SSM (Sewage Stream Media) Intimidate MSM on Palin

What's wrong with most of the commentators in the mainstream media?

Following Sarah Palin's less-than-a-complete-train-wreck performance (which is the operative word) in Thursday's debate, one after another of them said that she had "passed the test"--that she had shown that she is competent to be president. She's "credentialed" now, they tell us.

Huh?

Surely most of them know better. Yes, Governor Palin showed that she is not an imbecile. But that hardly means that she demonstrated that she is prepared to be president (as the incumbent has so forcefully shown).

Not being stupid doesn't equate to not being ignorant.

"Everybody's ignorant, only on different subjects," Will Rogers rightly said.

The problem is that the subjects on which Sarah Palin is ignorant are precisely those on which a president must be knowledgeable.

Reciting memorized answers to questions you ask yourself does not constitute passing a test.

So why are so many MSM pundits acting as if Mrs. Palin did well and "passed the test"?

The only plausible explanation is that they are engaging in self censorship in an attempt to counter the constant drumbeat from the Sewage Stream Media (SSW)--Faux News, Limbaugh, Drudge, et. al., that they have a "liberal bias." Too many of them have been intimidated by the right wing.

The SSW's shot across Gwen Ifill's bow the day before the debate appeared to have led her to avoid asking Governor Palin for any specifics or examples.

Enough!

Here's my message to the Mainstream Media:

Get some ovaries! Tell it like it is, so the American public won't be misled into thinking that Palin demonstrated that she is qualified for national office.

These are the points you ought to be making about Sarah Palin's performance on Thursday:

Being able to put on a performance doesn't equate to being informed.

Winking isn't a sign of thinking.

Cute doesn't mean qualified.

Nose crinkle doesn't mean "knows much."

Chirpy doesn't mean capable.

Folksy doesn't mean fit.

Wink-wink doesn't mean well-informed.

Energetic doesn't mean experienced.

Perky doesn't mean prepared.

Pretty doesn't mean proficient.

Pert doesn't mean pertinent.

Corny doesn't mean competent.

Saucy doesn't mean substantive.

Now, doggone it, being "hot" is not a qualification for the presidency.

And . . .

Being from a small town doesn't mean being for the average person.

Geographical proximity doesn't constitute foreign policy knowledge.

"Christian" doesn't mean follower of Jesus' teachings.

Being female doesn't mean being pro-woman.

But . . .

Wink-wink does mean "W" - W-squared.

You betcha!

{Historian Robert S. McElvaine is Elizabeth Chisholm Professor of Arts & Letters at Millsaps College. His latest book is Grand Theft Jesus: The Hijacking of Religion in America .}

Comments

[certainot]

the GOP talk radio monopoly does the groundwork for this media intimidation- all together they reach 60MIL or more with their GOP- coordinated uncontested repetition. aside from the main national blowhards the locals pick up the torch. one of our locals, reaching the whole state, did a couple of hours on ifil, saying she couldn't possibly be even handed since she could make millions on her book if obama won and nothing if he lost. to me the real challenge to being even handed wouldn't be money it would be patriotism- anyone who values democracy would be challenged to be evenhanded when faced with the unqualified unAmerican Palin presented as a possible president.

[richdoll]

thank you some one read my mind

[bannorhill]

Using the same criteria for Obama.

A big smile does not mean you can lead.
Smooth talk does not mean you can get things done.
Big ideas do not mean they will become programs.
Energetic does not mean experience.
Handsome does not mean competent.

Comparing Governor Palin to Obama:

Obama wants to tax oil companies excess profits. Governor Palin has taxed oil company excess profits.
Obama wants to take on the special interest groups. Governor Palin has taken on special interest and won.
Obama wants to have the US less dependant on foreign oil. Governor has worked to have a new gas pipeline to make us less dependant on foreign oil.
Obama wants ethics reform. Governor Palin has lead ethics reform resulting in the removal of politicians from office.
Obama wants to increase education spending. Governor Palin increased education spending.
Obama wants to give everyone a tax refund. Governor Palin gave every Alaskan a tax refund.
Obama has named a post office in his 4 1/2 years as a senator. Governor Palin has done all of the above in 1 1/2 years as a Governor.

