Skip to content

Nasilaw ang Ombudsman sa Cebu lamppost

Nagpapatawa itong Ombudsman.

Imbestigahan daw nila itong mga Euro generals lalo pa si Gen. Eliseo de la Paz na nahulihan sa Moscow na may dalang 105,000 euros (P6.9 million), lampas sa limit na pwedeng dalhin (mga 7,300 euros o $10,000) palabas ng bawat taong umaalis papuntang ibang bayan.

Sabi ni Assistant Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni, aalamin daw nila kung pera ng gobyerno o sariling pera ni De la Paz. Kung sarili raw pera ni De la Paz, imbestigahan raw kung saan galing ang ganyang napakalaking pera.

Maganda pakinggan. Nilalabanan ng pamahalaang Arroyo ang corruption. Kuno.

Sino kaya ang akala nina Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez at ni Jalandoni ang niloloko nila? Sino naman ang maniniwala sa kanila na kakasuhan nila ang mga corrupt? Di dapat matagal nang napalayas si Gloria Arroyo at ang kanyang asawa sa Malacañang.

Itong si Jalandoni yata ang kasama sa nag-clear kay Abalos at sa ibang Comelec na opisyal sa anomalya sa Mega-Pacific.

Paano nila ngayon imbestigahan ang PNP ay sinabi na ni Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno na walang iregularidad. Gawin ba nilang sinungaling si Puno? Kasama pa doon sa Moscow ang asawa ni Versoza.

Ito lang lamppost sa Cebu, bumaligtad na sila. Noong Abril lang ang bibigat ng mga salita ni Jalandoni. Sabi niya, pagkatapos raw ng masusing imbestigasyon, ang conclusion daw ng fact-finding team nila sa Visayas ay “highly overpriced” o masyadong malaki ang tongpats ng pagkabili ng pamahalaan ng 1,800 lampposts na ipinatayo timing sa Asean summit noong isang taon.

Lumabas sa imbestigasyon na ang lamppost na nagkakahalaga lamang ng P6,737.39 ay binayaran ng P50,172 bawat isa. Umabot sa P365-milyon ang ibinayad ng pamahalaan sa mga lamppost.

Nirekomenda na kasuhan ang siyam na tauhan ng DPWH na siyang in charge sa proyekto. Kaya lang noon pa hindi na isinama si DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, na siyang nag-apruba ng mga kontrata na ipinatupad ng mga nakakababang opisyal.. Nakasama rin sa inirekomendang kasuhan ang sampung opisyal ng Mandaue at Lapu-lapu city.

Noong isang araw, inurong ng Ombudsman ang kaso laban sa mga opisyal na nirekomenda nilang kasuhan. Sinabi ni Gutierrez at ni Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio sa isang memorandum na duda raw sila kung mapatunayan nila ang anomalya.

Hindi raw kasi nakasali sa sa kanilang computation ng presyo ng lamppost ang gastos sa transportation, labor at iba pa.

Ay naku, magtataka pa ba tayo?

Published inGovernanceWeb Links

39 Comments

  1. bitchevil bitchevil

    The Evil Bitch brags about Cebu being her territory. Those lampposts are for her whenever she visits Cebu. What about the lampposts along Roxas Blvd. in Manila? Those were ordered from China worth millions of pesos by former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza.

  2. Kasama ang America na nagto-tolerate ng irregularities diyan sa Ombudsman. Imbis na i-pressure para magtrabaho ayon sa tungkulin, ginagantimpalaan pa ng mga Kano, sa pamamagitan ng Millenium Development Corporation, ang mga kabulastugan ng isa sa mga ahensiyang nagco-coverup ng mga kasalanan ni Gloria at ng kanyang gobyerno.

    Dalawang beses nang binigyan ng tig-isang bilyong pisong pondo ng MDC ang Ombudsman na animo’y premyo nito sa pagiging bulag, pipi, bingi, at TANGA!

