Mary Mitchell of the Chicago Sun-Times appears to be having a hard time accepting the nomination of Sarah Palin as Vice Presidential candidate for the United States. On Tuesday she called Republican acceptance of the "bombshell" news that Bristol Palin was pregnant "malarkey" before ranting about the failure of abstinence only messages.
This morning Mitchell is heaping a new sort of praise onto Sarah Palin, implying that her speech was a mean spirited attack, labeling her as backwoods and stating that discussing her record of experience is a "Republican ploy", i.e. - a trick to highlight Barack Obama's lack of experience.
Sarah Palin may come from the backwoods of Alaska, but she has the heart of a street fighter.
So Democrats shouldn't get entangled in the Republicans' "experience" ploy.
Palin isn't on the Republican ticket because she has been the governor of Alaska for two years.
The people who cooked up this scheme don't care whether Palin will be a heartbeat away from the presidency if something happens to the 72-year-old McCain.
Palin's on the ticket because she's a woman and she isn't afraid to engage in the Republicans' mean-spirited personal attacks.
I am sure that backwoods has a positive connotation in many circles but I am having trouble believing that Mitchell is using it to highlight Palin's strengths. So when Mitchell says backwoods in this context I hear backwards, small town, insignificant, white, Deliverance. But that's just me and perhaps I am overly sensitive in the wake of the sharp knives that the media has whipped out in a frenzy to belittle Governor Palin.
On that point perhaps Mary Mitchell has some valid insights. It's not like identity politics has anything to do with the nomination of Barack Obama. Sarah Palin really is from Alaska and has lived in many small towns in places as foreign to most Americans as Hawaii or Indonesia. Oops.
The "mean-spirited personal attacks" meme is another one of those tactics that the media has been throwing around recently to browbeat people into not discussing the record of Barack Obama. It is a one way ticket for the most part, being labeled as "analysis" when done by the left and a breathtaking statement on how Barack Obama contrasts himself with his republican opponents when practiced by him or his campaign. Not so for candidates on the right.
Mary Mitchell exemplifies what many in the media are doing in lieu of being able to counter the actual specifics of Sarah Palin's speech; they attack her with labels, call her names and characterize her nomination as a ploy, a Republican scheme, a dirty trick. But in doing so they undermine their own message.
Rather than act as a reflection of Sarah Palin these sort of attacks highlight the truly mean spirited manner in which the mainstream media has treated a person with a resume they would have hoisted upon a pedestal if only she was a Democrat.That is a sad commentary in and of itself.
Terry Trippany is the publisher of Webloggin and holds the post as The Watcher at Watcher of Weasels.
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Let's try a
September 4, 2008 - 12:55 ET by motherbeltLet's try a "turnaround"
It's unlikely that Barack Obama chose Sen. Joe Biden because he wants "change" (Biden's been in the Senate for 35 years). Biden is on the ticket because he's a white man, and has a history of blunt talk. This means he can engage in mean-spirited personal attacks, while the Obamamessiah keeps his hands clean.
I had Rush on in the car a bit ago, and he was talking about a leftist media type (I forget who it was; did anyone else hear it?) who wrote that the Obama campaign would not attack Palin and wouldn't discredit her; it would be left up to the media and blogs to do that.
Let's hear some more about this "impartial" media....
They make me ill.
I know
September 4, 2008 - 13:33 ET by mbuelWhat also bugs the hell out of me is them calling factual statements made by Palin against Obama, (community organizer, never ran anything, etc)
ATTACKS.
When the pundits on PBS called these statements "attacks", I couldn't help but to laugh. It's ludicrous. Do they really put these facts on equal ground with the slander they've been muck raking against her?
/rhetorical
Palin has accomplished great things, while Obama has continued to make empty promises that the world owes you a living.
The media have always known
September 4, 2008 - 14:56 ET by motherbeltThe media have always known that the "tradtional role" of the VP candidate is "attack dog." And apparently they had no problem with Biden taking on that task.
As can be seen here here and here
But now that the shoe's on the other foot, it's unseemly??
Coming soon: Palin accused of racism. Wait for it...
September 4, 2008 - 12:58 ET by nkviking75Perhaps we should organize a pool to figure out how long it will be before Palin is "proven" to be a racist.
"Palin's on the ticket because she's a woman and she isn't afraid to engage in the Republicans' mean-spirited personal attacks."
Maybe, but Obama has freely used his blackness to try to shield himself from criticism and as cover for his own mean spiritedness. What percentage of the votes for Obama up to now have come from blacks wanting to vote for a black and guilty white Democrats wanting to say they voted for the first black president? I hope to see a black president in my lifetime, preferably soon, but also qualified. Barack Obama is not qualified.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
NO DOUBT
September 4, 2008 - 13:35 ET by mbuelI think the same thing is coming down the pipe. They are going to call EVERYONE who criticized Obama a racist, even Michael Steele.
