A long time ago in this very country, liberals once protected the little guy. They sided against elites and fought the good fight against overwhelming odds against the powerful. But today, the self described liberals, have joined the ranks of the rich and powerful and view the rest of the country as one would an episode of “Green Acres.”
Democrats, the mainstream media and the liberal blogosphere, are all joined in sneering at Sarah Palin. You know what they’re hitting her on. It’s the beauty pagaent, The University of Idaho degree, the family with more than 2.3 children, the hunting, the moose burgers, the hockey-Mom thing, the blue-collar snow-mobile racing husband, and the fact that she didn’t do what 90 percent of women do when their child is diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome.
NBC News reporter Andrea Mitchell yesterday unkindly compared Palin to Annie Oakley. I didn’t hear any jokes about Joe Biden from the media, though there is much to mock. Mitchell essentially said only dumb women will vote for Palin:
“She (Palin) is not appealing to the same women who were really voting or supporting Hillary Clinton on ideological issues but they think that they can peel off some of these working class women, not college educated, who, the blue collar women who were voting for Hillary Clinton and may be more conservative on social causes.”
FYI, uneducated means doesn’t live in the Northeast, DC, or California. Note to Palin supporters: You must be uneducated or graduated from the University of Idaho or somewhere like that. And notice that “uneducated” and “conservative” go together in Mitchell’s assessment.
Newsweek Editor Eleanor Clift admitted without prompting on The McLaughlin Report that the media laughs at Palin. On the McLaughlin Report she said:
ELEANOR CLIFT: This is not a serious choice. It makes it look like a made for TV movie. If the media reaction is anything, it’s been literally laughter in many places across news-
JOHN McLAUGHLIN: Where is that? See that?
CLIFT: In very, very many newsrooms.
But there’s no media bias?
Right after the nomination, there was a press release issued from Barack Obama’s campaign describing Palin as the “former Mayor” of a small town. The emphasis was on the small town, just so you know. Here’s the comment:
“Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency,” said Obama spokesperson Bill Burton.
Saying Palin is a former Mayor is like calling Obama a “community organizer.” Hey, at least I know what a Mayor does.
The Los Angeles Times wrote an odd and misleading headline saying, “Palin has risen quickly from PTA to VP pick.” As if there were no stops in between. It’s like Palin was never Governor at all. See, they don’t count Alaska as a real state because the only thing they know about it is we can’t drill for oil there and they really like that quirky show ‘Northern Exposure.’ The article includes this not-so-subtle jab:
Palin is breathtakingly unlike any other vice presidential pick in American history — a gun-toting, mooseburger-eating former Miss Wasilla, an Alaska governor whose parents nearly missed her national unveiling because they were out hunting caribou.
That was supposed to be a punch line, if you didn’t get it. You’re supposed to laugh at her and her backward parents.
So the laughter and the elitism can continue. They’re laughing the day away about the Palin announcement. But you know who’s not laughing? The Obama campaign. Because just a few days after the Democratic convention when Democrats typically enjoy a 10-15 point bounce, there is nothing. The big Greek Temple set, the Hillary speech, the Bill speech, Hillary’s dramatic strut onto the convention floor to give up her delegates, the Michelle “folksy” speech, and the Barack Obama speech which made Chris Matthews and Keith Olberman swoon has resulted in absolutely no bounce. Zero. And that’s all because of some Hockey Mom from the sticks.
H/T Newsbusters
September 1, 2008 at 4:21 pm
When will the liberals learn that we’ve won?
September 1, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Eleanor Clift is not a serious human being.
Problem, however: Palin’s 17-yr old daughter is pregnant.
September 1, 2008 at 7:01 pm
irenaes,
While I don’t deny that this news will be a political liability to some extent for McCain/Palin, it is yet another example of how this candidate deals with the various circumstances and events of her life (there are highs and lows and we’ve all got em).
