SCRANTON, PA– The GOP Vice-Presidential nominee came to her rival, Joe Biden’s hometown today and went after the native son for not supporting clean coal and off-shore drilling. Throughout her criticism of the Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee, a Palin supporter shouted, “Go Home Joe!” This is not a new attack, but it is the first time she has gone after him in the town he grew up in.

“Joe Biden had said that there is no such thing as clean coal when we talk about clean coal technology that is needed. He said–he said as a matter of fact even if there were clean coal, in an Obama administration it would be fine if China used it, but it wouldn’t be used here at home. Now that’s nonsense.” Palin said, “Biden also has called environmentally friendly offshore drilling he’s called it raping the outer continental shelf. Both he and Barack Obama have opposed off-shore drilling. Our opponents keep saying no to sound, responsible energy solutions and here again Americans will have a clear choice on November 4th.”

Joe Biden was last in Scranton on Sunday–at the same venue–stumping for his ticket with the Clintons. Hillary Clinton’s family also hails from this Rust Belt town.

Palin is referring to comments Biden made on the ropeline last month in Maumee, Ohio where the Democratic nominee told an environmental activist who asked him why coal is necessary given alternatives such as solar and wind, “We’re not supporting clean coal.”

But, Biden has clarified his statement saying he does believe in investing in clean coal technology and he always did he just meant that he’s not supporting it over other, cleaner alternatives.

At her rally, Palin praised her running mate’s new economic plan launched today and said it will help families “keep their homes and save failing neighborhoods and bring stability to our housing market.”

“So just this morning John McCain set forth a plan to help those who have been hardest hit in this economic crisis. Our pension and family security plan. This is going to get our country through a time of testing. And it’s going to get the economy back on the right track. Under this plan, we will help American families keep their homes and save failing neighborhoods and bring stability to our housing market.”

Palin will now travel to New York to meet up with John McCain for a fundraiser in New York sure to bring in high dollar donations for the GOP ticket.

RICHMOND, VA — Palin addressed thousands of supporters in the parking lot of the Richmond International Speedway and told the racing fans that they have experience with close races comparing the 2008 campaign to a NASCAR race.

“I understand you all know a little something about close races. One of them very recently the Chevy Rock and Roll 400. It was held here. I hear it was quite a thrill. The lead going back and forth lap after lap nobody knew who was going to win right up to the finish line.” Palin said, “Well John McCain and I are nearing the finish line here too of another close race and you know it is looking a lot like that Rock and Roll 400. Our race is gonna be close. It’s gonna be a real sprint to the finish line and it is a long way from being decided and that is why John and I are taking our cause for reform to every voter of every background all across this great nation.”

She told the excited crowd that with Virginia’s help the GOP ticket will be, “victorious on the checkered flag waving day November 4th.”

The massive crowd of over 10,000 –holding signs that read “I’m Voting for the Chick” and “Keep Virginia Red– had problems hearing the governor of Alaska and supporters in the back started chanting, “Louder! Louder! Louder!” In an awkward moment, Palin mistakenly thought protestors were interrupting her speech, “I would hope at least that those protestors have the courage and the honor of thanking our veterans for giving them the right to protest.”

The audience began yelling, “No!” and tried to alert the GOP Vice-Presidential nominee to speak louder.

Her husband, Todd then leaned over and explained to his wife that they were enthusiastic supporters not protestors, “They just can’t hear you back there. That’s it.” Todd whispered in Palin’s ear, but it is audible on the camera microphone.

The audio did not get better, but Palin continued and went after Barack Obama saying he will limit gun rights, “We believe in the forward movement of freedom, not the constant expansion of government. And though Barack Obama disagrees, that freedom includes-that freedom includes the rights and liberties under the 2nd Amendment.”

On the Democratic nominee’s website it states Barack Obama will actually protect gun rights, “Barack Obama believes the Second Amendment creates an individual right, and he respects the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms. He will protect the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own, transport, and use guns.”

VIRGINIA BEACH — In front of one of the largest crowds the GOP ticket has seen, Sarah Palin introduced her running mate and said the road to the White House goes through this formerly reliable red state that is now very much in play.

“This election is going to come right down to the wire here and it’s pretty clear that the road to victory in 2008 it’s going to run right through the Hampton Roads.” Palin said referring to the Virginia Beach community, “We’re counting on the people of America’s first region to help us send John McCain to the White House. Yes! Virginia are you ready to help carry this state to victory?”

Virginia has not voted for a Democrat since 1964, but recent polls show Barack Obama ahead of John McCain here.

The GOP Vice-Presidential nominee told the crowd at the Virginia Beach Convention Center that she knows there is “anger” in the country citing amongst other issues “voter fraud” eliciting cheers and chants of “Nobama!” from the crowd. She told her supporters to turn their “anger into action.”

