Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Savaging of Sarah Palin
The Huffington Post ^ | July 7, 2009 | Heather Robinson

Posted on 07/07/2009 10:17:53 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

In the aftermath of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s announcement last weekend that she plans to resign from office, pundits have been scrambling for an explanation. Personally, the whole matter has left me feeling a little like I did at the end of seventh grade, after a year spent passively watching bullies ostracize and pick on one of the only black girls in the school: sick, and embarrassed for all of us.

Whatever your passionate opinions, whatever your disagreements with her views, this woman and her family were savaged in a manner that went beyond any reasonable standard. She is a public figure, but her husband and children are not. That did not stop certain members of the media and blogosphere from ridiculing them in vicious fashion, even long after the election was decided. President Obama, to his credit, spoke out against it. Would that more of his supporters had shown the same level of decency.

Instead, we got ridiculing of Mrs. Palin’s appearance, of her decades-old participation in a beauty pageant, and even of her children, which was especially cruel. Self-proclaimed “feminists” made a blood sport of hating and dehumanizing her. Personally, I do not agree with all of Governor Palin’s views, such as her absolutist pro-life position. But such vicious hatred, on the part of self-described feminists, was an embarrassment.

The Governor’s announcement, in which she offered her reasons for leaving her office, has, not surprisingly, been greeted with near-universal skepticism. But I am inclined to believe what she says. Essentially, she has been slapped with a slew of ethics complaints that have been dismissed as baseless. But, due to the nature of Alaska’s laws, her family has been required to pay legal bills to the tune of $500,000 to defend her good name.

The Palins are not wealthy, and they want to be able to afford college tuition for their children. It would appear the Governor cannot afford to hold a modestly paid position while facing such ongoing harassment from her political enemies without potentially facing personal bankruptcy. Not to mention that, although these complaints have thus far been found baseless, the time and energy required to respond to them is apparently reducing her effectiveness as Governor.

Then there is the matter of how the media treated Mrs. Palin’s family, especially her children. How sad that normal people may no longer wish to run for or hold public office due to this horrific sort of exposure, including abuse of their children.

It’s true that American politics have often been spirited, at times even vicious. During the Civil War, for instance, President Lincoln was burned in effigy in the South, and during the campaign of 1828, newspapers favorable to the National Republican Party falsely accused Democrat Andrew Jackson of having beaten up another man to steal his wife, to cite just a couple examples from history. But am I alone in feeling that ridicule of a disabled infant, and rape threats, represent a new low? How intensely cruel and hypocritical this behavior was, often coming from “feminists” and “progressives” who probably don’t realize how many conservatives they are helping to create, as anyone with a moral compass is likely to figure that, if that’s how liberals argue, maybe they’ll consider conservative ideas, thanks.

To a lesser extent, established media have embarrassed themselves and lost credibility. Since when do established feminists, for instance, dispatch with one of our nation’s only female Governors by disparaging her looks (”Caribou Barbie”).

Last month, the Governor’s husband Todd erupted angrily over David Letterman’s lewd sexual joke about one of the Palin’s teenage daughters. Clearly, Mr. Palin was angry. Placing one’s marriage ahead of one’s career ambitions may be an unthinkable in the realm of “progressive” media, but perhaps that is what Mrs. Palin is doing.

For the record, the media did not cease its savage dehumanization after the election. In the August issue of Vanity Fair magazine, a lengthy article by Todd S. Purdum entitled (italics added) “It Came from Wasilla” cites the opinions of several unnamed Alaskans that Governor Palin suffers from “narcissistic personality disorder.” Perhaps Mr. Purdum, who in a stunning feat of journalistic objectivity also asserts of Governor Palin that “no political principle or personal relationship is more sacred than her own ambition,” should be reminded of a psychological mechanism known as projection.

Is it possible her critics are projecting onto Governor Palin some of their own grasping motives?

Now that their scapegoat has simply wandered off, they are left to analyze her departure through the prism of themselves. And they don’t know what to think.

Hence, perhaps, they’re theorizing that this hyper-ambitious, moronic-yet-calculating, misogynist Lady Macbeth must be hiding something evil.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: palin; palinresignation; prolife; sarah; sarahpalin; waronsarah
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-99 next last
To: 2ndDivisionVet

Unbelievable that a left leaning feminist gets it, while many so called conservatives do not.

Even more unbelievable that the Huffpo allowed it to stay up.


41 posted on 07/07/2009 11:03:52 PM PDT by DakotaRed (What happened to the country I fought for?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: hoosiermama; 2ndDivisionVet; rodguy911; All

Well .. well ... well ...

