Sarah Palin's Big Obama Lie

To speak with anyone who's ever been in close proximity of Sarah Palin for any length of time, there is a constant thread in their commentary: she will say anything, lie about anything, if it is to her own benefit to do so. Much has been said or written about this during the campaign, particularly by The Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan, so there's no sense in going over any of this sordid record here.

But just when you think that Palin can't top herself--I mean the execution of a turkey in Wasilla is a pretty tough act to follow--here she comes again, seated down with a right-wing, self-promoting "filmmaker," John Ziegler, taking cheap-shots at the likes of Caroline Kennedy and Katie Couric. The bitterness and envy and mean-spiritedness just ooze from her pores throughout the interview.

While much has been made of the Kennedy and Couric comments, there was a troubling remark, largely overlooked, that Palin made about Barack Obama that was a flat-out, blatant lie--a typically Palinesque twisting of the truth intending, once again, to turn her into a victim and to make Obama & Co., along with the media, appear to be hypocrites.

Here is Palin's latest Big Lie:

"When I heard Barack Obama state in one of his interviews on national television that his wife was off limits, meaning, family's off limits-- you know, 'Attack me, I'm the public official, come after me, I can handle it and we'll duke it out if need be, but family's off limits'-- I naively believed, OK, they respected that in him and his demand for that to be adhered, naively believing that must apply to all of us, right? But it didn't apply."

While Obama did say that he found attacks on his wife "unacceptable," he also very boldly and emphatically stated that Palin's family was also off limits when asked a question about Bristol Palin's pregnancy:

"I have said before and I will repeat again, I think people's families are off limits, and people's children are especially off limits. This shouldn't be part of our politics. It has no relevance to Governor Palin's performance as governor, or her potential performance as a VP. And so I would strongly urge people to back off these kinds of stories."

He wasn't protecting simply his own family with that assertion, he was also protecting Palin's. And Palin lacks the basic grace, integrity and human decency to acknowledge Obama's gesture. And then she twists the truth to make Obama seem selfish and the media unfair.

And what about her claim that Obama's wishes were "respected" about his own family? The right-wing press went after Michelle Obama relentlessly. And they continued to attack her through the campaign--from Michelle Malkin to Ann Coulter. Anyone who claims otherwise is wallowing in duplicity.

So here again, Palin utterly distorts reality, fails to acknowledge Obama's gesture, doesn't acknowledge what her running mate's wife said about Michelle Obama, and turns herself, yet again, into a political victim. Where is Ann Coulter calling Palin on her self-victimization? The silence is deafening.•

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Read Geoffrey Dunn's "Better Angels: The Inauguration of Barack Obama" on Huffpo.

Comments

[illuminatingu]

Sarah's remarks were aimed at the media not President Obama. She hoped that the mainstream media would be consistant and was naive to believe otherwise. Indeed she was very naive in this regard.

You are able to take her comments out of context, in spite of her obvious meaning, because of your own bias which reveals an underlying concern for what true conservatism on display in Sarah can mean to people.

[redsongia]

I trust the irony is not lost on anyone that Palin is complaining about how biased and unfair "the media" is while participating in a "documentary" made by a guy with a well known right wing agenda, suggesting that Obama did not deserve to win his 2 year long battle for the presidency.

And I trust, no one forgets that she threw around the dirtiest, ugliest allegations and suggestions in the history of any election during my life time, so ugly that the secret service had to tell her to tone it down.

[ilovevegas]

She really is a whiner and shes all about oh poor little me! Bitter? I believe it. Sarah Palin Please go home and shut up! You sound like a gripey old sore loser and honestly not alot of Americans care what you think! Stay in Alaska and well just stay there and keep your mouth shut.

[iawill]

Someone needs to tell Sarah Palin that "less is more" -- less of her is more beneficial for the country.
Palin's constant need for attention by bashing any and everybody (i.e, the media, Katie Couric, Tina Fey, Barack Obama, etc.) for her shortcomings in the last election is fuel to be used by upcoming opponents if she decides to run again. While most of America saw the "real Sarah" during the campaign and realized that she was not qualified to become Vice President, if she keeps up she is going to lose some of her loyal fan base as well because they too will become sick of her whining!

