Victim of the Week

This issue: REAL VICTIM

Sarah Palin's new book 'Going Rouge' has gotten people up in arms. She has been making talk show circles with the likes of Oprah and Katie Couric, and has been a common face on the media.

Her book gives her account of the 2008 presidential campaign, and it has some pretty harsh things to say about a lot of McCain staffers.

While her and her quotes are getting around a lot, she's a one-woman band, getting slammed from many different sides around the media.

For example, Newsweek magazine placed her on the cover of a recent issue. But look at it.

Palin commented on her Facebook page, "The choice of photo for the cover of this week's Newsweek is unfortunate. When it comes to Sarah Palin, this "news" magazine has relished focusing on the irrelevant rather than the relevant. The Runner's World magazine one-page profile for which this photo was taken was all about health and fitness - a subject to which I am devoted and which is critically important to this nation. The out-of-context Newsweek approach is sexist and oh-so-expected by now. If anyone can learn anything from it: it shows why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, gender, or color of skin. The media will do anything to draw attention - even if out of context."

The LA Times fondly describes Palin as "the GOP's blessing and curse". While the title sounds like it could be an objective, two-sided article... it's not. Not at all. The first paragraph lists Palin's pros as being "the one who popularized the notion that Democrats advocated 'death panels' as part of their healthcare plan", and "Palin's endorsement of Doug Hoffman [of New York's 23rd Congressional District]... helped force a popular moderate Republican politician, Dede Scozzafava, from the race."

While I agree, these are pros, these are the only pros that are listed. Not to mention that Palin's mention of "death panels" is obviously not fondly looked upon by the Times.

The next paragraph is dedicated to quotes from "conservatives", blasting Palin. The listed "conservatives" are New York Times columnist David Brooks, simply because he wrote fondly of the moderate McCain, Peggy Noonan (*gag cough cough wheeze*), and Steve Shmidt, a man whom takes quite a bit of heat from Palin in "Going Rouge".

Reading through a fairly misleading article from The Brisbane Times (Australia), it mentions an incredibly interesting paragraph.

"A new ABC-Washington Post poll finds that Mrs Palin remains a deeply polarising figure who may be unelectable: only 5 per cent of Democrats would definitely vote for her, and only 19 per cent would consider it. Among crucial independent voters, Mrs Palin also faces resistance: 50 per cent said they definitely would not vote for her."

Please tell me why this is such a bad poll? Did those Aussies down-under forget that Palin is the REPUBLICAN candidate? I think 24% potential votes from the opposite camp it's pretty damned amazing, don't you?

The father of Sarah Palin's grandchild, Levi Johnston, had some "interesting" things to say about Palin in an issue of Vanity Fair in October. But what's really splashing across the news is his credibility: He just made the centerfold in a recent edition of Playgirl magazine. Another magazine, this one gay, Unzipped, leaked that he may just pose for them as well.

His posing for pretty pictures doesn't actually disprove any of what he said about Palin in Vanity Fair. It does tell us a bit about his character, though.

But perhaps the worst article comes from The Wall Street Journal.
The first paragraph is made up only of this, "Maybe in their business lives, conservatives are the stern, unforgiving masters of capitalist lore. But when it comes to politics, oh, do they love a whiner!"

Describing "Going Rogue", it writes, "This is the memoir as prolonged, keening wail, larded with petty vindictiveness."

Sarah is fighting back, which is exactly what she should do. I watched her interview with Oprah, and it honestly seemed like she did just fine. Especially because if she hadn't, it would be all over the headlines. What is all over the headlines is her remark on Levi Johnston's porn, calling it "heartbreaking".

Regardless, there's no way Sarah deserves all the negative media she's receiving. Although, it's understandable. A liberal always insults when it's scared. That's how you can tell it apart from the ring-tailed lemur and other rodents.