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Ziegler’s Folly

Conservative documentary filmmaker John Ziegler was in town to do a special screening of his new film “Media Malpractice – How Obama Got Elected and Palin was Targeted.” It’s been a while since I infiltrated a Palin event, so I decided to slip in and join the festivities.

There seemed to be 300ish people there, I’d guess.  I think they’d been hoping for more, as the theatre was only about half full.  Clearly this was the base.  The base of the base.

Bob & Mark of the “Bob & Mark Show” were there as emcees.  Eddie Burke was there too, sitting in the audience with a pile of t-shirts.  As a matter of fact, before I went in, he was in the lobby engaged in a conversation with an Asian woman about how off-base Grace Jang was with her op-ed piece yesterday, and how she just didn’t “get it.”

Bob and Mark explained to us how we were about to witness John Ziegler’s “labor of love” which will illustrate for us just how the mainstream media went after “our governor….our girl…and how they tore her apart.”  Those last three words were emphasized with lots of dramatic flourish.

Then they introduced the special guests in the audience.  First was Chuck Heath, Jr., Palin’s brother.  But he wasn’t there.  Next was Chuck Heath, Sr. who was thanked for nurturing the governor.  And finally, Todd.  He was clad in a dark jacket and a black baseball cap, and looked like he was trying very hard to be inconspicuous.  He quickly popped up when he was acknowledged, but then slid all the way down in his seat until only the black baseball cap was visible from behind.  Then Eddie Burke, who seemed to not quite know where he fit in the scheme of things, dashed up and gave Todd an “Eddie Burke Show” t-shirt.

~~Terrible picture of Todd Palin and his new Eddie Burke t-shirt after the film~~

~~Todd Palin and his new Eddie Burke t-shirt~~

And now we were ready to meet the filmmaker, but not before Bob Lester urged us all to purchase a copy of the dvd after the show, and send it to our “liberal friends.”

Enter John Ziegler.  It’s kind of funny to see people who come to visit Alaska in any sort of official capacity.  Mostly they look like they have no idea how to act, or what to say.  Sort of like they’re visiting a foreign country, and they’re on stage at the same time.  Ziegler explained to us that his purpose in creating the film was (and I quote) “I decided to dedicate my life to constructing a story to correct the historical record.”

Then he proceeded to list all the media sources that were “in the tank” for Obama, and when The View was mentioned, there was a loud “BOOOOOOOOOO” which eminated from Eddie Burke.  Ziegler told us how important this screening was, and that it might even be the most important one of all, and that “If anyone is going to get the truth it would be the good people of Alaska.”  I tried not to smile.

The film was basically one long interview with Sarah Palin, snipped up into little bits, and interspersed with lots of clips of political commentary from various media sources during the campaign.  Ziegler went out of his way to say that he wasn’t pandering to the base, but that he really wanted to convince people in the middle and on the left that the Obama coronation and the Palin hatchet job was something we all needed to rally around.  So here are the talking points.

Obama is a crooked politician who was annointed in the living room of his BFF, “unrepentant terrorist” Bill Ayers.  Oprah Winfrey’s endorsement made it possible for him to be elected and he is now “beholden” to her.  He created his own “presidential seal.”   Reverend Wright is evil.  Michelle Obama is unpatriotic. The mainstream media was totally focused on undoing Sarah Palin, who is actually more qualified than Obama.

Somehow, we were supposed to believe that the media glossed over the whole Reverend Wright fiasco, and the Bill Ayers association.  They supposedly never mentioned Joe Biden’s “Obama will be tested” gaffe and suddenly the heroes of the day for conservatives were Geraldine Ferraro, and Bill and Hillary Clinton who seemed to be the only ones brave enough to speak truth to power.  We also revisited Joe the Plumber, and the dreaded “spread the wealth around” comment.  Keep in mind that the premise of the movie is that none of this was covered by the mainstream media.

One of the favorite subjects of mockery was Obama’s speech on race relations.  They played a couple clips from the speech, and they showed media reaction which was favorable.  It actually made me smile.  I thought it was a great speech, and so did basically everyone else….except John Ziegler apparently.  The film sank to its ultimate low point when they bashed Obama’s visit to his dying grandmother.  “Did we mention that she ‘helped raise him?'” the voice asked.  This was followed by clips from four or five rapid fire commentators reporting on Obama’s trip saying “to visit his dying grandmother who helped raise him” over and over.  This was followed by a couple clips from interviews with Obama about that visit.  This was supposed to disgust us.

I found it kind of funny at how many points in the film, they were showing some of my favorite parts of the campaign, and accompanying them with scary music, and distorted graphics.

Then, enter Sarah Palin, or as Ziegler described her “a one woman thunderbolt.”  Then there was a scary clip of wolves, bounding through the snow, (that’s the media) ready to pounce and kill on sight.

Everything that Sarah Palin said, so the story goes, was “taken out of context, or completely misunderstood.”  Here again, I found myself looking at the clips they were playing of the Katie Couric interview and the Charlie Gibson interview, and thinking to myself, “this is not helping your case.”  There were more than a few times I had to hold back the giggles.   Tina Fey is the Anti-Christ by the way.

They actually played the clip of Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live where she used Palin’s exact words verbatim.  It was one of her funniest moments and she didn’t even have to write it!  And then they played the clip of Sarh Palin saying the exact same thing.  Classic.

Then the interview with Palin herself. (cue the sad piano music that played whenever Palin was on the screen)  I remember when Ziegler came to Alaska to interview her in Wasilla.  And there she was in her pink suit with her shiny black gogo boots.  He showed her various clips of people reacting to things she had said and then asked her to react back.  When shown the Gibson interview where he asked her what she thought of the Bush Doctrine, and she asked, “His world view?”  Palin looked up from the monitor and said,  “What the heck was wrong with that answer?  Ask anyone in the Bush administration and they would have given the same answer.”   Had there been something around to bang my head on, I would have indulged.  Instead I had to clamp my hand over my mouth to keep from shouting, “No, they wouldn’t have because even people in the Bush administration know what the Bush Doctrine is!  It’s pre-emptive war, not just what Bush happens to think about stuff!!”   It was hard.

