Sarah Palin, continued.

[Moonlit_Angel]

thankfully it's the open minded progressives (liberals) posting these comments

otherwise i'd think these remarks both sexist and racist...but i know it's just another link in the long chain of diversity of ideas

What exactly in what we're saying could be construed as "sexist" or "racist"? I don't deny that there are some liberals who can be just as prejudicial as conservatives, but I'm not sure where one could find such examples here.

I think Palin's attitudes and image are pretty sexist. As I've said before, she pretty much embodies every single stereotype about how women in politics would act. She's more focused on her look than what she says. She's not as smart as the men around her. Granted, there's a lot of male politicians out there who aren't that brilliant, either. They just seem a bit smarter in comparison to her. The Republican Party pretty much picked her because the Democrats had Hilary and they wanted to be like, "See? We can support a woman, too! For vice-president, of course, not as an actual presidential nominee, but see, we can work on being forward-thinking, too!" And so on.

I could well be reading too much into this, too, but that's how it's coming off to me.

you're right in that what Obama absolutely needs to do is ignore her for as long as possible, though given the exposure i've had to rural America via de facto in-laws, Obama's marks, while absolutely politically silly, aren't all that far off the mark.

They certainly aren't. In nearly every single town I've lived in, there are plenty of people who fall into the stereotypes Obama talked about. I can make a small list of people I know or have encountered who are very enthused about guns. And while some areas I've lived in tend to be more big on church and religion than other areas, there's no doubt it's still very important to many who live here.

And I don't even think Obama meant it as an insult to begin with, just a statement of some truth more than anything else. He never came out and said that anyone who owns a gun or is religious is bad for being that way, he just meant that in troubled times, people do tend to look for ways to protect themselves, or means to find comfort and support. And we have multiple instances of this happening throughout history, both in rural areas AND in bigger cities as well.

Not to mention, if people are so insulted by that comment, it's probably not going to help your argument if you go out and pretty much wind up proving what Obama said to be true, which is what a lot of people have done.

That being said, however, I fully agree with this:

The fake folksiness is just bait, and Obama shouldn't take it. In reality, it's pretty damned insulting to suggest rural Americans are incapable of "relating to" or evaluating a Honolulu-bred President who bodysurfs and shoots hoops rather than hunting and fishing; we all have our own regional inflections and perspectives, that's a strength not a weakness. He should point that out and move on undeterred, not play into their hands with snotty-sounding invocations of dumb-redneck stereotypes.

As stated, there are many instances out there that prove Obama's statement true. But there's also plenty of people who don't fall into that mindset, and just as it'd be wrong for Obama to assume all rural, "Middle America" folks think the same and act the same, it's just as wrong and insulting and patronizing when the Republicans do it, too. Same goes for all the stereotypes involved with big cities. Both parties should never presume too much or too little about their potential voters. That's what can get you into trouble come voting time.

As for Sarah's show, I have not seen it yet, nor do I have any desire to. Reasons as to why are abundantly clear to anyone who's read my thoughts/rants in this thread thus far about her. And in response to financeguy, hey, I'd be happy to rant at length about those guys, too. I've been away for much of the last couple years, so if there were any threads about them in that time, I'm sorry I missed them . I could pretty much write a book at this point about my feelings on the Republican Party at large.

Angela

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

we might as well vote for Teresa Giudice.

Maybe SP would flip tables at Cabinet meetings

Prostitution whore!

 

[Irvine511]

Teresa can certainly run up debt like the GOP.

 

[financeguy]

plus, we're always making fun of her retarded baby.

Maybe you fancy her.

 

[financeguy]

You don't have to trust that the voters, no matter how stupid, will see through anything.

The US is a plutocracy and anyone who fails to see that isn't paying attention. Day after day we are shown that the rich, the financial industry, and so on, own this country and essentially run it to the detriment of everyone else. And if there is one certainty about this voting bloc it's that they will never and I mean NEVER let a loose cannon like Sarah into their midst. They have all the power and for all the wrong they have wrought, they will do us a favour on this one thing.

Sarah's presidential aspirations are DOA.

Broadly agree, so why not post a thread exposing these people, instead of continually rehashing discussion of a comparatively minor political figure who is essentially a non-entity in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Irvine511]

Maybe you fancy her.

stop staying nasty things about the Palin children.

 

[PhilsFan]

Broadly agree, so why not post a thread exposing these people, instead of continually rehashing discussion of a comparatively minor political figure who is essentially a non-entity in the grand scheme of things.

Who amongst American conservatives is ready to have a thorough discussion on the Koch brothers?

