Sarah-noia
My WSJ colleague James Taranto published a provocative piece yesterday trying to explain the hatred toward Sarah Palin. Well worth a read. When I spoke to him, he thought that a lot of it is abortion, and the fact that she lives her convictions there (carrying Trig to term even after she knew he had Down).
I think that abortion has a part, but is not the whole story (read James' whole story for some of the other factors). My reasoning is that there are any number of Republican and conservative women who are pro-choice and yet seem to suffer from being considered not quite legitimate. A parallel example might be Clarence Thomas, whom people declare not really being black. To me that is because the left tends to define identity for a "woman," "gay," "black," etc. in highly politicized terms. (Claire, if you are reading, weren't there people who didn't consider Mrs. T a "woman" in this sense -- not that Mrs. T would care).
Point is, James has posted a piece well worth reading. And I'd like to hear the reactions. Again, this isn't about whether Gov. Palin should be the nominee, or even if you agree with her. It's about the nature of the liberal hatred for her. Anyone?
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Nov '10
Re: Sarah-noia
Mollie Hemingway
Conor Friedersdorf
Mollie,
Let me put it this way. I blogged about how silly it was to argue that Sarah Palin's campaign map played a role in the Tuscon shooting.
Was that accusation more or less absurd than these accusations:
– Bill and Hillary Clinton arranged the murder of Vince Foster.
– Barack Obama is allied with our Islamist enemy in a grand jihad against America.
You'll note that however wrong those last two ideas are, they are at least related to reality. Vince Foster worked for Bill Clinton and killed himself. Barack Obama is Commander in Chief and doesn't fight our enemies as some of his critics would like. Using their own words and actions, there are at least ties here.
That is exactly the point.
Conor, you are engaging in what I call rhetorical "tap dancing" and all your arguments boil down to the same thing — equivocate, equivocate, equivocate.
Re: Sarah-noia
Mollie Hemingway
You'll note that however wrong those last two ideas are, they are at least related to reality. Vince Foster worked for Bill Clinton and killed himself. Barack Obama is Commander in Chief and doesn't fight our enemies as some of his critics would like. Using their own words and actions, there are at least ties here. The TucsonPalinphobia? Thin air. A different class altogether, right? Also worth noting that no mainstream paper or New York Times oped writer advanced your examples -- so also different. Right? Beginning to see the difference? · Jan 20 at 7:01pm
Sorry. Neither accusation is "related to reality." They're paranoid, conspiratorial nonsense. And Mollie, look, Fox News is the most popular cable news outlet in America. Andy McCarthy's book was a New York Times bestseller. Rush Limbaugh is the most popular radio host in America. If the words mean anything, these are mainstream media figures disseminating their work through mainstream outlets and publishers. Don't be fooled by the way that we use the words "mainstream media." It's misleading shorthand.
Dec '10
Re: Sarah-noia
Conor Friedersdorf
Let me put it this way. I blogged about how silly it was to argue that Sarah Palin's campaign map played a role in the Tuscon shooting.
Was that accusation more or less absurd than these accusations:
– Bill and Hillary Clinton arranged the murder of Vince Foster.
– Barack Obama is allied with our Islamist enemy in a grand jihad against America. ·
Where's the equivalence?
Just to mention a couple of differences...
The MSM did not take these "theories" seriously or dwell on them. It ignored them.
OTOH, the MSM loved the idea that Palin might in some way be responsible for the Tuscon massacre and ran with it, providing wall to wall coverrage and speculation for days.
Also, Palin is not the President, much less an elected official or an appointed government official. Palin is a private citizen.
Jun '10
Re: Sarah-noia
"Even besides her electoral aspirations, she is a nationally famous political commentator who deliberately courts controversy."
Conner, can you please explain how Palin deliberately courts controversy. How did she court explicitly being accused of causing the multiple murders and attempted assasination in Arizona? How did she court being accused of having her daughters child? How did she court being called stupid? Do you think she is stupid?