Then there was the red leather jacket interview about what she said to the second grader who asked what the vice president does.  Palin explained that the VP was the head of the senate, and helped make policy decisions that affected families.  This had most of the country aghast, realizing that she still really didn’t have a handle on what the duties of the VP are.  Then the film voice explains that the reason she gave an incorrect answer was that she was speaking to a child.  “What was she going to say?”  that the Vice President sits around and “waits for people to die?” the voice asked.  If theatre-goers had been listening carefully they would have heard my chin hit the floor.

Oh, and of course, we were treated to a discussion of the infamous “pallin’ around with terrorists” rallies.  Seems that all those things people were yelling like “Kill him!” and “Terrorist!” weren’t true at all, and Joe Biden is actually the one who traveled around the country whipping up the hate.  After a while it started to feel like I’d gotten a deep injection of novacaine right into the frontal lobes.

Next clip was Katie Couric talking about the “what do you read” question.  And yes, they played the whole interaction with Katie Couric, somehow imagining this would look good for Palin.   Couric was shown being interviewed later, and said that she was surprised that nobody followed up with that question.  Flash to Palin saying in her best mean girl voice, “Because you’re not the center of everybody’s universe. Maybe THAT’s why nobody followed up!”  Then we were told that Palin’s interview debacles were the result of her fear that they would try to “trap her on the abortion issue,” and that she was rightfully “paranoid.”  I never quite figured that one out.

Meanwhile, of course, Obama was being featured on magazine covers that were “literally glowing.”  And after the election, all anybody wanted to talk about was race.  Then we were shown pictures of African American commentators who were almost moved to tears, and Jesse Jackson who was.  Again, we were supposed to feel completely disgusted by all this.

Then came clips of Obama supporters who couldn’t answer questions about who was in control of the congress.  Because all Obama supporters are stupid, and all McCain supporters are smart.

After what seemed like hours, the documentary mercifully ended.  All in all, I found it to be fairly unremarkable.  Sort of an “Oh God, do we have to go through all this again?” tour.   If someone had set a super hard-core Obama filmmaker in a room full of clips and said, “Pick out all the ones that make the media look like they’re picking on Obama, and that make McCain and Palin look good, then string them all together and insert bits of an interview with Obama talking about how unfair it all is, and wrap up with McCain Palin supporters looking stupid”  they’d have come up with the same sort of thing.

Then we were treated to a Q&A, in which Ziegler acted as though he were bestowing the magnanimous gift of his own time and presence.  He was short with people who were thanking him, and only took about 5 questions, leaving many hands in the air.

Here’s where he talked about how he’s appealing to everyone, and not just the conservative base.  Why, he’s only given money to Democratic candidates, we hear.  Well only one candidate.  And it’s a guy he knows.  And he disagrees with him on policy but gave him money because he felt like he had to.  But at least it allows him to claim neutrality in his film.

“What about the birth certificate?”  We knew that one was coming.  Here’s the reason it wasn’t included in the film.  Are you ready?  (clears throat)  “Knowing Obama” and his people, Ziegler believes that he is withholding information, whatever it may be, in order to keep that question “out there” so that the people who bring it up “look like nut jobs.”  I wondered in a devilish moment what would have happened if I had raised my hand and asked, “So, “knowing Sarah Palin” do you think that the reason she never released her medical records is that she’s withholding information whatever that may be, in order to keep that question “out there” so that the people who bring it up look like nut jobs?”   I bet it would have been amusing.

On the way out the door, back into the sane world, I saw Ziegler signing copies of the dvd which were available for purchase. I may have been able to resist head-banging and snarky question asking, but I simply could not resist getting a shot of the filmmaker with Brian, thanks to the assistance of an anonymous Mudflatter.

Brian the Moose and John Ziegler

Brian the Moose and John Ziegler

For more great pictures, check out Progressive Alaska

Comments

comments

Comments
113 Responses to “Ziegler’s Folly”
  1. Gemini says:

    Gotta agree with Sarah that almost everything she said in her UN-scripted interviews was completely misunderstood …

    Well … I know some who thought they understood, but they’re not people I normally consider very … ummm … bright or educated.

    Sure don’t know how you held back the giggles, though …

    OMG!!! “…the reason she gave an incorrect answer was that she was speaking to a child. “What was she going to say?” that the Vice President sits around and “waits for people to die?” I’m dying here!!! That may actually have been the first thought that crossed her mind when the question was asked!

    Can’t say how many times I’ve watched parts of the Couric interview and wondered why the media was being SO nice to Palin about it … something that normally wouldn’t have happened to a male candidate of either party.

    As for Jesse Jackson crying after the election, though …? That was probaby because he figured any chance of being in Obama’s circle of appointeees pretty much ended with his comment about wanting to cut something off–remember that one? Jackson, it seems, was (maybe still is) clinging to the concept that African Americans just wouldn’t/couldn’t vote for someone who had chastised blacks for many of their own problems.

  2. Corine56 says:

    lilybart Says:
    May 30th, 2009 at 6:28 AM

    Samper: we here came up with great book titles, but Letterman just bested us and that is why he is on TV and I am not!

    Book to Nowhere….he nailed it.

    I gave that book title on page 15, comment #731 of the, “Name the Book” thread.
    But it was not picked as one of the good ones. 🙁

  3. clydedog says:

    The picture with Brian is priceless. Brian standing over a giant pile of moose nuggets. Thanks to the brave mudflatter.

  4. austintx says:

    Todd looks like David Koresh in that picture.