In her joint statement (with her husband) I’m hearing straightforward acknowledgement of the news, loving support for her daughter, encouragement of personal responsibility, etc.
By contrast, when Obama was asked about his stance on abortion here in my own state of PA, he said something along the lines that if his own daughters were to become pregnant, unexpectedly, he didn’t want them to be “punished” with a baby.
I mainly feel deeply for this 17-year-old girl and all of the challenges she has ahead of her. Heck, only hours ago her name was being dragged through the mud on Kos and elsewhere with the suggestion that her infant brother with Down’s Syndrome was actually HER baby, not her mom’s.
I don’t relish the prospect of the inevitable vicious comments that are going to come from the left and the right on this Palin family news, but (so far anyway) this Casey Democrat is still planning to swing right on Nov. 4.
September 1, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Obama aside; Biden aside; DailyKos and their illogic aside; even McCain aside–I just don’t see myself voting for Palin. I just don’t think she has “it” to run the free world if it came to that–the size of her responsibilities at home alone (and c’mon, if we are honest with ourselves, we who have families of our own can admit entertaining doubts about *anyone’s* abilities to juggle all that she would have to if she made it into the WH) disqualify her, I think.
My wife and I just had twins–our first–after a year and a half of marriage. We are both college educated; both trilingual; have both been white-collared professionals; both have lived in and out of the US (and are both staunch Catholics) and I know neither of us could be public official (much less VP!) AND parent at once at this point. Either we would be bad parents or bad elected officials: no way around it.
Sadly, this news about Palin’s daughter simply exemplifies what happens when Mom and Dad are not very involved, and, in Palin’s case, we can of course see why–she’s been too good a governor to have been a very responsible mother, and her family (our hearts and prayers go out to them) is suffering for it.
September 1, 2008 at 8:49 pm
I believe that the best judges of how the Palins are able to juggle the responsibilities are the Palins. Although we may judge others by our standards, ultimately it is their choice. If they are believing people, then I would think that they believe they will be given the strength they need to succeed. We need to just pray that they and all our leaders have the strength and courage to do what is right for them and us.
September 1, 2008 at 9:22 pm
I can remember thinking, as a new parent, that if I just did everything right my children would be guaranteed to be “good”. Many years (and with more children), I have come to realize that there is always free will and the mystery of evil, as Pope John Paul II put it. Even saints don’t always have holy children. (I’m thinking of St. Monica and her son Augustine, who lived with a woman and had a child with her before he finally converted.)
I think the way that the Palins are handling this shows how much they love their daughter and grandchild. And Todd is (and has been since Trig’s birth, I believe) a stay-at-home dad.
We are not all called to the same vocation. There have been holy women of the past — such as Blanche of Castile (mother of St Louis) who ran the kingdom of France until her son came of age, and Isabella of Spain — who have ruled nations and raised families at the same time.
As Elizabeth Foss puts it in her beautiful post, we need to stop “Eating our Own”.
September 1, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Once upon a time I thought that Democrats and Republicans both had the nation’s good at their focus despite different concepts on how that good should be accomplished. Now I am convinced by the words and behavior of Democrats that they have become stunningly, obscenely evil.
— Mack
September 1, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Two thoughts.
Once it was considered honorable for politically involved parents to back their children 100% – not every child is perfect (Theodore Roosevelt’s outspoken Alice leaps to mind as someone who enjoyed her parents’ support but didn’t always do what was best for their family, not to mention whichever Bush daughter got caught drinking with a fake ID), but no one castigated those political parents for not policing their children 24/7.
Two, it was also honorable – once – to be a journalist, a profession known for its emphasis on unbiased fairness and honesty. Once.
September 1, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I want to add to anon’s 4:22pm post. My own mother was a stay-at-home mom from the day she became a mom to the present. She was there, available, loving. Our parents taught us to save sex for marriage. They did everything “right”.
