she threatens to fire them -- that's scary," he said.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/story/politico/20080909/pl_politico/20927_1

---

wow - I never thought I'd see that happen even if it's for the wrong reason.

[madmax]

1. THUD!!!

:eyes: I don't believe it!

[livedemocarticordie]

30. it's the

anti semitism of PALIN that will influence many concerned voters in Florida and NY. She's a pig. I'll take Koch's vote and anybody else's...

[lapfog_1]

2. There is one vote I don't really care if we get or not.

But who knows, maybe he still holds some sway with a few thousand people. Maybe he'd like to go campaign for Obama in Florida?

[kiranon]

13. Obama needs every vote. Please don't turn away votes.

[Zhade]

36. As long as they understand their vote doesn't buy them rightwing policies.

THEY have to come to US - we have the good ideas, they can either get on board or fuck themselves.

[kmdemqueen]

24. I don't think so

That is scary, i wonder if Koch would make this change permit.

[DJ13]

3. Koch knows her church is very antisemitic

This underlines why her religious backround is the most important issue we can use against her.

[FirstLight]

4. ANY endorsement is a good thing...we should be glad

He is a public figure and makes a good point. Even if you think there are more important issues with Palin, book banning is still a serious thing in this country.

I hope he does go out and speak about endorsing Obama - loudly and clearly...and even if a few thousand people listen, it is a few thousand WE can use.

EVERY vote counts!!!!

[MAGICBULLET]

6. very true

I agree with you! I'm just tired of Palin's fame. It seems ppl embrace her negativity.

Koch said he'd be happy to campaign for Obama if they ask him to

I'm hoping more of these little surprises come out in the next week

[life long demo]

38. "It seems ppl embrace her negativity"

Magic
I pulled one statement from your post. I believe it is very important. Obama is running a positive, honest, uplifting campaign. Can you or anyone tell me what do people want? Do they want slash and burn, insults, lies and negativity(McCain) rather than the truth and hope (Barack)?

[MAGICBULLET]

42. what I meant

It's so typical that and annoying that someone like Koch is all of a sudden supporting Obama b/c of her.

Your question: I really wish I knew because since she has stepped on the scene she has made it a barrage of slash and burn, insults, lies and negativity and people love it!

They just gotta come back at them hard, especially with the many fact checks as a result of her RNC speech

_______________________________

<http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2008/09/09/news/doc48c09a6bb8bed387246008.txt>

snip~

Some examples:

PALIN: “I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending ... and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. I told the Congress ‘thanks but no thanks’ for that Bridge to Nowhere.”

THE FACTS: As mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a lobbyist and traveled to Washington annually to support earmarks for the town totaling $27 million. In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation. While Palin notes she rejected plans to build a $398 million bridge from Ketchikan to an island with 50 residents and an airport, that opposition came only after the plan was ridiculed nationally as a “bridge to nowhere.”

PALIN: “There is much to like and admire about our opponent. But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform — not even in the state senate.”

THE FACTS: Compared to McCain and his two decades in the Senate, Obama does have a more meager record. But he has worked with Republicans to pass legislation that expanded efforts to intercept illegal shipments of weapons of mass destruction and to help destroy conventional weapons stockpiles. The legislation became law last year. To demean that accomplishment would be to also demean the work of Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, a respected foreign policy voice in the Senate. In Illinois, he was the leader on two big, contentious measures in Illinois: studying racial profiling by police and requiring recordings of interrogations in potential death penalty cases. He also successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform legislation.

PALIN: “The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes, raise payroll taxes, raise investment income taxes, raise the death tax, raise business taxes, and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars.”

THE FACTS: The Tax Policy Center, a think tank run jointly by the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, concluded that Obama’s plan would increase after-tax income for middle-income taxpayers by about 5 percent by 2012, or nearly $2,200 annually. McCain’s plan, which cuts taxes across all income levels, would raise after tax-income for middle-income taxpayers by 3 percent, the center concluded.

Obama would provide $80 billion in tax breaks, mainly for poor workers and the elderly, including tripling the Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers and higher credits for larger families.

He also would raise income taxes, capital gains and dividend taxes on the wealthiest. He would raise payroll taxes on taxpayers with incomes above $250,000, and he would raise corporate taxes. Small businesses that make more than $250,000 a year would see taxes rise.