  5. MO Inkslinger says:

    Good job! While there is a part of me that would like to see Sarah succeed because of the story of a small town woman making it big on the national scene, Sarah needs more than a few Shucks and Betchas to convince people she could manage the country. Her insatiable lust for media exposure is her downfall.

  6. crystalwolf aka caligrl says:

    Actongue Says:
    May 30th, 2009 at 1:02 AM

    I saw a post on a “Website” that States that 600 people showed up
    ~~~~~~~~~~
    We well know they lie, just like faux news does! I believe Phil & AKM 🙂

  7. lilybart says:

    Samper: we here came up with great book titles, but Letterman just bested us and that is why he is on TV and I am not!

    Book to Nowhere….he nailed it.

  8. bwilder says:

    loved this post and wish i could have been there although i doubt i would have had your control….i would have been laughing and eye-rolling and eventually
    escorted out of the place….

  9. marcus2 says:

    Great job of reporting and writing. You have the patience of a Saint and an iron will. How you did it without puking or laughing out loud is beyond me. Well done.

  10. Actongue says:

    I saw a post on a “Website” that States that 600 people showed up

  11. VernD says:

    Lori in Los Angeles Says:
    May 29th, 2009 at 2:12 PM
    Ziegler went on a dating show here in Los Angeles. It was a disaster. He made a complete ass of himself, and his “date” TRIED to give him the benefit of the doubt until she became completely disgusted. See what a piece of work this Ziegler guy is:
    http://www.gop12.com/2009/04/video-john-ziegler-on-dating-show.html
    >
    >
    >
    My mouth dropped to the desktop when I heard his comments to his “date” at the bar. Wow….. Gee I don’t know why we men get a bad name…LOL.
    I figured out that if you want to get to know a woman, think with the “Northern head” instead of the “southern head”, that and just be freekin’ nice. OY!
    >> Oh and The Brian photo is absolutely wonderful! I’m sure my neighbor thinks something is amiss with the laughter coming from my house!

  12. anadventurer says:

    I am a male no doubt, I have given many a woman a hard time about reading works like “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine based on stereo types and in JEST. I was raised by a single woman who came from east coast money, was cut off, got welfare and now has a Doctorate. Plain holds no value to me as does any of her kind. And I am a GUY, not particularly enlightend, but I don’t order “girls gone wild” or anything like that I don’t like party girls like Palin. A Palin type, I suspepct apples to older men.

    Pakin is what I call an Alaskachix. I saw the current Miss Alaska a few weeks ago and she is the same, as is junior Miss Alaska). They don’t make eye contact with men, unless they look as though they have MONEY or look harmless (I fall into neither category). They all dress pretty close to the same. Light and tight leather jackets, tight(ish) pants, boots or heals with jeans, Drive a Chevy 4×4, are only interested in guys who make “money” in their opinion (the younger one thing this means construction or Army. Before I married the best woman in Alakasa, I was told by an Alaskachix “you can afford me” to whit, “it I can’t? I don’t want too”

    Sorry for the rant, social commentary available for purchase separately.

    I am one of those progressive men that doesn’t like organic food (as an industry), can’t stand drumming scircle and Frisbee golf, likes guns, doesn’t like neo-cons and is generally without a place in politics (being obstinate, sarcastic and honest to a fault). All I want is people to think for themselves.

  13. clark says:

    lori at 60 said: “…with two more Dems throwing their hats in last week (unelectable Dems IMO), I am concerned that there will be a repeat – I wish all would get out of Bob Poe’s way. AK needs Bob Poe.”
    i agree, and i’m convinced poe’s legwork and perseverance these last few months will get him through the primary and correctly paint the others as opportunists.
    i get cranky at daily kos constantly cheerleading berkowitz and pretending the others don’t exist. berkowitz is a good guy but i don’t see the leadership potential or requisite charisma. he’s tried and failed for statewide offices several times. when he was in the state lege he was elected in a safe democratic district where most times the repubs didn’t even bother to contest the seat.
    oh, and just so i stay on topic — ziegler is a joke.

  14. breaking, not breking!

    I can spell, just can’t type when laughing!

  15. That was priceless reporting! And the photo–perfect! 🙂

    I don’t think I could sit through it all, without breking into hysterical giggling fits!

  16. Helen says:

    Just had to chime in again – went to the dating video. What a complete asshead! What an embarrassment for him too. But I’ll bet he doesn’t have the sense to be embarrassed. He probably has constructed hundreds of “stories to correct the historical record” of his constant rejection by women, especially beautiful and intelligent ones like the one in the video, by blaming them. Whatever. Another poor pathetic soul, magnetically attracted to Palin of course.

  17. samper says:

    Written with the help from Joe the Ghost Writer!

  18. samper says:

    Letterman was funny tonite…

    Said her book will be titled … wait for it… I don’t think I saw this one before….

    THE BOOK TO NOWHERE!!!

    HAHAHAHAHA! LOL! 😀

  19. honestyinGov says:

    AKM… just looking down the road a little bit….

    Everybody you talk to at the Netroots Nation will want to know the details and inside stories about this little adventure. You are going to be verrrrry popular.
    And it is well deserved.

    Maybe you should just have some 8 x 10 prints made of that Brian/ Ziegler pic and you can autograph them for the people there. You can sign for Brian… he won’t mind.
    At least take enough to autograph for that local MudPup gathering that were getting together.

  20. Nan says:

    I got extremely uncomfortable watching the “interviews” on Progressive Alaska. He avoided looking at the camera OR the interviewer, he wasn’t speaking easily as if he knew what he wanted to say. He seemed to feel that there was only one “reporter” apparently that was worth his salt (do you want to guess?) and that was himself. all others were “hacks” and “liars.” With nothing given to back up those statements.

