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Shannyn Moore

Shannyn Moore

Posted: June 15, 2009 04:55 AM

Top 10 Reasons Sarah Palin's "Outrage" is Misplaced and A Little Late...


10) Last September, a skit on Saturday Night Live suggested incest in the Palin family. "What about the husband?" asked a mock Times reporter. "You know he's doing those daughters. I mean, come on. It's Alaska!" No outrage. Sarah Palin appeared on the show one month later in late October.

9) Days after the announcement of Bristol's pregnancy, Conan O'Brien joked, "It's true, John McCain's running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, has revealed that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant. Palin said, 'We should never have introduced her to John Edwards.'" Where was the outrage? Was Conan promoting infidelity with an underage girl?

8 ) From two different Tonight Shows: "Governor Palin announced over the weekend that her 17-year-old unmarried daughter is five months pregnant. Oh, boy, you thought John Edwards was in trouble before, now he's really done it!" AND..."All the Republicans are heaping praise on Governor Palin. Fred Thompson said, as an actor, he could see them making a movie about Sarah Palin and her family. Didn't they already make that movie? I think it was called 'Knocked Up!'"--Jay Leno

7) Craig Ferguson's skit of "Larry King vs Levi Johnston" asks about "kinky sex" with the drapes open. Craig Ferguson's honorary Alaska citizenship, granted by Governor Palin wasn't rescinded.

6) "According to expense reports, Sarah Palin charged the state of Alaska over $21,000 for her children to travel with her on official business. In fairness to Gov. Palin, when she leaves them home alone they get pregnant." --Seth Meyers (SNL). Sarah Palin was in a sketch with Meyers a week earlier.

5) On October 8, 2008, Sarah Palin walked out on the ice with six year old Piper and 13 year old Willow, before the game, Conan O'Brien said, "Saturday night, Sarah Palin is going to drop the first puck at the Philadelphia Flyers' hockey game. Then Palin will spend the rest of the game trying to keep the hockey players out of her daughter's penalty box."
Oh, yes he did. You get the outrage...but not a peep then. According to the new "logic", O'Brien was advocating for some really sick stuff.

4) Rush Limbaugh: "Everyone knows the Clintons have a cat. Socks is the White House cat. But did you know there is a White House dog?" Limbaugh put up a picture of Chelsea Clinton. At the time, Chelsea Clinton was 13 years old. Rush also said, "In last year's campaign, the most prominent, articulate voice for standard run-of-the-mill good old-fashioned American conservatism was Sarah Palin." Calling a young teenager a "dog" can't be helpful to her "self-esteem." Where is the apology from the leader of the GOP?

3) "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno."--John McCain, Sarah Palin's running mate. Should McCain apologize to every young woman in America?

2) Palin's friend, political defender and informer of the David Letterman comments, John Ziegler, was fired from his radio show for using the "n-word" online and on air in 1997. In 2000, he was fired for spelling the "n-word" on the air. How much does that word affect the psychological health of America's youth, regardless of their race? Now he is pimping his film about how mean the "liberal media" was to Sarah Palin.

AND...The NUMBER 1 REASON Sarah Palin's Outrage is Misplaced and A Little Late...

1) The "candidate who must be obeyed" was talking about Palin's family when he said, "Kids are off limits." Jake Tapper of ABC News interviewed then Candidate Obama, and asked, "Governor Palin and her husband issued a statement today saying their 17-year-old daughter Bristol, who is unmarried, is five months pregnant. Do you have any reaction?"

OBAMA: "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 a governor or her potential performance as a vice president. And so I would strongly urge people to back off these kinds of stories. You know, my mother had me when she was 18. And, you know, how family deals with issues and -- and, you know, teenaged children, that shouldn't be the topic of -- of our politics."

The Palin children have been fodder for comedians since they were brought to the national stage. Incest isn't funny. Ugly kid jokes aren't funny. Many of the things said about public figures are just flat wrong. Being "knocked up" isn't much fun. Racist comments hurt all of us. I exhausted the top 10 list before I ran out of outrageous instances ignored by the Palins.

The National Organization for Women named David Letterman to their Hall of Shame. Will Letterman be joining Jay Leno? Conan O'Brien? Craig Ferguson? Seth Myers? Rush Limbaugh? Or John McCain? Of course not! I guess N.O.W. didn't bother checking Sarah Palin's "feminist" credentials. All across America, right wing radio and television talk show hosts feigned outrage in perfect synchronicity. The same people who back up Palin's high drama assertions against Letterman ignored the connections between Bill O'Reilly's irresponsible incitement and the murder of Dr. George Tiller. David Letterman, a late night entertainer, apologized. Fox New's Bill O'Reilly has not.

