Four years ago this fall, during the U.S. election campaign that would send Barack Obama to the White House, Sarah Palin made a mistake.

As historians are aware, Palin would go on to make a great many mistakes. Her name would become so synonymous with political misstatements and miscalculations, in fact, that her party would eventually come to treat her like political kryptonite.

But back in 2008, the former governor of Alaska — and the then-Republican vice-presidential candidate — was still a pretty big deal. Conservatives swooned over her. Pundits sang her praises. She was arguably more popular than the Republican presidential nominee, John McCain.

Some Democratic Party smart alecks poked fun at her, however, and Palin didn’t like it so much. The Democrats ribbed Palin for her apparent lack of experience, particularly as a small-town mayor in Alaska. So Palin struck back.

At the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn., to thunderous applause, Palin said: “I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer. Except that you have actual responsibilities.”

This was a swipe at the employment history of Barack Obama, of course, and the GOP crowd loved it. Obama was soon forced to defend the period in which he had worked as a community organizer in Chicago in the late 1980s.

As the above-noted historians will remind us, the insult didn’t really work so well, did it? Obama — a young black man, the son of a single mom and, yes, a community organizer — would go on to be president of the United States of America.

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From “TRT,” trtinajax@gmail.com!

This is an unfortunate consequence of the JUST SOCIETY brought to us by Mr Kinsella, his friend Pierre Trudeau and the other HUG A THUG Liberals that believe the low life of this country are to be supported in the filth they wallow in while the good, decent people of the country must take the crap handed out by these low lifes. Mr Trudeau gutted the courts bringing in Judges who had no time for punishing the guilty, finding them all to be poor under-priviledged souls in need of our sympathies. Even if they catch the individuals who pushed this girl to her death, the Liberal’s YOUTH CRIMINAL PROTECTION ACT will ensure they are treated with kid gloves, treated as heroes of the JUST SOCIETY while Amanda Todd pays with her life. The time to have had sympathy for Amanda was years ago while the JUST SOCIETY was being created. It is a great society that you and your Liberal friends have created here in Canada Mr Kinsella. I hope you are proud of yourself.

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Andrew Coyne’s Dad has passed away.

I didn’t know Andrew’s Dad. But when my own Dad died – eight years, three months and 28 days ago – I was drowning in grief. I could not breathe.

Andrew and I weren’t close friends or anything, back then. I didn’t understand him all that well; intelligent conservatives have that effect on me.

But Andrew took me to lunch, and I admit I was having a bit of a hard time keeping it together. Despite that, it was apparent to me that this was a son who also loved his father, a lot. You could tell.

If Andrew sees this, this is the only insight I have to offer him: things aren’t the same, afterwards. You stay sad, but it gets a bit less sad as time goes by.

Also, you need to remember him in every achievement you have, on every single day you have left.

And this: I didn’t know your Dad. But I know he must have been pretty proud to have a son like you.

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I am a hockey dad. Forget about this book tour stuff, or politics: I was with Son One at a game on West side of town to almost midnight (we won). Then, up way too early to get Son Two to goalie school on the East side (he’s not bad).

If you are unsure who I am, look for the guy wearing combat pants and boots, leather jacket, and a DOA T-shirt.

Asleep in his truck.

Over and out.

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Her sad story has now attracted international attention: this is the top news item on CNN’s web site.  Not the U.S. election.

I hope that means that a lot of people are paying attention to this issue, and learning from it.  Hope it gives her family some comfort, too.

(As I write this, my eldest son is sitting in my office, and he has just finished telling me about one of his closest friends at St. Mike’s, who was beaten up earlier this week by three bullies, as he left a soccer game.  So, yes, this is all much more than a media creation.)

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He’s doomed.

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This is so awesome.

Stock Day, all is forgiven!

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He clearly read Fight The Right. Speaking to regular folks, with passion and conviction, about values.

I’m sending him a bill.

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With Steve Madely this morning, right here!

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