About a week ago, the left was all-atwitter at the thought that Sarah and Todd Palin – evangelical fundamentalist “Family Values” conservatives – were getting divorced. These were largely the same people who found it delightfully ironic that the Palins – being pro-lifers – would have a daughter who’d get pregnant while 17.
Of course, there’s dead silence now that Dan Riehl and Stacy McCain blew the lid completely off the entire fabricated hatchet-job story:
Just in case anyone has arrived late at this news, here are links to major items, arranged in chronological order, in the development of the “Gryphen”/Griffin story:
- Aug. 1: “Palin Divorce Gossip ‘Completely False'” — American Spectator
- Aug. 1: “Quote From Sarah Palin” — The Other McCain
- Aug. 1: “If Your Mother Says She Loves You, Check It Out” — American Spectator
- Aug. 2: ‘Mommy, Why Does My Kindergarten Teacher Lie About Sarah Palin?’ — The Other McCain
- Aug. 2: “Is This Sarah Palin’s Gryphen?” — Riehl World View
- Aug. 3: “Don’t Threaten Dan, Griffin” — The Other McCain
- Aug. 4: “E-Mail to Jesse Griffin” — The Other McCain
- Aug. 4: “Jesse Griffin: Troubling Revelations” — Riehl World View
- Aug. 5: “Jesse Griffin’s Been Lying to His Friends, Too?” — Riehl World View
- Aug. 5: “Jesse Griffin Explained” — Riehl World View
- Aug. 5: “Jesse Griffin Just Keeps Lying” — Riehl World View
- Aug. 5: “Give Jesse Enough Rope” — The Other McCain
- Aug. 5: “Jesse Griffin: Latest Developments” — Riehl World View
- Aug. 5: “Real Facts, Riehl Theory” — The Other McCain
- Aug. 6: “Exit, Lying: School’s Out for Anti-Palin Blogger Jesse Griffin” — The Other McCain
- Aug. 6: “Of Moonbats and ‘Minions'” — The Other McCain
- Aug. 6: “What Is Jesse Griffin Telling Us?” — Riehl World View
- Aug. 7: “Why Did Jesse Quit the Kindergarten?” — Riehl World View
Of course, when it comes to media attacks on conservatives, truth isn’t realy a requisite.
Any of you “Yaaay, the HIPPOCRETS are getting divorced!” folks out there have a comment?
If Griffin got fired how long can Angry Clown keep his job teaching ballet to kindergartners?
Those “divorcers” won’t be satisfied until they see a real copy of the marriage license.
Does anyone really care if the Palins get divorced?
That might seem like a question with an obvious answer, but, maybe not.
Palin is not currently running for any office, so their marriage would seem to be purely their private business. One could argue that even if Palin was running for office, some things ought to be their business. Although it was Palin herself who made her family part of her ‘credentials’. I am not at all convinced that getting a divorce would reduce Palin’s electability; in some demographics it might actually help. Seriously, look at all of the other politicians who have divorced, and continued successfully in political careers; it is NOT the kiss of death in politics it once was.
The whole Sarah-had-an-affair-with-Todd’s-former-business-partner thing is really OLD, not current news, unlike, say the new bribery allegation in federal court (in a civil suit).
I have some sympathy for Palin, in things like the Letterman comments. There have been occasions where she has been treated very unfairly. There are other occasions, like the ‘death panel’ stuff, where Palin herself exploits her family members – Trig, her aging parents in this case. In those instances, I have a good bit less sympathy for Palin.
True enough… divorce might not lead to declining popularity of a political figure.
Gross neglegence leading to death certainly didn’t seem to hinder Senator Ted Kennedy.
How to talk out of both sides…
“I have some sympathy for Palin, in things like the Letterman comments.” – Dog Gone, August 10th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
“It is a fair criticism that Palin spent more time and energy on stupid personal stuff like her feud with Letterman…” – Dog Gone, August 8, 2009 8:31 PM
“stupid personal stuff”, eh DG.
’nuff said.
They are not mutually exclusive, KRod.
She said she has sympathy for Palin regarding Letterman’s comments… and that she thought Palin spent too much time on the Letterman comments.
She’s said before that she defends Palin when it comes to cheap shots from folks about her daughter. She simply added that Palin probably didn’t need to do as much as she did in shooting back at Dave.
What media attacks? You pointed out in one of those links that the MSM didn’t run with this story. Some stupid twitter posts are considered “media attacks” now?
Does anyone really care if the Palins get divorced?