  3. myrna myrna

    Ellen, maniniwala lang ako sa Ombudsman kung lahat na dapat imbestigahin, imbestigahan na. gaya nung kay perez, kay bolante…lahat-lahat, lalo na ang kanilang numero unong benefactress na si gloria.

    puro lang naman sila salita. merceditas, garapalan na talaga sila.

    ang kalalabasan na naman ng imbestigasyon sa eruo na ito…ewan ko….whitewash na naman!

    kanya=kanyang papogi points.

  4. florry florry

    OK, so here we go again the ombudsman and her assistant mouthing the same refrain and posturing as tough graft busters for the nth time. They will take the case alright but after everything have been said and done, the result is Lutong Makaw.

  5. The first time I heard about these lamposts, I really went out of the taxi and looked at some. They really looked liked they were just fabricated in the local shop, you could still see some traces of welding, etc.
    I’ll take a picture when I can next time, perhaps next month or so.

  6. Golberg Golberg

    Huwag nang magtaka!
    Lahi sila ng mga buwaya, bwitre, ulopong at mga pating. Walang kabusugan sa mga nakuhang pera ng bayan.
    Magkano na kaya ang lahat na nakuha nila? Mula noong 2001 hanggang ngayon?

  7. jackryan jackryan

    kasalanan ng mga pinoy yan… alam na ng mga pinoy na niloloko sila ng kanilang magigiting na pinuno ok pa rin sa kanila. kasi ang ugali ng pinoy kunting bigay ng kasiyahan mawawala na ang ginawang kasalanan sa kanila. yan ang pinoy. kung paano watak watak ang mga isla ng pilipinas ganun din ang ugali ng mga pinoy watak watak. alang pagkakaisa at walang pag asang magkaisa! panahon pa ng kastila talagang watak watak ang pinoy kaya hanggang ngayon watak watak pa rin. kahit nga mga opposition leaders watak watak eh paano pa kaya nila mabubuo ang sambayanan at himukin ang mga pinoy na magkaisa na alisin ang mga swapang at ganid na pinuno na nakaupo sa ating gobyerno. hay… kailan kaya tay matututo sa mga nang uuto sa atin? kailan kaya natin malalaman na matanggal na tayong inuuto ng mga swapang at ganid? kailan kaya tayo magigising para labanan ang mga nang uuto sa atin? kailan? kailan? kailan?

  8. “Oops, guys, we’re caught, the police will arrest us anytime now.” “Damn, I keep forgetting, we are the police!”
    …our authorities are having an identity crisis – they’re not sure when to act like crooks or good guys anymore…

  9. Diego K. Guerrero Diego K. Guerrero

    Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez absolved COMELEC officials from liability for the voided P1.3-billion poll automation contract with Mega Pacific Consortium. The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and the Supreme Court had established an anomalous transaction between COMELEC and Mega Pacific. At pagkatapos ang imbestigasyon kuno absuelto agad! Ginawang gago ang senado at korte suprema. Anak ng jueteng, selective justice ang Ombudsman ni Gloria Arroyo.

  10. jackryan jackryan

    matagal na tayong ginagago ng mga yan ka diego! mga halimaw sa kasakiman ang mga gagong nanggagago sa atin! MGA GAGO SILA!

  11. jackryan jackryan

    MATAGAL NA TAYONG GINAGAGO NG MGA GAGONG YAN KA DIEGO! MGA HALIMAW SA KASAKIMAN ANG MGA GAGONG YAN!

  12. Valdemar Valdemar

    When the balance of justice is lopsided with criminality, the Ombudsman tom it up.

  13. kabute kabute

    Nobody who is a bigtime crook and bigtime corrupt gets punished under Philippine laws. They actually get to enjoy the fruits of their evil ways. Thanks to our prostituted ombudsman and justice system. The ombudsman is worse than a prostitute in this case. Worse, they give up easily in big cases they handle, with very lame excuses. If ever they wi such as in ERAP’s case, it was all a charade with the outcome long before decided. The people have a lot to blame. They allow themselves to be fooled by corrupt elective officials every election time. Do we have any hope at all? Not in the long term. For sure come election time the same corrupt elective officials shall once more prevail.