“We know all across America right now there is a lot of anger. There is anger about the insider dealings of lobbyists and anger about the greed on Wall Street and anger about the arrogance of the Washington elite and anger about voter fraud,” Palin said. “America let John McCain turn that anger into action!”

She also went after the Democratic ticket saying they are looking to the past and the strategy is not working, “You know for a campaign that says it is all about the future our opponents sure do a lot of talkin’ about the past and pointing fingers in the past. That strategy is finally wearing a little bit too thin. Enough is enough.” Palin said, “They look to the past because that’s where you find blame. We are joining you to look to the future. That’s where we find solutions.”

Members of the crowd held signs that read “Keep Virginia Red!” and that is exactly what Palin will continue to try and do today. Her next stop is the Richmond International Speedway.

MEDIA, PA — “Sarah and I are going to get on that chopper and ride it right to Washington and raise hell when we get there,” McCain told about 10,000 supporters in suburban Philadelphia today upon being presented with a customized bike by the crew from Orange County Choppers.

Paul Teutul Sr. and sons built the customized bike to commemorate POWs and MIAs and honor McCain’s service as a POW.

McCain’s vow to ride to Washington and “raise hell” came at the same rally he rebuked Obama for lacking a plan to address the economic crisis.

“Senator Obama has declined to put forth a plan of his own. I’m not surprised. His campaign said that today he’d outline his plan, but this afternoon instead of offering a single solution, he just gave another speech full of political attacks,” McCain said. “One week after this crisis began, Senator Obama has still not offered any plan of any kind. The time of crisis when leadership is needed, Senator Obama has been M.I.A. my friends, that means Missing in Action.”

He continued, “the truth is we don’t have time to wait for Senator Obama to recover from his paralysis in the face of this crisis. Congress must act and act quickly.”

One addition note: Don’t expect to see McCain or Palin on a bike any time soon since we are told the customized chopper will remain with Teutul and company.

BLAINE, MN — Awaiting the McCain-Palin rally here, we found that McCain voters are finding creative ways to show their support for the GOP ticket.

John Whaley, an Eden Prairie resident, was in the crowd Friday showcasing McCain and Palin hand puppets he said his wife’s company, Princess Soft Toys, designed just before the Republican National Convention.

“We are just having some fun,” Whaley said, adding that the puppets are not yet for sale.

President Bill Clinton lavished some praise on Sarah Palin today, calling her an “instinctively effective candidate” who cannot be underestimated.

During an interview with CNBC that aired Thursday, the former president repeated that he supports the Obama-Biden ticket and disagrees with McCain-Palin on many issues, but was still extremely complimentary of the Alaska Governor.

Asked if he was surprised by the bounce McCain saw in the polls after selecting Palin, Clinton disagreed.

“No, she is an instinctively effective candidate with a compelling story and I think it was exciting to some that she was a woman that she is from Alaska,” Clinton said. “And she grew up and came up in a political and religious culture that is probably well to the right of the American center but she didn’t basically define herself in those terms. She said ‘this is where I am from, I am not going to impose this on you, this is what I want to do that I think we can all be a part of.’”

He added: “She handled herself well so no, I wasn’t surprised. I think that you know I disagree with them on many issues and that’s why aside from my party affiliation I would be for Obama and Biden anyway but I get why she has done so well. It would be a mistake to underestimate her…her intuitive skills are significant.”

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — At times Wednesday night, John McCain and Sarah Palin worked the room like two old pros–seemingly capable of completing the other’s sentences–but the evening began with a subtle hint from the newbie.

“John, John. Can I add something? I want to add something to that,” Palin asked innocently, after McCain had completed his first response to a voter question about how to deal with radical Islam and began to entertain another question.

“Always,” McCain responded with an embarrassed grin as the audience for their first ever joint-town hall erupted in applause.

“OK,” Palin responded with confidence to more cheers from the crowd, before lavishing a little praise on McCain for his stance on the surge.

McCain made his name at town hall meetings throughout the Republican primary and attributes his victory to the freewheeling back and forths with voters in the early battleground states.

“People can tell me their hopes and their dreams and their aspirations and their concerns,” he often says of the sessions. Just hand McCain a microphone and put him at the center of a forum with a collection of curious voters and he is ready to go.

And while the GOP ticket has spoken together at more than a dozen joint rallies, Wednesday night marked for the first time McCain had his teammate beside him for a beloved town hall meeting.

After Palin made her intentions clear at the start of the Q and A, two candidates would look back at one another during all subsequent questions to ensure each had had their full bite at the apple.

As the questions and answers flowed, the two worked the crowd in tandem. Palin provided a couple assists on energy policy while McCain gave his running mate some back up on foreign policy.

The next test came as a curious supporter wondered aloud whether Palin has “been able to convince the Senator on drilling in ANWR?”

Drilling for oil in the arctic wildlife refuge is one of the issues where the two members of the ticket part ways: Palin for. McCain against.

