Dave Stieren Takes His Palin Bashing to an International Audience

Last Friday, I wrote a piece replying to DrewM. from Ace of Spades, in which he had criticized Governor Palin for resigning when she did. I restated that those who use this line of attack, are merely using it as a political weapon, considering how easy it is to spin to observers who don't know the full story. However, given all the facts about what happened to Governor Palin during the last portion of her term, anybody with a working mind understands that what she did was for the benefit of her state. She resigned to get the countless attacks against her out of the governor's office, and the money they cost the state, away from the burden of taxpayers. The Democrat operatives (and their Republican lackeys) responsible, were strangling the people's business with their endless political manipulation of the system.

Once again, a "Palin critic" has stepped up to the plate to bash Governor Palin's character over this issue. Only this time, it wasn't on a Conservative American blog, it was on an international news report.

While the BBC crew was in Alaska conducting their ambush interview with the governor, they found time to speak with some locals. Those interviews included one with the founder of Alaskans4Palin, Tracey Porreca and one from Bob Lester of the Bob & Mark Show. They also interviewed Dan Fagan's radio replacement, and Alaska Standard blogger, "Super Dave" Stieren.

Super Dave told the BBC:

"Well, when you look ahead to 2012, as Conservative as I am, there is no way on the world I would support Sarah Palin as a Presidential candidate. Conservatives for too long, have been looking for the next Reagan. And not even Reagan thought he was Reagan when he was President. And while Sarah Palin may say wonderful things at press conferences to thousands of people, the reality is you need someone in charge who is a details person. Someone who has the discipline to stick out a four-year term, and not be frightened off by two or three bloggers in the state of Alaska. And anyone who can't handle three Alaskan bloggers, does not need to be the most powerful person on planet earth."

My first problem with what Stieren said, is who he said it to. He just implied to an international audience that a plausible United States presidential candidate is weak. I personally feel that Obama is weak, and while someone in France may read my words, I'm not going to go tell a French news crew that our current Commander in Chief is a spineless wimp. That would be idiotic and irresponsible.

He states that three bloggers, by themselves were responsible for filing the ethics charges, and putting a stranglehold on the office. If he seriously think three left-wing bloggers could pull of something like that, then he's an absolute idiot. The paperwork alone would be too much for these people to handle. But Dave is no idiot... He knows what went on up there when Governor Palin returned home from the national campaign in 2008. After glancing at the man's Facebook page, it's easy to see what crowd Stieren hangs with. There you will find the wife of one of the many (there are more than three on record) serial ethics complainants, Val Henning and super Palin-hater, Sherry Weinstein.

Dave also happens to be a big fan of Lisa Murkowski's. In fact, during the Senatorial campaign last year, Dave was accused of trying to blackmail a Joe Miller campaign staffer after a barroom incident. It was alleged that Stieren's goal was to get Miller's campaign Manager, Paul Bauer fired. Thomas Lamb posted an excerpt of the report which stated:

But the central allegation is that Stieren told a Miller staffer outside the bar that he’d air the recording if Bauer wasn’t fired as campaign manager.

The recording in question was of Bauer's wife (a New Yorker) had a heated exchange with Stieren, while Dan Fagan recorded it. The dirty political trick prompted another Alaska blogger at Alaska Pride to conclude:

[B]oth Dan Fagan and Shannyn Moore are two separate wings of the same bird of prey. Both have become ratings whores dedicated to propagating smear and trafficking in slander.

I would add Super Dave to that mix.

Paul Bauer sent a clear message about the state of Republican politics in Alaska during an interview, before he stepped down as Joe Miller's campaign manager. Quoted in the Alaska Dispatch, he said:

"The Republican establishment does not like Sarah Palin. Everyone's trying to damage Joe because they don't like Sarah Palin."

It's pretty clear that those old grievances haven't died. Governor Palin took on the establishment and she remains an enemy in their eyes. So, don't be surprised in the future, to see self-proclaimed "Conservatives" from Alaska, repeating to members of an ignorant press, the same political smears as every other Palin-hater on the planet. Those educated in Alaskan politics understand where it's coming from.