Palin has accomplished great things, while Obama has continued to make empty promises that the world owes you a living.
So Obama can't take
September 4, 2008 - 13:04 ET by ForeverOnTheRightSo Obama can't take confrontation eh? So The One must be handled with care? I read the transcript from Palin's speech. She doesn't handle The One with soft gloves. If he can't handle Sarah Palin's direct confrontation the world will chew him up and spit him out. What do they expect in this Presidential race anyway if not sharp criticism of their favorite candidate. I don’t think Obama is going to mince words so why should Palin or McCain?
I watched the speech closely last night...
September 4, 2008 - 13:09 ET by EireNuaI watched Palin's speech closely last night. I thought it was fabulous but for one point. She blatantly mocked Barack Obama's public service as a community organizer 20 years ago. This jab was offensive and uncalled for, and showed me an arrogance I had hoped not to see. I worked as a community organizer in Philadelphia when I graduated from law school before going on to work for a firm in Atlanta helping senior citizens pay for housing/health care costs. For those who think those attacks were appropriate, let me be very clear as to what community organizers do...THEY HELP INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED BY FAILED POLICIES IMPLEMENTED BY OUT OF TOUCH POLITICIANS...it is how WE can get involved. I worked through my church and it was some of the most rewarding work I have ever done, and it supplied me with the executive/organizational capabilities I use in my daily professional life. I see this as a major strength for Obama, not a sign of weakness....he was only 27!
But other than that, I
September 4, 2008 - 13:12 ET by EireNuaBut other than that, I thought that the speech went very well...just as children and families should be off limits, grassroots community service should be off limits.
EN... ...but you weren't
September 4, 2008 - 13:18 ET by bigtimerEN...
...but you weren't working for ACORN either were you?
That is who Obama worked for, and I'm pretty sure that is what was intended.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Grassroots community service
September 4, 2008 - 13:21 ET by motherbeltGrassroots community service is part of Obama's resume, and it's public. Why should it be off limits?
Community service not equal to family
September 4, 2008 - 13:25 ET by nkviking75"Grassroots community service" is not on a par with family, especially when the "community service" agency is a political agency and has been involved in voter fraud.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
yes
September 4, 2008 - 13:36 ET by mbuelAll of his community service was involved in frauding the vote.
Palin has accomplished great things, while Obama has continued to make empty promises that the world owes you a living.
EiraNua
September 4, 2008 - 13:24 ET by MrShyObama's people AND the MSM -- just about everyone who's intimidated by this VP pick -- went after her "experience" and her entire resume, belittling her PTA work, being mayor of a "small town", etc..
She was fired at from all directions. She's firing back, that's all, as well she should.
Gloves are finally off on Empty O and teeth are going to fly. I love it.
* * * SOCKS THE CAT '08 * * *
For REAL Change
She was firing back, but
September 4, 2008 - 22:14 ET by balboaShe was firing back, but belittling involvement in the community doesn't seem especially pithy. Republicans don't care about communities?
How is working for the ACORN
September 4, 2008 - 22:18 ET by NL207How is working for the ACORN voter fraud organization 'community involvement'? Isn't voter fraud a criminal act?
Exactly what do these
September 5, 2008 - 09:35 ET by BDExactly what do these community organizers actually accomplish?
These communities would be better off having an infantry company descend of them to "Organize" than have all the liberals in America arrive.
EireNua, I'll add...
September 4, 2008 - 13:20 ET by cest moi...that everything you write about Senator Obama's community service record is correct, aaaaaaaaaannnnnnnddddddd...THAT'S ALL HE'S GOT, BABE! THAT'S HIS WHOLE RESUME!
So, what was your point, again?
BTW, so very glad you have gainful employment. Why aren't you running for president?
Cest moi, motherbelt, et al
September 4, 2008 - 22:10 ET by EireNuaI just want to clarify something for you all. I DON'T CARE WHAT THE DEMOCRATS DO! These arguments you are making are pathetic, and they insult all of our intelligence. Why is my outrage over the demeaning nature in which Palin mocked Obama's community service ridiculous because of what the Democrats do? That's horrible reasoning. Furthermore, Cest Moi, you are incorrect. As someone who works in the legal profession, OBAMA was president of the Harvard Law Review (which believe me, is an INCREDIBLE accomplishment that is not "handed out," to make the law review you have to be in the top 8% of the class, and to be elected President, you have to really be something special...haha needless to say I was not on my law review), worked as civil rights attorney, and taught Constitutional law at the University of Chicago which is a top 10 law school...so to say that public service work he did when he was 27 is his only experience in government is just wrong. Unless you discount working in the JUDICIARY branch as government experience. So instead of attacking the biography, why not attack his policies?! Heighten the level of the debate. Because if you're going to go the other route, it's infinitely subjective.