  14. Justice has really taken a sorry state in the country.

    What with the Chief Executive having a clout in the judiciary, she can bully her way as much as she wants to. If she was able to influence the supposed to be impartial SC to silence Neri at the height of the NBN-ZTE controversy, what transparency and fairness can we expect from the Ombudsman?

  15. Is it true there is no “good cop”,”bad cop” anymore? Just bad garapalan) cop and seemingly good (low profile but still earning extra) cop?

  16. kabute kabute

    The farmers who rallied in front of Camp Crame and called the PNP “Magnanakaw! Magnanakaw!” are right on the spot. The entire police force of the country has further been blacken by these euro cops na mga magnanakaw. There really is no more place here in the country where there are no thieves. The whole Pilipinas seems to be a den of thieves. Grabe ne na talaga. The Cebu lampposts scam is totally pagnanakaw. Whoever are involved lahat sila magnanakaw. Iyong ombudsman naman ay protector ng mga magnanakaw.

  17. pranning pranning

    21 October 2008

    Geeezzzz, you peeps really don’t get it eh…. as long as the bitch is in power nothing will happen anymore. If we want things to be done, DON’T CRY OVER SPILLED MILK!!! I have been clamoring for us to act now, to call for a snap election, that way we will see who the peeps in the pinas will choose and lead us to kingdom come or to eternal damnation by those peeps who call themselves savior or mere opportunists.

    Tell me who among these wannabes really has the heart to uplift the lives of the Filipinos peeps and lead us to prosperity???

    Think again, why do you think the peeps behind the overpriced lamp posts in cebu, the northrail project, the ZTE deal the MOA-AD are still laughing to high heavens??? its because as jackrayan mentioned above – “WATAK-WATAK TAYO!!!” While the hoods are laughing all the way, the ordinary folks are suffering from high prices.

    GEEEZZZZ!!!! when are we really going to ACT!!!!

    No investigation or conviction will be handed against the hoods as long the bitch is in power!!!!!

    GEEEZZZZ!!! we never really learn!!!!!

    prans

  18. andres andres

    from what I heard, the controversial Cebu lamp posts will be taken out already entirely. Since the longer it is seen, it is a reminder of the shameless corruption of this Regime!
    Kaya para mabaon sa limot, tatanggalin na lang diba? Malilimutan na rin ng Ombudsman dahil wala ng ebidensiyang nakatayo kapag natanggal na ang mga lamp posts!

    Ganito lahat sa ilalim ni Evil Bitch, garapalan! Ang kapal niyo talaga!

  19. bitchevil bitchevil

    President Joseph Estrada on Tuesday said he was removed by a conspiracy involving politicians, the elite, members of the Church, and the military.

    “It was a take-over orchestrated by power-hungry politicians, an equally power-hungry element of the church, some members of the elite, and some segments of the military,” he told residents of E. B. Magalona in Negros Occidental.

    …If Marcos is alive today, he would say exactly the same things.

  20. bitchevil bitchevil

    Off Topic:

    If the rest of the world could take part in the US presidential election, Democratic Party candidate Barack Obama would win four times more votes than his Republican rival John McCain, a poll showed Tuesday.

    In surveys conducted by the Gallup Organization in 70 countries representing nearly half the world’s population, 30 percent of people said they would choose Obama as president of the United States against eight percent who said they preferred McCain.

    In four close US partners in Asia — Australia, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea — residents came out clearly in favor of Obama.

    Two-thirds of Japanese and Australian respondents said they preferred Obama to McCain, who only scored about 15 percent in the two countries.

  21. MrG MrG

    A picture of a lamp post installed in the City of Naga, Cebu may be found at http://reklamo.ph/among/lampposts/Naga%20lamp%20post.jpg

    “Driving twice a day, six days a week, past the Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Cebu lampposts, it strikes me as surreal that: a) the government was charged P224,000 for each lamppost while a similar one installed in Naga within the same period cost only P16,000; b) the involved officials have not taken a leave of office so as not to prejudice or obstruct the investigation; and c) Cebuanos like me can drive past the lampposts daily as we don’t find a) and b) absurd at all.” http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2007/04/01/oped/mayette.q..tabada.matamata.html

