Everyone is an exaggeration, but at times it sure does feel like the world hates Sarah Palin. In reality, her political presence is no more than any commentator, politician, or newsmaker. However, the mainstream media likes to make mega-stars and they’ve found a contender in Palin. Popular websites have entire pages dedicated to their bloggers items taking her to task. But its not just Palin, its many conservative women. Last week, Carrie Prejean was the enemy du jour. Initially marked with a scarlet letter for responding to a pageant question with her honest feelings about marriage, every mis-step this 22-year old woman now makes is another reason for liberals to openly mock her. Its no wonder many are asking why all the hatred and sexism towards these conservative women?
Full disclosure – I don’t expect that I will ever vote for Sarah Palin for any national election. Not that I hate her personally, or disagree with her too greatly politically, but her weaknesses as a leader, lack of experience and diminshing gravitas as a national figure prevent me from taking her seriously as a candidate. I feel like her interview answers are a walking cliff notes of Republican talking points. I said when she quit her governorship that she should have stayed and built her record because I’ll look at current governors and senators before someone who has no real decision-making responsibilities.
But, I don’t hate Ms. Palin or have the utter lack of respect you see daily in the national media. Liberals are supposed to be the compassionate bloc for minorities and women – however if you are Juan Williams or Sarah Palin and don’t agree with their political positions then you are cast of the great melting pot island. On Wednesday, Jon Stewart took offense to attacks from the right that all the hatred towards Palin was apolitical or personal. It is easy to claim innocence after making numerous personal attacks, but Stewart has a comedy show, albeit a popular, influential one. Personal jokes are par for any comedy show. But the mainstream media and blogosphere take the same approach as Stewart; attack, attack, attack…then claim innocence.
Take for instance, Andrew Sullivan of The Atlantic. Sullivan for the better part of the year has been merciless with his attacks on Palin. He’s been adament that Palin needs to produce proof that Trig is her child (other than of course, a birth certificate showing it’s her son) because of some sick belief he’s a political prop and she was covering for her daughter. His site for the last few weeks has been filled hit items on Palin. In an article where he responds to criticisms of Palin-obsessives he gives three reasons defending his position. I found the third most telling:
Watching someone this delusional and this uninformed and this narcissistic strut around the world stage telling empirical untruth after untruth is a car wreck worth rubber-necking. The book is so weird, and its fiction so bad, and its facts so non-checked, you’d have to have every single journalistic bone in your body removed to be indifferent to it.
But anyway, I’m tired of all this meta-journalism. Does examining her make me look obsessed? Does not examining her make me look cool? Who gives a fuck? She’s a great story, a truly bizarre creature, an international woman of mystery, and completely off her rocker.
That sums up how most of the media obsessed feel. Its okay to destroy her life because she’s a great story. It’s the same old media playbook – build a person up to mega-status, then start chopping away at the tree until you knock her back down. Once she is completely destroyed, then we feel sympathy for her because Americans love the comeback. Right now we are in the phase where Americans are split on their support, but those that don’t like her REALLY don’t like her. So, the liberal media is pouncing on that venom.
Earlier this week, almost half the news items on the main page of Huffington Post were devoted to Palin. You cannot watch one MSNBC show without having at minimum, one segment about Sarah Palin. Observe this graph from the hilarious website, Olbermannwatch.com. 2 of the 3 most discussed topics last week on Countdown were Palin or Prejean related. That is what cable news is these days. Mostly its hypothetical questions being bantered about as if they are truth. Or my favorite question, “Why is Palin so obsessed with celebrity?”. That hypocritical question gets asked alot by the same people that talk about her nightly!
But why are the attacks so personal? Its because Palin does not have the dirt that comes with many political or celebrity figures, her track record is so minimal that they can’t focus on that. Instead they will take small things from her life and magnify them. Granddaughter out of wedlock. What magazines do you read. Folksy accent. All things to prod away at to distract the public from real issues.
Ms. Palin is a great role model from young women and can be a great advocate for conservative causes. But as long as she remains in the public eye, she will be drawing the ire of the liberal establishment. The American public need to be smart enough to judge a person themselves, not by the way the media portrays them.
I think your point about the media is a strong one. This problem though is wearing me out. I don’t know if it can ever be reversed. Isn’t the media somewhat a reflection of our society?
With Palin mania in full effect, I have heard a few people say Hillary received the same treatment. I doubt it was so personal or vicious with Hillary. For Hillary it was also relentless and for a long time but I would argue that it got worse during the primaries as she moved to the center.
What bothers me the most is how these feeling can be evoked towards an absolutely normal, average, motivated person.
As far as being presidential…. I agree. Her interview with O Reilly last night was very telling how in tuned she is policy wise. Like you said, It was talking points…. I don’t think that is the way she sounded during the campaign though, so i will save a final judgment until after I finish her book.
