The right-wingers commenting on this and other OC blogs (Jubal &Â d’Anconia to name two) have been crying about the “leftosphere” attacks on the McPalin ticket. One example Jubal (a.k.a. Matt Cunningham Editor of Red County/OC blog) had this to say about Bill Spaulding’s recent post about the Mayor of Hooterville.
Gracias, Bill. Every time someone in the Leftosphere spouts off with a petty personal slimming like that, it’s like an in-kind contribution to the McCain-Palin campaign. Maybe you guys will figure that out by Election Day.
Um Jubal, it is the height of ridiculous stupidity to assert that attacking the failings of the McPalin campaign or the candidates themselves as an in-kind contribution to that campaign. Bloggers have their jobs, and campaigns have theirs. It is not our role to only regurgitate the talking points of our favored campaign. Part of our role, if not the main part, it to go where the campaigns cannot go, to highlight the contrasts and hypocrisy that they cannot. Our job, like it or not, is to throw the BS the Republican lemmings are shoveling back at them.
Yes, both the liberal and conservative blogs we will extol the virtues of our favorite candidates as they are fed to us by the campaigns. Then we will go on to feed our readers the red meat that the mainstream media will not. We know that the stories and opinions expressed on our blogs are not going to change the minds of our readers. What we can hope for is that the mainstream media pick up on some of the points we make and ask the questions of the candidates and campaigns that we are all screaming at our TV’s, newspapers, and computer screens to be asked.
This point was stated quite well by Kos on the Daily Kos today:
Let me get this straight — if we all sat around and talking about how great Obama’s speech was, then things would be much better for him? Really? People believe this tripe? I’ll give Sullivan a pass. He was a winger not too long ago, so he hasn’t seen, first hand like many of us have, just how effective “ignoring the other side” has worked. Just ask Kerry and the Swift Boat Vets.
I was going to launch into an extensive refutation of that ridiculous notion, but thereisnospoon responds perfectly:
The Obama campaign has been successful largely because of its inspiring “new brand of politics”. Â Unfortunately, as Bill Clinton might note, that makes it somewhat difficult for the Obama campaign to get quite as nasty with the opposition as it might need to. Â But that’s OK–because that can be our job.
It’s our job to push memes the campaign can’t. Â It’s our job to focus on Republican chicanery that would waste the time of an Obama campaign that needs to be focusing its messaging on core economic issues. Â By talking about McCain’s egregious lies and horrible personal ethics, we can help push the press to cover stories that the Obama campaign can’t seriously push themselves.
Ours is an important role to play. Â I would argue, in fact, that we harm both ourselves as independent analysts and the campaign itself by simply being extended mouthpieces for the Obama campaign. Â Everyone has a role to play: ours is to play hardball, to hit where it hurts, and to force the traditional media to cover what it might be uncomfortable covering otherwise.
To all the concerned people emailing me about “being played”, don’t waste your time. I’m not about to revert to writing puff pieces about Obama thinking that his magic “new politics” bullshit will carry us to victory. He may or may not believe that crap, but I don’t. We’re going to win this thing the way campaigns are won — by playing hardball. Politics is a blood sport. Republicans understand this and never flinch from flinging the shit. We won’t win until we learn to fight back in kind. And I’m more than happy to get down in the mud with our friends on the Right so Obama doesn’t have to.
Recent history vindicates the “tough and aggressive” path. We went toe to toe against Rove and his machine in 2006, and our math beat his. I have no doubt we’re in for a two-peat this year, and it’ll happen because we won’t back off from exposing the GOP for the den of lies and corruption it has become.
Enough said.
Hear, hear, Chris, well said, all three of you.
Still, you don’t seriously expect Jubal to understand what you wrote, do you? Distinctions like this don’t exist on his side. What he types is exactly what the entire Wurlitzer of the Right has decided the truth is that morning. And McCain, Bush, or any other Rove puppet try to run an honorable campaign, staying out of the mud? (ROTFLMAO, or whatever that thing is when you roll around on the floor and you’re laughing so hard that your buttocks detach, you know, that thing…)
Chris I believe both Matt and myself have both thanked you and your fellow talking point spewing friends for PERSONALLY attacking Sarah Palin, not for attacking her in general.
If you want to go after her over her record, her stance on issues, I believe it would do your side much better.
