oselle | (no subject)

Campbell Brown on CNN had this to say about the way the McCain campaign has been hiding Sarah Palin from the press:

“Bear with me for a short rant on another subject, because frankly I have had and I know a lot of other women out there are with me on this. I have had enough of the sexist treatment of Sarah Palin. It has to end. She was here in New York City today meeting with world leaders at the UN. And what did the McCain campaign do? They tried to ban reporters from covering those meetings. And they did ban reporters from asking her any questions. Tonight, I call on the McCain campaign to stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower that will wilt at any moment. This woman is from Alaska, for crying out loud. She is strong; she is tough; she is competent. And you claim she is ready to be one heartbeat away from the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now. Allow her to show her stuff. Allow her to face down those pesky reporters just like Barack Obama did today. Just like John McCain did today. Just like Joe Biden has done on numerous occasions. Let her have a real news conference with real questions. By treating Sarah Palin different from the other candidates in this race, you are not showing her the respect she deserves. Free Sarah Palin. Free her from the chauvinistic chain you are binding her with. Sexism in this campaign must come to an end. Sarah Palin has just as much a right to be a real candidate in this race as the men do. So let her act like one.”

Now, I suspect that Brown is just using a clever tactic here -- latching onto the sexism charge as a way to goad the McCain campaign into putting Palin out there (where she absolutely should be). At least I hope she is. Because no one can seriously believe that sexism is behind the campaign's dictatorial efforts to keep Palin away from the press. I think we all know why this is happening -- the campaign doesn't want the press asking Palin unscripted questions because they know she cannot answer them. Even in interviews that she's been prepped for, and even in her scheduled speeches she clearly has nothing of value to say. God forbid the press starts hurling actual questions at her. Now, our press is not exactly known for throwing hardballs at Republicans. But Palin is such a weak link that it's not going to take much to bring her down. Even a routine foreign policy question makes her stammer and stare like a tweenie who blew off her homework to go to the mall. The campaign isn't hiding Palin because she's a woman. They're hiding her because they're stalling for time. She's a sort of unlikable Eliza Doolittle and the campaign is playing the role of Henry Higgins -- trying to mold a fundie whackjob with no applicable experience into presidential material. Good luck with that, Professor Higgins.

In other news, did you know that as of October 1st, a U.S. Army brigade will be assigned the task of homeland defense -- on U.S. soil -- purportedly "to help with civil unrest and crowd control" (among other things) a move that reverses a more than 100-year-old ban on such military use within the United States? Did you also know that as of 2006, The Defense Authorization Act gave the President the right "to impose martial law in the event of a terrorist 'incident, if he or other federal officials perceive a shortfall of 'public order,' or even in response to antiwar protests that get unruly as a result of government provocations..." Read more here.

Threaded | Flat

I want them to put Palin front and center so we can all see just how unprepared this woman is to be anywhere near the White House.

It's more like their whole nomination of Palin is sexist and the way they want to handle her in the press naturally stems from that!

At this point there's almost nothing that this administration could do in terms of grabbing power that would surprise me. It terrifies me, but it never surprises.

so much for staying away from the political, huh? It's all so ridiculous. Do you think we'd have any luck starting a campaign to get people to write-in Lewis Black for President?

Let me put another side here -- did you know that when Palin was interviewed by Charles Gibson - she was asked foreign affair questions, economic questions. When Obama was interviewed he was asked about his family, his childhood -- NO foreign affairs questions, no grilling at all. Now which was is actually running for the Presidency?

She's been on Fox as well. So where is the hiding? I haven't seen Biden being grilled.

Let's see Bill Clinton was governor of Arkansas, and that was all the experience he had. Palin who ISN'T running for President is governor of Alaska. So why is she inexperienced? Obama has been a senator for 3 years - no mayorial or governor experience. Palins (VICE president) has been governor for over 2 years - with experience running a billion dollar budget.

Once again -- I don't like the name calling. I resent terribly when people suggest if I don't vote for Obama I'm a racist. And that's everywhere you look. If he loses it's because ALL Republicans are racist! that's insulting. I won't vote for him because I don't agree with his policies.

If Condaleeza Rice ran for President would you vote for her? Why not - she's a woman, she's black -- you must be a racist. Does it even make sense that arguement?? Wouldn't you be furious to be accused of something like that. It's wrong to vote for someone just because they are white OR black OR a woman. You must vote for the person that has the ideals you have - that has the policies you can agree with (or most policies you can agree with).

NEVER vote because a celebrity says you should or the media says you will be a racist if you don't. Vote because you are informed.

And I don't care who you vote for -- just do it for the right reason. And don't go down to the levels of the people who accuse Palin of not having good prenatal care and that's why her child has Down's Syndrome! (yes I read that on a noted media journalist's blog!) Once again that's just cruel and insulting.

Be educated and be passionate, but don't be mean.