The two candidates smiled at one another.

“I’m still working on it,” she said to laughter.

McCain quickly chimed in with one of his standard town hall lines but one that was perfect for the moment.

“This town hall meeting is adjourned,” he declared in jest.

“Sorry,” the voter added with concern.

“No, it’s good,” Palin reassured the man.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Asked Wednesday to reassure voters about her readiness to handle foreign policy in the White House, Gov. Sarah Palin offered up a dare.

“I’ll be ready. I have that confidence. I have that readiness and if you want specifics with specific policy or countries go ahead you can ask you can play stump the candidate if you want to,” Palin told more than 3,500 supporters at her first public town hall tonight in Western Michigan.

The GOP VP nominee proposed the game of “stump the candidate” during her final response of the night in a town hall session where she otherwise successfully tackled questions on energy, Iraq and her personal life. However, in response to the final question of the night, from a supporter to asked for “specific skills” Palin will offer when it comes to foreign policy, Palin instead repeated that she is ready for office and dared anyone curious to quiz her on international affairs.

While Palin’s offer of ’stump the candidate’ was partially meant in jest, media already eager to trip up the Alaska Governor on her perceived weakness now have even more incentive to—if ever accorded the opportunity to ask questions. The campaign of course has been extremely selective about opportunities to question Palin–she has only conducted two national interviews and has yet to take questions in a formal setting.

Still, one of the last candidates to dare the media was former presidential candidate Gary Hart who, when suspected of womanizing, famously told the media “follow me around . . . . I’m serious. If anybody wants to put a tail on me, go ahead. They’d be very bored.” He lost that dare.

The Indoor Tanning Association addresses one of Sarah Palin’s lesser-known controversies: her tanning bed.

“Kudos to Governor Palin for standing up to dermatologists and other members of the sun scare industry who are trying to frighten Americans away from UV light,” an association release stated today.

FULL RELEASE:

Today the Indoor Tanning Association addressed rumors that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who was recently chosen as Presidential Nominee John McCain’s running-mate, had installed a tanning bed in the Governor’s mansion.

According to online reports, a Palin spokesman confirmed in 2007 that the Governor “did have a tanning bed put in the Governor’s Mansion,” Adding that, “It was done shortly after she took office [in early 2007] and moved into the mansion.”

In locations such as Alaska, tanning beds provide important health benefits as a source of UV light. In the bleak winter months, many Americans experience vitamin D deficiency and the best way to manufacture vitamin D is through exposure to UV light. But it is impossible to get the requisite amount of vitamin D from the sun in cities north of 37 degrees latitude for as many as 6 months out of the year; people living as far north as Juneau, Alaska, are deprived of vitamin D from sunlight for even longer.

In addition to increasing the risk of many types of cancer and heart disease, vitamin D deficiency is also linked to many common wintertime complaints such as fatigue, depression and aches and pains.

While partisan bloggers and the sun scare industry will use this as an opportunity to undermine Gov. Palin and demonize the indoor tanning industry, the fact is that Governor Palin’s decision to get UV light from a tanning bed positively impacts her health.

(more…)

ALBUQUERQUE, NM– Gov. Palin hit back at Sen. Obama during an evening rally in the Land of Enchantment Saturday, arguing that the Democrat is in no place to lecture her on federal earmark requests.

The Democratic presidential nominee told an Indiana crowd today that Palin is a flip flopper when it comes to requesting federal dollars for state projects, noting that her recent criticism of the earmark process comes only after years of advocating for earmarks for her city and state.

“When you’ve been taking all these earmarks when it is convenient and then suddenly you are the champion anti-earmark person, that’s not change. Come on! I mean, words mean something. You can’t just make stuff up,” Obama said.

Palin, who received millions in earmarks for projects during her time as mayor of Wasilla, returned fire tonight in front of more than 6,000 supporters.

“Today our opponent brought up earmarks and frankly I was surprised that he raised the subject. I didn’t think he’d want to go there,” she said. “Our opponent has requested nearly one billion dollars in earmarks in just three years…about a million dollars for every working day. Just wait until President John McCain puts a stop to that.”

The state of Alaska has also requested hundreds of millions of dollars during Palin’s first year as Governor but she noted today that she “cut back earmarks in our state” this past year.

“I’m ready to help John McCain end earmarks once and for all…eleventh hour, behind closed doors, no public scrutiny, the earmark system that is broken–we will end that,” she said.

Palin, who has adopted McCain’s passionate anti-earmark rhetoric since being selected as the VP, has also received some heat for her evolving position on the $200 million+ dollar earmark for the infamous “bridge to nowhere.” While she now tells voters that she told the feds “thanks but no thanks” for the appropriation, Palin actually advocated for a bridge during her 2006 gubernatorial bid. She eventually rejected the specific earmark but the state still received an equivalent amount of federal money for use on other transportation projects.