PARTIAL
BREAKING NEWS
WELL-HEELED PALIN SUPPORTERS RALLY IN ASHEVILLE * Belzak/MediaBear
7,800 Attend Sarah Palin's Obama-Bash Fest in Asheville on Sunday
Speech Focused on Personally Bashing Obama and Emphasized God, 'Joe the Plumbers,' and Patriotic Places in America
Palin Ridiculed Obama's Plans for Helping the Middle Class and Criticized the Federal Government for 'Over-Spending'
On Sunday evening, Oct. 26, 2008, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin spoke in person to 6,000 cheering supporters in the Asheville Civic Center, while an additional 1,800 attendees sat in an overflow auditorium within the Civic Center and watched Palin's speech on a giant TV screen.
Palin's speech in Asheville was mostly an attack on Obama and touched very little on the major issues of the day. She congratulated the audience on North Carolina measuring up to be a "patriotic place," which brought great cheers and applause from the Asheville crowd.
Before, during and after the rally, pro-Obama supporters had their say outside the civic center.
PALIN SUPPORTERS COLLIDE WITH OBAMA CROWD * Belzak/MediaBear
'BAMA BASHING
Palin's Asheville speech centered principally on Obama bashing, uttering similar comments as in her other recent speeches. Palin's Asheville speech served as a practice run for the speech she gave today in Fredericksburg, VA, utilizing many of the same phrase.
No new ground was covered in Palin's Asheville speech, only a reinteration that the McCain-Palin ticket is good, and the Obama-Biden ticket is not.
Although Palin said "John and I will fix the economy," asked war veterans in the crowd to raise their hands, and said that she stood for "all the Joe the Plumbers,", she provided few concrete details and no new ideas on how that would be accomplished.
PALIN SURROUNDED BY ALL-WHITE SUPPORTERS IN ASHEVILLE * Belzak/MediaBear
Palin did not explain what she would do for America's "Joe the College Kids," who are struggling to go to college and pay-off high-interest college loans. She made no mention of how she planned to stop spending $10 billion each and every month that American taxpayers are now spending on the Iraq war.
Palin said that Democrats were going to tax the people more than a McCain-Palin administration, but provided no specifics to back the charge.
"John and I are for government that is for the people, by the people, of the people," said Palin in Asheville. The people in the crowd cheered and clapped loudly. Palin did not follow up with any explanation of what that meant to her or McCain.
SOCIALISM FOR THE WEALTHY
Earlier on Sunday, conservative columnist George Will said on national television that there has been socialism practiced by the U.S. government the past eight years, but that it has come in the form of socialistic practices that have helped the wealthy, not the middle class. Palin, however, made no such distinction and accused Obama's plans of being socialism without offering any examples.
GOD, BABY, GOD
In Asheville, Palin mentioned "God" on numerous occasions -- and to a much lesser extent than she said "Drill, baby, drill," as well as "Mine, baby, mine -- giving the impression that she came to the mountains of North Carolina to deliver a sermon rather than serve as a secular politician in a country historically founded upon the principal of separation of church and state.
PALIN'S BABY PROP
Earlier on Sunday at a rally in Florida, Palin had one of her daughters carry out and hold the Palin baby on stage. The baby has increasingly become a standard Palin stage prop.
SARAH PALIN WITH SEN. RICHARD BURR (L.) IN ASHEVILLE * Belzak/MediaBear
BLIND FAITH
Nonethelesss, thousands of the Palin faithful loved what they heard and saw. Palin looked well rested. She was animated, energized, resisted saying "You betcha," and said the race was far from over. She criticized the media for reporting the polls that currently show that the McCain-Palin ticket is trailing the Obama-Biden campaign.
FOR PALIN RALLY STORY AND MORE PHOTOS, Click Here>
Unveiled Oct 28:
First Draft of Parks & Rec Master Plan
NOTE: NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN
*INITIAL DRAFT OF ASHEVILLE PARKS & REC MASTER PLAN Presented at Hurried-Called Special Board Meeting | The public is invited to attend the meeting scheduled for Tues., Oct. 28, 2008, at 6 p.m. in City Hall, 6th floor training room. At that time, the Recreation Advisory Board, Public Art Board and the Greenway Commission -- all appointed by Asheville City Council -- will convene. This will be a special board meeting of the appointed boards for the City of Asheville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department's first public unveiling of the initial draft of the Parks, Recreation, Cultural Arts and Greenways Master Plan, as required by City Council. The presentation will be led by Parks & Rec master plan consultant GreenPlay, LLC. | SPECIAL NOTE: This draft is NOT to be confused with the city's long-awaited Downtown Asheville master plan, which has been delayed given the Downtown Commission request for modifications and clarifications. | For Parks & Rec master plan details, contact 828-259-5800, parks(at)ashevillenc.gov, or Click Here> | For info about Greenplay, Click Here>
FEATURED NEWS
$3 Million Bribe by Fraga?
*MUMPOWER REQUESTS TRANSPARENCY in Fraga High-Rise Project | City council member Carl Mumpower recently sent a letter to Mayor Terry Bellamy requesting that a “Fraga Project and Public Benefit Packages” issue be added to an upcoming agenda. Mumpower contends that the "public benefits offer" by the developer of the proposed massive Fraga hotel and condo project with two 20+ story towers in Downtown Asheville "was, in essence, a three-million dollar bribe intended to sway the Council to make a political versus legal decision on his project." | For Mumpower's complete letter, Click Here>
POLITICS
'The Reformer' Arrives
*PALIN POSTER AVAILABLE in Downtown Asheville | Downtown Books & News and On-A-Roll, both located on Lexington Ave., now offer "The Reformer." Also available online at www.MaverickParty.com or Click Here>
Early Voting in Buncombe Ends Nov. 1
*BUNCOMBE COUNTY OFFERS 16 EARLY-VOTING LOCATIONS (UNTIL NOV. 1), including the Downtown Asheville Board of Elections Office | Voting questions answered at 828-250-4200 or Click Here> | For list of one-stop, early-voting locations in Buncombe, Click Here>
Uncommon Wisdom
*ASHEVILLE FIRM PRODUCES MANIFESTOBAMA.COM to Help America Envision Obama as President | Asheville-based Wisdomology produced a simple and inspiring video for those who want to try out a new three-word phrase: President Barack Obama. | Click Here>
Everywhere A Sign
*THE CITY OF ASHEVILLE RECENTLY REMINDED CITIZENS of Political Sign Standards | 1. Signs can be posted in any zoning district. 2. Signs must be located on private property. 3. Signs must not be placed within any public right-of-way. 4. There is no limit on the amount of signs that can be posted. 5. Signs must be no larger than eight square feet and can be double faced. 6. Signs must be removed within five days of Election Day by property owners and candidates. 7. Citizens may not not remove the opposing sides’ signs. | For more info about posting political signs within city limits, call the Planning Department at 828-259-5830.