 

[kramwest1]

Who amongst American conservatives is ready to have a thorough discussion on the Koch brothers?

I still love that our local oil refinery, the Koch Refinery (eponymous), changed its name to "Flint Hills Resources" several years ago. Then, they started sponsoring our local PBS station--a good corporate citizen.

Their P.R. machine has been working overtime for the last decade.

 

[anitram]

Broadly agree, so why not post a thread exposing these people, instead of continually rehashing discussion of a comparatively minor political figure who is essentially a non-entity in the grand scheme of things.

Mostly because I haven't had a day off in 24 days, and I haven't been home this week before 11 pm so I don't exactly have time to post long, well-thought pieces about the American plutocracy, whereas a drive by post on the latest Palin silliness takes me about 40 seconds.

 

[yolland]

Broadly agree, so why not post a thread exposing these people, instead of continually rehashing discussion of a comparatively minor political figure who is essentially a non-entity in the grand scheme of things.

I'd say we already do discuss them. Every time we discuss global warming politics, Tea Party rhetoric, 'Obamacare,' bailouts, Fox News, or tax policy just for example, we're engaging with the arguments said "plutocrats" inject into American political discourse through their think tanks and grasstop lobbying groups. There are plenty of exposés out there about specific figures (for example, here's a recent one on the Koch brothers, since pfan mentioned them), but there's not much to discuss in those really; it's a lot more interesting to discuss the issues and actions pursued by these groups they fund.

And Palin is hardly a non-entity; look at the recent 2012 polls. Yes, the "news" about her is too often gossipy fluff, but she's highly divisive for a reason, and it's interesting to examine what that suggests or reveals about US political culture, even if it inevitably strays into banality and whining at times.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

You can put threads on ignore



Never watched a minute of the show but unfortunately I've seen the commercial in which she appears to be clubbing fish

Ratings Dip for Sarah Palin's Caribou Hunting Trip | Fancast News

UPDATED: ‘Sarah Palin’s Alaska’ is having a rollercoaster ride in the ratings. Viewership took a dip for this past Sunday’s episode in which Sarah bagged a caribou on an Alaska hunting trip. The episode attracted 2.8 million viewers, according to Nielsen data released Tuesday by TLC. That’s down from the 3.5 million viewers Palin’s reality series drew the week before. In fact, it’s been an up-and-down season for ‘Sarah Palin’s Alaska’ ever since the first episode premiered with 4.96 million viewers on Nov.14, then dipped a week later to 3 million.

PREVIOUSLY: A graphic hunting scene in ‘Sarah Palin’s Alaska,’ in which the former governor and vice presidential candidate was seen fatally shooting a caribou, is angering animal-rights groups.

The most vocal of them – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – was quick to issue a statement on Monday condemning the show, which aired Sunday night on TLC. “Sarah seems to think that resorting to violence and blood and guts may lure people into watching her boring show,” said the statement from PETA Vice President Dan Mathews. “But the ratings remain as dead as the poor animals she shoots.”

Well, the ratings aren’t exactly dead. Last weekend, the third episode of the eight-part reality series attracted 3.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen figures released by TLC, rising from 3 million for Episode Two a week earlier.

Neither Palin nor TLC had any comment Monday on PETA’s reaction to the show. But Palin predicted the episode might draw some complaints and issued several statements, via her Facebook and Twitter pages, before it aired. “Tonight’s hunting episode ‘controversial’?” she asked on her Facebook page in a comment she posted on Sunday. “Really? Unless you’ve never worn leather shoes, sat upon a leather couch or eaten a piece of meat, save your condemnation of tonight’s episode. I remain proudly intolerant of anti-hunting hypocrisy.”

On Sunday’s show – the series’ fourth episode – gung-ho Sarah explained that such hunts are a common method for putting up food for the winter that is essential for the survival of “most Alaskans.”

“Hunting is something most Alaskans do to fill their freezer with meat for the winter,” she said on her TLC reality series, before embarking on a two-day hunting expedition in the north of Alaska with her father, Chuck, and a family friend. Really, Sarah? “Most” Alaskans? Meaning more than half of them? Hey, maybe it’s true – it’s just a difficult concept to contemplate for those of us who live in the lower 48 where grocery stores are plentiful, well-stocked, conveniently located and open 24 hours.

Sarah even spoke in terms that must have sounded familiar to anthropologists and others who study primitive cultures. Explaining why her husband, Todd, would not be joining her on this excursion, Sarah said, “This year, Todd and I split the hunting and gathering responsibilities.” “Hunting and gathering”?