    He really came across as – well, I hope he never tries to sell used cars; he’d starve.

    Nan

  21. samper says:

    AKM is one brave soul, as is Brian and our other Mudpuppies who attended. VERY brave!

    I couldn’t even last one page of tweets before having to save myself and get out of there.

    Ziegler is a BUFFOON! That woman was AWESOME in just getting up and leaving, seemingly far before the date was supposed to end. She just KNEW he was a jerk and wasn’t going to waste one more minute on him. Leaving him sitting there alone? Classic!

    How are the twins? I’m surprised Brenda let Brian go “out on the town” when he should have been grocery shopping, gasing up the cars, cleaning the house, or SOMETHING to help out. When does BRENDA get a moment off from raising the babies?

  22. Pursang says:

    Was he at least sober? He was pretty lit up when he got cuffed at the Couric thing at USC. Stay classy Ziegler…

  23. K8KZ says:

    She really thought her answer to Charlie Gibson was a good one? Wow, she really is dumber than a bucket of rocks.

    A little closer and maybe Brian could have bit him!!

  24. Helen says:

    The release of this Foxumentary showing Palin whining and boo-hooing about the media AGAIN is really not going to help her at all with regular folks. Neither are her shiny go-go boots.

  25. strangelet says:

    @85 aussiegal77:

    Ah, yes. Wanker just about covers it, I’d say.

  26. strangelet says:

    Brian and you are the bomb.

    I like to think that I am about as far left wacko liberal as you can get about the First Amendment, but Ziegler gives me pause for thought.

    What was the audience reaction like? Are there really 300 people in Anchorage who can take this garbage seriously?

  27. aussiegal77 says:

    Well done AKM and Brian!!

    Wow. I laughed, grimaced, rolled my eyes and generally felt sick to my stomach whilst reading this post. I can’t believe you sat thru it – you deserve a medal, honestly.

    Ziegler is what we would call in Oz a total wanker and a complete nob. All other words fail me.

  28. ds55 says:

    The GINO did not attend Ziegler’s screening, so her husband and her father went in her place. That will cost her.

  29. LOL – I love the way Brian keeps turning up in the most interesting places!

    AKM, thanks for the review. One more thing I won’t have to watch – I really don’t think I could manage it. Once again, you’ve saved us all a lot of pain.

  30. BigSlick says:

    The only thing missing were the sheets and pillowcases with eye cut-outs.

  31. Thanks for the summary: now I don’t have to wonder what I missed!

    Still, wouldn’t it be nice if they broke the mold and did something actually interesting for a change?

  32. oregonbird says:

    When Todd’s tell-all is published in 20 years or so… we’ll find out just how much he loathes being a shadow. All the same, despite Alaska being far more casual in expected appearance than… a Cancun beach… this was an official, appearance by the spouse of the governor. She might have been illegally garbed at his race, but she presented. Was this a deliberate dis by hubby?

    By the way, I seriously believe that Ms. Palin got her dress sense from television — she honestly believes that miniskirts and sexy footwear is appropriate. And ‘power-dressing’. She believes what she saw on ‘Melrose Place’, ‘The Bold & The Beautiful’ and ‘Ally McBeal’.

  33. BodieP says:

    You’re a better woman than I am AKM (sorry, Rudyard). The only thing that would have made this even better would have been if the “anonymous Mudflatter” had held Brian by the FRONT legs, and given him an opportunity to bless Mr. Z. with a few of those oh-so-nutritious moose nuggets.

  34. jojobo1 says:

    Anyone with any smarts who would watch the video would trash it after the first few minuets,Evey one saw the Couric interview and it was not I repeat not a gotcha moment if anything palin and her can I call you joe during the vp debate was a gotcha moment it just did not go over the way she thought it would.She bought out all the hate groups and she was the one that attacked not President Obama,He did retaliate when attacked some times at other times he left them attack because most people do not like to see someone destroyed like Palin tried to do to Obama,Palin faced nothing like Obama did and IMO neither did Clinton.With the remarks some of the righties have said about woman what can Palin say?

  35. Super Bee says:

    It’s just so darn easy to make fun of these guys!

    Go AKM!

    Go Brian!

  36. jojobo1 says:

    Thank you for the sneak preview of this dvd,.I would not have bought it any way but it was nice to have someone tell the true story about it and that it was indeed a story not a true historical one at that, I do worry that know that you are known and I am sure some keep track I sure hope you had your back covered even if it was with others present.
    I wonder what the women of the world thought when Libby said he hoped Sotomayor did not have pms when she was in the court room. .That remark about a federal judge appointed by both Bush and Clinton was an especially insensitive remark made about any woman and makes one wonder how Palin took that remark at her age

  37. honestyinGov says:

    Brian may have been just trying to sneak up on Ziegler to ‘drop a load of Moose pellets’ on his head.

    And how ‘ observant ‘ of him to notice all the details of his surroundings…. being the Professional moviemaker his is…. also, too

    Any reaction to this story from the see pees..?

  38. Actongue says:

    I found another Ziegler Clip today

    John Ziegler / Katie Couric at USC
    http://vimeo.com/4177462

    “As many of you already know, I was arrested and roughed up by USC campus police while I was outside the event where Katie Couric got her journalism award for her Sarah Palin interview.”

    He tried to get into a press invite only and whined about how he is media and not fair he did not get an invite and that he could not go into it.

    The funny/sad part is he is TOTALLY annoying and getting into peoples faces.

    He then whines about the handcuffs “Hurting Him” but you can see that he is moving his hands around and intentionally indents his skin with the Handcuffs.

    I knew Ziegler was a moron and an Idiot when i first heard about Media Malpractice and his other videos. YET those Palinites still think he is telling the truth

    The truth is a trainwreck is more popular then a Fender Bender.