Yes.
As I noted last week in my piece “Palinfreude“, there is a segment of the left-leaning population that gets the giggles whenever anyone who claims to be a “family values” supporter also turns out to be fallible and human.
Stoo:
So is a media figure tweeting under their real name not a media figure?
Badda, you can stick up for DG as much as you want if you want to be just as wrong.
Let me guess, it has to do with liberal “context” and liberal “nuance”, eh? You two would know. I can spot liberals a mile away.
“She simply added…” BS, Badda. Can’t you read?
I will add some emphasis:
“I have some sympathy for Palin, in things like the Letterman comments.”
“…Palin spent more time and energy on stupid personal stuff like her feud with Letterman…”
First, making a joke about a pro ball player raping her 14 year old daughter was sooooo wrong, but to suggest she shouldn’t have stood up to Letterman/spent that time to “feud” with Letterman is hardly sympathetic. The fact was that Palin was defending her daughter; not starting a feud with Dave.
I for one am glad Palin didn’t allow the media to quickly sweep such ugly comments under the rug. I would worry more that we don’t spend enough time condemning the raping of a 14 year old child.
I commend Palin for taking a little time to set the record straight and put Letterman in his place. She was right and Letterman was wrong…Letterman apologized…
My Karma just ran over your Dogma
Dog Gone said:
“Although it was Palin herself who made her family part of her ‘credentials’.”
How exactly did she do this?
And how is what she did different from most politicians?
I’m sorry. Who is Dennis Zaki? Your previous post says that a “journalist” (scare quotes are yours) did it, and the link from there says it’s some blogger from CNN but links to a blog called Alaska Watch. You can see how someone might not consider any of that to be mainstream media. Did this stuff show up on CNN or MSNBC or the networks?
And by the way, I don’t get happy when people with kids divorce.
“I don’t get happy when people with kids divorce.”
Right, and you don’t ever tell lies at work. So, the question remains; why do you associate/work with with people that do?
Everyone lies, swiftee. You’ve changed your statement from “every cop lies in court or knows cops who do,” which I will continue to deny.
Also, off topic.
KR, I support Palin for objecting to what Letterman said. I further condemn Letterman for his initial failure to apologize. But the whole thing went on waaaay too long, making it more of an issue than it needed to be.
IF the real concern was about protecting her daughters from this kind of comment, imho, Palin would have better accomplished that by letting the whole thing get out of the media sooner, so it could die and go away.
Palin has put her family in the spotlight as often, in some instances more often, than other political figures – imho. I found the comments from Palin regarding ‘death panels’ and her parents and son very offensive, and exploitive of them.
I condemned what Letterman said in this space – and acknowledged his apology.
I’ve also noted that Palin needs to build a politcal persona that moves way beyond being a victim of a biased media. It is a fact that the media is trying to slag her; it’s an obstacle that faces all conservative women and minorities. And while it’s a reason to condemn the abuse, it’s not a reason to elect her. I think the media know that – and I think it’s a key reason Palin resigned as governor; to take control of the narrative.
As to Palin’s family in the spotlight – she certainly has put them there, and for good reason; it’s a key part of her persona; she’s an actual family person.
As to the “Death Panel” comments – let me digress just a tad. One of the reasons the abortion rate is dropping is the ubiquity of ultrasound imaging. When people see the reality of what they’re “terminating” – that “it” is in fact a little human – they very often back away from abortion. They do it because they see the issue as it really is, stripped of all spin and pretense. It’s one of the reasons abortion activists are so cool on the notion of ultrasound.
The “Death Panels” comments try – correctly – to do the same thing; to show people the real-life consequences of healthcare rationing, especially on the old and weak. It aint’ pretty, but the truth about life and death often isn’t.
KRod,
You’re a little too quick to pull the Hulk-Smash to catch Dog in a “gotcha”.
Nothing you’ve said has any karma, and nothing I’ve said had any dogma.
All I did was give Dog the benefit of the doubt. “Lighten up, Francis.”
“condemn Letterman for his initial failure to apologize. But the whole thing went on waaaay too long,”
Then don’t blame Palin.
Sorry, I don’t think people should simply and quickly forget when it comes to such matters as the rape of a 14 year old child.
……………………………
“to show people the real-life consequences of healthcare rationing, especially on the old and weak. It aint’ pretty, but the truth about life and death often isn’t. “
BINGO!!!
Mitch nails it!
