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

Skip to comments.

The Perils of Palin
Townhall.com ^ | January 22, 2011 | Dick Morris and Eileen McGann

Posted on 01/22/2011 8:13:05 AM PST by Kaslin

After Tucson, Ariz., shootings, Sarah Palin's unfavorable rating in the CNN poll rose from 49 percent before the midterm elections to 56 percent now. It was not the left-wing charges that Sarah Palin had somehow incited the Tucson shooter by her aggressive political rhetoric that did her damage. Polls show that voters discounted these statements and even Rep. Giffords' husband has made clear that there was no political motive involved. It was Palin's response to these attacks that got her in trouble. Her highly publicized accusation that the criticism was a "blood libel" turned voters off. As sincere admirers of hers, we hope she learns a lesson from this exchange.

The lesson is simply this: She should not become a battering ram hammering at liberal critics -- getting down into the mud with them -- answering every attack, no matter how low, personal or undeserved it is. She is a potential presidential candidate for the Republican Party. As such, she needs to keep her own head unbloodied and intact. Battering rams don't find that easy to do.

The left plays Sarah like a fiddle. They pile on with totally outrageous attacks aiming at her personal life, her children and her family, and -- now -- linking her to murder. These disgraceful attacks do not score points with the voters. In fact, they tend to trigger a sympathetic feeling toward Sarah when they are leveled. But, for some reason, Palin feels compelled to answer them, to reply, to tell her side of the story (aka the truth).

The result of the exchange is that both sides lose: Her attackers and Palin herself both suffer. But the attackers aren't running for anything. They just go on to the next attack. They are after ratings and circulation, not votes -- and the more sensational their accusations and the more vulnerable the target, the better. But Palin has an image to protect, and when she is hurt in these exchanges, it matters politically.

Palin's basic point was, as usual, sound. These killings were the act of an evil madman, not anything related to our political dialogue. But this sensible point got buried, and many voters looked at the "blood libel" statement as self-indulgent and thin-skinned. To them, Palin seemed to be the one using the murders to besmirch her enemies, even though she was only answering their charges. Critics charged that she looked more concerned about defending own personal reputation from the attacks than with the national tragedy that had just taken place.

The point is that Palin should not and cannot answer. She needs to rise above the attacks. If she is going to run for president, she needs to be presidential. She can't descend to the level of her critics. She needs to do what makes her look good, fighting for less government and conservative causes, not what makes her look bad -- fighting with her enemies.

If Palin took the high road -- as Obama did -- and decried the violence in our society and stuck to condemning the killings, she would not have been hurt by the liberal charges. But, by answering, she exposed herself and got hurt.

Next time, we hope she learns her lesson.


TOPICS: Editorial
KEYWORDS: freepressforpalin; giffords; palin; toesucker
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-114 next last

1 posted on 01/22/2011 8:13:06 AM PST by Kaslin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

“Next time, we hope she learns her lesson”

Dry up and blow away...


2 posted on 01/22/2011 8:14:19 AM PST by MountainWoman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
Following the shooting...

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Sarah Palin's Culpability in Attempted Assassination of Giffords
by BJ Rudell
Sat Jan 08, 2011 at 12:23:13 PM PST
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/1/8/934315/-Sarah-Palins-Culpability-in-Attempted-Assassination-of-Giffords

3 posted on 01/22/2011 8:17:52 AM PST by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
From 2 DAYS before the shooting...

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

KOS: My CongressWOMAN [Giffords] voted against Nancy Pelosi! And is now DEAD to me!
dailyKOS via google cache ^ | BoyBlue

Posted on Saturday, January 08, 2011 6:39:18 PM by Jim Robinson
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2653556/posts

4 posted on 01/22/2011 8:18:21 AM PST by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
From 2008...

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

http://hillbuzz.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/screen-shot-2011-01-08-at-3-05-33-pm.png

5 posted on 01/22/2011 8:18:46 AM PST by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
After Tucson, Ariz., shootings, Sarah Palin's unfavorable rating in the CNN poll rose from 49 percent before the midterm elections to 56 percent now.

