Your loyal PalinTracker boils down six weeks of coverage and thousands of headlines.In a nation where the media resist a “rush to judgment” when Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan yells “Allahu Akbar” before killing 13 at Fort Hood, all caution is thrown to the wind when a madman shoots Gabrielle Giffords in the head, killing 6 and wounding 13. Without a shred of background on the shooter, within hours, the propaganda press stamped a bullseye on Palin — eventually offering, as “evidence,” her metaphorical map targeting ObamaCare Democrats. Never mind Democrats’ similar maps. Or the Clintons’ “War Room.” Or — well, see Michelle Malkin’s The progressive “climate of hate”: An illustrated primer, 2000-2010.
Not only was it all Palin’s fault, the left declared; she should do the only honorable thing and commit political seppuku. This even after Loughner was revealed to be a heavy-metal, pot-smoking, Satan-worshipping psycho who’d been stalking Giffords since 2007 — long before anyone in the lower 49 had heard of Palin.
After a week of nonstop, unrestrained Palin-hatin’, Palin had the temerity to release a video statement — America’s Enduring Strength — and guess what? The most-maligned woman in America was roundly condemned for “making it all about her.” Say what?
- Lori Ziganto, RedState: Thoughtful, On-Target Palin Responds To Attacks; Left Loses Last Grip On Reality
Palin acquired some unexpected defenders:
- Big Government Exclusive: Alan Dershowitz Defends Sarah Palin’s Use of Term ‘Blood Libel‘
- Wall Street Journal: Sarah Palin is right about “Blood Libel”: Judaism rejects the idea of collective responsibility for murder
- New York Daily News: Barbara Walters unexpected ally
January 14
While the media seemed obsessed with comparing Obama’s memorial service speech with Palin’s statement, Rob Miller brought up the absurdity of such a comparison: A comparison of Two Speeches. Really?
January 15
Katrina Trinko at National Review Online: Blame Palin: The ten most inane comments connecting Sarah Palin to the Tucson shooting
Pat Buchanan at Newsbusters:
I think that for the last week, she’s been a victim, Ed, in one the saddest smears that I’ve seen in a long, long time. From the very moment, they picked up those wounded and dead at that incident, she’s been charged with moral complicity in a crime which she had no responsibility whatsoever.
Richard Grant: Palin’s character, gut sense carry her through adversity
January 17
Sarah Palin at Facebook:
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Today is a day to reflect on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King dedicated himself to justice and the struggles of an imperfect world. In the face of fierce opposition, he stood up for the oppressed, and he ultimately sacrificed all for equality and freedom. His was a remarkable life of love and service for all mankind. His work must continue.
With Dr. King’s faith in God and his unwavering hope in a brighter, stronger future, let us recommit today to continuing his work for a more peaceful and just nation.
Consider the source department: Joan Rivers calls Sarah Palin “stupid”
The Ulsterman Report: Once Again, Sarah Palin Emerges Stronger:
It remains a mystery why Palin so enrages the left. From one side of their mouth they attempt to marginalize her as an inconsequential moron, some Alaskan redneck former beauty pageant breeder of too many children. At the same time, they declare her dangerous, cunning, a too-powerful figure corrupting the minds of mainstream America. The many contradictions contained within the liberals’ hatred (yes, I am using that word — because it is appropriate) of Sarah Palin willfully goes unnoticed by them. They simply march on, gleeful in their collective and repeated attacks against the former governor of Alaska. Sarah Palin is a woman. Sarah Palin is a conservative. Sarah Palin is Pro-Life. Sarah Palin is pro-gun rights. Sarah Palin talks of her love of God and country. Sarah Palin has the audacity to openly (and effectively) mock liberalism. We must destroy her.
January 18
Sarah Palin tells Hannity, “I am not going to shut up”
FrontPage: Why the Left Hates Sarah Palin (political)
American Thinker: Why the Left Hates Sarah Palin, by Robin of Berkeley (personal)
January 21
The Washington Post‘s Dana Milbank: I’m declaring February a Palin-free month. Join me!:
Though it is embarrassing to admit this in public, I can no longer hide the truth. I have a Sarah Palin problem.
I have written about her in 42 columns since Sen. John McCain picked her as his vice-presidential running mate in 2008. I’ve mentioned her in dozens more blog posts, Web chats, and TV and radio appearances. I feel powerless to control my obsession, even though it cheapens and demeans me.
