Our linkfest providing you with links to websites of varying viewpoints. Links do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its many writers.
WHY SARAH PALIN IS DANGEROUS has been a key narrative of Andrew Sullivan’s in recent months. Now Sullivan points out something most notable to those of us who worked in the mainstream news media or who do work there: Palin has set herself up now as being protected by a cacoon/filter so she really never has to deal with those pesky reporters who may ask difficult questions, ask her a follow up, request her to substantiate a snarky or sarcastic charge with some factual backup (and then possibly get a follow up if the fact is not a fact). Read his entire post but here is the key section:
Now, she is able to use one powerful propaganda outlet, press-restricted buck-raking speeches, and a book of magical realism to continue this creepy, unaccountable celebrified campaign.
The problem here is not really Palin. Every delusional, ignorant nutcase should have a chance to get away with running for national office. The problem here is the system – a system that allowed someone no-one knew anything about to get very close to being a 72-year-old’s heartbeat away from the presidency, a system that deems some questions unaskable, a press that is more concerned with maximizing ratings and avoiding offence than in getting answers. This system is dangerous. If you construct a sealed media cocoon, and false narrative, and a massive money-machine, you can get further than most people imagine. And remember, presidents have been elected with 43 percent of the vote before.
Palin’s fans absolutely love her and say she is the voice of unadulterated truth. Palin’s critics wonder why if it’s so unadulterated, her key forums seems to be speeches, pre-screened questions, softball questions from Fox News (appearing with Sean Hannity is like appearing with her hired p.r. spokesperson). But there could be a deeper significance in Sullivan’s reaction: Palin is not doing well in polls when they ask whether she should be President. Perhaps most people — even those who don’t like the press — feel a President should be demonstrably able to appear in more than controlled political situations. Increasingly, however, it seems as if Palin will laugh all the way to the bank — that is, when she isn’t paying someone to defrost the private jet rented to transport her to an event.
THE STORY WE KNEW ALREADY: Charlie Crist will run for the Florida Senate as an Independent. His nemsis Marco Rubio and other Florida GOPers could also be in hot water due to an investigation over credit card use. My bet: as long as there aren’t any charges to a bondage club they’ll be fine..
DOES OBAMA HAVE FANNIE MAE AMNESIA? The question is raised by Glenn Reynolds HERE.
FDR HAD THE SLOGAN “A CHICKEN IN EVERY POT” while Harry Reid’s opponent Sue Lowden might use the slogan “A CHICKEN TO PAY YOUR DOC.” Democrats are already planning a “CHICKENS FOR CHECKUPS” website (truly a flowl idea that will lay an egg..)
SPEAKING OF (a different kind of)POT, DO MOST AMERICANS WANT IT LEGALZED? Apparently not.
DUMBITAS (versus Gravitas), A TEA PARTY LEADER AND THE OLD BOYS CLUB: A detailed, MUST READ fascinating, well-researched post by Hart Williams. (It’s sure to spark lots of discussion the blogosphere and Twitter…)
WOULD THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF GREEN LIGHT SHOOTING DOWN AN ISRAELI JET HEADING FOR ISRAEL? Can you guess the answer? Here it is (I think..)..
GEICO VOICEOVER ACTOR FIRED (BUT NOT THE LIZARD VOICE): Los Angeles voice over actor/announced Lance Baxter, AKA “D.C. Douglas, was axed by Geico after he called Tea Partiers “retarded” and potential murderers. Mediaite has a excellent summary post on this. Question: Don’t people get it? We are in a new era when you can say certain things that are guaranteed to spark a firestorm, whether it’s something that violates political correctness or something that upsets a partisan? A hint to people on both sides: w-o-r-d-s m-a-t-t-e-r and they can have consquences, whether the consequencee feels it’s legit or not. Reactions to this? Crooks and Liars sees it as Tea Party bullying. On the other political side, Confderate Yankee says Baxter’s comments were “So Dumb, Even a Caveman Wouldn’t Do It.”
A FINANCIAL REFORM BIPARTISAN BILL? Sounds like it’s closer. It’s amazing what that news about Goldman Sachs did: GOPers must have gotten lots of troubling voter feedback…(Oh, well, better luck next time Frank Lutz...)
BUT THE DEMOCRATS BETTER NOT GLOAT ABOUT GOLDMAN SACHS’ ILLS since so many of them have been associated with it. In fact, the Obama White House looks like one big Goldman Sachs get together..
PULLED FOR A SEGMENT CRITICIZING KEITH ON MSNBC? Donny Deutsch reportedly yanked from anchoring on MSNBC apparently due to a a segment he hosted which contained guests blasting criticized MSNBCers Keith Olbermann and Ed Schultz. (The link has the clip). FOOTNOTE: I heard the segment live on XM (which now carries MSNBC). Deutsch tried to counter criticism from some of his guests. He seemed to be resisting sounding like a company PR person by just blasting his guests who blasted his MSNBC colleagues but he was NOT endorsing the criticism. Watch the segment yourself. Did he deserve being axed? My view? He got a bump rap. He seemed to be trying to be in the center — anathema to many on the right and left. Each side takes noncomplete, unfettered support as meaning the person in the center MUST be in the enemy camp.
ATTENTION RUSH LIMBAUGH AND SEAN HANNITY YOUR TIRELESS WORK IS NOT YET COMPLETE: A Gallup Poll finds that more people still blame George W. Bush for the economy than Barack Obama. (But I know you’ll work at blaming Obama, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, and Lyndon Johnson until you get your desired result.).
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.