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November 6, 2008 at 15:19:55
The Palin Legacy: Sexism in Reporting by kellie bean Page 1 of 1 page(s) |
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So the Palin thing seems to have worked itself out--for now. She's back in Alaska and a long way from the White House. I no longer have to worry that War-Monger Barbie might wind up being President. Even better, the man who grumbled and scowled his way through the campaign with her is also not president. In the media we have spent much of the past 48 hours congratulating ourselves: we have served our better angels, decisively rejected the meanness and division characterizing the past eight years of American political discourse. And yet... That discourse came from somewhere. Indeed, the media tendency to separate the weakest from the herd, to parse and assign blame is alive and kicking. The ravenous glee with which the media are celebrating Palin's personal failings is testament to this. Don't get me wrong; she was a bad pick, ungracious and smug for sure--not to mention dangerous, misogynist and proudly ignorant of basic civics, geography and history. 
But McCain is the one who selected Palin as his running mate; he was willing to endanger the country in service to an impotent campaign stunt. "Hey, look at me! I can pick anyone I want. I'm the nominee--nah, nah, nah, nah, nah!" He should have known better; he did know better, but served his own cynicism rather than his country.
And despite his own meanness, brittle condescension and arrogance, he will fare much better than Palin. He'll eventually (sooner rather than later) be given a pass and get back to the august business of governing. She'll become a late-night joke. Can anyone say Monica Lewinsky?
During his concession speech it was clear: the McCain campaign had used Palin, the stunt didn't work and now they were discarding her. She sought eye contact and was ignored, was made to stand aside like a child in time out. She looked lost, an actor on an unfamiliar play bereft of the script and stage manager. So thoroughly out of her element and so plainly cast aside, she seemed pitiful.
If we have indeed chosen a higher road this election, it is my sincere wish that the benefits of this choice redound to women as well as men. My fear is that in this woman we will feel authorized to vent what's left of our rage over the past eight years, and trade one prejudice (racism) for another (sexism).
Palin was hideously unqualified, but it was John McCain who banked on our cynicism, trusted in our lesser selves. John McCain believed we were less than who we are. Let's put away petty, sexist parsing and continue to prove him wrong.
www.kelliebean.com
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I think they are both worthy of criticism (McCain & Palin)
at least they were during the campaign. Now they are irrelevant. But I take your point. If you read my articles over the past 3 months, you will see that I took McCain to task repeatedly for his choice of Palin. It IS HIS fault she had the option of being the Vice Presidential nominee. Still, it is her fault she accepted. If you came to me and said, look Steve, I know you don't have any medical training, but I will give you a million dollars to perform brain surgery on my friend, it IS MY FAULT, and TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE if I accept. No matter how stupid Sarah Palin is, and she is stupid, although I am not sure exactly how much, she knew she had no knowledge of foreign policy, very little background or curiosity in economics beyond very small scale stuff, etc., etc. There is a bigger issue here that I will be discussing in a future article. Too darn tired now. by Steven Leser (255 articles, 58 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 2148 comments [63 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Thursday, Nov 6, 2008 at 4:09:39 PM  (0+)
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What this proves once again
is that the Republican party is more concerned about its looks, rather than substance. In 1980 I was laughing hard that a wife and political party swappin B rated actor Ronald Reagan, who had taken the State of California while governor from being #1 in education to #1 in incarceration, as the presidential political nominee. My chuckles were quickly drowned out when he won the election, but my opinions that he would bloat the size of government and its run-a-way deficit spending that your great-grandchildren of "Loved Ones" will still only be paying a fraction of the interest upon the debt accrued became true. One must remember that Republicans have always pontificated one thing, yet do another, with Reagan's "Freedom Fighter's" Saddam Hussein and Osma Bin Laden now re-labeled "Terrorist's" as an example. Another is how the Bu$h II/Cheney self-appointed administration that has multiple drunk driving convictions between them and Dybua's refusal to disclose the last time he's done cocaine. With Bu$h being AWOL/Deserter and Cheney's 5 Vietnam deferments bloviating they are "War" material administrators, that has cost trillions of $'s with billions unaccounted for while millions of innocent have been killed on their farce War Of Terror campaign, based on lies and deceit that is being waged both domestically and abroad. Palin was picked for her looks, attempting to please the mentally-challenged NASCAR, "Promise Keeper" self-professed "Christian"crowd who want to "Field Dress" her into voting the GOP "Greed & Oppression Party" ticket. Thank goodness that this didn't become reality. I'm waiting for them to dust off their knees from the mouthful of crap they have swallowed, to see who is going to be the next "Puff and Fluff" material they choose for their leadership. by Stanimal (2 articles, 228 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 1259 comments [235 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Thursday, Nov 6, 2008 at 5:01:01 PM (0+)
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Palin Failin' Wailin'
> During his concession speech it was clear: the McCain campaign had used Palin, was ALWAYS clear the stunt didn't work was ALWAYS clear > and now they were discarding her. party eats its own, system eats all players in time, so-called left or right > She sought eye contact and was ignored her wave was more than enough, goofy tv show host stuff her eye contact shafed with her husband upon "Mc$ame's "she will have a part to play in years to come" was a CLEAR view into her megalomaniacal opportunistic lust for power (to abuse) > was made to stand aside like a child in time out. nothing new here, Mc$ame is no fan of women as equals and... a child in time out is exactly what should have been PRIOR to her having been chosen > She looked lost, an actor on an unfamiliar play bereft of the script and stage manager. NONE of that is new. So did Quayle and at least he had some idea of what a VP does. > So thoroughly out of her element nothing new, day one issue > and so plainly cast aside She was on stage, Biden was not. It was NOT her concession speech > she seemed pitiful. She is pathetic, so are many serial killers. Venues they don't need nor sense of entitlement to further push their sick agendas. She seems to be able to do it all too well now, up in her home state. by Ben Dare-Dundat (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 7 comments) on Friday, Nov 7, 2008 at 11:51:39 AM (0+)
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Palin Failin' Wailin'
> During his concession speech it was clear: the McCain campaign had used Palin, was ALWAYS clear the stunt didn't work was ALWAYS clear > and now they were discarding her. party eats its own, system eats all players in time, so-called left or right > She sought eye contact and was ignored her wave was more than enough, goofy tv show host stuff her eye contact shafed with her husband upon "Mc$ame's "she will have a part to play in years to come" was a CLEAR view into her megalomaniacal opportunistic lust for power (to abuse) > was made to stand aside like a child in time out. nothing new here, Mc$ame is no fan of women as equals and... a child in time out is exactly what should have been PRIOR to her having been chosen > She looked lost, an actor on an unfamiliar play bereft of the script and stage manager. NONE of that is new. So did Quayle and at least he had some idea of what a VP does. > So thoroughly out of her element nothing new, day one issue > and so plainly cast aside She was on stage, Biden was not. It was NOT her concession speech > she seemed pitiful. She is pathetic, so are many serial killers. Venues they don't need nor sense of entitlement to further push their sick agendas. She seems to be able to do it all too well now, up in her home state. by Ben Dare-Dundat (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 7 comments) on Friday, Nov 7, 2008 at 11:54:11 AM (0+)
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Palin was a frat boy.
As a person who has had to live under the thumb of Republican frat boys in Wyoming for years, I can assure you that I don't feel any sympathy. She is a liar and a bully like all the rest. by John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1762 comments [39 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Nov 7, 2008 at 12:52:20 PM (0+)
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