Tim,
I would almost think the opposit. Even though i seem to constantly talk about it, i believe that the media isnt a reflection of society, but more that it is so powerful that it shapes societal views, especially amongst the younger generations.
If you look at only the news media, i believe Oreilly had a good stat in Culture Warrior, showing the HUGE disparity between the media people and avg americans regarding religious beliefs. I could be a bit off, but something like 20-25% of journalists said they were atheist compared to sometnhing liek 5 or 10% of the gen pop..
I would say the comparison bt Hilary and Palin is a joke of an argument. Hillary’s kids were off limits, rmember when the one commentator said Hillary was pimping out Chelsea or whatever, he got in BIG trouble. Besides, the conservative media does not use the same tactics, so the folks who gave Hillary such a hard time we just a small portion of far leftys mixed with a portion of a-hole rightwingers. The ENTIRE left is hateful towards Palin, and a small portion of Moderate REpubs are against her too, like Brooks.
Its really amazing when i ask people at work what they think of Palin and how they think she was treated. They immediately say well, shes not smart enough, or she hasnt accomplished anything, or shes hot so who cares… wtf…
Johnny,
I go nuts over this stuff. And i hate it just as much when people seem to do it to themselves. Take Fox News for example, what are they doing purposely using faulty images to “promote” what they are showing. Dont they know that everyone is out to get them.. Same goes for Palin,
like you, i said after the election she needed to go back home, learn more and get more experience. Instead she choose to leave Alaska and go on a US tour while finishing up her book. Giving fodder to the fire i guess. Im not reading the book, but curious to see what Timmy says, apparently there is a lot of information about why she left her Governor job.
“but her weaknesses as a leader, lack of experience and diminshing gravitas as a national figure prevent me from taking her seriously as a candidate.”
I get what you are saying but disagree with the premise of how you are looking at her. The liberal media is what made us even think to question her as a presidential candidate… Lets not forget she had more “experience” than Obama, and even Joe Biden, depending on how you look at it. You gotta agree that its not fair to judge Palin on everything so closely, when Joe Biden is known for being a stooge and no one cares.
The upcoming election talk really bores me as well. Its one of the things that got me deeply into politics, when everyone back in early 2007 said the candidates were going to be Rudy and Hillary, as if it was set in stone…
Palins inability to answer softball questions slowly lobbed her way, by a notoriously “easy” reporter, is what caused most Americans to question her fitness to be President. She plays well to a small minority, her self described “real America”. If it’s any consolation, she was hugely popular at her Fort Bragg book signing event.
Aside from being verbose and suffering from foot in mouth syndrome, Biden is eminently more qualified to assume the Presidency than Palin “Oh, but she ran a state.” Get real, that is the same as saying George Bush ran Texas. George Bush ran every business venture he ever got close to into the ground, except for the Texas Rangers with a massive influx of politically manipulated tax payer money. The Lt. Governor has more power in Texas politics by the way.
Again, Fox cannot be considered a news outlet. Possibly propaganda, and bad propaganda at best. They haven’t broken a story in twelve years. News flash, that is a requirement for real news organizations. At least MSNBC has the decency to leave news out of their description.
Palin, taken more crap than Hilary? Not unless you’re a serious student of revisionist history. Not just at the hands of comics and the media either, Phil Gramm was the worst offender. Lindsay Graham finally had to set him straight. You know, the whole you are calling a teenaged girl whom hasn’t done anything to you names thing. The thing is, Chelsea didn’t attack anybody either.
The sad thing is Fox is not even capable or well managed propaganda now, with their faulty footage. Twice in two weeks?
The shame is that media mirrors the market, and judging from that basis, Palin and reality shows are both hugely popular. So, am I a Palin hater? No, but I find it morally repugnant that serious political contenders cannot get any serious air time without a crazy scandal of some sort, and she will get as much media as she wants all the way up to the next election should she decide to run.
softball questions and easy reporter? I will give you some softball questions…. but nowhere near an easy interview.
“But can you give me any other concrete examples? Because I know you’ve said Barack Obama is a lot of talk and no action. Can you give me any other examples in his 26 years of John McCain truly taking a stand on this?”
Palin vs Biden… who cares, the reality is Obama had a bare minimum amount of experience so it is tough to argue that a VP is unqualified based on experience.
I understand the dislike for the propaganda/entertainment news stuff. Still you have to be a little logical here. These cable news stations are on 24 hours a day reporting. Haven’t broken a story in 12 years? Turn on the channel now and read the ticker… Thats usually what that is for, Breaking News.
There is a big difference between reporting and breaking a story.