[Plucketeer]

44. I think alot of people DO like the kick-ass, in yhour face sort of

approach. You know - the Rocky/Rambo/Terminator sort of swagger. It's stupid, but with the exploding popularity of cage fighting, dog fighting, hockey meles, etc,. etc,. etc.. After all, "Shock and Awe" worked for red meat hungry Ahmurikins, didn't it? Joe Biden needs to stand up at an appropriate point in the VP face-off and throw her pugnacious ass to the floor! :kick: :grr: :spank:

[DrZeeLit]

5. "We" may not like Koch...BUT willing to TELL THE TRUTH right now and get press for it... PRICELESS!!

[Zambero]

25. Back to the fold?

Better late than never, I suppose.

[eagertolearn]

28. Right on! How many people even knew she tried to ban books from her library!

The more the truth gets out the more the initial infatuation will fade and then people may come to their senses! I hope for our country's sake.

[MaxPlancker]

34. Factcheck.org debunks the book banning rumor.

We need to be careful we do not automatically embrace every negative report. We can not afford to look like we do not care about the truth. Truth is our strength.

<http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_palin.html>

[Zhade]

37. That website is a REPUBLICAN FRONT. Don't troll for it here.

Evidence: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2183149#2190512

[kenfrequed]

41. Concern Troll Alert!!!

Please, these are matters of investigative journalism AND public record. If you are going to pull a concern troll bs manuever at least pretend to use a credible source.

Or don't. I guess I prefer if you are this obvious.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

7. wow. he can still get on the news?

anyhow glad he came to his senses.

[pattmarty]

8. And I say "who gives a fuck" who or what crazy Koch supports.

[jb5150]

9. Is this a good thing?

Has he been relevant in years? Does anyone remember when he was on SNL years ago?......

[MAGICBULLET]

11. It could be a good thing

snip from the article

~ Koch is a member of a set of secular, swing-voting Jewish Democrats who mayhave been pushed away by the selection of Palin, and his endorsement may bea marker of an opportunity for Obama to strengthen his campaign among olderJewish voters in Florida.

[Veronica.Franco]

10. That is the most important question to ask PALIN ...

"Any time someone goes to the library and says, 'I want to ban books,' and the librarian says 'no,' and she threatens to fire them -- that's scary," he said.


KEEP IT OUT FRONT .... Why would anyone think of asking a librarian to ban books? ...

[TygrBright]

12. Won't even make a blip to the Sarahtrons. Koch is just another godless big-city elitist, yanno. n/t

[Eric J in MN]

20. There are people across America who lived in NYC...

...during some or all of the time he was mayor.

If they're on the fence, and they like Mayor Koch, this might help them to move towards Obama-Biden.

[ramapo]

14. He should go campaign in Miami

Do something useful for Obama.

[Veronica.Franco]

15. I think he just did ...

When Koch burps in NY it ends up in every MIAMI paper ... LOL ...

[fedupinBushcountry]

16. IMO

Koch is scary.

[Eric J in MN]

17. She believes the Last Days are near.

http://progressivealaska.blogspot.com/2008/09/saradise-lost-chapter-sixten-palins.html

As the ceremony concluded, I bumped into her in a hall away from other people. I congratulated her on her victory, and took her aside to ask about her faith. Among other things, she declared that she was a young earth creationist, accepting both that the world was about 6,000-plus years old, and that humans and dinosaurs walked the earth at the same time.

I asked how she felt about the second coming and the end times. She responded that she fully believed that the signs of Jesus returning soon "during MY lifetime," were obvious. "I can see that, maybe you can't - but it guides me every day."

Our next discussion about religion was after she had switched to the less strict Wasilla Bible Church. She was speaking at, I was performing bugle, at a Veterans ceremony between Wasilla and Palmer. At this time, people were beginning to encourage her to run for Governor.

Once again, we found ourselves being able to talk privately. I reminded her of the earlier conversation, asking her if her views had changed. She was no longer "necessarily" a young earth creationist, she told me. But she strongly reiterated her belief that "The Lord is coming soon." I was trying to get her to tell me what she felt the signs were, when she had to move on.

[chill_wind]

18. Wow!

In an endorsement statement, Koch wrote that "the issue for me is who will best protect and defend America" and that both parties were strong on terrorism.

I have concluded that the country is safer in the hands of Barack Obama, leader of the Democratic Party and protector of the philosophy of that party. Protecting and defending the U.S. means more than defending us from foreign attacks. It includes defending the public with respect to their civil rights, civil liberties and other needs, e.g., national health insurance, the right of abortion, the continuation of Social Security, gay rights, other rights of privacy, fair progressive taxation and a host of other needs and rights.

