The media vs. Sarah Palin
Is sicking an army of fact-checkers on Palin's memoir "Going Rogue' just good journalism — or "politically motivated" overkill?
Sarah Palin as she appears on the November 23, 2009 cover of Newsweek.
(Newsweek/Facebook)
"The blogosphere has been busy truth-squading [Sarah Palin's new memoir] 'Going Rogue,' reports The New York Times, calling the Associated Press's debunking of the book's claims an unusually "sharp-elbowed" dispatch. Conservative blogs have posted detailed rebuttals, and Palin herself, via her Facebook account, has condemned the AP's decision to devote 11 fact-checkers to produce "erroneous" "opposition research" when they could have been fact-checking "Sheik Mohammed's trial, Pelosi's health care takeover costs, [and] Hasan's associations." Is Palin wise to wage war against perceived media bias? (Watch a discussion on whether the media treats Sarah Palin fairly)
The excessive AP attack justifies Palin's angry defense: This media abuse has gotten ridiculous, says Mark Steyn in National Review. The AP "assigned 11 writers to 'fact-check' Sarah Palin’s new book," and the resulting 695-word report came up with nothing even remotely "earth-shattering." So "if you wonder why American newspapering is dying..."
"Rogue’s Eleven"
Fighting with the press never ends well: "Going to war with the Associated Press is as dumb as going to war with Fox News," says Don Surber in the Charleston Daily Mail. Just ask President Obama. "Sarah Palin should leave the criticism of the media to others. We like our leaders a little above the fray."
"Palin takes on the AP"
With her shrewd counterattack, Palin is channeling Reagan: Ronald Reagan didn't fight with the media, says Dan Riehl in Riehl World View. Instead, "he went over the media's head directly to the American people." By exploiting Facebook and the like, Palin's doing much the same thing. And "don't be surprised if it works, even as the media and some old-line politicos point how what a bad idea it is."
“Palin media strategy: Reagan 2.0"
Palin should pick her targets with care: "We journalists...need criticism," says Stephen Stromberg in The Washington Post. But Palin treats the press like "her favorite whipping boy" too often, and too carelessly—see her clearly off-base attack on Katie Couric. The more Palin "publicly nurses an unjustified sense of grievance, the more Americans will question how someone with such thin skin could possibly succeed in Washington."
"Palin’s blame game"
Read the book before you judge it: Given the "fury on the left and much skewed reporting in the mainstream media," says Melanie Kirkpatrick in The Wall Street Journal, it was "probably too much to hope" that Palin’s book would get a fair reading. Too bad: Critics who actually read the book will find a "more nuanced" Palin, not the "dim-witted ideologue of the popular liberal imagination."
"Her side of the story"
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SEE THE WEEK'S LATEST COVERAGE OF SARAH PALIN:
• Sarah Palin's sink or swim interview on Oprah
• Sarah Palin's 'whiny' book
• Sarah Palin's coin controversy
• Sarah Palin vs. Levi Johnston
• 'Going Rouge': A Sarah Palin parody book
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161 Comments
Posted by Aaron Tolman, Monday, November 16, 2009, 6:46 pm Critics who actually read the book will find a more nuanced Palin, not the dimwitted ideologue of the popular liberal imagination.Is that to say that the Palin we know from the campaign is some how a less reliable depiction that the one she was able to create in her own book? Oh.. Please.
Posted by ashamed, Monday, November 16, 2009, 6:51 pm She wrote a book should be ready for all of this. Imagine how many fact checkers the GOP AP had on Clinton since before he started his 1st candidacy for president and still has when he does things. Think about Obama FCer's. Please, she is using this to her advantage it seems to be working because she is still in the news. Can't she just go away? I am so ashamed that a random country republican is all we have to cover in our whole country. She is making a fool of herself the GOP yet worse she is making the US look like fools again!
Posted by ukstreetfighter, Monday, November 16, 2009, 7:20 pm Do these numbskulls not realise that the more they demonise Sarah Palin the more we support her?
Posted by Shirley Martin, Monday, November 16, 2009, 7:23 pm The media democrats have always been afraid of Sarah Palin.It just makes them look more fearful the more they mock her.They have no reason to do so, she's just doing what she thinks isright, sticking to her values. People forget Alaska is not mainstream America, it is the last of the frontier people still believe in honesty and values. The media the politicians don't understand that, it confuses them. Way to go Sarah!!! On Your Side
Posted by dman, Monday, November 16, 2009, 7:50 pm for the obama haters, here is some real fodder for you. do you think she will be the first female president? what about Hillerly
Posted by JimmyD, Monday, November 16, 2009, 7:50 pm Aaron T: Critics who actually read the book will find a more nuanced Palin, not the dimwitted ideologue of the popular liberal imagination.Could this have anything to do with the FACT the book was co/ghost written by Lynn Vincent. It seems rather sad that Ms Palin is not allowing Lynn Vincent to share cover credit. This is an extremely common practice with autobiographies.
Posted by JimmyD, Monday, November 16, 2009, 7:51 pm Aaron T: Critics who actually read the book will find a more nuanced Palin, not the dimwitted ideologue of the popular liberal imagination.Could this have anything to do with the FACT the book was co/ghost written by Lynn Vincent. It seems rather sad that Ms Palin is not allowing Lynn Vincent to share cover credit. This is an extremely common practice with autobiographies.
Posted by Cathy, Monday, November 16, 2009, 8:03 pm The problem with Sarah Palin is she brings so many of these things upon herself. She is obstructive, combative, defensive and a major whiner she just invites people to pick her apart as she is so blind and unrealistic about her own shortcomingings. Its like the kids on the play yard picking on the stuckup, snotty girl. Its irresistible. If she would only learn to take things with a laugh and a pragmatic approach, her entire life would change. Sorry Sarah life's a bitch.
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