NPR Host: Palin Morphed From Superwoman to 'Just Another Mean Girl' Attacking Obama

NPR Host: Palin Morphed From Superwoman to 'Just Another Mean Girl' Attacking Obama

By Tim Graham (Bio | Archive)
July 7, 2009 - 22:13 ET

On Monday's Tell Me More, NPR talk show host Michel Martin offered a few supportive thoughts about Sarah Palin: she "was somebody you wanted to see in the game" as a working mother, and "She seemed practical, honest, unfazed and down-to-earth, exactly the qualities people hope newcomers in general and hopefully women will bring to public life." Apparently, though, these warm feelings evaporated within days. When she "trashed" Barack Obama at the Republican convention, she became "just another Mean Girl" on a rampage:

But then for some reason, maybe it was the glare of the national spotlight, maybe she was that way all along, Palin seemed to morph pretty quickly out of Superwoman into just another Mean Girl — ridiculing people who don't make the same choices she does, and then crying about it when the rest of the world bit her back.

It started at the Republican National Convention, where she trashed Barack Obama and community organizers in general, saying that as a small-town mayor she was just like them except she had actual responsibilities. Now she's decided to chuck those responsibilities, but she still wants to, as she said in her farewell announcement, have an impact on public debate. So what does that make her? A community organizer? She complained about the unwelcome attention she has received since she joined the national ticket, while conveniently forgetting that much attention has been provoked by her own choices and behavior.

Now I'll be interested to see how conservatives react to Palin's decision. Her philosophical bedfellows are quick to accuse racial and ethnic minorities of whining when they complain that institutional barriers, long-standing social networks and long-held prejudices about what they can do still play too big a role in their life chances...witness the gloating about the recent Supreme Court case involving that New Haven firefighter's promotional exam.

So what now do they say to Palin's complaints about how she was treated by the Republican establishment, the national media, as well as the overall nastiness of the political environment? Conservatives have little patience for feminists who argue that the deck is stacked against women of childbearing age, that our assumptions about how work and family life should be organized make it very difficult for women — especially those with kids still at home — to have the kinds of careers ambitious men take for granted. What, then, do they say about the questions Palin was pressured to answer that none of her male competitors are ever asked, about how she'd balance her public duties with her private ones?

Like your average NPR personality, Martin thinks racial and gender quotas are essential for the "life chances" of people in an America still weighed down by "long-standing social networks and long-held prejudices." Martin concluded:

Like everybody else interested in politics, I am dying to know what Palin does next. But I particularly want to know if her time in the hot seat has left her with any more compassion than she has demonstrated to this point about how hard it can be for so many other people to put a life together. And even more important, I'd like to know what ideas she has about how to make things better for the next Sarah Palin.

—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center.

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My God, after what Palin's

July 7, 2009 - 22:31 ET by nadadhimmi

My God, after what Palin's family has been thru, to call her "mean" for criticizing Obamas policies is the height of hypocrisy. In Fact, it verges on sociopathic thought and behavior. But, where was the accusation of "RACISM!!!!!!!!!!!". This reporter should be expelled from the guild for neglect if she didn't raise the most basic false clain against Palin. COME ON, WE ALL KNOW DEAR LEADER IS INDEMNIFIED AGIANST CRITICISM BECAUSE HE IS BLACK. Do you now understand what it's like to live in America today?

You know it's funny, I know

July 7, 2009 - 23:01 ET by MightyMouth

You know it's funny, I know a guy who only had NPR to watch in OK while working. He hated Bush,Regean and loved Jimmah Carter. Couldn't explain why...just did. And then I found out out he worked for the American Airlines Union..here in Fort Worth.. he was pissed that he had spent days playing domminos on company time.. still voted Obama because Bush spent so much... Truth is folks we have a large block of voters that are too stoopid to vote, and it aint because they are poor or black, just stoopid.

"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...

"Oh, Boo, Hoo, Hoo!"

July 8, 2009 - 08:26 ET by Wildcatter1980

"Sarah is just soooooo mean! How dare she go after 'Dear Leader' in these terrible ways! Boo, hoo, hoo!"

To that I remind Ms Martin of something Pres. Harry S. Truman said. "If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen." If Barry can't take a little criticism, then he should resign.

Oh, wait! That means we'd have the Gaffetastic One as our president. Maybe on second thought...

We already have term limits. They are called elections. We can & should vote out those who do not represent & serve us! - Me

Sociopathic is close. I'd

July 8, 2009 - 16:27 ET by mattm

Sociopathic is close. I'd call it psychopathic.

This is what happens to people who deny reality for long enough.

Liberalism is a denial of reality, thus, if not abandoned, it will fester until insanity or some other mental/emotional problem results.

Same "old" lefties

July 7, 2009 - 22:39 ET by iveseenitall

If it isn't the "race" card, it's the "mean" card they always pull from the same deck they've been playing for decades. And they do it with a straight face every time. Dante was right when he threw the hypocrites so far down into Hell.

NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"

Yeah--to have the audacity

July 8, 2009 - 04:20 ET by Andrew H.