  39. honestyinGov says:

    AKM…
    I couldn’t believe you were going to do a repeat performance and ‘ go into the belly of the Beast”… AGAIN !!
    I said to myself… THIS is going to be good 😉
    Not sure how you were able to sit through the whole thing….. and still report on it with a clear head. Props go out to you.

    But the ‘ Brian thing ‘…?? THAT is just PRICELESS !!!
    I sure hope that picture gets spread all over the web. And if it ever showed up on Stewart, Colbert or Bill Maher….. I would die laughing.
    P.S. …. shhhh (Can You send it to them..?) Who has connections…?

  40. Lori in Los Angeles says:

    I find it odd that the Toad is there and GINO is not. I can picture what happened (because WHY would she miss an event all about HER with her fans in attendance): GINO got invite. GINO answered an hour before the screening and insisted on taking the stage to do a speech prior to the movie. Ziegler feared he would no longer be the star of his own brilliant piece of work.
    A catfight ensued. GINO stayed home to pout, and Todd went ahead, praying Greta would show up to potect him.

  41. Karin in CT says:

    AKM, you have balls of steel!

    Did Brian bring some mini-cigars to pass around for the birth of the twins?

    The First Dud looks a bit neglected…His wife’s twittering must be getting in the way his personal hygiene too.

  42. Lori in Los Angeles says:

    Have you ever held up your fingers behind somebody’s head (to look like devil’s horns) while they were having their picture taken? Sure, we all have done that, and the person does not know until the photo is printed. Well, Brian is sorta like that – but sooooooo much funnier! Ziegler will have to do a film on the OUTRAGE of this antic! “Moose Malpractice and how an Alaskan citizen was mean to me!”

  43. M. Bake says:

    This give you a good preview of what will be in her book!

  44. rebekkah says:

    That is so hilarious!! What a great picture with Brian looking on while Mr. Ziegler is pre-occupied signing………Brian is very clever and sneaky.

  45. pearl89 says:

    Ziergler makes my skin crawl. He is so creepy. He is the male counterpart to Palin.

    I visited Progressive Alaska before coming here and watched the videos. Ziegler trashed everyone…Michael Moore, Max Blumenthal, and Kelley. He actually thinks he is a better film maker than Moore. Talk about self delusional. He always appears to be either drunk or high to me in his interviews with that sheep eating grin on his face.

  46. Martha says:

    AKM, do you wear Kevlar when you and Brian go on these missions?

    OMG!!! You really CAN’T make this stuff up! You have a very strong constitution and much patience.

    This would be torture for me……like waterboarding, I would say ANYTHING not to have to listen to Palin and her demented supporters.

    With all the hate lately against the gay community and Sotomayor, the rethugs make me sick to my stomach.

    If you have a chance watch the Frost/Nixon movie…….(the Nixon administration gave Cheney/Rumsfeld their start)………the Bush administration has the same “speak”.

    “If the president does it, it’s not illegal”……to quote Nixon AND Condi Rice…..geez.

  47. crystalwolf aka caligrl says:

    Or maybe JZ had a PRIVATE showing for her….EH? He’s so smitten with her after all…
    but wait…he has no facial hair!!!!
    Maybe she ran out of mini skirts to wear and the RNC clothes haven’t gotten back to her yet?
    No more red ho shoes?
    WHAT????? How could she miss a showing of HER????

  48. crystalwolf aka caligrl says:

    Just saw Dennis Zaki’s vid @ Gryphen’s site…omg I cannot believe the hubris, and arrogance of Jz! Ugh! AKM it must of been hell to be in the environment!
    I want to know where GINO was??? The star of the show? was she home with cramps?
    Shredding emails?
    What??????

  49. Aussie Blue Sky says:

    ValleyIndependent Says:
    America is the greatest country in the world
    ————————————————
    If you’re American.

  50. crystalwolf aka caligrl says:

    curiouser Says:
    May 29th, 2009 at 5:18 PM

    #54 crystalwolf aka caligrl Says:
    May 29th, 2009 at 4:56 PM

    Dud looks like he lost some facial hair and gained some glasses???

    ——————-

    Think you’re seeing the dark circles under his eyes.
    ~~~~~~~~~~
    🙂

  51. CorningNY says:

    Poor Brian–(and you too, AKM)–pallin’ around with IDIOTS!!
    Loved the picture. Wish I could have been there to ask the question about SP’s medical records, just to see what JZ would have said…

  52. AK907 says:

    The photo of Brian and ziggy; symbolization of the perfect the coup d’état!

    W-O-W too funny!

    Mudflats R-O-C-K-S

  53. seattlefan says:

    OMG, too funny! Thanks for a hilarious and succinct recap of this event. The picture of Brian is priceless! You should submit this to Huffpo. They would love it over there.

  54. Lori in Los Angeles says:

    GINO’s friends are misogonyst Ziegler, dimwit Carrie Prejean, Mike Steele,and the poor star-struck worshipers at sea4pee. I am fnally ready to calm down – she surrounds herself with extremists and the intellectually-challenged. This means that (on a National stage) she will never appeal to more than 20% of the voters. But, I still worry for Alaska – they just might elect her again. Look what happened in the Anchorage Mayoral race – with two more Dems throwing their hats in last week (unelectable Dems IMO), I am concerned that there will be a repeat – I wish all would get out of Bob Poe’s way. AK needs Bob Poe.

  55. How dare you subject poor innocent Brian to that trauma!!

  56. curiouser says:

    #54 crystalwolf aka caligrl Says:
    May 29th, 2009 at 4:56 PM

    Dud looks like he lost some facial hair and gained some glasses???

    ——————-

    Think you’re seeing the dark circles under his eyes.

  57. dee says:

    What a great piece of writing…Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart would approve. superior work!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the picture of the moose and the other low form of animal life!!

  58. here_in_PA says:

    ROFLMAO, note the sign behind Brian!!!