  22. kabute kabute

    People I’ve talked to have become numbed by the grand scale of corruption and thievery in this administration of GMA. Numbed to the point of being unable to act or think clearly of what to do. They have become immobile and helpless. What to do – what to do is all they could ask. No one has so far given any concrete suggestion on what to do. These grand scale of corruption and thievery permeates every town, city, province,nay, the whole country. What to do is all we can ask. Maybe each and everyone of us picks up a placard and make our own individual protest in our own town/city plaza. We start individually not waiting for others to start the protest. We can do this starting every 3:00pm to 6:00pm. This can start the protest rolling. People can little by little join in till a mass movement can be achieve.

  23. bitchevil bitchevil

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Oct. 21) – Gov. Sarah Palin charged the state for her children to travel with her, including to events where they were not invited, and later amended expense reports to specify that they were on official business.

    ….Sounds familiar? Another Evil Bitch from Alaska?

  24. andres andres

    Tama si iwatcher 2010, nasaan na nga ba ang black and white movement at civil society? Bakit tila tahimik sila ngayon? Sa dami ng ebidensya, at sa sobrang garapalang pangungurakot sa ilalim ni Gloria the Bitch, nagtataka ako kung bakit tahimik sila.

    Kasama na rin ang mala-elitistang media, noong panahon ni Erap pakiramdam niyo hero kayo kapag inupakan niyo si Pangulong Erap, eh bakit ngayon sa panahon ng garapal na rehimen ni Evil Gloria eh nananahimik kayo?

    Naambunan na ata kayo, kaya pati prinsipyo niyo ibinenta niyo na rin sa rehimen ng mga magnanakaw na Pidal!

  25. andres andres

    bitchevil,

    The only difference is that the Bitch from Alaska is one Hot Bitch, while the one from the Philippines who looks like a rat, is one Evil Bitch!

  26. Huwag na nating sisihin ang Black and White, civil society o anumang grupo. Nung nag-organize sila ng malaking rally sa Ayala para kay Lozada, marami ang naudyukan ng mga propagandists ng Malakanyang na huwag sumama dahil mga elitista ang mga iyan. Ang nangyari, wala ang masa doon.

    Pag masa naman ang nasa kalsada, yung elitista naman ang inuudyukan na kesyo mga Maka-Erap o maka-Komunista ang mga naroroon. Walang dumadating na elitista.

    Walang mangyayari kung gusto ninyo ng pagkilos habang binabanatan ninyo ang dapat sana’y kasama ninyo. Ganyang-ganyan ang estilo ng Malakanyang! Gustung-gusto nila ang ganyang pagkakawatak-watak dahil iyan ang dahilan kaya nandyan pa si Arroyo sa pwesto.

    Sa pagpapaalis kay Gloria, dapat sama-sama. Wala nang label ng anti-elitista, walang anti-komunista, anti-Erap, anti-Catholic o kahit na anupaman.

    Sapat nang ang lahat ay anti-Gloria.

  27. etcetera etcetera

    Ang silent protest ay wa epek dahil di tinatablan ng hiya ang mga pidal at kampon nya. Wala ng konsensya ang mga yan.

    Ang mabisa talagang pag protesta ay ang protesta sa kalsada. Pero ang problema eh hindi ito pinapayagan ni bansot sa Manila dahil inaatake ng kampon nya ang mga nagproprotesta sa kalye.

    Hindi rin mapapatalsik si bansot sa pamamagitan ng demokrasya. Bakit? may demokrasya pa ba tayo dito sa pinas. Nasa bulsa na ni bansot ang korte suprema, PNP, at military, comelec, at iba pa. Matatawag mo pa bang demokrasya yan?

    Ang talagang solusyon lang laban kay bansot pidal ay REVOLT!