Yeah--to have the audacity to point out his racist past, his disdain for life, his tax and spend frivolity and his weak-kneed defense views are all so "mean."

Stupid liberals.

Liberalism is a convenient lie.

Compassion

July 7, 2009 - 22:40 ET by nadadhimmi

As far as Palins compassion is concerned, I would say her refusal to kill her Downs son Trig as, well, you know, maybe, kind of, just a little bit, compassionate. As opposed to Obama voting 3 times to actually murder premature babies. Yes my friends, Infanticide is fine, noble even, but loving a disabled baby isn't. We are very close to just out and out killing, as Hitler put it, "The useless eaters". Even Neanderthal Man protected, provided for and respectfully buried their aged and injured tribal members. Obama is taking us rapidly down the road of Savagery unseen in a thousand years.

Very well articulated NDHM

July 7, 2009 - 22:48 ET by general company

Thank you, very true. We will stop it though, give us half a chance, and your help!

My Gov. thinks I am dangerous, so be careful

"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg

Typical NPR elitist double-talker...

July 7, 2009 - 22:42 ET by Slyrr

I'd like to see how this NPR media slave would cope with it if the same scrutiny were applied to her, and her family, and her children. I'd love to see her reaction to having Letterman make sex jokes about her kids. I'd love to see what she does after 10 months of every media news outlet savaging her with mocking skits, sneers, spitting, threats, legal intimidation, lewd sexual innuendo, prominent celbrities and political figures wishing her ill health, or wishing her being raped, or wishing her dead.

I bet this sanctimonious NPR blowhard would follow Michael Jackson and drug herself to death rather than face it.

It's hard to be hopeful for the country when it now seems that every politician, celebrity and media organization is now part of the same secret combination, a web of liars, crooks, theives, perverts and assassins who swear oaths to protect each other in all their wickedness and make sure the ones who are truly guilty never get caught.

They're rotten to the core, the whole lot of them. And they're sowing the seeds of their own destruction. You can't make an organization that powerful, that corrupt and that evil without it turning against itself, because the members of that group are groomed from birth in deciet, lies and backstabbing. And the knives will wind up in their own backs before much longer. Because each individual member of their cabal thinks they should be the big cheese, and when you're an elitist snob who thinks you should be running the show, you don't want any competition.

This NPR snob is just another one of a huge, sad bunch. She spits out her snide lies without fear because she knows no one will challenge her. NPR is an editorialist channel now, bought and paid for with taxpayer dollars, and they're all Obama's slaves now.

Slyrr:

July 7, 2009 - 22:55 ET by iveseenitall

Right on. Good post. And I wonder how NPR would do if the "fairness doctrine" were applied to them. As with so many things in this nation, nothing will ever be done about their recieving tax dollars for their leftist propaganda.

NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"

Hubris

July 8, 2009 - 05:59 ET by allanf

The word to describe it is hubris. As for the Palin coverage:

"I come to bury Cesear, not to praise him".

Is NPR the place where all

July 7, 2009 - 22:49 ET by d1carter

Is NPR the place where all "journalists" that can't make it in the real world wind up? Sorta pre-retirement.

Nah,

July 8, 2009 - 09:30 ET by Paul Atreides

you're thinking of MSNBC, except that the ones on there only claim to be journalists.

Carter,

July 8, 2009 - 11:13 ET by Chris Norman

I don't know about NPR, but I think PBS is where they head when they see their careers stalling on any of the majors. It's like they know if they can't be network stars, at least they can try claiming to be - er - "quality".

The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.

Warned us about Obama

July 7, 2009 - 23:11 ET by Desperado67

Actually, Palin just warned us about what we could all expect if Obama got elected. Given that everything she said turned out to be true, how could that be considered 'trashing' him???

http://www.examiner.com/x-6996-Louisville-Economic-Policy-Examiner~y2009m7d7-The-ESP-of-the-ESP-Extraordinary-Sarah-Palin

Rick Robbins - Louisville Economic Policy Examiner

Huh?

July 7, 2009 - 23:39 ET by Jack Herman

"Now I'll be interested to see how conservatives react to Palin's decision. Her philosophical bedfellows are quick to accuse racial and ethnic minorities of whining when they complain that institutional barriers, long-standing social networks and long-held prejudices about what they can do still play too big a role in their life chances ... witness the gloating about the recent Supreme Court case involving that New Haven firefighter's promotional exam."

So now we're going to compare the oftentimes mis-perceived discriminations (noted by the appearance of either Rev. Al or Jesse) with actual discrimination against the NH firefighters (BTW, where was NAN?) and the media abuse against Sarah Palin.

Tax dollars help to fund this crap?

Just another racist

July 8, 2009 - 01:21 ET by well99

Typical of the racist that run around and spew their garbage.

NPR-Shut up and play some

July 8, 2009 - 04:17 ET by RR GOP

NPR-Shut up and play some Telemann, Bach, Mozart or some other cool music.

One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).

...And we fund this

July 8, 2009 - 04:51 ET by Andrew H.

...And we fund this junk. How much fun is that? We pay these dolts to lie over the airwaves and promote national suicide. Are we about a bunch of silly people or what?