As a parent, I understand being defensive. I just wonder what took so long. Why now?

Follow Shannyn Moore on Twitter: www.twitter.com/shannynmoore

10) Last September, a skit on Saturday Night Live suggested incest in the Palin family. "What about the husband?" asked a mock Times reporter. "You know he's doing those daughters. I mean, come on. It...
10) Last September, a skit on Saturday Night Live suggested incest in the Palin family. "What about the husband?" asked a mock Times reporter. "You know he's doing those daughters. I mean, come on. It...
 
 
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04:48 PM on 07/12/2009
Shannyn...what happened to the girl from Homer that may have disagreed with Palin on a number of issues....but still would have "helped her change her tire" if you saw her on the side of the road? The one that asserted that in spite of your disagreements, she was too good for McCain? You've since dedicated yourself to perpetrating the worst about Palin, and striving to discredit her in any way you can. Why the change of heart?
12:16 PM on 07/08/2009
As much butt kissing is done to the obamas who don't deserve it, the Palin family is likewise being sliced and diced.

Why don't you hone in on the obamas and their shortcomings as vociferously as you do the Palins?

One example that everyone can see is on YOU TUBE.

The greeting mr. obama gave the Queen of England was very cordial and gentlemanly however, the greeting (excuse me BOW) he extended to the King of Saudi Arabia (and he literally glowed) and makes me even more suspicious of where his loyalties really lie.

Say what you will about Sarah. She is adamantly for America and Americans!
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10:34 PM on 07/05/2009
That was GREAT!!
If I was her and read that, I guess I would quit too.
10:19 PM on 07/05/2009
Well said.

And as you say, you only scratched the surface of the Palin Hypocrisy.
Remember her condescending chastisement of Hillary for a comment about media bias?
03:40 PM on 06/22/2009
Hey Shannyn, this top ten list is fantastic. I wish Sarah Palin would just disappear into obscurity, and Letterman should have never apologized, if you're going to include your daughter choosing to be pro-life to win yourself some votes, then the isue should be fair game. Anyone can post their own list to our site http://www.toptentopten.com/. The coolest feature is you can let other people vote on the rankings of your list.
09:42 PM on 06/21/2009
She needed to be in the news again. It is a phobia.
05:50 PM on 06/21/2009
Awesome indictment of the continuing (and insufferable) Palin saga. Thank you.

Now the question becomes WHY the press in full knowledge of this hypocrisy chooses not to confront her. I mean wtf? I can bet with fairly good certainty none of these questions will ever make their way into her hypocritical ears. I'm so over how the media cherry picks their targets. I hardly believe the larger segment is necessarily cheering for Palin to succeed in her bizarre quest (for what one wonders?), but they do seem to curl their tails in when she expresses her moral outrage. The idea of risking a Palin snub or rebuke seems to render them mute. What a bunch of buttholes!
12:05 AM on 06/24/2009
So because she publically defends her daughters' dignity and respect (and all women, for that matter)....she should be censured by the media? (And as if that hasn't happened-- you're posting on that very subject matter as we speak) Apalling to me that Palin's action is what is perceived as unacceptable, while comments like Letterman's should be able to slip my unchecked. Very indicative of how far we still have to go. :/
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Scribe57
It would take too long to explain.
11:12 PM on 07/05/2009
Sarah Palin on Hillary Clinton, in response to a statement Clinton made on media scrtuiny, March 2008:

""Fair or unfair, I think she does herself a disservice to even mention it...When I hear a statement like that coming from a woman candidate with any kind of perceived whine about that excess criticism or, you know, maybe a sharper microscope put on her, I think, man, that doesn't do us any good. Women in politics, women in general wanting to progress this country. I don't think it's, it bodes well for her -- a statement like that...It bothers me a little bit hearing her bring that attention to herself on that level."