What we have been laughing about for over a week now is your attacks on this woman on the basis of her family and her choice for accepting the nomination. The more you attack her daughter, the more you attack her son (like Dan just did in a post above this one), and the more you attack her choice for raising five children while running for vice-president, the more women will shun your party and look with disgust towards the Obama campaign and his choice of not picking Hillary.
For that, we thank you. I think you had to write this post because personally this whole thing is upsetting you at the core, like the rest of the Democrats. For the party who has attempted to define itself for a model of *tolerance* and *equality*, it must be driving you guys nuts that a strong female, whom the majority of women voters now associate well with (that’s a FACT), happens to be a Conservative Republican.
But fret not. You are not alone on this. I mean, not really. It could always be worst. You could be a Democrats AND a member of the National Organization for Women, and by now have been exposed for what they really are: the National Organization for LIBERAL Women.
Hypocrisy has never run so rampant as it does now, through the blood of Democrats and so called “feminists”. You have been exposed for the fraud you really are, and you….can’t….handle….it.
I do agree that there is so much SUBSTANTIAL that Governor Palin needs to be attacked and criticized for, that we really should, and can afford to, leave out the family stuff.
But of course it all started with a typical bit of Rovian jiu-jitsu: Right when everyone was trying to figure out who the hell this Palin woman was, the McCain campaign released the news that her daughter was pregnant. The media of course immediately reported this and discussed it endlessly, and the McCain campaign immediately pretended two things that weren’t true: That Palin was being criticized for her daughter’s pregnancy, and that the criticisms were coming from “the left” and “the Democrats.”
All instructive, all petty… all last week. There are real things to worry about in re. Palin being a heartbeat away from the Presidency.
Nice try Vern.
The McCain campaign didn’t “release” the news in any kind of jiu-jitsu move. Instead, as soon as the press started asking questions about Bristol’s possible pregnancy, the campaign decided to come clean with the whole thing and get it out of the way.
Whether or not the McCain campaign expected the *left* and the *democrats* (yes Vern, just because you put ” ” between the left and the democrats, doesn’t mean it wasn’t them that were attacking her daughter’s pregnancy….do you need me to give you a list of examples?) to attack her endlessly for two weeks and counting, that’s a different story. I think it could have absolutely been part of the strategy to send the Democrats into overdrive trying to figure out how to deal with Palin, and yes, the media outrage was all but too predictable, so I guess that would be part of the strategy too.
But just because the campaign predicted the attacks by the liberals and the Dems doesn’t mean the liberals and the Dems aren’t at fault for attacking Palin’s family (scroll down a few posts and you’ll find Dan, as late as yesterday, attacking Palin’s family).
Like I said before, thank you. Please continue.
(yes Vern, just because you put ††between the left and the democrats, doesn’t mean it wasn’t them that were attacking her daughter’s pregnancy….do you need me to give you a list of examples?)
Yes, please, O Dank One, if you don’t mind, since you’re taking such an interest in this, who are these leftists and Democrats who attacked or are attacking Palin for her kid’s pregnancy? I doubt you’ll have much of an answer… what, some third-string Kos diarist?
mmm… just as I thought.
* crickets *
Sorry Vern, didn’t know I was on a stopclock here. Sunday football is fun so I’ll get to proving you wrong (again) tomorrow.
That’s OK bro, you’ve been waiting over a month for my “which countries provide their citizens universal healthcare without rationing…” and I’m probably putting that SERIES of essays off till after November because I have so many other priorities, but I AM going to do it.
Still I bet YOU come up empty-handed. Or rather either have to go to some obscure site nobody’s heard of, or else count Dr. Laura as a leftist.
Whoops damn, gave away my secret identity 🙁
Um Jubal, it is the height of ridiculous stupidity to assert that attacking the failings of the McPalin campaign or the candidates themselves as an in-kind contribution to that campaign.
Whatever you say, Chris. As if the Leftosphere is only about rebutting McCain ads.
If you guys think tossing up every rumor that walks by about Sarah Palin or her family actually hurts McCain/Palin or helps Obama, go on fooling yourselves. As Peggy Noonan pointed out in her recent column, it just reminds Middle America what they don’t like about the Left.
Peggy Noonan is a hypocrite of the highest order; her off camera comments on MSNBC constrast her two last columns highlighting who wondering Mccain/Palin are even though she thought the Palin selection was a huge mistake. The explanation for her comments suspends belief. She has proven herself a capable liar.