  28. Bobitz Bobitz

    Ellen,
    Yung tungkol sa Lamppost, Nuon kasi hindi pa kasali si Jalandoni at Gutierez sa Tongpats kaya ganoon ang lumabas sa imbestigasyon nila, pero nuong masusi nilang inimbistigahan ang kaso ay isinama na sila sa Tonpats kaya nagiba na ang Conclusion ng kaso,pumarte rin si Villa-Ignacio kaya ayosn happy happy tayo !
    Ngayon naman itong kaso ni Delapaz eh sumasawsaw ang ombudsman kasi mainit pa sa balita kaya pumapapel.. Hoy di niyo ba naintindihan si Puno, siya ang bahala (ika nga ni Ermita) si Puno ang bahala !!! Sa amin ?

  29. iwatcher 2010 iwatcher 2010

    kaibigang kabute, maganda ang mungkahi mo…sa munti nating paraan dapat talagang kumilos tayo..street protest will be easily quashed by the afp and pnp and alam mo naman estilo nila calibrated strike, no permit no rally and matindi intelligence ng afp pnp sa “enemy of the state kuno?”

    your suggestion will be accepted by the public as show of dismay and protest..hindi naman siguro mahirap gawin yun if we encourage our kababayans na panahon na upang ipakita nila ang boses at lakas ni juan dela cruz. unti-unti at sa munti nating paraan uusbong ang nasyonalismo ng pilipino laban sa korupsiyon at katiwalian.

    at dapat magumpisa sa ordinaryong pilipino ang pagkilos at unti unting kakalat sa puso ng bawat pilipino na panahon na ng pagbabago at pagkakaisa.

    im hoping we could discuss the details of your suggestion, we can and we know we will succeed if we will unite and act together…

    mabuhay ka kabute…mabuhay ka pilipino!

  30. iwatcher 2010 iwatcher 2010

    kaibigang tongue twisted…
    tama ang iyong tinuran, we should unite and act together now.
    sa munti nating paraan ay magigising natin ang nagtutulog-tulugang juan dela cruz na hinahayaan na lamang ang katiwalian at korupsiyon.

    hindi ko naman sinisisi ang black and white movement and civil society, coz we are looking at them as leaders and crusaders against corruption na tila yata nananamlay sa laban ng bayan.

    matindi ang paghahati-hati coz its the strategy of gloria corrupt-poration and malacanang mafia…to divide and polarize public opinion, create divisiveness among different sector of the society, and instill fear thru bombings, crisis scenario scheme and etc. sadyang magaling lang ba ang media brigade and political strategist ni gloria? norberto gonzales, ed ermita and ronaldo puno are the infamous strategist of gloria..nagagawa lamang nila yun kasi dami nilang pera to support media brigade, intelligence and special ops.

    pero kung sama sama tayo, at sisimulan ng isang juan dela cruz…our united act and efforts will spread like fire and start a patriotic clamor of change and reform. tama na muna ang paghahati-hati ng oposisyon, mga personalidad at civil society..dapat kumilos upang wakasan na ang katiwalian, kasakiman at pagsasamantala sa bayan.

    and we love our country so much, and all of us are dreaming of a great and proud philippines in the near future at huwag nating sayangin at itapon ang kinabukasan ng ating mga anak sa ganitong uri ng mga lider at politiko.

    we should act now! at sa munti nating paraan ay magigising ang kaisipan at kamalayan ng pilipino na nasa ating ang lakas upang baguhin natin ang bulok na sistema ng korupsiyon at katiwalian.

    we need now plan of action like kabute suggested, just to show them we are in protest and against rampant corruption.

    with you and thousand of bloggers we will encourage the civil society to help us realize our clamor for reform and together we will succeed.

    With Gods help and with patriotic effort and duties of every filipinos-united and acting as one to do their little part to protest and fight corruption, we will make this country of ours a proud nation again in the near future.

    mabuhay ka tongue-twisted! mabuhay ka pilipino!