She even rationalized the hunt by informing viewers that the family meat supplies had dwindled down to only a handful of packages of “caribou sausage and moose pepperoni,” regional delicacies which must make for some interesting pizzas in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Wasilla.

And so, Sarah and company packed tents, sandwiches, guns and ammo into a tiny plane and took off for a remote camp to stalk caribou, which Sarah said number in the hundreds of thousands in Alaska’s wilderness. Meanwhile, we viewers saw about three of them on this two-day hunt, two of which were fatally shot – the first by family friend Steve Becker and the second by Mama Rambo herself – Sarah – decked out in headband and camouflage.

In the show’s most controversial scene, we got to see Sarah get ready, aim and fire at a caribou, bagging the beast on her fifth shot (after switching to a more powerful rifle with a more accurate sight). And unlike most of the hunting shows that have aired for years on various ESPN channels and the old Outdoor Life Network (among others), we got to witness the moment the animal got hit and then collapsed heavily on the ground. In fact, the scene was preceded by a viewer advisory.

Standing around the lifeless animal, Sarah solemnly quoted one of America’s legendary outdoorsmen. “In the words of Ted Nugent,” she said, “We thank that mighty animal for living a good life and now sustaining a nice family.”

We then got a close-up lesson in butchering in the field as the hunters set to the task of quartering the caribou and bundling the various cuts of meat for transport back to Wasilla. There, on the Palins’ kitchen island, the pieces were trimmed and made ready for the freezer, but not before Steve Becker displayed the caribou’s heart for the edification of Sarah’s 9-year-old daughter, Piper.

To hear Sarah tell it, few pursuits in life are more enjoyable than a triumphant hunting trip. Said she, “When you see that you have a successful hit, it’s a great feeling of accomplishment.”

With this past Sunday’s show, we’re now at the halfway point in the eight-part ‘Sarah Palin’s Alaska.’ Next week, in Episode Five, Sarah goes out in the wild once again, this time it’s a camping trip with fellow TLC reality star Kate Gosselin and her eight children.

 

[Irvine511]

OMG, now even PETA is making fun of Trig?

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I wouldn't be surprised if she somehow twisted it in such a way

The logic leaps are dazzling

She said "in the words of Ted Nugent" Nuff said.

Nothing says the holidays more than displaying a caribou heart on your kitchen island

 

[maycocksean]

With this past Sunday’s show, we’re now at the halfway point in the eight-part ‘Sarah Palin’s Alaska.’ Next week, in Episode Five, Sarah goes out in the wild once again, this time it’s a camping trip with fellow TLC reality star Kate Gosselin and her eight children.

That can't be true!

Seriously?

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Yes, seriously

Season finale-SP uses The Little Couple for skeet shooting

She could really learn from The Little Couple-they're the most down to earth and normal people on reality tv

 

[BVS]

Maybe Kate Gosselin can be her running mate in 2012?

 

[kramwest1]

Maybe Kate Gosselin can be her running mate in 2012?

NO!!! I was promised Michelle Bachmann would be her running mate. I want that woman out of my state.








Oh wait, she's never here anyway. (And when she is, she ain't in her district.)

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Despite the fact she's rarely there, I'm really sorry you have to put up with her at any point and time, Mark.

So PETA attacked Palin-it was only a matter of time. I'm surprised they didn't do it sooner, actually.

Next week, in Episode Five, Sarah goes out in the wild once again, this time it’s a camping trip with fellow TLC reality star Kate Gosselin and her eight children.

...christ, are you kidding me?



Angela

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Someone needs to keep the Palin girls off Facebook -- this time it's Bristol posting an open letter to her "Dancing With the Stars" co-star Margaret Cho ... and making a gay "joke" at Margaret's expense.

In Bristol's new post, which she wrote last night, she made her point in a few decently-worded paragraphs, but then decided to end things by saying that if Margaret understood conservative politics better, she "would embrace us faster than KD Lang at an Indigo Girls concert."




Somehow I don't think she would. And I didn't laugh

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

In Bristol's new post, which she wrote last night, she made her point in a few decently-worded paragraphs, but then decided to end things by saying that if Margaret understood conservative politics better, she "would embrace us faster than KD Lang at an Indigo Girls concert."

Indigo Girls comment aside (and as someone pointed out on TV the other night, really, those are the best references you can think of? Way to be up to date in your pop culture, dear), I'm confused by the rest of the statement as well. What exactly is it about conservative politics that would endear Margaret to begin with? And how does a jab at Sarah and Bristol equate to Margaret not understanding conservative politics very well?

