PALIN THE POLARIZER

Sarah Palin ran for Mayor of Wasilla on parts of the NATIONAL GOP platform, such as its anti-abortion stance. This divisiveness is certainly inappropriate for small town politics and it shows that she is a hard-core extremist. She had since carried her extremism over into the national campaign, using one of the wingnuts favorite memes: Only Conservatives are Really Patriotic. First mentioned in the WaPo,

Palin also made a point of mentioning that she loved to visit the "pro-America" areas of the country, of which North Carolina is one. No word on which states she views as unpatriotic.

it was followed up by Sam Stein at the HuffPo who managed to get a fuller description of Palin's remarks:

The reporter who broke the story, the Washington Post's Juliet Eilperin, sends over the following, extended quote from a more detailed version of the pool report.

"We believe that the best of America is not all in Washington, D.C. We believe" -- here the audience interrupted Palin with applause and cheers -- "We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit, and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard working very patriotic, um, very, um, pro-America areas of this great nation. This is where we find the kindness and the goodness and the courage of everyday Americans. Those who are running our factories and teaching our kids and growing our food and are fighting our wars for us. Those who are protecting us in uniform. Those who are protecting the virtues of freedom."

Joe Biden wasn't putting up with this crap and fired back:

Biden lashes out at Palin's 'pro-America' comment
updated 5:09 p.m. EDT, Fri October 17, 2008

(CNN) -- Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden ripped into recent comments by his Republican counterpart that suggested that some places in the U.S. are more "pro-America" than others.

"I hope it was just a slip on her part and she doesn't really mean it. But she said, it was reported she said, that she likes to visit, 'pro-American' parts of the country," he said to loud boos.

"It doesn't matter where you live, we all love this country, and I hope it gets through. We all love this country," he said. "We are one nation, under God, indivisible. We are all patriotic. We all love our country in every part of this nation! And I'm tired. I am tired, tired, tired, tired of the implications about patriotism."

As I noted below, Palin and the GOP seem to think that 10% of America contains all that is good in our country.