Palin: First Amendment Rights Threatened By Criticism

ABC News reports:

In a conservative radio interview that aired in Washington, D.C. Friday morning, Republican vice presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin said she fears her First Amendment rights may be threatened by "attacks" from reporters who suggest she is engaging in a negative campaign against Barack Obama.

Palin told WMAL-AM that her criticism of Obama's associations, like those with 1960s radical Bill Ayers and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, should not be considered negative attacks. Rather, for reporters or columnists to suggest that it is going negative may constitute an attack that threatens a candidate's free speech rights under the Constitution, Palin said.

"If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations," Palin told host Chris Plante, "then I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media."

Salon's Glenn Greenwald explains why this argument is frighteningly wrong:

If anything, Palin has this exactly backwards, since one thing that the First Amendment does actually guarantee is a free press. Thus, when the press criticizes a political candidate and a Governor such as Palin, that is a classic example of First Amendment rights being exercised, not abridged.

This isn't only about profound ignorance regarding our basic liberties, though it is obviously that. Palin here is also giving voice here to the standard right-wing grievance instinct: that it's inherently unfair when they're criticized. And now, apparently, it's even unconstitutional.

According to Palin, what the Founders intended with the First Amendment was that political candidates for the most powerful offices in the country and Governors of states would be free to say whatever they want without being criticized in the newspapers. The First Amendment was meant to ensure that powerful political officials would not be "attacked" in the papers. It is even possible to imagine more breathaking ignorance from someone holding high office and running for even higher office?

Comments

[macintoshsauce]

Oh Lord, make this woman go back to Alaska.

[NTK]

saran palin, the election campaign's $150,000 fashionista, mistakenly believed she was getting a haute couture color consultant when she saw the headlines recently. palin thought she was going ROUGE.

[mjrovito]

Want a first hand military perspective on why we haven't caught Bin Laden yet?

Go to:

http://rovitoreview.blogspot.com/

[batmanindy]

Will todd have to add a room onto their igloo in Wasilla so sarah will have enough room for all of her new clothes when she goes back home Wednesday?

[boredwithlies]

Do you think Obama will enact legislation for Internet Taxes?

http://Shrinkster.com/12qn from myrealityt­elevision_­com

New York Did and they endorse Obama!

[theguruofreason]

It's a giant leap to say that Obama will enact legislation for internet taxes because a state that endorses him does. That's the same logic used to make the Bill Ayers connection, and to connect Iraq to Al-Queda.

[DBtv]

No. And we can't hear you over the noise of the washing machine in your mom's basement.

[shanefish]

I live in a state that pays taxes for purchases over the internet. Big deal. It sucks, but what doesn't? Do you actually have a point?

[buho]

It is sickening how badly Palin and Hillary had been treated by the media. Totally had opened my eyes to a double standard .....Hilla­ry was more qualified than Obama.....­..Palin had more experience than Obama.....­.

Not fair....Wo­man are capable of being President and Vice President.­...

This country needs a leader not an orator....­.

[PiscesGirl24]

I think Hillary would make a great President. To put Sarah Palin in the same breath as Hillary is an insult. Additionally, the country needs someone that they can rally around, and yes he happens to be a great orator too.

Choose Unity Over Division!

[tsand19151]

Hillary had a clue.....P­alin does not have a clue.

[ComeOnAmerica]

buho, by that logic, Gov. Liar has more experience than McCain. All this 'experience' talk is a bunch of crap! As mayor, many of the key day-to-day responsibi­lities/dec­isions were in the hands of a city manager. She didn't do as much as that person!!

Even if she has more 'executive experience than Sen. Obama, what about wordly experience and knowledge? Do you think that the President of the United States should have that on his or her resume???

With your comments here, I do feel sorry for you.

[Gobama369369]

Are you that ignorant?

I assume you're a woman too who has a biased view on the media's accounts of these two women because you associate with them.

I think most will agree that the media has been pretty good in equally treating all candidates. Have you ever thought of the possibility that there has just been much more dirt and reason not to elect Palin and Hillary?

Hillary's negative campaigning was more sickening than McCain's, especially as a Democrat..

[theguruofreason]

Giant laughs! Thank you for this: "Palin had more experience than Obama"
HAHAHA!

[BuzzingAlong]

buho, sadly you are one of those low information people.

Have you ever tried reading books, newspapers, journals, magazines or using the google to do research.

Sarah Palin is one of the most unlearned person to have ever walked the face of the earth.

There is nothing admirable about such ignorance.

[tsand19151]

I swear....s­he makes my head hurt. Sarah PLEASE go home to Wasilla, raise your family, go to your hockey games, go to your snowmoblie races, field dress your moose, read a book, share a sixpack, and keep an eye on Putin for us........­just go.

[gustafson]

I second that!!!!!

[DianeBkht]

I third that!!!!!!

[Hilary1203]

Haaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaa.

[Dashein]

I'm excited about this race being over...Sar­ah Palin has embarrassed Alaskans of all ages. The bleeding will stop after Tuesday. She's just too dumb...it'­s frustrating to all women.

[TNFarmer]

There's a street named after her in almost every city - ONE WAY! It's okay for her to make all kinds of wild accusations in the press, but it isn't okay for anyone (in this case) a reporter to challenge her accusations. I cannot wait for Wednesday morning to arrive!!!

[sammie mn]

Oh Sarah, honey, it's time to hang up the couture and head back up there to Alaska. Putin is wavin' and there's no one to wave back.

[Dashein]

Hey, stop that...we'­re not anxious to have her back. Maybe she'll take a detour...s­he is a Maverick you know....

[SUSANINCOLUMBIA]

This woman supposedly graduated from journalism school where they teach First Amendment law. She is so woefully undereducated and uninformed that she shouldn't be holding ANY public office, including Mayor of Wasilla.

[KeyInfo]

She is not a smart cookie. Whenever I've applied for a job the first thing I do (and I think most others too) is obtain a copy of the job description, read it and reasearch the company. The constitution is pretty technical and I guess (if she even picked it up) it bored her enough so that she couldn't complete it. Maybe she could get the audio book and listen to it on her bus. That is, if it doesn't interrupt her listening to Miley Cyrus on her IPOD, provided she can operate one.

[francesmn]

It is absolutely unbelievable that someone who does not understand what the first amendment means could be so close to even being considered for the job Vice President of the United States. This is absolutely disgraceful. If nothing else, this shows just how badly our education system fails too many students; how did she pass a basic high school civics class? This is exactly why we need President Barack Obama in Washington.

[alt365]

Here it is, the Sunday before the election and Palin has not made one appearance on any of the Sunday morning politcal programs. Where's the outrage? She can't handle a serious interview, but Republicans want us to accept that she's ready to step in and can handle being the leader of the free world? Pathetic.

[DesertKayaker]

Remember, she thinks the media is nothing but "gotcha" journalism. Pretty bad when that includes the right wing media too.

[DesertKayaker]

She says Rev. Wright is to be feared. Same can be said for the witch-hunter who prayed over her.