If the vice president were ever called on to lead the country, there is no question in my mind that the experience and demonstrated judgment of Joe Biden is superior to that of Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin is a plucky, exciting candidate, but when her record is examined, she fails miserably with respect to her views on the domestic issues that are so important to the people of the U.S., and to me. Frankly, it would scare me if she were to succeed John McCain in the presidency.

[serbbral]

19. Any vote O gets is alright with me!

I don't give a d!mn who the person is. When they enter the booth, as long as they press Obama/Biden that's all I'm hoping for. They are not going to be asking questions about the person's personal life and the views they have had in the past. Like someone stated, Obama needs ALL the votes he can get. This is a tight race. Let's not forget that. EVERY VOTE COUNTS.

[Nambe]

21. Sarah Palin is 'scary,' former N.Y. Mayor Ed Koch says

Source:

The Sarah Palin phenomenon may have taken many voters by storm, but not Ed Koch.

The former Democratic mayor of New York, who since leaving that office has become a frequent endorser of Republicans, calls Palin "scary."

He offered that characterization to Ben Smith of Politico.com in explaining his decision today to formally back Barack Obama in the presidential race. ...

Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/09/sarah-palin-sca.html

[BOSSHOG]

22. I think she's a big mouth boring wuss

[blm]

23. What an ASSHOLE. He was on TV throughout 2003-4 attacking Kerry and defending Bush and Palin is Bush

in a skirt, and he finds her 'scary' eh? He's a focking POLITICAL CON ARTIST.

[Lithos]

26. All politicians are to some degree

However, I think Palin is worse than Bush, much worse and I think Koch knows that. He may be out of touch economically, but he knows that she'd be a heartbeat away from something much worse than Bush has ever come close to being.

L-

[blm]

27. I think Palin is just a GOPAC PARROT who mouths whatever she is told by RW gurus like Gingrich

and his cronies. And they all eventually knuckle under to BushInc.

[Lithos]

31. I think of it as something other than BushInc.

He's just a paid crony.

[Eric J in MN]

29. Koch should host fundraising dinners in NYC.

He can have an impact that way. Big dollar fundraisers for the DNC.

[HockeyMom]

32. Ed Koch may be a lot of things,

and he was my mayor a long, long time ago, but a religious nutcase (like Palin) is not one of them. It just goes to show how completely off the wall Looserman really is.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

33. Yeah. Ed Koch. Woo-hoo.

Well, whatever. I guess it's good news.

[valerief]

35. Pow! Right in the kisser!

[happygoluckytoyou]

39. IF PALIN DOESN'T SCARE YOU-----> you are NOT paying attention!!!!!

KOCH... well done ! ! !

We don't all agree on everything--- BUT we all should agree ON SOME THINGS...

BANNING BOOKS is terrible....

Trying to FIRE PEOPLE for NOT banning books.... is MORE TERRIBLE

..................we have 50 days to get the LIES out to the public............

any JEW who does not see where PALIN will take you.... IS NOT PAYING ATTENTION
any WOMAN who does not see where PALIN will take you.... IS NOT PAYING ATTENTION
any MORMON who does not see where PALIN will take you .... IS NOT PAYING ATTENTION
any GAY who does not see where PALIN will take you.... IS NOT PAYING ATTENTION

one weak heartbeat from being the most powerful person on the planet.... SARAH PALIN.... official NUTJOB ! ! !

[knixphan]

40. New Yorkers for sanity!

:applause:

[redqueen]

43. Hahahahahahahaha

:rofl:

Again... thank you SO MUCH, McDirtyOldMan! :7

[eridani]

45. I wonder if he knows about the Jews for Jesus whackjobs who say terrorism in Israel

--is just what they deserve for not becoming Christian.

[junior college]

46. OMG

This woman is a lunatic

[Doctor_J]

47. But Ed - Osama might kill us all if Obama is elected

:scared:

[dog72]

48. Sara Palin is nuts

First time poster, long lurker.

I have been a lifelong Republican, but I did vote for Bill Clinton.
My party has completely gone off the deep end, and I now endorse Barrack Obama and Joe Biden.

If they do not get elected, this country is finished.

My former party has put the US on the fast track to nowhere.

Sara Palin is nuts, and if the average American cannot pick that up, they we get what we deserve.