Both dream. Governor Palin has been able to turn dreams into reality. Obama is still dreaming.
Who has acomplished more?

[exhaustedrooster]

ahh, some good old truth, how refreshing thank you for the FACTS

[ICanHasDemocracy]

Comparing Palin the myth to Palin the person

Pork- 231 million for a former bridge to nowhere, which she previously supported and worked for -Uncle Ted between 2003-2006

Leaving the town of Wasilla 22 million in debt and building a hockey rink that no one can easily get to.
Troopergate
Appointing her high school buddies to Dept of Agriculture positions.
Being able to "see" Russia is not the same as being able to negotiate.
Trade missions to nowhere.
Putting the burden for paying for rape kits on the individual and their insurance companies ( why should the taxpayer pay for these in a state that has the highest per capita rape and assault?)
Having an affair,allegedly, with her husbands ex business partner.
Allowing her husband to stick his nose in on governmental affairs even though he is not a state employee, representative or otherwise.
Sanctioning the aerial hunting of apex predators (wolves, grizzly bears) for the purposes of influencing prey livestock.
Charging the state for 314 per diem days while working from her lovely lakeside home.
Has 2 planes- not on ebay.
Can't name a significant SCOTUS case- not even one that happened in her back yard.
( Exxon case, which has been plead down from 5 Billion to 500 million )
Should I continue?

wink, smile, darn it, you betcha!

[bannorhill]

Answering your allegations.
1) Governor Palin did not pass the bridge to no where but she sure killed it.
2) Trooper gate are unproven allegations. Just like Obama's "Terrorist ties".
3) Appointing "buddies". What politician has not appointed reliable friends that they trust to get the job done?
4) Negotiating. As Governor, Governor Palin successfully negotiated new taxes on excessive oil profits. As a Senator, Obama has negotiated ....Nothing.
5) Rape kits. If someone has insurance why not have the insurance pay? That's why premiums are paid.
6) Affair. Pure unproven slander. Besides using Democrat logic Bill Clinton had a proven affair in the Oval Office. So if it did happen, then she would be qualified to be a Democrat President.
7) Hillary ran Bill Clinton's Health Care initiative. She was not a government employee.
8) Hunting is sometimes necessary.
9) Her per diem charges are legal under Alaskan law. She also saved the state $240,000.00 a year by selling the governor's plane.

So back to my question:
What has Obama done in the senate? In 4 1/2 years he pushed through a bill naming a Post Office. Does one named post office qualify someone for President?

Governor Palin still has acomplished more in 1 1/2 years a Governor than Obama has in 4 1/2 yeas as a Senator

[certainot]

she's an empty vessel, bush in a dress, naive and ready to be filled with ego and used like bush was.

[bannorhill]

Obama is a do nothing Senator full of empty promises. What Bills has he sponsored as a Senator that became law?

[andygaus]

When Lloyd Bentsen and Dan Quayle debated, there were multiple questioners and follow-up questions. We keep going downhill and getting more and more softball.

[gopnot4me]

Bravo! Now if they would only tell the truth about McCain, maybe we could get out country back!

[Mickey7]

Ignorance is from the root word "ignore"--a verb--so you could argue that ignorance is "active stupidity." You have to work at not knowing as much as Palin doesn't know. We all have areas of ignorance, that's true. But it is inexcusable for a politician to be ignorant of politics and policy.

[darker]

W-squared? that she is! PALIN = BUSH in a skirt.
No thanks.

[fuzzywuzzy6]

CNN ran a post-debate story that could have been captioned, "4 out of 5 Alaska hockey moms agree: Sarah Palin ready to be vice-president." That sounds like something out of the Onion. Palin was so incoherent, as several of the HPost bloggers have pointed out, that the only way to understand her was by listening for repetitions. How can someone serve as president or vice-president who cannot put simple sentences together or answer questions on important subjects? How can she process information on important issues when she ignores those issues unless she can turn them to her benefit? Even the democratic pundits were very gentle in their assessment of her. Only the MSNBC3: Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow showed any gumption in criticizing her on-air. If the media is so cowed now, how would they be if her ticket were elected? They might as well all close down and install a pravda like apparatus.