Nevertheless, my sister ran away with a man she met in college. She must have been about 18 then — not much older than Palin’s daughter. I can remember the heartbreak in our home. My parents did the only thing they could — kept loving her and praying for her. Eventually, she did marry the father of her child and is now a serious Evangelical Christian.
So I just want to say — don’t judge the Palins as bad parents based on this.
September 1, 2008 at 11:52 pm
1. You’re wrong on the polling data. Gallup and Rassmussen both show an Obama lead today. There is one CNN poll showing a one point Obama lead.
2. I can’t make your site copy links, but you might be interested in reading the comments at Shakespeare’s Sister, where the site hosts defend Ms. Palin and her daughter.
September 2, 2008 at 12:10 am
A lead of three points is not a lead. It’s a statistical dead heat.
September 2, 2008 at 2:15 am
That’s right. Apparrently, Obama was expected to have a ten-point lead at least, this week.
The biggest speach of his life, and this hokey ol’ NRA-loving abortion-hatin mom from Alaska knocks him off the front pages.
So Jon, you’re saying that the “community organizer” with five months’ more experience than Palin and a love of infanticide, does have what it takes.
I don’t think there is any issue of sufficient gravity that would permit a Catholic to vote Obama, and remain in good standing with the Church.
September 2, 2008 at 2:34 am
“Sadly, this news about Palin’s daughter simply exemplifies what happens when Mom and Dad are not very involved…”
Yeah, if they paid more attention, she’d only be into drugs.
Get real. This happens in the best of families these days. I’m not saying it’s the way it should be, but it’s the way it is, and the Palins are showing us that they’re an imperfect family humbly striving for perfection in Christ. I’d give anything to have neighbors like them.
In fact, the liberal bias against them, is a bias against anyone outside the elitist enclaves that are the East and West Coasts. Let them spend a week in Alaska, where the frontier spirit of the old West still lives on in the people there, especially in the small towns.
Never been there myself. Would sure love to visit.
September 2, 2008 at 6:17 am
It is not enough not to vote for Obama. It’s not even enough to vote for McCain. Active support of the Republican ticket is called for if we are serious about stopping abortion. With Sarah on board now, McCain’s a lot easier to take. Kit
September 2, 2008 at 3:31 pm
jon – you’re not voting for Palin, you’re voting for McCain. Palin may never serve a day as President even if the ticket wins two terms.
On the other hand, voting for Obama based on Palin’s supposed inability to lead in a tight spot is akin to hiding in a lion’s den because you’re afraid of being scratched by a house cat.
September 2, 2008 at 3:33 pm
“jon – you’re not voting for Palin, you’re voting for McCain. Palin may never serve a day as President even if the ticket wins two terms.”
That said, both are on the ballot. Don’t believe me? Check the ballot in November. Not one name. Two names. You are voting for both, not just one. This is verifiable. This is fact.
Can we please stick to that?
September 2, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Kit, I can proudly say that now we’re on the same page. completely. I’m ordering my McCain/Palin sign for my front yard today.
September 2, 2008 at 7:51 pm
DLA – I am not six. I know they’re both on the ballot. I also know in which order they appear, and in which offices they would serve. Obama’s lack of experience – heck, his lack of about everything presidential – looms much larger that does Palin’s experience and skill, given that he would be in the Big Chair from Day One while Palin may spend eight years presiding over the Senate.
Hence my subsequent comment about voting for Obama because one feels Palin isn’t up to a job that she may never hold anyway.
Besides, I thought it was clever. 😉
September 2, 2008 at 7:54 pm
nightfly wrote:
“DLA – I am not six. I know they’re both on the ballot.”
nightfly also wrote:
“jon – you’re not voting for Palin, you’re voting for McCain.”
I rest my case.
September 2, 2008 at 10:14 pm
DLA – for cryin’ out loud, man. In context it’s obvious that I meant that one is not voting for Palin for President, but McCain. But if you think the whole point of the discussion was to make me look worse than I am, well, fine. Got me! Boy, don’t I look silly.
Congrats, you won the thread.