  31. iwatcher 2010 iwatcher 2010

    kaibigang etcetera…tama ka sa iyong pananaw,wa epek sapagkat hindi pa naman natin ginagawa at sinusubukan tulad ng suhestiyon ni kabute..magtiwala ka may magagawa tayong pagbabago kung sama sama tayo at nagkakaisa ang hangarin na labanan ang katiwalian at korupsiyon.

    nabanggit mo rin na revolt ang tanging solusyon, sa kasalukuyang situwasyon nakahanda ang gloria corrupt-poration at malacanang mafia sa worst case scenario in case of revolt thru arms struggle and similar kind of mass actions. kaya nga bilyones ang budget ni norberto gonzales to counter such actions and to eliminate the so-called enemy of the state. and they have calibrated strike, no permit no rally, political intimidation and harrasment with the help of pnp,afp,dilg,justice dept and national security dept.-so mahirap magsimula ng malawakang protesta hanggat hindi natin napagkakaisa ang damdamin ng mga pilipino.

    and they will do anything to quashed such attempt-remember the magdalo group-oakwood mutiny, the fate of gen. miranda/gen. danny lim/ col. querubin and etal, the peninsula incident led by sen. trillanes? kaibigan handang handa sila sa lahat ng posibilidad kaya nga open ended budget afp and pnp for such special ops.

    what we can do is to proved them that we are against the way they manage the affairs of the govt., we are against the widespread corruption, we are against the injustices and etc.

    sa munti mong paraan, at sa sama-sama nating pagkikilos ay mababago natin ang sistema, matagal at mahabang laban pero kailangan na ang ating pagkilos. a silent protest is much better than doing nothing.

    and with our united effort and patriotic duties to clamor for change and reform, kakalat ito sa bawat pilipino at magiging daan upang makalampag natin ang mga palalo at ganid na lider at politicos.

    simulan natin ang munting pagkilos, ngayon na at ang laban na ito ay hindi na para sa ating kung hindi para sa mga anak natin at sa susunod na generations. we should make this country a proud and great nation again. with your help and thousands of bloggers who believe the power is within us, and we just need to act together for our countrys future.

    mabuhay ka kaibigang etcetera! mabuhay ka pilipino!

  32. iwatcher 2010 iwatcher 2010

    kaibigang etcetera…tama ka sa iyong pananaw,wa epek sapagkat hindi pa naman natin ginagawa at sinusubukan tulad ng suhestiyon ni kabute..magtiwala ka may magagawa tayong pagbabago kung sama sama tayo at nagkakaisa ang hangarin na labanan ang katiwalian at korupsiyon.

    nabanggit mo rin na revolt ang tanging solusyon, sa kasalukuyang situwasyon nakahanda ang gloria corrupt-poration at malacanang mafia sa worst case scenario in case of revolt thru arms struggle and similar kind of mass actions. kaya nga bilyones ang budget ni norberto gonzales to counter such actions and to eliminate the so-called enemy of the state. and they have calibrated strike, no permit no rally, political intimidation and harrasment with the help of pnp,afp,dilg,justice dept and national security dept.-so mahirap magsimula ng malawakang protesta hanggat hindi natin napagkakaisa ang damdamin ng mga pilipino.

    and they will do anything to quashed such attempt-remember the magdalo group-oakwood mutiny, the fate of gen. miranda/gen. danny lim/ col. querubin and etal, the peninsula incident led by sen. trillanes? kaibigan handang handa sila sa lahat ng posibilidad kaya nga open ended budget afp and pnp for such special ops.

    what we can do is to proved them that we are against the way they manage the affairs of the govt., we are against the widespread corruption, we are against the injustices and etc.

    sa munti mong paraan, at sa sama-sama nating pagkikilos ay mababago natin ang sistema, matagal at mahabang laban pero kailangan na ang ating pagkilos. a silent protest is much better than doing nothing.

    and with our united effort and patriotic duties to clamor for change and reform, kakalat ito sa bawat pilipino at magiging daan upang makalampag natin ang mga palalo at ganid na lider at politicos.

    simulan natin ang munting pagkilos, ngayon na at ang laban na ito ayhindi na para sa ating kung hindi para sa mga anak natin at sa susunod na generations. we should make this country a proud and great nation again. with your help and thousands of bloggers who believe the power is within us, and we just need to act together for our countrys future.

    mabuhay ka kaibigang etcetera! mabuhay ka pilipino!

