Palin's new(est) stunt: First Amendment Rights Threatened By Criticism

[abijnk]

I tried to come up with a lead-in to this, but I just can't. And don't give me grief about the Huffington Post link, the story is also on Salon and ABC news, link in the HuffPo article.

Link (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/31/palin-criticism-threatens_n_139729.html)


"If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations," Palin told host Chris Plante, "then I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media."

What? :confused:

[NT1440]

God I hope that liberal media jumps on this and tears her to shreds. Clearly she is an idiot. And seeing as Mccains camp loves guilt by association, he is as well.

Or he could be for just choosing this woman.

[Lord Blackadder]

It has proven impossible to shame the McCain campaign by fighting their negative association BS with facts or reality, so I'm at a loss what to do.

Basically all we can do is let them mouth off and hope people recognize their nonsense for what it is.

Now that Joe the Plumber is commenting on foreign policy I assume he's going to get a cabinet position at some point? He can't be any less qualified than Palin. :rolleyes:

How many times does she have to prove to us that she's never even glanced at the Constitution before she is generally considered to be a fraud? Many Republicans are openly chuckling at her.

[Peace]

I love Salon's take on her comment.

"If anything, Palin has this exactly backwards, since one thing that the First Amendment does actually guarantee is a free press. Thus, when the press criticizes a political candidate and a Governor such as Palin, that is a classic example of First Amendment rights being exercised, not abridged.

This isn't only about profound ignorance regarding our basic liberties, though it is obviously that. Palin here is also giving voice here to the standard right-wing grievance instinct: that it's inherently unfair when they're criticized. And now, apparently, it's even unconstitutional.

According to Palin, what the Founders intended with the First Amendment was that political candidates for the most powerful offices in the country and Governors of states would be free to say whatever they want without being criticized in the newspapers. The First Amendment was meant to ensure that powerful political officials would not be "attacked" in the papers. It is even possible to imagine more breathaking ignorance from someone holding high office and running for even higher office?"

The First Amendment :

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

[mactastic]

So the Disasta' from Alaska's free speech rights are threatened by media criticism, but somehow her criticism that Obama is "palling around with terrorists" isn't threatening Obama's free speech rights?

What planet does this woman come from?

Oh, right... Alaska.

[Mike Teezie]

So the Disasta' from Alaska's free speech rights are threatened by media criticism, but somehow her criticism that Obama is "palling around with terrorists" isn't threatening Obama's free speech rights?

What planet does this woman come from?

Oh, right... Alaska.

Stupidville. She's the mayor there, with the highest approval rating in history.

[rdowns]

I don't know the woman so to comment wouldn't be fair. I'll just go with what high level campaign advisors call her - A WHACK JOB!

[IJ Reilly]

Yabbadabbado!

(Do we really have to meet the Flintstones every day of this campaign?)

Now that Joe the Plumber is commenting on foreign policy I assume he's going to get a cabinet position at some point?

More likely an under-the-cabinet post, but I take your meaning.

[abijnk]

If criticism takes away people's right what does praise do?

Link (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/31/former-reagan-adviser-endorses-obama/)


Former Reagan chief of staff Ken Duberstein told CNN's Fareed Zakaria this week he intends to vote for Democrat Barack Obama on Tuesday.

Duberstein said he was influenced by another prominent Reagan official - Colin Powell - in his decision.

"Well let's put it this way - I think Colin Powell's decision is in fact the good housekeeping seal of approval on Barack Obama."

Powell served as national security advisor to Reagan during Duberstein's tenure as chief of staff.

Duberstein spoke with Zakaria about his final days in the Reagan White House. The Reagan official, along with Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Carter National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski, also discussed the transition process to a new administration.

[3rdpath]

damn that gotcha constitution...

[Iscariot]

No, ma'am, we are not criticizing you because we want to curtail your civil rights. We are not criticizing your comments because they differ from our viewpoint, or because they represent a reality that we are unwilling to deal with. Governor Palin, with all due respect, we are criticizing you because you are lying, and when an elected official resorts to distorting the truth for political gain, it is the duty of the press and the citizenry to hold them accountable.

More importantly Governor, we are criticizing you because you are playing a dangerous game. Terrorism is not a charge to level lightly, nor associations to terrorists something to be trumped up to boost your own public opinion. I know that you must remember it — since your campaign has referred to it relentlessly — but America suffered a vicious attack at the hands of terrorists just seven years ago. When you invoke terrorism to tar your opponents, you are insulting the victims of 9/11, the firefights and service workers who gave their lives, and their families.

I don't know what's more appalling, ma'am, the idea that you would willfully and wantonly abuse the victims in America in an obviously desperate slur, or the idea that your own lack of perspective and outright ignorance would lead you to believe the hateful words that you thrust at this nation every night. To say that either one is a disgrace to the nation would be an understatement.

Good night and good luck.

With all due respect to Keith Olbermann on Hallowe'en, who I am only now realizing would have been hugely entertaining to dress up as.

[Lord Blackadder]

More likely an under-the-cabinet post, but I take your meaning.

Hopefully something like "Unlicensed Plumber Laureate".

[synth3tik]

I though Palin wanted to mainstream media to ask more questions???:confused:

Is she trying to out right say that the Constitution should only be upheld when it is to her benefit. Many politicians have acted this part, but she is the first to my knowledge to out right say it.