  59. here_in_PA says:

    I haven’t read all of the posts yet. I’ll tell ya though, I never laughed so hard in my life when I scrolled down and saw Brian posing behind Zeigler!!!! I had to explain to my 7 year old why I was laughing so hard and had to show him the pictures of the twins and Brenda. Thank you soooo much for the needed laughs! Now, got to go read the posts.

  60. crystalwolf aka caligrl says:

    Dud looks like he lost some facial hair and gained some glasses???
    Smurke, such a kiss ass….
    Wonder where GINO was, the **STAR**??? Why didn’t she show? Too busy being gov 24/7 I guess….?

    I just can’t believe the Brian picture….That is just CLASSIC!!!! 😆

  61. hedgewytch says:

    I’d have gotten tossed out of the place. There would have been no way I could have stopped the uncontrolable laughter. If I had had popcorn I would have thrown it at the screen, at Ziegler, or Todd (which is why he may have been duck and covering under the ball cap).

  62. Lori in Los Angeles says:

    anadventurer: Thank you for your post from a male point of view. Any opinion as to how many men will vote for the GINO because she winks, wears mini skirts, is “cute” and “sexy?” I fear the answer is “too many.”

  63. crystalwolf aka caligrl says:

    Oh AKM…you are soooooooo BAD! 😯
    How on earth did you keep a straight face???? You must be a awesome poker player!
    “Then the film voice explains that the reason she gave an incorrect answer was that she was speaking to a child. “What was she going to say?” that the Vice President sits around and “waits for people to die?” the voice asked.”
    Well Yes, isn’t what she was waiting for? Queen of the world!
    “I wondered in a devilish moment what would have happened if I had raised my hand and asked, “So, “knowing Sarah Palin” do you think that the reason she never released her medical records is that she’s withholding information whatever that may be, in order to keep that question “out there” so that the people who bring it up look like nut jobs?” I bet it would have been amusing.”
    OMFG, that would of brought the house DOWN!
    And OMG! I screamed when I saw……
    BRIAN WITH JZ!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8) WHAT A COUPE! AKM THIS IS THE BEST EVER BLOG POST!
    THANK YOU FOR GOING TO THE DARK SIDE….or the “twilight Zone” 😯

  64. oregonbird says:

    @ Lori in LA — oh, horrible clip. And while I’m on the bus with his poor date — I’m all for actual marriage contracts. Including die-by dates and option dates.

    Look, if a woman is realistic, she recognizes that she will mature more quickly than her husband — mentally, emotionally and yes, physically. Darn. So what’s wrong with a signing bonus, an option to continue at the two-year mark, and a sixth-year re-sign? Defined social and financial consequences for breaking the terms of the contract? Direct deposit, beyond household necessities, for any partner that agrees to turn their talents toward social concerns rather than household solvency? And if at any year beyond the second, or during child-raising years the husband chooses not to re-up — well and good. No blame attached. But! I’m not going to ignore basic biology. Men do attract young women into their 60’s & 70’s, and can continue to raise multiple families — women have far less personal viability, and that does affect both their social interactions and earning abilities. So, there should be a contractual recompense for the use of a woman’s ‘best’ years.

    Would I qualify? Not anymore! But after watching a dozen women support men through medical and legal schools, raise their first batch of kids and then get dumped for the next wife&kids set — Contract! You betcha. I’d go for the personal security of a signed, water-tight legal contractual obligation any old day.

    Call me old-fashioned.

    Oh, and while I know you described the audience as “the base of the base” — shiver-inducing, really! I, too, would like to know if they were as mind-blown as it would appear. More information, please!

  65. WakeUpAmerica says:

    Rock on, Brian! Geez, that was quite the hilarious post, AKM. Sorry you had to suffer through the pogrom, er….program. Did you have enough bleach in the house to cleanse your brain?

  66. TBNTJudy says:

    anadventurer said: “I can’t believe that some men think like that and SAY IT OUT LOUD.”

    I’d rather he said it out loud so women know exactly where he stands than keep it to himself to be discovered down the road after some woman has invested a little more time in him. I suspect he figured out right away he couldn’t wow his date because she had brains, and so he decided to sabotage himself. It is no wonder he has never married.

  67. GottaLaff says:

    http://thepoliticalcarnival.blogspot.com/2009/02/political-carnival-exclusive-video.html

    Let’s not forget his Very Special Dating Reality Show fiasco.

  68. ValleyIndependent says:

    Apparently even this movie doesn’t show the “mainstream media” actually ever pulled Palin out of context, but the far right sure pulled both Reverend Wright and Michelle Obama out of context to embarrass now-President Obama. I had to do some looking, but found a longer clip of Wright and found myself agreeing with him, but then I also agreed with Michelle Obama when she was quoted in context. America is the greatest country in the world, but she is not perfect, and if we are to continue to make her better, we first have to be able to acknowledge those imperfections.

  69. Lee323 says:

    ” Ziegler explained to us that his purpose in creating the film was (and I quote) “I decided to dedicate my life to constructing a story to correct the historical record.”
    —————————————————–
    I’m amazed by the ignorance and Freudian qualities of this statement!

    It would have passed my notice completely if he had said “I decided to dedicate my life to correcting the historical record.” Although this would have shown considerable hubris, it would have at least seemed like an opinion that he is entitled to have about the historical record.

    As it is….he actually admits that he is “constructing a story.” This shows not only his ignorance of how this language would be perceived by the listener…. but it is hilariously an overt admission (or “Freudian slip”) that his “documentary” is a construct of his own design…”a story.”

    Sorry, Mr. Zeigler….I think I’ll stick with the “historical record” which, for your information, is actually a very complex mosaic of many news reports, interpretations, and supporting print and media documents. What an emminently suitable mediographer for Palin! What a goose. NEXT!