Matt — how about actually owning up to some of the lies the McCain/Palin ticket continues to put out. McCain said she didn’t advocate for earmarks as governor (false), she sold the plan on EBay for a profit (false, false), and that she killed the Bridge to Nowhere (Congress did; she used the earmarks elsewhere). Repeat a lie often enough…..but you already know this, don’t you?
Hey Dan how about the lie that Obama has been running around telling people that 95% of American families will get a tax cut, when realistically his plan is nothing else besides a huge welfare program at a time when America can ill afford it.
If Obama wants to grow the size of the welfare state, he should just say so. Calling it a tax cut is a lie and an insult to the voters.
How about d’Anconia running around changing the subject after offering to list “leftists and Democrats” who have attacked Palin for her daughter’s pregnancy.
The rest of you can pursue this tax BS (of course Obama’s telling the truth). Meanwhile I’ve got a jerking, twitching fish at the end of my line.
Dan:
Palin never said she sold the plane on eBay:
http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/691/
She said she put it on EBay; McCain saiud she sold it for a profit. See it yourself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm5jQEh7exg
Do we need reading comprehension Matt? I reference the lies told by the McCain/Palin ticket.
d’Acon; the Washington Post and BusinessWeek both report Obama’s tax plan puts more money in the pockets of average Americans than McCain’s does. Its not a lie.
More Republicans claiming she sold the plane n eBay; and fact checking her speech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9OlZSCK7-M&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tc7BF_Fd7I
OK. I think it’s safe and fair to say now that NOBODY on the Left or in the Democratic Party criticized Palin for her daughter’s pregnancy. I can’t think of anyone who did, and d’Anconia can’t name anyone who did. And remember, the talking point was not “One or two leftists did that” but “the Left and the Democrats did it.” Maybe it’s time to move on to the question of: What do FACTS, what does TRUTH mean, to folks like Jubal and d’Anconia?
What does Jubal believe? I’m pretty sure he is very serious about his Catholic faith (or his interpretation of what it means to be Catholic) and he convinced himself years ago that the Republican Party is God’s instrument on earth. These are his overriding imperatives. From there, facts are either convenient or inconvenient, in the service of advancing the GOP and “Christianity.”
d’Anconia… well, all I know is he believes what he hears all his friends say. EVERYBODY knows the left and the dems were trashing Palin for her daughter’s pregnancy. I mean, EVERYBODY was saying that, it has to be true! Just because I can’t find any examples – that doesn’t mean anything. The only people who will argue with such a self-evident truth are crazy evil leftists like Vern anyway. Did I do well, Jubal? Do I get a cookie?
Just sayin’… Matt and Dank would like that last comment to slip into blog-history oblivion. Guys? No snappy comebacks? Should I move this whole thing over to my place, where it won’t sink into the quicksand so fast?
Borderline blogwhoring Vern. Borderline.
Dan, you saw what happened. Dank promised to name a leftist or Democrat that criticized Palin etc. He couldn’t come up with ONE. I think that’s kind of remarkable.
Now he and Matt are sitting on their hands, knowing that if enough comments happen on other threads, this will just sort of fade away. Not on my watch.
We did not criticize Caribou Barbie for Bristol’s pregnancy. Not you, not I, not Obama, not Carville, not Noam Chomsky, etc.
Between Bristol’s pregnancy/underage drinking, Track’s alleged arrest for vandalism/vodka theft, and “do we have a reason why Bristol was out of high school for 5 months or wht Track spent most of his senior year in Michigan? I think the Palin’s are lousy parents. My opinion. You can disagree. Parents that let their kids sleep over at Michael Jackson’s house are lousy parents too. Piper Palin, adorable. Levi Johnson, well, the shotgun is painted white. I thought only Islamic extremists did arranged marriages these days – nice to know Palin will make her daughter enter into a loveless marriage for political convenience (and yes, I said all this to rile up you right wingers out there!)
And yes, Obama has young children who have a great deal of love, support and care from Michelle Obama, her parents and Obama’s sister. I’ll say it again. Palin’s. Lousy. Parents.
Well, maybe there’s d’Anconia’s answer. Only Dan C, of all “leftists” and
“Democrats”, bothers with that line of attack. Those guys are still full of it. Sarah’s religious fanaticism, her ignorance, her lies and abuse of power, her complete lack of qualifications to be President, are what most of us are focused on. And d’Anconia is a wanker. I’m sorry.