  33. iwatcher 2010 iwatcher 2010

    ms ellen,
    i hope you post my opinions and views re various issues…

    im not inciting public outrage but only solidifying filipinos united actions to fight corription.

    a simple silent protest is my humble suggestion to inform gloria etal that we are clamoring for change and restoration of good governance and accountability.

    im hoping for your fair evaluation of my views and comments.

    thanks at mabuhay ang pilipino!

  34. norpil norpil

    dapat pagpalitin itong mga biches na ito. iyong hot bitch sa alaska ay dalhin sa pinas ng lalong maging hot. ito namang evil bitch na ito ay dalhin sa alaska at ng maging cold bitch ng talaga.

  35. bitchevil bitchevil

    WASHINGTON – Embarrassing revelations about her costly campaign wardrobe and bloopers about the vice president’s job description are raising fresh fears that Sarah Palin is dragging down the Republican ticket.

    New polls showed Wednesday that seven weeks after John McCain plucked the Alaska governor from political obscurity to be his running mate in the November 4 elections, Palin is seen as an increasing liability for Republicans.

    The Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found that Americans are less and less convinced she is worthy to serve as the country’s number-two leader.

    “Her numbers have plummeted in our poll … what’s more 55 percent think she’s unqualified to serve as president if the need arises, which is a troublesome number given McCain’s age,” said NBC political director Chuck Todd.

    The poll also puts the 72-year-old McCain 10 points behind his Democratic rival Barack Obama, and says that 47 percent of those surveyed viewed Palin negatively.

    It confirmed the findings of an ABC/Washington Post poll released earlier this month which found that six in 10 voters saw Palin, 44, as lacking the experience to be an effective president.

    “A third are now less likely to vote for McCain because of her,” the Post added.

    After being found guilty of abusing her power as governor in the so-called “troopergate” scandal over the firing of her ex-brother-in-law, Palin now faces a second probe over whether she violated ethics rules in the affair.

    A spokesman said Palin, the first woman to be picked to serve on a Republican ticket, had requested this subsequent inquiry, branding the first probe a “political witch-hunt.”

    Then on Tuesday the Politico website caused a stir by publishing financial records of the Republican National Committee showing it has spent more than 150,000 dollars on clothes for Palin since late August.

    McCain-Palin campaign spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt slammed the media for focusing on “pantsuits and blouses” during the country’s hard economic times, saying the clothes were always intended to go to charity after the campaign.

    But the New York Times Thursday wrote the wardrobe “joined the ranks of symbolic political excess” and reported that many Republicans “expressed consternation publicly and privately that the shopping spree …. would compromise Ms Palin’s standing as Senator McCain’s chief emissary to working-class voters.”

    Palin was also lambasted this week for failing to correctly spell out the vice president’s role on several occasions, including during the vice presidential debate with her Democratic rival Joseph Biden.

    Responding during one television interview to a question sent in by an elementary school pupil about what the vice-president does, Palin again overstated the White House second-in-command’s powers.

    “They’re in charge of the United States Senate, so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes,” she said.

    The comment directly contradicted the separation-of-powers principle enshrined in the US constitution, under which the vice-president as president of the Senate has a casting vote in the event of a tie, but takes no other role.

    McCain has staunchly defended his running mate against the slew of attacks, stressing she will be a valuable asset in his campaign goal of ridding Washington of political corruption.

    But even staunch Republicans remain unconvinced.

    Ken Adelman, a Republican hawk who served in top diplomatic and defense posts for presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, told the New Yorker magazine that Palin’s choice for vice president made him switch sides and he is now supporting Obama for president.

    Former secretary of state Colin Powell, a Republican and military general who has also served as chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, on Sunday endorsed Obama and said of Palin: “I don’t believe she is ready to be president of the United States, which is the job of the vice president.”

    And one of former president George H.W. Bush’s speechwriters, Christopher Buckley, a prominent conservative, announced this month he was abandoning support for McCain for many reasons, including “the Palin nomination. What on earth can he have been thinking?”

  36. norpil norpil

    palin excited mccain and for older people, this is the most important.

  37. bitchevil bitchevil

    Do you think McCain at 72 can still be excited by Palin? McCain is no Dolphy.

Comments are closed.