What part of faux outrage do you not grasp?
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Aitch5
Scintillating
10:32 PM on 06/20/2009
yeah, well this just shows you how hypocritical the whole thing is. The other Palin jokes were as bad if not worse than Letterman's.
01:53 PM on 06/20/2009
I agree with you Shannyn-Sarah picks and choses her battles depending on where the limelight lands on her face. This was all taken to an extreme level, as everything around her seems to do. I would have never even heard the joke if she wouldnt have went on a media parade over it! I enjoyed your post its so true! She just wants more attention.She acts like a child. I shudder and cry to think of this woman and McCain being in charge.Thank God for Obama!
12:53 PM on 06/20/2009
Would it be better then, to allow comments like these-- as Sarah emphasizes *regardless* of whether it's directed at a 14 year old, or 18 old, or even one of Sarah's daghters at all-- to let that slip by unnoticed, and facilitate the prevalance of that "thread" in our culture-- that says it's acceptable to so casually make such comments and jokes about young women, and women in general? Not to mention her duty as a mother to fight and protect her children-- the statement she made with her reaction is worth that in itself. Do you not think both Willow and Bristol feel blessed and comforted to know they have a mother who will *not* accept that kind of comment directed toward her daughters? Or women in general? Of course, its her fault for proudly standing with her family before the country, whose appearance was likely in part to put the already existing rumors and speculations to rest, and to provide an honest picture of her family to the nation. How outrageous that she wants her family wih her when possible. Since she brought them, it's fair game, right? The fact that *that's* unacceptable to you and so many, along with her reaction to defend both her daughters' (and women in general), while the derogatory comments made toward her and her family and women in general on a regular basis *are* acceptable...speaks volumes of your perspective, and how far we have to go as a society.
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05:56 PM on 06/21/2009
The post was about parity and consistency of response. If Mrs. Palin showed any inkling of trying for that then you might have a point but she doesn't does she? She wields her family as a political point scoring weapon while casting a blind eye to the same things being done to other families, females and individuals.
Sorry that the entire point of the post passed you by and sorry that you're gullible enough to be taken in by her act, it's a bit sad really.
11:20 AM on 06/24/2009
Good grief. I guess it's really hard for some to post a response without an underhanded jab or belittling comment. Like I said in an earlier post, perhaps if one of these instances had been brought to Palin's attention in the past, we would have seen a similar controversy then. The question is, where was the public's outrage? Where was the media's outrage? I suppose you could say there's consistency there-- consistency in facilitating its presence as a cultural norm. The fact that this is the first time Palin brought it up, doesn't make it any less meaningful or important. (And yes, for the record, I got that out of Shannyn's post- the problem is Sarah's "consistency" is irrelevant to the issue. She's leading the fight, never would have become an issue if it weren't for her.) If you'd be willing to take away the political looking glass for one second and see Sarah's actions as a mother defending her daughter's dignity, maybe the point wouldn't have passed you. :P Sadly, as it stands, it seems that more people are still more inclined to criticize Sarah for publically defending her daughters, than criticizing "comedians" and the like who find it acceptable to casually make remarks of this nature about women.
12:41 PM on 06/20/2009
These are reasons why Palin's reaction is overdone, Shannon?? The fact that all these incidents slipped by unnoticed all this time means it's Sarah who's in the wrong here? Are you arguing that this "thread" in our culture *is* and should be acceptable? This wouldn't ave become an issue still had it not been brought to Sarah's attention and had she not made an issue of it. Give her credit where it's due. But of course, since it happens all the time, Sarah's outrage must be "misplaced." Far be it for Palin to strike out against the pop culture that says it's acceptable. You're right Shannyn, it happens all the time. Doesn't make Sarah's reaction "misplaced" or "late." Had past incidents ben brought to her attention as this one was, perhaps we would have seen this kind of scuffle long before. Did you take issue with these incidents you've listed here in the past? Or is misogyny OK, so long as it's directed toward Palin and her daughters?
09:33 AM on 06/19/2009
Thank you for documenting the male sexism that is allowed to proliferate unchecked across the media in the United States. Thank you for documenting the male sexualization of young girls that is allowed to profliferate across the media in the United States. Thank you for documenting the lack of human decency and low morals that is allowed to proliferate across the media in the United States. Thank you for documenting the lack of outrage by women in the media (Katie Couric comes to mind) when male sexism and female sexualization is allowed to proliferate in the United States. Thank you for documenting consent to bully children and teens that is allowed to proliferate in the United States. Thank you for bringing to light that while racist comments can get a person fired while sexist comments and the sexualization of teens gets you support by a blogger on Huffington Post.

Thank you for bringing to light that it is not Gov. Palin's outrage that was lagging behind all the male sexist comments and bullying of these young people rather it is the lack of outrage by the very media that proliferates this type of male sexism and female sexualization.