[moAb]

What debate? Palin treated the affair as a stump speech broken into so many separate parts while Biden actually did some debating (effectively with McCain in absentia). Palin did absolutely nothing to add to her credentials. She is not qualified for either the VP role or the role of President. That has always been evident and there is absolutely nothing that can change that in the next month.

What can change is the willingness for voters to be honest with themselves. In other words, are they willing to think their way through the dense smoke screen that is Sarah Palin or will they cave into the cloying narrative that is being actively aided and abetted by much of the media that portrays Palin as some folksy, common woman with here to fore undiscovered abilities and knowledge that will miraculously appear if and when McCain becomes ill or dies.

Which brings us to McCain and his health status. Why won't he let medical experts see his records in full? What is he hiding? Could it be that he is failing and unwilling to be honest about it (how many other times in his life has he lied for personal gain? A lot).

[newpantaloons]

This "folksiness" that the right wing finds so authentic and engaging is rediculous! She poured it on so thick during the debate, she has become a parody unto herself! What were all those answers she gave on those interviews on television? Just foolin' us "ordinary Americans"? In defense of using a term that has been bandied about this last week or so; this debate performance was a 'crap sandwich'. And, if the McCain campaign had any, they should be 'ashamed'!

[larry278]

Virtual falls don't get coverage on FAUX fecaloid NEWS. The small town cute winking, prehensel(sp?) nose wringling suggests an elephant's trunk, up swept French braid & bright solid red dress attract FAUX's directors & make interesting 15 second video clips. FAUX's NY staff forget Fox's U Betcha syrup but use Hersheys in egg creams. The N Heartland patois Sarah uses is charming. Snow is arm pit deep on a tall indian in Ak, Mn, MI, Ia, SD, ND etc. A heavy rain makes more noise than a tall cow p@ssing on a flat rock. Harry & Bess were Masonic & Eastern Star; they learned how to speak among polite people. Fundies may not do the Masonic, Eastern Star thing.

[WorkingClass]

Its not difficult to understand the corporate media if you just remember they are employed by the same fascists who want to see Sara in office.

[tompoe]

There is no mainstream media. That term is obsolete, and should not be used. There is corporate media. There is no MSM.

[jhNY]

Right this minute, the MSM is engaged in one of its most delicate attempts at remaining attractive to its viewers/readers and its ownership, which is to say, they are still pimping for McSame, but have been forced by events to recognize that the this whole election thing is moving very fast away from their guy, maybe to the point of being out of reach. And that's because more and more voters are looking for new ideas and energy regarding the economy than they're ever going to get from the tired Old Warrior(TM).

Which is a real problem, in that McSame remains their bosses' favorite, and that's who signs the paycheck. But the real media professionals know that, if their career requires an ultimate loyalty, they're going to have to move in Obama's direction, just enough at least to appease most viewers into belief in their even-handedness if not advocacy for the increasingly popular Democrat, or soon, if momentum swings even harder for Obama,nobody much will pay attention to their earnest attention-seeking. They can't influence opinion or election outcomes if nobody's watching. Hence the delicate dance of trying to be attractive to viewers and bosses simultaneously. Only the most facile and agile will succeed. Which is the 800 lb. hippo in a tutu nobody wants to mention.

[newpantaloons]

I just marked your post as 'favorite', because you have laid out very well what the REAL problem is for the 'msm'. Thanks. (Love a person who THINKS)!

[violettefemme]

Perfectly expressed, thank you...I can only hope that the Rethug BASE can actually open their teensy little brains enough to see all Pathetic Palin is NOT.

She is none of the things we need in a president. She is certainly none of the things I would want to see in someone who claims to be a feminist.

And she is not a humanist, which is what we desparately need our next president...ALL presidents...to be.

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