I think maybe Arianna’s new injection of cash from
an investment group, to the tune of 2 figure millions
so she could expand dramatically as she’s doing, had
a little something to do with this atypical piece.

They just might have had the ‘come to Jesus’ meeting
with her, as their loot’s now at stake, that she must
expand her #’s and viewership. Bottom line, baby ...
bottom line.

It’s gonna be cute to see ditzy Arianna defend
more of what might be coming down the road...LOL.

~~~~
The author .. doesn’t appear to be a diehard lib:

Heather Robinson is a Senior Writer for the New York Daily News’ Big Town Big Dreams feature. She has written for The Wall Street Journal, New York magazine, Time Out New York, and The New York Sun. She blogs at www.politicalmavens.com, and at www.heatherrobinson.net, and is a contributor to Have I Got a Guy for You, an anthology of bad fix-ups, released last Apri


42 posted on 07/07/2009 11:04:48 PM PDT by STARWISE (The Art & Science Institute of Chicago Politics NE Div: now open at the White House)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Now that they think they’ve succeeded, and think she’s now irrelevant, they give their mea culpa. Which, to my mind, is as repulsive as their attacks, if not more so.


43 posted on 07/07/2009 11:07:27 PM PDT by TheWasteLand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
Something is very wrong here. The Huffington Post was a part of the “savaging of Sarah Palin” campaign that has been going on for months. They were as evil as anyone and ridiculed Sarah's retarded son. Why is this article now being posted? And why the quote “President Obama, to his credit, spoke out against it.” ? I didn't hear Obama speak out about it, it is his supporters who are behind this “politics of personal destruction” campaign to destroy Sarah Palin. This reminds me of O.J Simpson and his lawyers pledging to work day and night to find the real killers of Nicole.
44 posted on 07/07/2009 11:13:42 PM PDT by detective
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Earthdweller
Think of all the attacks on Palin since she was nominated to be VP by McCain.

Compare the number of times Republicans have defended her.

Add into the mix the number of times Steele and other Republican “leaders” have apologized to Democrats for one thing or another.

It's clear to me (and apparently to Governor Palin) that the Republican leadership does not, and will not, support or defend her.

Hell, they have a hard time supporting and defending the Constitution!!!

45 posted on 07/07/2009 11:15:26 PM PDT by airborne (Congratulations to the Stanley Cup Champions! PITTSBURGH PENGUINS RULE!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

It appears that there might be a liberal or two in this country who have the ability to feel shame. I’d be embarrassed too if I had participated in their barbaric trashing of an American woman and her family. They are all Marxist piggies.


46 posted on 07/07/2009 11:17:39 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Hey America! How's that "hope and change" thing working out?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Yeah, she’s down & almost out, so now it’s okay to say maybe you went a bit far. Eff them.


47 posted on 07/07/2009 11:18:58 PM PDT by I_like_good_things_too (Check the "Yes" box next to survival)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Abbeville Conservative; sleepwalker; Roses0508; feedback doctor; LibLieSlayer; ...

Palin PING!

Anyone on or off the Palin ping, write me.

...

The left won't know what has hit them, once the backlash against their hate comes to fruition.

48 posted on 07/07/2009 11:23:21 PM PDT by SolidWood (Sarah Palin: "Only dead fish go with the flow!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: americanophile
Don’t believe it. Magnanimity costs you nothing when you’ve destroyed your opponent.

Exactly! Straight out of the Alinsky playbook. NOW (after their target is destroyed), they make nice and take the higher moral ground. These people are still walking diseases, and if Sarah runs in 2012, they'll be right back to their same old tricks.

49 posted on 07/07/2009 11:26:54 PM PDT by Clock King
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: SoCalPol

You are operating under the faulty assumption that GOP == Conservative. FRiend, I bought the lie for far too long, but I’ve come to learn that your boogieman doesn’t scare me anymore. A pox on both houses of the oligarchy. Here’s to hoping that Sarah ditches the very same GOP who stabbed her in the back.


50 posted on 07/07/2009 11:29:34 PM PDT by thecabal (Hey Obama, when you gonna start sharin' the sacrifice?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: SoCalPol

If she runs in the primaries, but loses, I will write her in in 2012. She might run in 2016 or 2020... but I won’t vote for some RINO again in 2012.


51 posted on 07/07/2009 11:31:31 PM PDT by SolidWood (Sarah Palin: "Only dead fish go with the flow!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Razz Barry
"This country started downhill when dueling was outlawed."

I agree, if society does not have a means to enforce civility we get people who behave like James Carville and .Lanny Davis:


52 posted on 07/07/2009 11:35:20 PM PDT by Peter Horry (Never were abilities so much below mediocrity so well rewarded - John Randolph)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Attention Surplus Disorder
I note that the article completely undoes all the insight it may have contained in the last sentence.