Regardless of your politics, sexism and the sexualization of our girls along with the sense of entitlement these men believe they have to behave so badly, is not acceptable nor should it ever be.
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Shannyn Moore
Just A Girl From Homer, Alaska
04:28 PM on 06/19/2009
Funny. Do you put ice in your kool-aid?
12:57 PM on 06/20/2009
Care to actually address the points that Karen made here, Shannyn? Or are snide cut-downs more appropriate in your view? I'm am interested in what you have to say about her remarks, honestly. Since apparently she's on kool-aid to say things like "Regardless of your politics, sexism and the sexualization of our girls along with the sense of entitlement these men believe they have to behave so badly, is not acceptable nor should it ever be."
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OnTheRoadAgain
Kangaroo Court
01:39 AM on 06/26/2009
The answer to your questions lies in the original article:

o The "male sexism"/humor was intended to lampoon Gov Palin's hypocrisy, as well as perhaps illuminate the lack of efficacy of her brand of morality in dealing with the subject at hand.

o Gov Palin is, to lift a line from JD Salinger, "as sensitive as a darn toilet seat" regarding the "sexist attacks" on her child(ren).

o The segment of population that she is attempting to appeal to, even more that the rest of us, is being set up to be the big losers in the demographic and economic shifts going on around us. Their world is crumbling beneath their feet. She's decided to do her pit bull thing, throwing out the red meat. Letterman just walked into it. So far, to his advantage.

o It is just politics.
04:36 PM on 07/12/2009
This "it's just the way it is" argument doesn't make Letterman right, and doesnt make Palin wrong, by an stretch. You can't get anyone for "hypocrisy" for something they didn't do. She's not responsible for her daughter's decisions, and the fact that her daughter has a child doesn't inherently make her a hypocrite, for having certain values. Since when was it important to liberals whether or not someone is sexually active outside marriage? That doesn't make her a fair target for dehumanizing comments, and it doesn't make comments like that OK.
08:55 PM on 06/18/2009
The Palin children have been fodder for comedians since they were brought to the national stage.

Does this mean the obama kids are far game?
12:29 AM on 06/19/2009
Okay. The oldest boy is in the Army because his other option was prison for drug charges. The oldest girl got pregnant because her parents were too to supervise them. The younger boy has been picked up by the cops for vandalizing school buses, Palin is facing ethics charges, Hubby was trying to get Alaska to secede before Wifey decided it would pay more to run for office and charge the state for per diem to stay at home, and trade favors for expensive construction work...

Come on. The Palins are a bad unreality show. Those kids were dragged along to every appearance like live props--"Look! I can Produce Babies!" Yeah, so can a gerbil. Doesn't make her fit for public office.

The Obamas have been trying to maintain a stable family life for their kids--they were usually left at home during the campaign, with trusted friends or their grandmother.

There's no comparison. But that doesn't stop racist b00bs from making bad jokes about Michelle and the kids -- why are you pretending it does?
01:53 PM on 06/19/2009
Where is the outrage about the southern activist who calle a gorilla an ancestor of Michelle's? She is the First Lady of this country!
01:00 PM on 06/20/2009
So because she proudly displayed her family before the country, likely to put to rest *already* existing rumors, it makes her family fair game? Outrageous or her to proudly bring her family with her when she can...what kind of value is that?
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10:44 PM on 07/05/2009
Let's understand one thing - Obama is president of the U.S.; Palin is well... Not! Stop comparing apples to oranges.
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pahpah25
04:03 PM on 06/18/2009
i don't like 'jokes' made at other people's expense.....especially, people who have no.way to hit back at the so-called jokester......where was PALIN et al when LIMBAUGH and his ilk were using chelsea clinton as a punching bag? or when these jokers zeroed in on HELEN THOMAS.....i find PALINS 'outrage as rather self -serving...then she goes off on the 'military' tangent...and why didn't PALIN include AIR-LINE attendants in her statments?
12:32 AM on 06/19/2009
As usual, the tighty-righties figure it's okay for them to do any damage they want, but whine when someone gives 'em a dose of their own dirt.

I don't even like Letterman--but this whole brouhaha makes me want to watch him.

As for why the outrage now...? The aging pageant princess hadn't been front-page for a few days... she was getting lonesome without media attention.

Send this narcissistic nitwit back to Alaska. Or maybe the North Pole...
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Rmath
03:39 AM on 06/18/2009
She needed a victory. Any victory at all. Repubs are aching for just one thing to go their way for a change. They're completely impotent when it comes to dealing with the White House, so they need to go after David Letterman.
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CJWebber
I think we all love teachers.
08:24 AM on 06/18/2009
And they couldn't even win against David Letterman. It was a big mistake to try to vilify him.