Community organizers CAN do those things
September 4, 2008 - 13:37 ET by mbuelBUT OBAMA DIDN'T.
And I'm sorry the only reason the left finds these factual statements about him being an organizer offensive, is because it puts on FULL display how unprepared Obama is for the job of Commander IN Chief.
Palin has accomplished great things, while Obama has continued to make empty promises that the world owes you a living.
are you kidding eire??
September 4, 2008 - 13:44 ET by candanceAre you kidding?
Democrats have been demeaning the town of Wasilla and implying her work there as mayor was useless.
Then they said Alaska is an empty wilderness, so being the governor there is no hard job.
All this from the same people who use Obama's work as a community organizer to give him twenty years of experience.
The Dems brought this on themselves.
Oh, and yeah, a community organizer, with all due respect, is *not* the same as a mayor.
and certainly not on par
September 4, 2008 - 14:39 ET by motherbeltand certainly not on par with being a Governor.
And it's all in the public sector....so I don't understand why EireNua thinks it should be off limits.
delete double\
September 4, 2008 - 14:50 ET by motherbeltdelete double\
If you have followed the campaign,
September 4, 2008 - 15:01 ET by IamTinmanVirtually as soon as Governor Palin was announced as the VP choice, the Obama campaign derided her for being the mayor of some small town in Alaska while omitting that she was a successful and wildly popular governor of one of the most important states in the U.S.. Granted Senator Obama came out some hours later and recanted, but that has always been a tactic of his campaign. It allows him to seem to be on either side of the fence.
Turnabout in politics is always fair play and you can rest assured that she didn't mean you. What Barack did and what you did was important, but as Councilwoman, mayor, and governor, Sarah Palin can claim more executive experience than Obama and Biden combined and that's just an unargueable fact!
If you want arrogance, I refer you to the "bitter people clinging to their guns" comments typical of Senator Obama and his surrogates in the party and in the media. Chris Mathews with a "shiver running up his leg"! UGH!!
After the disgusting way she has been treated, she should make no apologies until the Obama campaign and the democrat party denounce their MSM sycophants lies and distortions, and demand a more balanced and civil discourse. Something highly unlikely to happen!
Obama, Hillary, and Biden all appeared at the Daily Kos convention, one of the most radical and vile of all the far left blogs who are currently spewing their hate filled venom at the Palin children. The Obama campaign to this day still accepts their support and hasn't rejected their disgusting claims.
Fighting for you vs PRESENT
September 4, 2008 - 13:50 ET by txcoI loved the line about who has really fought for you...John McCain. She should have added...voting PRESENT isn't fighting for you, it's what you say when the teacher calls roll at the beginning of class!!!!!!!
This stuff is just too funny
September 4, 2008 - 14:23 ET by kdizzydazeJust over a week ago, I heard some MSM talking heads discussing what a great pick Biden was because in their words, "the VP candidate is supposed to be the attack dog that goes after their opponents" and how Biden would fill that role tremendously.
So a week goes by and Palin, after giving a speech backed with direct quotes from her opponents, used IN CONTEXT to define her opponents in an unfavorable light is labeled an attack dog and the MSM has suddenly found that behavior reprehensible???
Look, I have been done with those ass clowns for years and this stuff is nothing new.
There are two very important factors that need to be understood - first, the MSM and blogosphere is mercilessly attacking Palin - far worse than they ever went after Clinton or any other female candidate (ask Geraldine Ferraro). Now, there are some legitimate questions that need to be asked in regards to determining her qualifications - fair enough, but that reporting is far more the exception than the rule and the truly undecideds will take note over time. Second, the fact that the bloggers for the left have been either claiming the speech was the weakest they had heard OR that they are filled with rage over Palin's "hatred" and "attack dog mentality" or "typical Republican smear campaign" tactics is a keen insight into their concern over the course this election is taking.
Either way, they are worried.
They will be even more so when the debates take place.
"...the Republicans' mean-spirited personal attacks."
September 4, 2008 - 15:49 ET by Prester JohnAt the risk of overstating the obvious,
BOO FRICKIN HOO.
Backwoods is just codeword
September 4, 2008 - 16:29 ET by BDBackwoods is just codeword for "Cowboy" that the left hates so much.
I Never could understand that of coure, since I can think of no one else i would rather have at my back in tough times than either a backwoodsman of Northern Minnesota or a Texas Cowboy.
But the left hates em.