Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
Ross Douthat plays a marriage counselor in the New York Times today. Titled "Scenes From a Marriage," Douthat's column offers up some couple's therapy to mismatched lovers, Sarah Palin and the media:
To the media: Cover Sarah Palin if you want, but stop acting as if she’s the most important conservative politician in America. Stop pretending that she has a plausible path to the presidency in 2012. (She doesn’t.) Stop suggesting that she’s the front-runner for the Republican nomination. (She isn’t.) And every time you’re tempted to parse her tweets for some secret code or crucial dog whistle, stop and think, this woman has fewer Twitter followers than Ben Stiller, and then go write about something else instead.
To Palin: You were an actual politician once (remember that?), but you’re becoming the kind of caricature that your enemies have always tried to make of you. So maybe it’s time to turn off your iPad for a while, and take a break from Facebook and Fox News. The world won’t end if you don’t respond to every criticism, and you might even win a few more admirers if you cultivated a lighter touch and a more above-the-fray persona. Oh, and when that reality-TV producer sends you a pitch for “Sarah Plus Five Plus Kate Plus Eight,” just say no.
Should Douthat quit his day job?
- Comment (36)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (2)
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
Comments :
Jun '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
Uh-oh . . . another 100 comment thread in the making.
Nov '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
It just feels like a tired, lazy, unmemorable article. Douthat does not offer any ideas or fresh insight (we know that the MSM treats Palin very unfairly). Basically, he just hacked out a piece to pay the light bill.
Jul '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
This is just a thinly veiled day 3 rehash of the "don't respond to us, your critics, stupid" meme. It is also the, "we are too smart to check our facts" meme, Sarah has made only three tweets since the Tucson shootings. The fact that it is wrapped in a "she is a nothing, why are you even covering her" meme does lend an ironic touch given that Douthat is talking about her while talking about how nobody should be talking about her.
Do these people ever think about what they write?
May '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
I love it when the left gives "sage" advice to people on the right. Not that I don't believe they have Gov. Palin's best interest at heart, it's just that..........they don't.
Jun '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
Fewer Twitter followers than Ben Stillar? OUCH! Douthat just landed the knockout punch in a sissy fight.
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
I see your point, but Ross Douthat is a conservative.
Jul '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
Emily Esfahani Smith, Ed.
I see your point, but Ross Douthat is a conservative. · Jan 17 at 7:16am
Is he, Emily? I tend to think of him as a scruffy David Brooks. Or a straight Andrew Sullivan.
Nov '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
The media - despite it's fantasies - is not in a marriage with Sarah Palin. It's just a collection of stalkers. Lovelorn and somewhat jealous on the squishy right, totally deranged on the left. But in both cases, seriously in need of an honest self appraisal.
Sep '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
His column might not have offered any new insight but I can't find much in it that I disagree with.
Ross Douthat is no leftist. He just doesn't like Gov. Palin.
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
Kenneth
Emily Esfahani Smith, Ed.
I see your point, but Ross Douthat is a conservative. · Jan 17 at 7:16am
Is he, Emily? I tend to think of him as a scruffy David Brooks. Or a straight Andrew Sullivan. · Jan 17 at 7:23am
Maybe he's a soft conservative. Definitely not a liberal, though.
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
Peter Hintz: His column might not have offered any new insight but I can't find much in it that I disagree with.
Ross Douthat is no leftist. He just doesn't like Gov. Palin. · Jan 17 at 7:26a
Can you imagine such a thing...a conservative who doesn't like Palin ; )
Oct '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
Well, he's saying what we all know to be true.
Sarah Palin is a pundit, not a politician. She used her campaign fame to become a media pundit. I suppose there's no shame in that. It certainly pays more then being a politician!
Jul '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
No; he shouldn't quit his day job, and he should take a close look at his PA in that day job as well.
On the day of the shooting Sarah released a message of condolence. It was instantly attacked in the comments section with venom and rancor. The same crowd more than willing to forgive Palistinians dancing in the streets over 911, had no such Absolution for Sarah. The media drumbeat intensified even as she didn't respond, and her lack of response was 'proof' of her culpability.
Sarah released her video responding the Night Before, not the day of, the Memorial. (Never forget when you're disparaging Sarah Palin, facts don't matter.) So she did not quite plan things as cynically as he would have us beleive. (I also find it interesting that her cynically releasing the video on 'the day of' was again a clear violation of decorum as opposed to say printing souveneer t-shirts.)
My guess is then that as a Marriage counselor his advise to a battered wife would be to "quit avoiding his fists and he won't be so angry when he finally lands a solid punch."
Such Good Advice!
Oct '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
"On the one hand, the media is bad because Palin isn't important but they cover her. On the other hand, Palin is bad because she isn't important and the media cover her." On such Solomonic judgements are a career as a NYT pundit forged.
I remember Ross Douthat when everyone thought he was going to be a thinker.
Sep '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
It would be nice if the writers of these pieces would show at least some awareness of their own role in what's becoming more parlor game than punditry.
May '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
Emily Esfahani Smith, Ed.
I see your point, but Ross Douthat is a conservative. · Jan 17 at 7:16am
says who?
Sep '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
Leslie Watkins
It would be nice if the writers of these pieces would show at least some awareness of their own role in what's becoming more parlor game than punditry. · Jan 17 at 8:42am
The last sentence of Douthat's column reads:
"If the press (including this columnist!) and Sarah Palin can’t quit each other, you can still quit us."
I'd say that's awareness.
Aug '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
For those who insist that Sarah P just a publicity hound, think of the attention she would get if she were to actually do a cover of Lady GaGa's "Bad Romance" addressed to the media.
Given enough time, I could probably make the necessary parodic changes to the lyrics myself. But I'd rather not go there -- it's easier to come up with ideas of questionable taste than it is to implement them.
Sep '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
Peter Hintz
Leslie Watkins
It would be nice if the writers of these pieces would show at least some awareness of their own role in what's becoming more parlor game than punditry. · Jan 17 at 8:42am
The last sentence of Douthat's column reads:
"If the press (including this columnist!) and Sarah Palin can’t quit each other, you can still quit us."
I'd say that's awareness. · Jan 17 at 8:55am
I'd call it boilerplate.
Sep '10
Re: Ross Douthat on Sarah Palin & the Media's Bad Romance
No, he shouldn't quit his day job, as long as there's still a demand for columns written by control freaks.