I read the last sentence as a sarcastic comment on how her haters see her.

53 posted on 07/07/2009 11:35:49 PM PDT by SolidWood (Sarah Palin: "Only dead fish go with the flow!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

The article below shows how serious they are about destroying Sarah. We must never forget that.

I Still Hate You, Sarah Palin

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NDE3MmE5MDVmMGM1YjQ2NmVhMjJkN2I2ZTcxMzhlNjU=


54 posted on 07/07/2009 11:39:11 PM PDT by sheikdetailfeather (The Taxman-Malarky Bill Is War On America!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

That’s a very nice well written commentary.

What are the responses looking like on HufPo?


55 posted on 07/07/2009 11:46:14 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (_Resident of the United States and Kenya's favorite son, Baraaaack Hussein Obamaaaa...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

i just cruised past a liberal feminist site (www.reclusiveleftist.com) where a post on the 4th of july was devoted to trying to figure out why feminists have such a rabid hatred for palin. the lady in charge over there seems genuinely confused as to why feminists are attacking another woman who is strong, accomplished, smart, and holds a position of power. many of the comments are in the same vein. why trash this woman and repeat lies that have been proven false or could be with a bit of research? why the vitriol? many of the commenters would not vote for palin due to political ideology, but they are giving her the benefit of the doubt and researching the facts. they are even poking some holes in oblabo over there. i find this interesting and share your opinion that some on the left are starting to wake up and smell the marxism, sexism, racism and anti-americanism.


56 posted on 07/07/2009 11:47:30 PM PDT by madamemayhem (there are only two places in the world: over here and over there.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DoughtyOne

A few pro-Sarah now, the rest the usual DU/Huff/Kos/MoveOn/Olbermann type haters saying that she brought it on herself, she deserves all that and more, etc.. Her bringing Trig to term has them seeing red more than anything, IMO. Peel the skin off a Lefty and you’ll find a Nazi ... which shouldn’t be so surprising, really: Nazi is short for National Socialist German Workers Party.
It’s a long-running fallacy that Hitler and his thugs were “right-wing”, they were socialists who wanted party control of the means of production and society and the mass killing of “useless eaters” and enemies of the state. Mr. Obama and today’s left are following their blueprint to a tee!


57 posted on 07/07/2009 11:53:34 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (Democracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage. ~H.L. Mencken)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: Razz Barry
"This country started downhill when dueling was outlawed."

This would be a very effective tool in improving public discourse.


58 posted on 07/07/2009 11:54:31 PM PDT by Peter Horry (Never were abilities so much below mediocrity so well rewarded - John Randolph)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
during the campaign of 1828, newspapers favorable to the National Republican Party falsely accused Democrat Andrew Jackson of having beaten up another man to steal his wife

This wording implies the "evil Republicans" attacked an "innocent Democrat." The truth is not nearly so simple.

The modern Republican Party has little or no connection to the "National Republican Party." It was rather a precursor of the Whig Party, which completely disintegrated in the years leading up to our big national shindig starting in 1861. While many Whigs, such as Lincoln, joined the Republican Party, it is in no real sense a descendant of the Whig Party.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the party nomenclature, the Democrats were known as no such thing in 1828. To the extent they had a party label, they were generally called Democrat-Republicans, viewing themselves as the heirs of the Jeffersonian Republican party more than anything else. There is a direct line of descent from the 1828 Democrat-Republican party to today's Democrat Party.

In actual fact, there were no real parties in today's sense in 1828. There were only pro-Jackson and anti-Jackson factions.

Finally, while Jackson may not have beaten up a man to steal his wife, he arguably did steal another man's wife, and he personally beat up and killed a good many men, and not necessarily during war. Making remarks about Rachel Jackson was an excellent way to wind up dead.

59 posted on 07/07/2009 11:55:31 PM PDT by Sherman Logan (Perception wins all the battles, reality wins all the wars)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
"It’s a long-running fallacy that Hitler and his thugs were “right-wing”, they were socialists who wanted party control of the means of production and society and the mass killing of “useless eaters” and enemies of the state. Mr. Obama and today’s left are following their blueprint to a tee!"

Yes, including the marxist idea of infiltration of both parties in order to place a huge central dictating government over all the masses.

60 posted on 07/07/2009 11:59:07 PM PDT by Earthdweller (Harvard won the election again...so what's the problem.......?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-99 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson