The Weak, Sad Defense Of Sarah Palin
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in 2008 Election, McCain, Media, Palin, Republicans, Veep
So far the Republican talking points are basically, “The media is sexist and they’re engaging in partisan hit jobs.”
Yes, it’s now “partisan” to find out facts other than the talking points dolled out by the McCain camp.
Sure….
I suppose the media was racist and engaging in partisan hit jobs when they hammered Obama repeatedly over Jeremiah Wright, yeah?
Sure…
By the way, has anybody else noticed how McCain’s camp really isn’t addressing any of Palin’s background issues in any serious manner and have now restricted access to her? Folks, this could be the 2nd most powerful person in the world. You don’t treat access to that person as if they’re a celebrity who can’t be bothered with explaining herself.
If McCain wants to have ANY shot at winning this contest, he’s going to have to open up and allow people to really get to know Palin. Because she has to be able to stand on her own in the limelight now if people are to be convinced that she can be President if and when.
Basically, independents won’t stand for this type of hide and seek. It just won’t play. Mark my words.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 and is filed under 2008 Election, McCain, Media, Palin, Republicans, Veep. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:25 am
Marked.
She had been the designated nominee for a grand total of four days. She understandably needs to prepare for the most important speech of her life. tonight In the meantime, a lot of stuff has been thrown at her. Nothing has stuck.
Tonight is her coming out party. She could blow it at any time, she could blow it tonight. But my gut is… Be careful what you wish for. Because I suspect you are going to see an awful lot of Palin over the next two months, and Obama supporters are not going to like it.
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:48 am
The explosion of interest, speculation (good and bad) is only to be expected when you pluck someone from obscurity, quietly vet her, and then put her in line for the vice presidency two months before the election.
Everyone is falling all over him or self to try and get the next piece of information about her…for those on the right, what did you expect? For those on the left. Take everything with a grain of salt.
For everyone. Wow, in a completely unbiased statement, what was John McCain thinking? Tonight, we begin to find out. Can’t wait for her speech.
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:56 am
You’re right Jason, because
Yes, three front page stories in the Times about a teenagers pregnancy is vital information for the nation.
Yes, other campaigns always compete to take attention away from their own parties convention.
Yes, the fact that the Times had to issue a retraction today on the AIP story is a sign that their original story was fair and above board.
Yes, when Gwen Ifill asks “How could a Mother of five, and who identifies herself as a ‘hockey mom’ possibly be Vice President?” that isn’t sexist.
Yes, because everything written about Rev. Wright was demonstrably false.
And Yes, because the press has done everything in tis power to explore the connection Ayers/Obama connection.
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:57 am
There is no defense of Palin needed, because the Dems can’t execute a proper assualt.
JG, the assualt on Palin is not part of a comprehensive narrative being framed by Dems. It is coming off as sporadic, random sniper fire and it is weak! And it is allowing the enemy (Republicans) to use the enemies (Dems) strength against them, to wit, the criticism is sexists, hypocritical whining.
Will SOMEONE please put together a comprehensive plan to deal with this woman, complete with various political contigencies. This ad hoc, haj paj crap does not work — we need to keep our powder dry until we have an actual picture to paint and as mw correctly points out it has only been 4 days. The Dems are getting set up like bowling pins.
Your major error is in wishful thinking. The so-called “independents” are not a cohesive analytical voting block. It is an amorphous voting block that is keenly susceptible to political-gravitational pull. In order to pull, you need more than a laundry lists of grievances, you need a critical mass assembled in an easily understood story-line.
Now, go out there Tiger and bring me back an unpredictable, incompetent, PMSing Alaskan hooker. Good Luck and God Speed.
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:11 am
JG,
Nothing about the “reverand” Wright was made up or sensationalized. His exact words, by means of video and audio recordings that were for sale to anyone wishing to purchase them, were used - in context.
As far as the sexism on display by the left, I see that you conveniently avoided addressing that particular issue. A little “smoke & mirrors”, no? I’d be interested in your defense of the sexist remarks. I doubt you would’ve tolerated them if the victim was Hillary.
Go ahead and encourage your buddies to throw the mud. You all are making fools of yourselves.
PS: Nice job Harden and Horton!! bravo!
