Sandra Fluke v. Joe the Plumber

You may recall that when Joe Wurzelbacher was approached by Barack Obama entirely accidentally, he became something of a political celebrity for having a philosophical disagreement with the president over spreading the wealth around and all that. Before long, the mainstream press went to battle stations to discredit the man. He didn’t even have a plumber’s license! (didn’t need one in Ohio). He had financial problems! He was a fraud! An astroturf plant! Blah blah blah. The Democrats, likewise, were unrestrained in their efforts to ridicule the man. Here’s Joe Biden ridiculing Wurzelbacher (and offering a tendentious argument about taxes): [See update below]

Meanwhile, here’s Sandra Fluke a 30-year-old law student and committed political operative and activist. And yet the mainstream press can’t muster the slightest skepticism about her efforts.

Even Jake Tapper, easily among the fairest of MSM reporters, treats Fluke with kid gloves as if she’s simply a victim of history (note: I think she was an unfair victim of Limbaugh’s ill-advised and offensive attacks, but she has to be delighted with how successful she’s been over the last month). I don’t begrudge Fluke her efforts. She’s an activist and she seized the opportunity presented to her by Congressional Democrats and the press.

Still, I think the comparison is interesting in numerous ways. When average citizens are thrust into the political debate, they are heroes — if they confirm prevailing liberal arguments. When they run against the grain of the preferred narrative, they are ground down, caricatured, and treated to corrosive media skepticism.

Obviously, there are differences between the two cases. Some are relevant, some aren’t. If you think Fluke is special because she’s a woman, that’s awfully chivalrous of you (and I might even agree!). But such old-fashioned deference to the delicate sensibilities of women is not exactly a pose we’re told feminists of Fluke’s stripe support. Moreover, as Kirsten Powers notes in an excellent column, such deference to the fairer sex is not a standard liberals support when the woman in question is a conservative.

Update: For some reason the video I posted above has conked out. So here are some others easily found on YouTube.

CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE VIDEO

Sandra Fluke is the latest carnation of Cindy Sheehan.

I don't think so. Fluke is not being used by them, she is one of them.

Right now she has positioned herself to become a future leader in the democratic party. I can see her becoming a congresswoman, a senator, and maybe even a supreme court justice one day.

How does the thought of a President Fluke grab ya?
I am just glad that I am old enough that I won't have to be a witness to where this country is headed.

—I smell a backfire on the way against the left.—

Yep. The internet has killed this sort of thing. The MSM may be able to pull the wool over the eyes of the average american for a few days, but the truth will get out, and they will look just a little dumber to the average American.

Sure, the true believers will always come to her “pure” defense, but they are a small minority. The rest of us, even “average” democrats, will come to a realization of the truth here.

The lines have been drawn. If people haven’t done enough homework or are too lazy to figure this stuff out with what’s available, that’s too bad.

I have to say that when one or more of my liberal friends brings up a particular topic in the news, I am able to counter with a well-framed counterpoint. Time after time, they’ve seen it play out the way I’ve described. Even if they don’t agree with my point of view, they are much more discerning and not willing to just ‘accept’ whatever the media pablum is this week. It’s a time consuming process. ;-)

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