Jul '10
Re: Sarah-noia
Listen, I gotta step out for a moment.
But I'm counting on you guys to keep up the sucker-punching, eye-gouging and motive-impugning while I'm away.
Anybody need me to pick up a pack of smokes?
Or some Band-aids?
Edited on January 21, 2011 at 4:27amRe: Sarah-noia
cdor: "Even besides her electoral aspirations, she is a nationally famous political commentator who deliberately courts controversy."
Conner, can you please explain how Palin deliberately courts controversy. How did she court explicitly being accused of causing the multiple murders and attempted assasination in Arizona? How did she court being accused of having her daughters child? How did she court being called stupid? Do you think she is stupid? · Jan 20 at 7:17pm
No, Cdor, she didn't court controversy in any of those ways. Just lots of other ways. Surely you recognize this, right? I understand that we disagree somewhere here, but you must understand that some of what Palin does is deliberately provocative.
Nov '10
Re: Sarah-noia
Conor Friedersdorf
Mollie Hemingway
You'll note that however wrong those last two ideas are, they are at least related to reality. Vince Foster worked for Bill Clinton and killed himself. Barack Obama is Commander in Chief and doesn't fight our enemies as some of his critics would like. Using their own words and actions, there are at least ties here. The TucsonPalinphobia? Thin air. A different class altogether, right? Also worth noting that no mainstream paper or New York Times oped writer advanced your examples -- so also different. Right? Beginning to see the difference?
Sorry. Neither accusation is "related to reality." They're paranoid, conspiratorial nonsense.
I beg to differ. Circumstantial evidence strongly suggests that Vince Foster killed himself inside the White House. Naturally, that would have been a major scandal, and the Clintonites spent a feverish night moving the body and rearranging the evidence. There is nothing inherently paranoid, implausible or nonsensical about that theory.
And Obama's attitude toward Islam is highly ambiguous, to say the least.
So I must stand with Mollie.
Re: Sarah-noia
Conor Friedersdorf
Sorry. Neither accusation is "related to reality." They're paranoid, conspiratorial nonsense. · Jan 20 at 7:15pm
Conor, I get that this is how you roll, but don't be ridiculous. Foster did work for Clinton and did die under bizarre circumstances. Those are facts. Alleging he was murdered might be the type of conspiratorial nonsense you're familiar with over at Daily Dish, but at least Clinton and Foster actually worked together. See how that's a "tie" that wasn't present in Tucson? And if you actually didn't understand how the term mainstream media is used, I would explain it to you. But I suspect that's just more gameplaying, too. Let me know, please, if NYT/WP/CNN, etc. writes a think piece on folks discussing whether Obama is helping Islamists out, though, okay?
May '10
Re: Sarah-noia
I think Palin's greatest "sin" is that she is extremely American. Thus, the left's objection to her is a logical consequence of the fact that the subtext to all liberal positions is that America sucks.
Oct '10
Re: Sarah-noia
Lady Kurobara
Conor Friedersdorf
Well, consider me on neither side. I try to call out theories that seem absurd to me when I see them.
God save us all from those who equivocate.
And I hate self-styled neutrals. Pick a side and fight it out, damn it.
The cool, ironic detachment schtick is getting old, Conor. Even Letterman has become tiresome. · Jan 20 at 6:58pm
Edited on Jan 20 at 07:00 pm
Amen to this.
As I've said before, the middle of the road is for white lines and armadillos.
Those who equivocate and say "but the right does it, too" are merely engaging in a gussied up version of the shopworn taunt of "I know you are, but what am I?" Please, grow up.
Dec '10
Re: Sarah-noia
I was on a bus going to work one morning approaching the Bay Bridge moving slowly through the morning traffic toward San Francisco. We passed over a Berkeley student riot during the "Peoples Park" era in 68 or 69. This was truely a most frightening sight to behold. Flocks of people in panic running first this way and then that fleeing police and teargas. Injured on the ground. Flashing lights. A sight never forgotten.