[JimNauseam]

Is a Sarah Palin / Joe the Plumber ticket in '12 too much for this Democrat to hope for?

[PWM]

The thing poor simple Sarah doesn't realize is that Obama did not want anyone to get into the families. Unlike Obama who kept his family in the background, Palin shoved hers into the spotlight then whined that the children were in the spotlight.

[meko]

Politicians should stop using their spouses and children as qualifications. Almost everyone running for office is a mom or a dad. Suggesting that you should be elected because you're a good mom, or a role model for moms, or you have the best kids is just ASKING for trouble for your kids.

They should run on their accomplishments as legislators or executives. Of course, if you don't have any accomplishments, I suppose it's tempting to use your kids.

[Tracy Lea Carnes - Huffpost Blogger]

Palin apparently knows how to use a shovel, too! Dig, baby, dig!

[askcherlock]

Ann Coulter? Reading excerpts from her book in which she attacks Michelle Obama is enough to make a person bulimic. She and Palin may have been separated at birth. Their venom is enough to draw attention, but at this point neither has a modicum of credibility.

[iver]

Twisted, envious, spiteful, mean-spirited? How is Sarah Palin any different from any other right wing politician. Right now the Republican senators are grilling Holder. He is following the last two AGs who are a disgrace to the office and who did not and do not represent the American people, but their party and their president. And they will likely hold up the Treasury Secretary appointment as well to make some twisted, spiteful, mean-spirited points, while the economy crashes around us. Pallin is just the poster girl for this crowd.
They ALL have a 'We lost, but we won't admit it' hangover, and there is no political hair-of-the-dog remedy for their misery. So we will all have suffer through their pains, until they realize America needs some genuine political will to bring us out of this mess.

[Perri85]

Let Sarah whine. The more she whines, the more ammo she gives her REPUBLICAN opponents. If she decides to run in 2012, she won't make it past the first few primaries. See ya later, Sob Sister Sarah!

[redsongia]

She doesn't realize that Youtube is forever :)

[Worrierking]

When will the victimization of the poor conservative Christians end?

I'm afraid we're in for at least 4 years of crying about the persecution of the righties.

Give us your well fed, rested and well off, your select few, yearning to not have to even acknowledge the unwashed masses.

[NeverADullMoment]

Palin appeals to the tragic instinct instilled in many American's -- a wish, based on narcissistic reasoning, to feel legitimized by popularity or celebrity. I believe that among those who admire her are many who think, "Look at her. She's not that educated, nor does she speak with a high degree of intelligence. If she can make it, then so can I".

Palin's achievements, however, appear to be more the result of bombast and some ability (or sheer willingness) to manipulate facts and create impressions. I doubt that the average admirer of Palin bothers to differentiate such vapid means from actual intelligence.

[iwantpie]

The election is over, so let us forgive Sarah Palin despite her continuum lies. Right now the country faces too much problems to dwell on the past.

[RonRico]

Several thoughts come to mind:
1. Please explain what you mean by dwell? 2. We use the past to correct mistakes of the future and if we don't, we face unresolved issues. 3. Forgiveness is the ultimate healer when combined with number 2 above.

[neem]

Sarah Palin is a very angry person! Is it too much to ask John McCain to admit that he made a mistake when he picked her? She came very close to the Oval Office.

[georgiegirl]

Sarah just wants to be in the news, whether good or bad, because she knows that name recognition is everything to some people.
Many republicans are like sheep and believe whatever they are told. It is very easy for them to forget the facts and just go with the flow.
I not only find Palin annoying, but also the McCains......You can't be mean and nasty during the campaign and then decide you are going to be nice again once it's all over. McCain does this, and so does that Lieberman character.
I am not only thrilled that Barack Obama is our next president, I am also proud as hell.