Timmy, I don’t know how old you are or how much broadcast journalism you’ve seen, but that was a historically simple interview. If you ever get a chance, take in some footage from 20-30 years ago. Interviews today lean more toward human interest than hard journalism. By way of example, there was a reason that Helen Thomas (The First Lady of Journalism) was blacklisted for three plus years by the Bush administration. Mike Wallace on 60 minutes, 20 years ago was an animal. Now the most hard core it gets is constant talking over of a guest.
You asked me to give you examples of John McCain taking a stand during his last 26 years. Clarify for me. During his time in politics? Taking a stand on what? I’m not sure what question you want me to field, but McCain and his handlers deserve to pay the price for the huge risk they took in the selection of Palin. Having said that, I’d much rather have watched her than Lieberman, whom I can’t stand. I wish McCain was a Maverick, but even more I wish the criteria that one needed to fulfill to deserve the term was far greater than a couple pieces of bi-partisan legislation that got immediately watered down, i.e. McCain Feingold.
What of Bloomberg for President? Is he to socially liberal for you guys taste? Happy Thanksgiving
I have almost no broadcast journalism history. So I will agree that historically it was a simple interview and she boched it. In terms of last years campaign it was not a easy interview though. Just compare interviews between Biden and Palin.
http://cbs2.com/politics/joe.biden.interview.2.823202.html
I will never get over what Biden said… How was this not a major story?
“When the stock market crashed, Franklin Roosevelt got on the television ”
Lol, come on VICE President! FDR wasn’t president then and the TV wasnt even invented!
“Get real, that is the same as saying George Bush ran Texas.”
Okay, so who then is qualified to run anything? Based on your reasoning, no one.
“Again, Fox cannot be considered a news outlet.”
Really, by that reasoning only a few can, and whoever gets to the story second is not legit.. wtf. How bout every critical story ran on Obama from Van Jones to J Wright. Is that not breaking news?
I hate FNC as much as you, what are they doing with their faulty coverage, it makes no sense, cept it only makes me wonder how often the other networks pull this, being they are FAR FAR less under the microscope than FNC…….
“Palin, taken more crap than Hilary? Not unless you’re a serious student of revisionist history.”
Really?? To not even understand the unprecedented hatred exhibited towars Palin since last year, is to render yourself completely ignorant of media bias. Honestly Gabe, if you dont think the hatred towards Palin is at best irrational, i dont think we will EVER meet anywhere in any middle. Im sorry my friend, but the hatred towards Palin is unified amongst liberals, polarized amongst moderates. The vilification of Hillary was amid a portion of leftist progressives… So what are you talking about…. Remember im not the biggest Palin supporter.
Don’t think I don’t realize how many Palin haters are out there. I spend a fair amount of time on Dem Underground, usually attempting to explain military nuance or International Relations strategy, often arguing group think and pigeon holing that seems to encompass every argument.
I don’t mind disagreeing with you on this, doesn’t mean a lot to me anyhow. You guys need a counterpoint anyway… The post must be stirred. Honestly, I’d like to see somebody with a good business track record, with experience in many facets of commerce from small to large. What I’d like more than anything is for a president to choose cabinet members that werent already deeply ensconced as Washington insiders or longtime politicians.
I noticed my first post wasn’t very clear. Lindsay Graham took Phil Gramm to task regarding his disparaging remarks about Chelsea Clinton. The level of dislike toward Hilary from the right, was to me unprecedented. Oddly, didn’t seem like it during the election. If you agree with that, is there a reason why?
Happy Thanksgiving
Damn it Gabe, i hate agreeing with you. Haha.
No i understand your point a little better now, but you do remember that one media person who mentioned Hillary pimping out Chelsea for the campaign, and he was finished…. Nowadays its common place to vehemently attack Palin and her entire family. The weird thing about the disdain for Hillary is that i think she would have made an immensly better president than Obama, maybe even Palin.. Eek.
Time for Turkey!
Thanks Gabe for stirring the pot. We appreciate it.
I don’t know to much about Bloomberg. From what little I know he is just like Rudy. Rudy was my favorite last year. I wouldn’t mind a socially liberal republican as long as he has a track record for being fiscally conservative.
[…] 6. Sarah Palin – In 2 years, Sarah Palin has gone from relative unknown to political juggernaut. Arguably, no one has been more influential in shaping our current political environment than Sarah Palin, including the President. In our celebrity-driven culture, Palin has managed to remain politically and socially relative despite resigning as Governor of Alaska nearly a year and a half ago. She has become somewhat of a tea party star-maker, as many of the conservative candidates she has endorsed have gone on to win primaries for the 2010 elections. If you love her, it’s often because she represents the conservative values that still permeates for the majority of Americans. If you hate her, you see her as a self-promoting, conservative Cliff’s Notes reading, fool. Love her or hate her though, everyone has an opinion. […]