Memo To Media: The Palin Rape-Kit Story Has Not Been "Debunked"

Yet the story remains woefully under-covered by the mainstream media, where most outlets (New York Times, Wash Post, Newswweek, Time, etc.) have shied away from tackling the touchy topic as a straight news story.

Journalists ought to be reporting the story and asking Palin to give detailed, unambiguous answers, since the rape-kit issue could offer some insights into how she governs. Instead, the press has treated the story as something of a taboo. And the loud, right-wing media claims about it being "debunked" likely add to its untouchable status.

Trust me, nothing has been debunked.

Read the full Media Matters colum here.

Comments

[Jim Pivonka - Huffpost Blogger]

Susie Bright has a nice essay about Sarah Palin's defunding of Wasilla's rape kits at the "Ten Zen Monkeys" webzine - the RightWing noise machine was there howling about the "debunking" the story.
http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2008/10/02/why-palins-sex-life-matters/

The comments there are, as I note in a comment, an interesting example of the rightist noise machine at its work, and they are well worth a read if you are not familiar with their methods, or feel in need of immunization inoculation against them.

[suhud]

So, if for some god-awful reason (rigged election?) "Palin-McCain" get elected, is the MSM not going to touch their presidency either? What has happened to freedom of the press? Did Palin take a hachet to the Constitution, and we let her...just because she bites? Shades of how she's gonna change Washington, huh?

[meede]

As she continues her spread of lies, have a view of this. Caught her in her own pile of bull crap again
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCx7A2lwCWE (re rape kits)

[YunekFlava]

The MSM is not going to touch it. Women or men. The MSM is pathetic, for sure.

[kingsbridge77]

Eric Boehlert is one of the best progressive media critics in the nation. I also recommend Bob Somerby, and give thumbs down to the wacky Josh Marshall at TPM.

[edwarvir]

She knew by Golly! Senator O, and Senator Biden
voted against this bill. Sarah Palin needs to release
her medical and mental records for us to see We still
have not seen them and msm have not pushed her
to produce them.

[Ramirez]

Obama and biden should release their medical records and force the Reps to do the same!

[JungleRoses]

How could this issue with Palin become untouchable? If Palin makes it to the White House, womens rights be ignored especially: Women who are abused, exploited and we need to think about how this could effect women's healthcare/insurance.

[LaFilleEnRose]

Biden and Obama do not seem to want to touch it either. Why the hell not? If they care about women like they say -- and I believe they do -- and where's Hillary on this? Where's all her champions who wanted a woman in the WH? Why aren't people as enraged as I am over this. I just don't get it.

[rock2casbah]

Neither Biden or Obama have ever attacked Palin. This is definitely for the surrogates to put out there and demand answers for.

Obama never goes directly at her. Biden either. They go for McCain. Palin is almost accepted as being almost a moot point. Sad but true. Very sad for women because she is such a nothing candidate and women deserve better than this,

[cbeenthere]

She accomplished nothing in her term as Governor of Alaska, she has come up empty despite her claims otherwise. It is a no brainer.

[alexis d]

I cannot believe how appalling this woman is, on so many levels.

[cbeenthere]

I believe from what I have read that she thought the insurance cos. should pay for the rape kits as opposed to the State of Alaska, although she did not have the follow through, advice or intellect to sort this issue out. Further, she did not care who was hurt in the process. It was just another ploy on her part to present herself as a valuable public servant whatever the outcome; which is bs.

[Bocado]

What are you guys talking about, Palin cares about women.
No, really............NO.

[Frenchy9]

As a Frenchy, I am baffled that Obama's so called controvertial connections (dating back the time he was 8 y/o!!!) are splashed on TV screen with such a grate speed while the recent prolonged association of the Palins with a disgusting hating insurgent --and probably one of the rapers of indigenous girls, are not exposed to the public!

So, thanks for the research, keep it alive.
Will be needed soon

[Darwinita]

For the sake of mothers, daughters, sisters- this callousness is part and parcel of of the same callousness that led her during the debate to gloss over Biden's genuine moment at the mention of his family's tragedy with a load of maverick-ey.

She is not a woman's friend.

[toomanyLennys]

Rape kits - big deal. What about McCain's business of running the IRI?

http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/5330 or http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/16511

Now that's something that people ought to be talking about...

[GeezerusMaximus]

We do talk about it Lenny, but not on this particular page, you are off-topic.