But today is the first day of the rest of my life. And so, I hereby pledge that, beginning on Feb. 1, 2011, I will not mention Sarah Palin — in print, online or on television — for one month. Furthermore, I call on others in the news media to join me in this pledge of a Palin-free February. With enough support, I believe we may even be able to extend the moratorium beyond one month, but we are up against a powerful compulsion, and we must take this struggle day by day.
Reading this, I couldn’t help but laugh: here’s wishing Dana much success!
Rudy 2012? Giuliani says he’s more likely to run if Sarah Palin runs too. Does anyone really care?
January 24, 2011
Kay S. Hymowitz: Sarah Palin and the Battle for Feminism: The ex-governor and her Mama Grizzlies argue that the real women’s issue is our country’s fiscal future. Ya think?
Jack Cashill: Sarah Palin and the Legacy of Republican “Idiocy”
Sundance Report: [Documentary film] Missrepresentation Explores Treatment of Sarah Palin, Hillary Clinton by Mainstream Media. Finally!
January 27
Palin on Facebook: Obama’s Message to America: The Era of Big Government is Back, Now Help Me Pay For It
Sarah Palin waited exactly one night to launch a pointed attack on the president’s State of the Union address, laced with creative imagery, and creative history. [excuse me, ABC, how long should she have waited?] She mocked the president’s slogan of “Winning the Future.” She noted the initials are “WTF” and then observed there were “a lot of WTF moments through that speech.” [...] Palin went on to criticize the president for proposing more spending with not nearly enough spending cuts.
January 31
Theater regrets Palin beheading reference; removes it from production. What new civility? A Montana community theater staging Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado threw in a line calling for the beheading of Sarah Palin. Conservative patrons have had to endure many such moments for years, as it is smugly assumed that only liberals are into the arts. The theater seemed surprised by the outcry that followed.
February 1
Proof that liberal bias makes you stupid? BreitbartTV reports:
In their zeal to slam Sarah Palin, Christians and conservatives, MSNBC and Rachel Maddow reported a story from a satire website called ChristWire.org. It doesn’t take too much research to discover that the site is like “The Onion” and everything on it is a lampoon-style story.
MSNBC has scrubbed the segment from their website.
February 3
Andrea Tantaros: Sexism isn’t a issue for liberals if the target is a GOP woman like Sarah Palin or Michele Bachmann
February 4
Palin passes on CPAC again. Maybe she doesn’t need it? After all, attention seems to be her middle name.
February 5
Palin kicked off Reagan’s 100th birthday bash. Palin says Obama’s policies have U.S. on road to ruin:
In a tribute to former President Ronald Reagan, the potential 2012 White House contender said leaders in Washington had lost sight of the values that made Reagan a Republican icon and a hero to conservatives — a belief in limited government, low taxes and personal freedoms. “This is not the road to national greatness, it is the road to ruin,” Palin said of the growth in government spending, budget deficits, joblessness and housing foreclosures under Obama. “The federal government is spending too much, borrowing too much, growing and controlling too much,” she said.
February 6
Sarah Palin Blasts Obama’s Handling of Egypt — Former Alaska Governor Says 3 a.m. Crisis Call Went “Right to the Answering Machine”:
“This is that 3 a.m. White House phone call, and it seems for many of us trying to get that information from our leader in the White House, it seems that that call went right to the answering machine.”
Palin’s reference to a 3 a.m. phone call referred to the 2008 bruising primary battle between now-President Obama and now-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over responsiveness to unexpected foreign policy crises.
Here’s a MUST-READ!!
Exclusive: Governor Palin Visits Reagan Country
by Andrew Coffin
Sometimes it’s the questions you don’t ask that are telling. Case in point: the New York Times account of our event with Governor Palin last night.
Young America’s Foundation hosted Governor Sarah Palin for the keynote address at the opening banquet of our Reagan 100 weekend. This weekend marks the 100th anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birth. Celebrations are taking place across the country, but this is a particularly significant weekend for our organization — since the spring of 1998 we’ve been preserving Ronald Reagan’s beloved Ranch home in the mountains north of Santa Barbara, Rancho del Cielo. Today Ronald Reagan’s Western White House is a place where young people come to be inspired by the life, the ideas, the character of Ronald Reagan.
For gorgeous, candid photos of Palin riding confident in the saddle along trails Reagan rode, with her family and with Young Americans for Freedom, visit BigGovernment.
February 7
Defying stereotypes:
No great surprise here, really; Palin has quietly backed the end of DADT and expressed support for conservative gays and lesbians in the past. Speaking here with David Brody from the Christian Broadcasting Network and excerpted by Breitbart TV, Palin doesn’t endorse GOProud but does defend their attendance at CPAC, and argues that the value of events such as CPAC is to debate the issues and provide as much information as possible to attendees.
