Early Wednesday Palin wrap — child abuser?

Child abuse chiding and staffer affair top list

1. Child abuse? Yes, before she became governor, a state judge warned her that her harassment of ex b-i-l Michael Wooten was a form of child abuse.

“Disparaging will not be tolerated — It is a form of child abuse,” (Judge John Siddock) told a settlement hearing in October 2005.

In that case, the “Barracuda” probably has a long history of abuse. Did she badger kids checking out “undesirable books” at the Wasilla library?

2. Just a fad? Novelty act? That’s the claim of another female governor, Kansas Democrat Kathleen Sebelius. Really, c’mon, that’s pretty thin even for political rhetoric.

Sorry, Gov. Sebelius, but your fellow Dems have wasted wayyy too damned much time on a kid-gloves approach to her. Why Obama and/or the DNC didn’t trot out you and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano at first light 10 days ago to fire back, I have no idea.

Instead, she’s gotten traction now, and, even though she was a novelty act (and still is a circus act), you can’t hang that on her any more. As for “returning to issues,” whether on her affairs (or affair) and many other items, Palin herself should have been the issue. Suffice it to say that I’ll be adjusting my “Intrade” odds this Friday/Saturday.

3. The governor’s affairs? Well, if the National Enquirer is correct (and nobody’s yet denied it, although Kumbaya Democrats don’t like to talk about it), it’s OK for Gov. Palin herself to have an affair. If the Wall Street Journal is right (ahh, the NE and the WSJ in the same breath!) ONLY Gov. Palin gets to have an affair amongst people in the gov’s office.

Meanwhile, the Journal has this classic take on the Frozen Tundra:

But at times, Alaska seems more like a small town, run by folks with overlapping professional, political and personal ties that can be difficult to untangle.

And, Mayor (of) Whazzup, now Gov. Whazzup (more tonight), is the knot, or the naughty, in the middle of the tangle.

Seriously, the more I read, the Palins sound like the Addams Family of Wasilla. I suspect that Palin is lying about much of what she says about Mike Wooten, but I know that domestic affairs, from my journalism experience, quickly devolve into “he said, she said” situations.

4. The GOP is selling a meet, greet and glossy pic of the gov for 50 grand a pop. Now, we know that nobody would pay that for a male Veep’s 8x10, so, tell me, GOP, why isn’t this sexist?

5. Meanwhile, the battle for endorsements continues. First, like dentists recommending Trident, three out of four Palin friends, friends for 15 years, won’t commit to vote for her. But former Bush backer Ed Koch, calling Palin “scary,” WILL commit to vote for Obama. Of course, this is Ed Koch; if you were looking for “maverick” in a political dictionary, you’d see his pic before McCain’s. Or, “contrarian,” even better. Ed probably just was missing the limelight.