    I can see with my magnifying glass that Brian the Moose is surreptitiously holding up the “rabbit ears” sign over Zeigler’s head. Haha. Great report, AKM.

  70. Ripley in CT says:

    HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA @ Brian!!! OMG!!! Priceless. I LOVE you and your posse!!!

  71. anadventurer says:

    Saw the dating video and THAT GUY makes me ashamed to be a man. I can’t believe that some men think like that and SAY IT OUT LOUD. Like, (take a few deep breaths) I wanna punch him in the face for being so rude to a woman and if I was in a restaurant with a guy like that at the table next to me I would pretend I knew the woman so she could get out of there.

  72. InJuneau says:

    SMR (hey, nice to “see” you here; are you to the new home now?)–Apparently they did… Can you imagine?

  73. nswfm CA says:

    “Tina Fey is the Anti-Christ by the way.”

    Thank DOG for that!

  74. SMR says:

    Photos over at Progressive Alaska show children there. Tell me, did people really truly bring their children to this freak show?

  75. petepeta says:

    Finally, a torture worse than waterboarding. Watching this wacko’s movie.

  76. phoebe says:

    I must say it was rather brazen of you and anonymous Mudflatter & Brain to take a picture in enemy camp. I’d be happy to loan you my Groucho glasses next time. Do you think they make Groucho glassses for moose?

  77. phoebe says:

    @Austin

    Is that why we never see the relatives? They are busy.

  78. UK Lady says:

    “Then, enter Sarah Palin, or as Ziegler described her “a one woman thunderbolt.” Then there was a scary clip of wolves, bounding through the snow, (that’s the media) ready to pounce and kill on sight”

    That was pretty damned stupid considering that in Alaska the wolves are bounding through the snow desperate to get away from Scarah who is ready to pounce and kill on sight.

  79. Star says:

    Oh gawd..What a jackass..Loved seeing Brian there..he he :))

  80. SmallSteps says:

    Wow! The only way I could conceive of watching that video would be while engaged in a drinking game! Thank you AKM for taking one for the team, and thank you to Far from Fenway Fan too also. What a civics lesson your boys received.

  81. pvazwindy says:

    That picture of Brian is priceless. He’s earned a sip of Moosehead Lager. You too, AKM.

  82. ChicagoMom says:

    This post is as close as I want to get to that movie, but that photo of Brian is priceless!

  83. KaJo says:

    Philip Munger Says: May 29th, 2009 at 2:27 PM “Eddie Burke has just begun talking about the movie, and about tossing BJ Kelley out of the theater. On KBYR.”

    I was pretty amused by 3 things in the KBYR tape of the Kelley-Ziegler encounter:

    1) Kelley left quietly and graciously, unlike Ziegler’s ousting from the UofCA campus when he attempted to crash the Katie Couric Walter Cronkite award ceremony.

    2) Ziegler was nasty and rude to Kelley, saying he was the “hack” (who’d contacted Ziegler a few weeks/months ago and they got into an argument), and Kelley said on camera that HE wasn’t going to be rude…

    3) The expression on Ziegler’s face, at the beginning of the short conversation with Kelley, changed from stoic and bored (he was signing autographs) to that weird chipmunk grin that was plastered all over his face during the entire UofCA gate-crashing video he engineered. That must be Ziegler’s “kung-fu chipmunk” face.

  84. trisha says:

    Go ahead Palin…..keep palling around with these far-right wing nut jobs (and People magazine). That will make your base even smaller than it is now.
    She is an idiot.

    The more they try to defend the Couric interview, the worse she looks. There is NO way to take it out of context. Same with the Gibson interview. Geez, they were easy on her.

    Can you imagine her in some kind of negotiations with Putin…..”He was mean to me. whine, whine, whine”.

  85. Seagull Junker Palin says:

    OMG Brian the Moose – the MONEY shot!!!!

  86. Far from Fenway fan says:

    I, too, attended the screening. Given the cool rainy evening, I was surprised by the light attendance AND that Todd was there. I went expecting – indeed hoping for – a professionally done production that would make me think about media coverage and be thought-provoking. I even brought my 2 teenage sons to what I thought might be a good civics lesson.

    The film was, in short, ABSURD. The language used to narrate it was highly prejudicial and emotionally-charged. I mean it was LOADED. But the main critique I have is that to support the basic premise of media bias, the film focused predominately on clips from …. MSNBC and CNN!! How ridiculous is that? Gee, let’s make a documentary about Fox favoring right-wing candidates and claim bias. DUH!

    There were extensive clips from an interview w Sarah after the election in which she whines about being treated horrendously by the media and saying that she wouldn’t have been treated that way if she were running with Obama. Well, ya know what, you were treated that way because you never said anything of substance or anything that made any sense. And second news flash, Obama would NEVER have chosen you.

    It was like McCain didn’t even run in the election. He was barely mentioned or shown. And there was a LOT of racial innuendo regarding Obama. Disgusting. My poor 16 year old son sat there squeezing his temples and shaking his head.

    The film in several clips made a big deal about Palin’s “I can see Russia” quote and Tina Fey’s use of it on SNL. The gist of the EXPOSE was that Fey/SNL misquoted Palin: she didn’t say “see Russia from my house” she said “see Russia from Alaska”. They thought this was making fun of Palin by slightly changing what she actually said. Of course, you CAN see Russia from Alaska. No one who knows anything about living here disputes that or finds that humorous. What is ABSURD is that Palin made that statement in response to “how does Russia’s proximity to Alaska enhance your foreign policy experience?” Her response was parodied by SNL because it was STUPID!

    So, dear muddies, we went, we saw, we listened. And we’ll vote for Obama in 2012.

  87. TBNTJudy says:

    Okay, now I’m going to wallow in a little snark… In that dating video of Ziegler, he said that in their 40s men start to become more distinguished while women…deteriorate. Get a load of his distinguished jaw line and neck in AKM’s photo. Brian, on the other hand, looks better and better all the time. Guess it has something to do with the quality of the male.