I guess in her view
Republicans should be able to question democrats and independents, but anyone who questions republicans are anti American or are trying to destroy America

Only people with fully automatic weapons with strong views against the Middle east should be allowed to bare arms, If you are not pro Israeli or anti middle east then you are a threat to the nation.

All religious views should be tolerated as long as they are catholic views.

It is only acceptable to be free to love who you love if your a republican and the boy is under 18.

The idea of prosperity is only for those who cheat and steal, if you plan on making an honest living, then you choose to be poor.


I can get behind any of that.

[joepunk]

More likely an under-the-cabinet post, but I take your meaning.

The White House needs more Interns.

[rdowns]

Here's an interesting article on how the McCain-Palin campaign feels about the First Amendment.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gail-mcgowan-mellor/a-rousing-tightly-control_b_139658.html

[chrmjenkins]

In the normal workforce, a person insinuating another person is a terrorist to a potential employer would be considered slander and something you could sue over. For the GOP, it's in the manual of standard procedures.

[abijnk]

I wonder if we could all get together and file a class-action suit against her for infringing on our first-amendment right to free press? She running for elected office, we should be able to ask her anything we want, and by "we" I mean the press, because that is how people find out about political candidate in this day and age.

A campaign is a job interview, plain and simple. I couldn't walk into a potential employer's office and refuse to talk to the interviewer just because I don't think he or she likes me, why should she get to? Especially when it is the people of America that she will be working for...

[IJ Reilly]

Hopefully something like "Unlicensed Plumber Laureate".

Secretary of Grease Traps.

[leekohler]

I wonder if we could all get together and file a class-action suit against her for infringing on our first-amendment right to free press? She running for elected office, we should be able to ask her anything we want, and by "we" I mean the press, because that is how people find out about political candidate in this day and age.

A campaign is a job interview, plain and simple. I couldn't walk into a potential employer's office and refuse to talk to the interviewer just because I don't think he or she likes me, why should she get to? Especially when it is the people of America that she will be working for...

I think that's a damn good idea. We should also make a law that Presidents must answer all questions posed by the media.

[yg17]

Damn that gotcha constitution and it's liberal bias!

:rolleyes:

[iPhil]

I wonder if we could all get together and file a class-action suit against her for infringing on our first-amendment right to free press? She running for elected office, we should be able to ask her anything we want, and by "we" I mean the press, because that is how people find out about political candidate in this day and age.

A campaign is a job interview, plain and simple. I couldn't walk into a potential employer's office and refuse to talk to the interviewer just because I don't think he or she likes me, why should she get to? Especially when it is the people of America that she will be working for...



I think that's a damn good idea. We should also make a law that Presidents must answer all questions posed by the media.



If the "Class-Action Lawsuit" doesn't work and congress won't do a impeachment process then how about a 'Paper Voter Recall' process..... :confused:

[Thomas Veil]

More likely an under-the-cabinet post, but I take your meaning.As long as he keeps his pants pulled up. Ew.

As far as Palin goes, every time she opens her mouth she demonstrates why she should be running for office in Russia or some banana republic, not here.

[Counterfit]

damn that gotcha constitution...
And damn those classical liberals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_liberalism) too!
All religious views should be tolerated as long as they are protestant views.

Fixed. Don't you know that Catholics put Pope above country? :rolleyes:



Actually, it should probably be "crazy Evangelical" (I don't mean that all evangelicals are crazy, I'm just referring to the ones who actually are;)) rather than protestant.

[.Andy]

It's not surprising. This is a common technique.

(1) Say something ridiculous.
(2) Have it rebutted.
(3) Claim that they're only rebutting it because the liberal media are biased against you.
(4) Debate is deflected and conducted under the guise of a culture war.

It's pathetic but it seems to work and stokes the feelings of persecution amongst their support base. Look how many times this very technique gets repeated in PRSI.

[Anuba]

The scary part is that everyone's becoming immune... she's piled so many moronic statements on top of eachother, they no longer make headlines. Doesn't know what a VP does? Shrug. Doesn't understand the 1st amendment? Whatever.

I'm starting to realize now that "maverick" is code for "pathological narcissist":

- In the Katie Couric interviews, she was annoyed that the questions didn't match the answers she wanted to give. She thinks an interview is her monologue, not a dialogue.

- In the televised VP debate, she wouldn't answer the questions, instead she hijacked the debate and used it to say "what the American people want to hear" (as if she had monopoly on that).

- If someone criticizes her, they're violating her "1st amendment rights". I.e. she thinks the 1st amendment is about her right to get up on a soapbox while everyone else shuts up.

- She keeps going off script during rallies, making statements that go against McCain.

- As VP, she would take the "president of the senate" literally, and "get in there with the senators and make policy changes".

All these actions scream "I AM GOD!". She doesn't want to be VP, or President, she wants to be Empress Sarah the First.

[mactastic]

It's not surprising. This is a common technique.

(1) Say something ridiculous.
(2) Have it rebutted.
(3) Claim that they're only rebutting it because the liberal media are biased against you.
(4) Debate is deflected and conducted under the guise of a culture war.

It's pathetic but it seems to work and stokes the feelings of persecution amongst their support base. Look how many times this very technique gets repeated in PRSI.
Quoted for truth.

[solvs]

Sarah Palin officially makes liberal media bunny cry:

http://newmedia.funnyjunk.com/pictures/you-make-bunny-cry.jpg