Who is laughing now?
In the hours after Sen. John McCain announced his choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate in the last presidential race, members of an online forum called Journolist struggled to make sense of the pick. Many of them were liberal reporters, and in some cases their comments reflected a journalist’s instinct to figure out the meaning of a story.
But in many other exchanges, the Journolisters clearly had another, more partisan goal in mind: to formulate the most effective talking points in order to defeat Palin and McCain and help elect Barack Obama president. The tone was more campaign headquarters than newsroom.
The conversation began with a debate over how best to attack Sarah Palin. “Honestly, this pick reeks of desperation,” wrote Michael Cohen of the New America Foundation in the minutes after the news became public. “How can anyone logically argue that Sarah Pallin [sic], a one-term governor of Alaska, is qualified to be President of the United States? Train wreck, thy name is Sarah Pallin.”
Not a wise argument, responded Jonathan Stein, a reporter for Mother Jones. If McCain were asked about Palin’s inexperience, he could simply point to then candidate Barack Obama’s similarly thin resume. “Q: Sen. McCain, given Gov. Palin’s paltry experience, how is she qualified to be commander in chief?,” Stein asked hypothetically. “A: Well, she has much experience as the Democratic nominee.” READ MORE...
UPDATE- Palin Strikes Back at 'Sick Puppies' in the Media
"Who is laughing now?"
ReplyDeleteIn case you didn't notice McCain/Palin LOST. Who do you think is laughing?
Whatever she brought to the campaign at time of this discussion mentioned here wasn't enough to win, obviously. McCain picked the wrong running mate. He needed someone else.
"in some cases their comments reflected a journalist’s instinct to figure out the meaning of a story."
They were just discussing it like anyone else would. So what? I read the comments. They seemed mostly baffled by the choice. Why her, because she was photogenic? If McCain was trying to get Hillary Clinton voters, it was mostly an insult to them.
Palin remains to this day a confounding choice by McCain.
from the Update:
ReplyDelete"Palin chose to be a public figure at the highest level, as a candidate in a presidential campaign, arguably inviting the most intense scrutiny imaginable."
In other words, if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. By resigning the job she was entrusted to do by the people of Alaska, she got out of the kitchen, took the money and ran.
Classy.