  88. London Bridges says:

    What was that stuff falling from Brian’s posterior onto Ziegler’s shoulder?
    Did anyone comment on seeing Brian with Ziegler?

  89. TBNTJudy says:

    @Lori in LA: Wow! What an eye opener on Ziegler. I cannot even imagine going out on a blind date with someone like that. Eeeeewwwwwww!!!!!

  90. Irishgirl says:

    I’d love to know who was the anonymous Mudflatter.

  91. antiAnti says:

    Not a single breast pump reference? Ziegler must have spent hours re-dacting his footage.

    AKM, thank you. Your writing is a national treasure.

  92. mlaiuppa says:

    *spew*. Oh, gawd. Brian the moose and Ziegler. I burst out laughing. That is just so….so….Mudflats! I am in awe of Brian and his bladder of iron and his enormous self-control not to leave little moose presents littering the floor.

    So, no distribution rights? Fox and Warner not interested in distributing to theaters? Straight to DVD? Is Ziegler going to tour the country, autographing and selling the DVDs himself to “get the word out”?

    I have a autographed copy of “Who Killed the Electric Car”. But I also saw it in the theaters. Twice.

  93. Eddie Burke has just begun talking about the movie, and about tossing BJ Kelley out of the theater. On KBYR.

  94. phoebe says:

    I wonder where Chuck Heath Jr was…you know, we never get to see any of SP’s siblings. I guess she doesn’t want to share the wealth or publicity. Reliving the election with a republican twist sounds just too terrible. Thanks AKM & Brian.

  95. Greytdog Δ says:

    Three cheers for Brian, the Brave Moose on the Loose!

  96. anadventurer says:

    AKM: YOU ARE A SOCIAL ENGINEER.

  97. curiouser says:

    The ‘movie’ had clips of haraS whining about media lies about her family. Did it also have clips of the media engaging in actual Palin family bashing? Did the audience notice the absence of documentation for Sarah’s claims?

  98. SillyWhabbit, Seattle, WA says:

    That is fluffing AWESOME!!!
    May I just say you must have moose nuggets the size of bricks. You walked into the belly of the beast’s base and lived to tell about it. I’m impressed.

  99. sauerkraut says:

    Brian’s presence sures lends a feel to that picture, but I’m giggling at the words on the sign there… “no texting.” Guess that’s why Sarah wasn’t there; couldn’t be the twit tweeting.

  100. Lori in Los Angeles says:

    Ziegler went on a dating show here in Los Angeles. It was a disaster. He made a complete ass of himself, and his “date” TRIED to give him the benefit of the doubt until she became completely disgusted. See what a piece of work this Ziegler guy is:
    http://www.gop12.com/2009/04/video-john-ziegler-on-dating-show.html

  101. curiouser says:

    What courage you have! Thanks for the 1st hand report. Hopefully, you have had time for a hot shower and sage cleansing ritual.

  102. zyggy says:

    lol, love the photo of Brian and Ziegler, priceless! That photo so made my day.

  103. Rob in Ca says:

    Sounds hilarious. I can’t believe the picture of Ziegler with Brian…

    275 people…I have a feeling Ziegler’s 15 minutes are about up. He might have broken even if he hadn’t given Todd that t-shirt…Doh!

  104. sauerkraut says:

    AKM writes: “The mainstream media was totally focused on undoing Sarah Palin, who is actually more qualified than Obama.”

    ____________

    Okay… two quick points on this:

    1) Sarah Palin undid herself. And I’m not talking about the short skirts.

    2) The first step in being qualified is having a working brain. Anyone seen Sarah’s around anywhere? Based on what I’ve read and watched over the past several months, I seriously question her ability to think coherently. Maybe the problem is at her nerve endings because she certainly hasn’t shown any ability to communicate any amount of cogent thought.

    Ziegler… maybe Putin fired him from Pravda and sent him over here to spread propaganda. His video really has no other value, if that.

  105. InJuneau says:

    OMG, SO not watching that, except that it sounds kind of funny that he thinks that all the full interview segments of her HELP her?

    And Brian infiltrating? That’s just precious! (Was it as hard for him to keep from snorting as it was for you to keep your jaw off the floor?)

  106. Irishgirl says:

    Priceless….I loved that…and sooo good to see that Brian made an appearance. This has made my weekend. 🙂

  107. Dr. Patois says:

    Was there popcorn?

  108. ericmiami says:

    As the stomach churns.
    Ziegler is proof the gene pool needs chlorine.

  109. Nan says:

    ROFLOL – so good to see you had Brian to keep you company through the sno – um, the movie.

    Love the pictures, love the post – thanks for taking it for the home team. (how *did* you keep a straight face for some of that, anyway?) Yikes.

    Nan

  110. austintx says:

    Man , that Brian is quite the Moose about town !! Hm-m-m-m…..for the rest……..well…….all I can say is “Thanks”…….for takin’ one for the team………..

  111. sauerkraut says:

    AKM writes: “Eddie Burke was there too, sitting in the audience with a pile of t-shirts. As a matter of fact, before I went in, he was in the lobby engaged in a conversation with an Asian woman about how off-base Grace Jang was with her op-ed piece yesterday, and how she just didn’t ‘get it.'”

    ______________

    If there is a God, He will make certain that Eddie Burke is the one who isn’t “getting it.” In more ways than one, winkie blinkie.

  112. CrabbyPatty says:

    Oh, lord, that was funny. What was the general reaction of the audience? Applause, oohs and ahhs of understanding? Or were they puzzled as well by all of Zeigler’s “evidence”?

  113. sauerkraut says:

    Ziegler… ain’t watching his “movie,” no sir.

    firstie! 😎