February 8
Palin: Obama Can “Pretend,” But Has “No Desire” to Move to the Center. Telling it like it is.
February 11
Proof that liberal bias makes you stupid (part 2) — “Oopsies!”: Us Weekly apologizes to Sarah Palin over using fake quotes:
Us Weekly ran a story quoting Sarah Palin demanding that Christina Aguilera be “deported” over her botched performance of the national anthem at Super Bowl XLV.
The only problem: It never happened.
The item “quoted” Palin trashing Aguilera as “a demanding beauty queen who’s clearly in over her head” and adding for good measure, “If I were president, I’d deport Ms. Aguilera back to wherever it is she’s from and give Amy Smart a call.”
The fake quotes originated from an Onion-like satirical web site, relaying a fictional radio interview between the former Governor of Alaska and Fox News host Sean Hannity. Other choice “quotes” from Palin that fooled Us Weekly included, “Here’s another case of an airhead diva going on TV, running her mouth off, sounding like a fool. She doesn’t understand something so basic about America, yet we’re supposed to tolerate her diva behavior?”
The problem: these stories take on a life of their own. How often have you encountered someone insistent that Palin said she could see Alaska from her front porch, when actually it was Tina Fey mocking her?
February 12
Now for serious news:
Sarah Palin has hired a chief-of-staff, a move that experts say is the strongest indication yet that the former Alaska governor will run for President in 2012. Michael Glassner, an attorney who has worked for several high-profile politicians, including Bob Dole and John McCain, will serve as the head adviser of her political action committee, Sarah PAC.
- Palin on Muslim Brotherhood (video)
February 15
Sarah Palin Says This Stunning Pie Chart Tells The Truth About Obama’s Pathetic Budget Cuts
February 17
Sidestepping a “Gotcha!” moment! The Washington Post beams with approval as Palin gets it right on birthers and Obama’s faith:
“Do you question his faith and citizenship?” Palin was asked today during an onstage interview hosted by the Long Island Association. Her answer was brief and to the point.
“I don’t, and those are distractions,” she said to some applause. “What we’re concerned about is the economy. And we’re concerned about the policies coming out of his administration and what he believes in terms of big government or private sector. So, no, the faith, the birth certificate, others can engage in that kind of conversation. It’s distracting. It gets annoying and let’s just stick with what really matters.”
February 18
Palin Tells Business Group Government Shutdown Would Fight Debt:
In her luncheon appearance in a packed ballroom at Crest Hollow Country Club, Palin answered questions about her political future and offered her views on topics including gun control, spending, energy policy and breast feeding.
Breastfeeding? Clearly, we’ve entered a new era in presidential politics.
February 19
Palin: Wis. Unions Must Be “Willing to Sacrifice”:
MADISON, Wis. — Sarah Palin says union members protesting Wisconsin Republicans’ plan to help balance the state’s budget by cutting collective bargaining rights are taking up “the wrong fight at the wrong time.”
Palin weighed in on the debate in a Friday night posting on her Facebook page but didn’t indicate whether she would join weekend conservative counter-protests organized by groups including the Tea Party Patriots and Americans for Prosperity.
Read more at FoxNews.
February 21
Nebraska Gov. Heineman: Sarah Palin “absolutely” qualified to be President
Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman today said Sarah Palin is “absolutely” qualified to be President of the United States! Unlike many other GOP morons, many Govs support Palin and a possible Palin Presidency. Interestingly enough, Governor Heineman supported Mitt Romney’s 2008 run for the presidency but has not committed to supporting a candidate in 2012. Recent polling shows Sarah Palin would win Nebraska in the GOP Primary.
February 23
Palin Will Keynote India Today Conclave in March:
Of course the event is raising even more speculation about the possibility of Palin running for president in 2012. Many have claimed Palin is making the trip to add to her foreign travel resume, while others claim the trip is a sure sign that she’s not running as she should be concentrating her travel on key primary states.
Politico reports, “She will be the only American politician attending the conference, which is stacked with Indian and Pakistani officials, business leaders, public figures and entertainers.”
And on that note, your fearless PalinTracker bids adieu until next time, knowing that with Sister Sarah and a reactive press, we can always expect the unexpected.
Barbara Curtis is a wife, mother of 12, and author of nine books, including Reaching the Left from the Right: Talking About Social Issues with People Who Don't Think Like You. Visit her at www.barbaracurtis.com or at her blog www.MommyLife.net. Her fourth son will begin Marines OCS in January.
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