Mitch says:As to Palin’s family in the spotlight – she certainly has put them there, and for good reason; it’s a key part of her persona; she’s an actual family person.”
I don’t believe that those other people in politics are less family people than Palin is, who put their children in front of the cameras less.
In making the decision to put her children in the public eye as she does, she makes them to a degree the target of attention. Certainly that does NOT in any way justify the demeaning actions of those who made a target of Trig, or the so called humor of Letterman. But it does invite for them to be viewed with less privacy. I think it is fair to consider that to a degree this is exploitation of her children for her political statements.
“As to the “Death Panel” comments – let me digress just a tad. One of the reasons the abortion rate is dropping is the ubiquity of ultrasound imaging. When people see the reality of what they’re “terminating” – that “it” is in fact a little human – they very often back away from abortion. They do it because they see the issue as it really is, stripped of all spin and pretense. It’s one of the reasons abortion activists are so cool on the notion of ultrasound.”
I am not aware nor persuaded that pro-choice activists are cool on the notion of ultrasound. In any event, no abortion services are included in any of the current health reform proposals.
As to people ‘backing away’ from abortion procedures, I think the following quotation from a prominent religious writer says it best:”No woman wants an abortion as she wants an ice cream cone or a Porsche. She wants an abortion as an animal caught in a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg. ~Frederica Mathewes-Green”
Mitch says: “The “Death Panels” comments try – correctly – to do the same thing; to show people the real-life consequences of healthcare rationing, especially on the old and weak. It aint’ pretty, but the truth about life and death often isn’t. ”
The death panel comments try to fear monger provisions that address issues like hospice and making wills, all of the provisions in the bill in that regard have in the past been promoted by both conservatives and liberals. I would refer you to the material developed by groups like the AARP that are in favor of it.
As to rationing, for the old and weak, may I strongly encourage you to gain a greater awareness of the very same decisions that are made every day about who gets what care – by organizations who make those decisions with a profit motive. You may remember Mitch that around the same time you were bringing Bun home from the hospital, I was dealing with the medical decisions around the end of the life of my father, and had already been part of those decisions regarding the life of my mother back when I was a little over 18. I’ve also gone into court to gain guardianship of an aunt who had neither husband or children, as next of kin, and who had made no provisions for these decisions when that aunt was incapacitated by Alzheimer’s. That first hand experience with end of life decisions, on top of 15 years in the home office claims division of one of the largest multi-national insurance companies in the country I believe qualifies me to claim an informed opinion.
With respect my friend, your reasoning on this one is specious.
I would also encourage anyone who has an interest to read the salient parts of the health care bill; I have. It is available on Scribd.com, if you put into their search engine Health care reform 2009. There are NO ‘death panels’ in it by any description, and Palin’s statments have been widely by a large number of both republicans and conservatives as well as democrats. If Palin does happen to erroneously believe that something is in that bill, she could address it without invoking / exploiting her parents and son to make her point more appropriately.
that should read Palins statements about death panels have been widely repudiated by …
I have read some of the ObamaNationCare bill, DG, I have yet to see anyone spell out how the bill prevents such issues as the opponents have pointed out, from taking a pain pill instead of getting a pacemaker as Obama actually suggested, to a phase out of the choice of private insurance over ObamaNationCare.
If ObamaNationCare isn’t good enough for Obama and the congresscritters it shouldn’t be good enough for you or me.
Join with us DG, stand up and demand that congress defeat this bill. Why rush this bill through? Haste make waste.
This is not our country’s last opportunity to do something about health care. It is not a crisis; a majority of Americans are fine with their coverage.
“every cop lies in court or knows cops who do…”
(sigh)…Normally I would have automaticly assumed that someone had simply forgotten what I had said, but you’re a cop, so that was a deliberate lie.
What I said was that every cop lies, or knows cops who do. But now that you bring it up…hmmm.
Let’s examine your mendacity a bit closer.
If we can say that every cop lies, or knows cops who do (and we can), we can further state that every cop that files a false report and testifies to it in court is lying to the court, and further still, every cop knows a cop who who has filed a false report or has filed one themselves, QED, and finally every cop must testify in court at some time in their career.
Now we calculate:
1 psi (lb/in2) = 6,894.8 N/m2 (Pa) * (Lying cops/1 + Court)
AND
T(*C) = 5/9[T(oF) – 32]/1.343*10(-1) * Falsified incident reports
So:
Every cop lies in court, or knows a cop that has.
OK Stool. I’m going to modify my statement and you can claim to be grandfathered.