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:43 am
You know, reading the comments on this blog and others over the course of the election has really pushed me down the route towards political nihilism. Seriously, I’m at the point where I don’t even care who wins. I was leaning toward McCain, then shifted toward Obama. Now I think I’m going to write-in “Skub” for president.
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:53 am
Wow…those are some truly stunning comments.
I get that you don’t like the harsh light that has been shone (boy that doesn’t seem like a word, but it is) on Palin these past five days.
It’s been ugly.
You don’t have to take it as gospel, and by all means be critical of it. But a reasonable person should at least look at what is coming out because we have almost nothing Palin and whether you care to be a realist about it or not, John McCain is 72 years old. She has a very good chance of being president.
Very good.
I understand you don’t like the treatment, but what I do not understand is the undying oath of fealty that people are displaying toward her. We know nothing about her except a few talking points that have been put out—and some of that is easily questionable.
Apply some critical thinking skills here, folks. To steal a line, American is advanced citizenship. What is happening might be ugly, but questioning her credibility and ability is fair at this point. If she had been a likely candidate before last Friday, the public would have had a chance to better and more slowly get a read on her, but McCain made a political decision to mitigate the impact of the Democratic Convention by keeping her a secret and blowing the doors off the opening of the presidential campaign.
I am not going to give up my right—and no one should be asked to—to ask questions about this woman and then come to judgment. Our Founding Fathers fought for independence so we would have a right to analyze and vote responsibly. You ask questions. You get answers. You evaluate the answers. You make decisions. But it all starts with questions.
If you don’t want to ask questions, and if the answers then turn in your voter registration card because you aren’t living up to your end of the bargain.
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:58 am
Bubbles,
Welcome to the Dividican Party. You have no idea how satisfying this voting heuristic can be. I am at peace with the process.
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:13 am
Justin, I just don’t see what’s sad and weak about the defense of Palin that I have seen. This characterization of yours is especially perplexing because you go on to include much of this defense in your own description of what you think needs to happen.
So folks, in case anyone missed it, go ahead and delve into the actual facts, in detail. Find out who Palin really is, and make up your own mind.
Don’t dismiss her before you’ve even considered her. What is so fricken complicated about that?
I am finding the anti-Palin spin to be almost surreal and substantially out of touch with the response she is drawing. Of course, she could show herself incapable, unprepared, and a lightwieght tonight. But if (when?) she doesn’t, I think the Obamaphiles better get back to the drawing board.
The problem they’ll face if Palin shows her mettle is this: the accusation that someone is a token just doesn’t stick when the accused demonstrates substance.
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:45 am
Or a grand capacity for vacuous eloquence.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Bubbles: Anti-skub.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Gerryf: “I understand you don’t like the treatment, but what I do not understand is the undying oath of fealty that people are displaying toward her. We know nothing about her except a few talking points that have been put out—and some of that is easily questionable.”
And vice-versa.
I think what you are seeing is a defensive reaction to what are viewed as ad hominem attacks. (And yes, questioning Palin’s creditibility because of her daughters behavior is an ad hominem…and a double standard as, for example, no MSM outlet did the same when Gore’s son got caught by police at a pot smoking blowout when in high school).
So is there a “circle the wagons” thing going on? Absolutely. And, yes, as a result a lot of the reactions you see will be more reflexive than deliberate. But I dont think Palin (or anyone else) is paranoid to believe she has enemies in well (press) credentialed places.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Damn…I just realized I called Justin “Jason” above.
Sorry. I DO know who you are…really.
:-)
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Anyone who isn’t in favor of skub obviously doesn’t know what they’re talking about and is a partisan dickhead.
September 3rd, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Only an evil dickless moron could be in favor of skub. (Skub causes erectile dysfunction in 80% of its male supporters. ) Skub is known to have maneuvered us into pointless foreign wars, and once knocked up a penguin.
September 3rd, 2008 at 1:28 pm
But Skub is the kind you can have a beer with or several beers for that matter. (Assuming then you can keep Skub from behind the wheel or keep Skub’s pants on - a major challenge - ask the penguin.)
September 3rd, 2008 at 2:02 pm
I think the real problem is keeping Skub from behind the penguin…
September 3rd, 2008 at 2:22 pm
It’s easy to frame this–she’s GW redux. Look at her history–bankrupted the town she “served” as Mayor; is in process of bankrupting the state she governs while weakening infrastructure and resources; uses her positions to fire and hire according to connections, friendships, and whim; locksteps with corrupt people until it’s inconvenient for her own position. Lo and behold, now she’s running for VP (instead of president.)