Liberalism is a convenient lie.

Dear Mizz Martin

July 8, 2009 - 09:07 ET by rjwest21

Mean?

Has anyone told this token that Al Franken is now a Democratic senator?

BTW, I remember her on ABC, pretending to be a 'journalist', in the same mold as Steffy. Funny how they all ended up outing themselves as just what we said they were all along: liberals.

Gloating?

July 8, 2009 - 09:10 ET by rjwest21

---.witness the gloating about the recent Supreme Court case involving that New Haven firefighter's promotional exam.---

It's now gloating to agree with a decision of the USSC that something was so egregious that it was UNCONSTITUTIONAL? Hey, Michele, how does it feel to support a policy that goes against our constitution?

"What happened to the old Bill Clinton we used to like???"

July 8, 2009 - 09:12 ET by krendler

That was the chanting point of the Obama worshipers and race-baiters after Clinton made the unpardonable sin of criticizing Barry. Up till then, liberal icon, 1st black president, all around great guy.

Ditto for Hillary. She didn't worship Barry, therefore, she was criticized for making "racially insensitive" remarks and playing the race card (ironically) as well.

Ditto Geraldine Ferraro. "What happened to her?", all the Obama Pod People asked.

"What ever happened to the old John McCain we used to like?" followed later.

Now we have "We were cheering for Sarah, but then she criticized Barry".

Yeah, sure you were. Kind of like "We were cheering for Hillary....".

These Obama Cultists are off-the-charts creepy.

Didn't candidate Biden

July 8, 2009 - 09:22 ET by Paul Atreides

criticize Scary Barry's lack of experience? Something about the presidency not ideal for on-the-job training.

I guess that makes him mean.

Yes, but that was before he

July 8, 2009 - 09:30 ET by motherbelt

Yes, but that was before he picked Joe for his VP, thereby proving that he was intelligent enough to know that he needed Joe behind him.

Joe Biden....Presidential Coach and Trainer.

I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson

Yes

July 8, 2009 - 13:58 ET by StarAZ

Scary Barry and Blowy Joey.

So, let me get this straight...

July 8, 2009 - 09:19 ET by Paul Atreides

Palin has her kids onstage with her during the campaign (as have most other candidates in the history of presidential campaigns), and, to let the media tell it, that makes the kids fair game for every sick joke and every effort to destroy them.

Sarah Palin makes a comment about a man who is an actual candidate (not his wife or kids, but him) and that makes her mean.

That a nice set of values you have there, MSM.

mean girl

July 8, 2009 - 09:43 ET by Lorraine

It's interesting that these kind of people are all about racial and gender identity, but say sexist things like "mean girl". So is Obama a "mean boy" when he's flipping people off behind his back?

If Sarah had been a Dim

July 8, 2009 - 10:10 ET by Paul Atreides

She would have been labeled a "strong woman" for saying the exact same thing.

We Fund this Crap

July 8, 2009 - 09:48 ET by BW222

The worst part is that we are forced to fund this crap.

BW222

Fairness Doctrine

July 8, 2009 - 10:42 ET by hobie

Another commentor mentioned the Fairness Doctrine in relation to this opinion from NPR.

I couldn't agree more. Anti-Statists should support the implementation of the Fairness Doctrine with the following conditions:

1. That a completely impartial party is selected to analyze liberal vs. conservative viewpoints and language in previous publications and broadcasts. I.e. antique media constantly identifying Republicans when they do something wrong while consistently omitting Democrat designations when the Democrats do something wrong. Further, use of language to spin the issues; i.e. calling taxation proceeds to the government 'revenue', who could oppose increasing revenue???

2. That Anti-Statists are the creators of the definition of 'Fairness' as applied to the doctrine, and are also responsible for enforcing said Fairness.

3. That every broadcaster or publisher is required to display and disclaim their bias in every single instance of publication or broadcast. Something to the effect of; I am a Liberal, and I say ....

With an appropriate application of the Fairness Doctrine, more liberal viewpoints would have to step aside to provide for equal time for Conservative viewpoints in the antique media. That is the hypocrisy of the whole thing. Implementation is key, the devil is in the details.

In my understanding of Liberal mindset, the intentions are noble, however, they lack any understanding of reality, and the implementation of the 'noble intentions' always gets messed up due to the Liberal's complete ignorance to the law of unintended consequences.

Can't find a more blatant "tell" than that!

July 8, 2009 - 13:15 ET by OxyCon

"But then for some reason, maybe it was the glare of the national spotlight, maybe she was that way all along, Palin seemed to morph pretty quickly out of Superwoman into just another Mean Girl...It started at the Republican National Convention, where she trashed Barack Obama..."

Reading that is like a public confession from the Liberal media as to what triggered their unseemly attacks on Palin and her family. It turns out that Palin had the nerve to attack her political opponant! Not just any opponant, mind you, but the annointed one himself! How dare she! She got what she had coming to her, didn't she? The media just had to take her out because no one can be allowed to campaign against Barack Obama...just ask Hillary, who also got ruffed up by the Obama media.