I later that day asked an older co-worker what in the world it was all about. His sage comment. The riots, he said, were irrational. As such there is no adequate way to explain them. I think that applies to Palin derangement syndrome and perhaps some of the other irrational reactions of the left.
Try as we will, we cannot adequately explain the irrational. We can only gaze in wonder. It resists rational inquiry. It defies reasoned explanation.
Jun '10
Re: Sarah-noia
Kenneth: Listen, I gotta step out for a moment.
But I'm counting on you guys to keep up the sucker-punching, eye-gouging and motive-impugning while I'm away.
Anybody need me to pick up a pack of smokes?
Or some Band-aids? · Jan 20 at 7:23pm
Edited on Jan 20 at 07:27 pm
Can I come with you and ride shotgun? Uh oh, am I allowed to say that now?
Sep '10
Re: Sarah-noia
Vince Foster killed himself inside the White House.
Now that you mention it, I'd forgotten about those Rose law firm billing records and Hillary's amazing ability to make money on cattle futures. I'm a proud member of the VRWC (Vast Right Wing Cats).
Sep '10
Re: Sarah-noia
Can I come with you and ride shotgun? Uh oh, am I allowed to say that now?
Yes, but you can't have more than 5 rounds in the shotgun, and it can only contain either rock salt or bad words that pop out of the end of the gun like on the 60's Batman television series.
Sep '10
Re: Sarah-noia
Living in Canada, I've found that I can have some fun with the name Sarah Palin by using it as a generic phrase to attach any kind of ridiculous insinuation and watch the party guests eat it up. You can even make a drinking game out of it. Its like scrabble but with random assertions. So, for example, I mentioned the other night:
"Hey, I heard Sarah Palin wants to get rid of NASA because of President Obama's Muslim outreach initiative." The heads bob furiously in agreement like one of those dimestore flamingos sucking out of a drinking glass. You can say pretty much anything and the eurosophisticate cocktail set eats it up. Secretly birthing lizards, flat earth, believing that Capricorn One was a documentary, pick whatever you want and append the name "Sarah Palin" to it, and you've made a liberal your friend for life. They'll even start making up their own crazy assertions to try and ingratiate themselves with you.
After listening to the podcast, I think I'll do a V tiein and say that Palin is really one of the lizard people sent here from another planet. Film at 11.
Jun '10
Re: Sarah-noia
Pseudodionysius: Can I come with you and ride shotgun? Uh oh, am I allowed to say that now?
Yes, but you can't have more than 5 rounds in the shotgun, and it can only contain either rock salt or bad words that pop out of the end of the gun like on the 60's Batman television series. · Jan 20 at 8:01pm
POW! BIFF! BANG! Na-na-na-na-Batman! Ah, the memories of a colossal waste of time.
Oct '10
Re: Sarah-noia
the left is just trying to find a new replacement for their bete noir, George W. Bush. and she fits the bill perfectly.
At the same time, they're hoping she runs for president in 2012.
Jun '10
Re: Sarah-noia
No, Cdor, she didn't court controversy in any of those ways. Just lots of other ways. Surely you recognize this, right? I understand that we disagree somewhere here, but you must understand that some of what Palin does is deliberately provocative.
Actually, it's impossible to respond specifically to such an ambiguous statement.
Oct '10
Re: Sarah-noia
I wonder how they'd react if you told them that Palin wanted to ban dihydrogen monoxide.
Aug '10
Re: Sarah-noia
Ladies (rica chic as) Why do we stand on the shore of the cold Atlantic listening to the Lamentations of the Left ? Let's get Spacific ! Rob ? This goes any further east , we can drop Sullivan back in England. We could pass the hat and do rather well. But I have to thank him for Vico and Oakeshott .
Edited on January 21, 2011 at 5:21am