The truth is usually the best strategy. All we have to do is tell it.
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:36 pm
All this speech tonight is going to do is spit out the talking points one more time. We’re not going to be testing here “mettle” until she gets interviewed by someone other than people magazine. And we shall see how she fares in debates.
Defend her if you will, but she’s literally too inexperienced. And if you say so is Barrack, I’m gonna smack you down. 8 years in illinois state senate, his time at harvard and his accolades, Time in chicago as a public organizer, 3years in the senate (foreign affairs committee, veteran affairs, environment and public works committee. He’s vastly more experienced. This will come to be known when she gets into interviews and debates. 1.5 years as Alaska’s governors, of one of the least populated states in the nation, rich on oil revenues… Does not add up to anything OBama has done. Oh, and she was mayor of a town that was like 1/20th the size of OBama’s State Congressional District. Take the partisan blinders off.
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:17 pm
The IQ of this thread of comments just dropped 20 points. I literally
felt the air get sucked out of the room. Oh well, on to the next fun JG post.
September 3rd, 2008 at 6:10 pm
I know I’m not addressing everybody’s comments, but…
What I’m saying is it’s patently wrong for the McCain camp to simply start characterizing nearly all questions about Palin’s background as being sexist and partisan. And the idea that they’re now limiting access to her when few know anything about her is CRAZY. She should be treated like any other serious political contender and should have to stand up for herself and answer the tough questions. We’ve expected nothing less from every single person in this race in the last 19 months…so why would any of you settle for a shift like this now?
Her speech tonight in a highly receptive, partisan venue is not an adequate answer to the legitimate questions raised so far in the past 5 days. I’m not talking about that nonsense about her son not being her own. That was blogosphere BS. I’m talking about the stuff about her husband being part of a secessionist group and the TrooperGate stuff and the Bridge to Nowhere and her tax-friendly past and her supporting an Iraq withdrawal far before other Republicans thought it was wise.
Again, I’m looking for this person to stand on her own and legitimately answer questions that would be posed to any serious presidential or vice presidential candidate. So far that hasn’t happened and you can’t blame the media for that.
September 3rd, 2008 at 7:22 pm
“legitimate questions raised so far in the past 5 days. I’m not talking about that nonsense about her son not being her own. That was blogosphere BS. I’m talking about the stuff about her husband being part of a secessionist group”
Is that the group the New York Times erroneously said Sarah Palin belonged to?
“TrooperGate stuff”
Which we can just assume she s guilty of, right? (As PBS did.)
“Bridge to Nowhere”
Someone who actually claimed Obama didnt renege on his pledge about Public Financing is on thin ice here, IMO. And Obama or Biden never changed their opinion about anything? Oh…thats right Biden used to be Pro-Life. Do we have to can his ass now?
“her tax-friendly past”
Hey, if her being a mayor doesnt count as experience and is unimportant than obviously the policies she pursued as mayor would be just as unimportant.
“her supporting an Iraq withdrawal far before other Republicans”
Yes, because no other Republican had similar doubts, and Biden and Obama had the good sense to back it. Oh, wait a second…Obama is STILL against the surge.
September 3rd, 2008 at 7:22 pm
I agree that tonight is not really the big test for her. I don’t understand how people can expect to get to know her from a speech that she will be co-writing with McCain’s speech writers. The drama won’t play out tonight, although McCain-Palin may get a boost if people think she gives a good speech the questions about her past, her performance in the debate and on the trail will slowly reveal the error or genius of McCain’s decision (or determine if it was a lucky/unlucky pick, it appears to be a bit of a crapshoot to me personally).
Anyway, cheers JG, the questions being written off as sexist are (perhaps apart from the “how will she take care of her family”) for the most part legitimate. We all deserve to know more about her past and her abilities.
September 4th, 2008 at 4:41 am
This is the biggest problem I have with Sarah Palin:
Her own son, her firstborn child, was going to be deployed there very shortly at that point, and that was all she had to say about it?
September 4th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
[...] let the McCain camp bully them into submission. And as I mentioned in my previous post “The Weak, Sad Defense of Sarah Palin” it’s beyond hacky to limit access to a VP candidate people know absolutely nothing [...]