Movement within the margin of error, yet Morris bases his entire column upon it.

6 posted on 01/22/2011 8:21:02 AM PST by dirtboy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
Her highly publicized accusation that the criticism was a "blood libel" turned voters off.

The MSM is not the "voters".

7 posted on 01/22/2011 8:21:10 AM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Dick, if you know so much, why don’t you offer her mature political advice, instead of just criticizing her in public? Just a thot.


8 posted on 01/22/2011 8:21:37 AM PST by bboop (Stealth Tutor)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
The shooter, as insane as he obviously is, IS, according to his close friends, a lefty.

The Last Honest Liberal-Caitie Parker (Friend of AZ Shooter)
Multiple including twitter interview by Freeper ^ | 1-9-11 | Icwhatudo

Posted on Sunday, January 09, 2011 5:32:27 AM by icwhatudo
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2653697/posts
______________________________________________________

Here are Caitie Parker's (a former friend of the shooter) original responses to 3 different Twitter posters (the 'at' symbol @ = To: _______ )

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

9 posted on 01/22/2011 8:22:20 AM PST by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
“Loughner’s former [BEST] friend [Zach Osler] said that he was mostly influenced by the Zeitgeist Movement. Below is the ABC video interview with Jared Loughner’s friend, Zach Osler.” [see first link below]

(ABC Good Morning America video at link)

Zach Osler: [pp] “Zeitgeist Movement had a PROFOUND effect on shooter and how he saw the world”
http://www.norcalblogs.com/gate/2011/01/shooter-never-listened-to-talk-radio-called-gifford-stupid-after-meeting-her.php
______________________________________________________

The ‘Zeitgeist Movement’ is basically a global Marxism one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zeitgeist_Movement

10 posted on 01/22/2011 8:22:46 AM PST by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
The left plays Sarah like a fiddle.

I think it's the other way around. I think Palin knows full well that she's going to be attacked by The Corrupt Bass Turds on The Professional Left regardless of what she says so she calibrates what she says for maximum effect.

It's a more subtle version of Limbaugh's "Media Tweak of the Day."

11 posted on 01/22/2011 8:22:53 AM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Texas Eagle

I agree with you


12 posted on 01/22/2011 8:24:10 AM PST by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: bboop

“A major problem with growing old is that at least half and perhaps three quarters of what you know is obsolete and no longer matters.” Bert’s profile page

dick is out of date and not able to properly address the present


13 posted on 01/22/2011 8:25:23 AM PST by bert (K.E. N.P. N.C. D.E. +12 .....( History is a process, not an event ))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
Actually, the blood libel reference may not have worked as planned. The reason being, not 10% of the American populace even knows what it means or refers to, but it sounds, well, icky, y'know? Sarah made the mistake of over estimating the intelligence of the American public.
14 posted on 01/22/2011 8:25:23 AM PST by hinckley buzzard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

GMTA.


15 posted on 01/22/2011 8:25:30 AM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: MountainWoman

Palin/Gifford ping


16 posted on 01/22/2011 8:26:23 AM PST by gleeaikin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Hmmm, now even more of the unhinged left disapprove or her? Where’s the problem, I don’t see a problem here. Who cares?


17 posted on 01/22/2011 8:27:55 AM PST by NWFLConservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy

we all know how CNN polls. She’s most likely favored by 56%


18 posted on 01/22/2011 8:28:04 AM PST by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy

That Morris attaches significance to anything done by CNN, or other MSM outlets, immediately ends the discussion.


19 posted on 01/22/2011 8:28:51 AM PST by Arm_Bears (I'll have what the gentleman on the floor is drinking.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin

Bull! Sarah shouldn’t have answered? It was her turning off voters by calling the media out for blood libel? She should just rise above the fray? Ridiculous!!!!!!!

It would have been much worse if she said nothing, even Fox News ganged up on her for responding which I thought was a fine speech


20 posted on 01/22/2011 8:29:18 AM PST by Bigtigermike
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-114 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