I've Known Politicians Like Palin and McCain

ABC News has a number of interesting little facts about Sarah Palin. I won't name names because one of them is a suer but I have known politicians that remind me of Palin.

One guy who ran for mayor of San Diego and a plethora of other seats (he's currently, thankfully, out of politics) has Sarah's lack of integrity. He is a consummate backstabber. He sat on an initiative campaign committee with me once and used that position to undercut our fund raising efforts. He told big donors wishing to contribute to our campaign to write the checks to a different campaign fund that he personally controlled.

Then there is a sitting Democratic congressman. He held a different office when I was a politically influential leader of the Sierra Club chapter. I was also at the time a personal friend of a different elected official. He sent a staffer to threaten me - if I didn't do as I was told he would destroy the career of my friend. The funny thing is I probably would have done it if asked nicely but his default action is to threaten people.

There is a sitting Republican congressman. (Okay, I'll name this one, Brian Bilbray.) To say he is as dumb as a post would be to insult posts. There is no issue where he is even marginally conversant. Unlike Sarah, Brian knows he's stupid. He is a shameless toady to anyone able to help him. His current master is Congressman Duncan Hunter.

And then there is John McCain. A sitting Republican member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors I know is just about the nicest person you'll want to mean unless he suspects you of something. While this guy was on the San Diego City Council I bumped into his Chief of Staff on the street. We were having a meaningless, pleasant, hey-how-ya-doin' conversation when his boss drove by. The CofS turned white. He told me he was afraid he had just been seen by his boss talking to a known Democrat. His boss is known to have a thin skin and a violent temper towards anyone he perceives is a traitor.