The Palin family really could do well to learn the art of being better than their critics by not engaging in silly back-and-forth arguments with them. If somebody says something untrue or stupid about them, just ignore them. Not everything has to be a battle.

Angela

 

[kramwest1]

The Palin family really could do well to learn the art of being better than their critics by not engaging in silly back-and-forth arguments with them. If somebody says something untrue or stupid about them, just ignore them. Not everything has to be a battle.

Angela

Very true.

But, when you look at everything through crosshairs, everything looks like a battle.

 

[Diemen]

Very true.

But, when you look at everything through crosshairs, everything looks like a battle.

Well put.

Regarding Sarah's wonderful "reality" show, I simply can't imagine anybody seriously considering a presidential run thinking it would be a good idea to team up with someone like Kate Gosselin for a reality show episode. Part of me thinks Sarah actually doesn't have any intention of running for president, but simply wants to extend her 15 minutes of fame for as long as humanly possible.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I think she's in a bit of a bind actually. I'm sure she absolutely thinks of her self as a future candidate/president. You know she calls herself 'President Palin' in the mirror every morning. And you know that in certain moments she gets Todd to (NEVER MIND). And all of the momentum behind her is based, essentially, on the understanding that she will run at some point.

But surely, surely, given that the 2012 decision would need to be firmly made around now, she would have advice from everywhere giving her a dose of reality: Getting out of the primaries will be extremely difficult, and even if she gets that far, hatred for her aside, for any Republican, while you could never ever predict conditions two years in advance, it would actually not take too much for Obama to steady the ship and be in a pretty commanding position. All other things remaining the same (no major disasters, no major successes), and just a few key economic indicators swinging his way (e.g. unemployment) and it will be very tough for ANY Republican to beat him, especially one so divisive.

SO given that, you might say, what has she got to lose by giving it a punt? Well, a fortune, basically. If she gives it a go and gets hammered out of there early in the primaries, or discredited and defeated heavily by Obama, the brand is worth so much less. But then if she sits it out - what does that say about her? Can she keep the momentum till 2016? Maybe either way, this is her golden earning window right now, and she's kind of got to give 2012 a shot and hope that if she gets knocked out and another Republican goes on to fail against Obama she's still in a similar rogue/realamericansgrassrootschampion position - and can still earn great coin off it.

 

[kramwest1]

I think she's in a bit of a bind actually. I'm sure she absolutely thinks of her self as a future candidate/president. You know she calls herself 'President Palin' in the mirror every morning. And you know that in certain moments she gets Todd to (NEVER MIND). And all of the momentum behind her is based, essentially, on the understanding that she will run at some point.

But surely, surely, given that the 2012 decision would need to be firmly made around now, she would have advice from everywhere giving her a dose of reality: Getting out of the primaries will be extremely difficult, and even if she gets that far, hatred for her aside, for any Republican, while you could never ever predict conditions two years in advance, it would actually not take too much for Obama to steady the ship and be in a pretty commanding position. All other things remaining the same (no major disasters, no major successes), and just a few key economic indicators swinging his way (e.g. unemployment) and it will be very tough for ANY Republican to beat him, especially one so divisive.

SO given that, you might say, what has she got to lose by giving it a punt? Well, a fortune, basically. If she gives it a go and gets hammered out of there early in the primaries, or discredited and defeated heavily by Obama, the brand is worth so much less. But then if she sits it out - what does that say about her? Can she keep the momentum till 2016? Maybe either way, this is her golden earning window right now, and she's kind of got to give 2012 a shot and hope that if she gets knocked out and another Republican goes on to fail against Obama she's still in a similar rogue/realamericansgrassrootschampion position - and can still earn great coin off it.

I think you are right on with that assessment.

I believe Romney is still the 2012 frontrunner for the GOP, but because of our wacky primary system, Palin's chances come down directly to the organizing of the Tea Party in Iowa, NH, and South Carolina (assuming she remains the Tea Party favorite until then).

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

YouTube - Unscripted: Tracy Morgan Calls Sarah Palin 'Serious Masturbation Material' - Heat vs Knicks Pre-Game

 

[Canadiens1131]

thankfully it's the open minded progressives (liberals) posting these comments

otherwise i'd think these remarks both sexist and racist...but i know it's just another link in the long chain of diversity of ideas

The Republican Party has somehow wound up having two of its most visible female representatives (Palin and Bachman) being babbling idiots, who spew talking points and don't seem to be giving their constituents any credit in the IQ department whatsoever.

If I were female, I'd find that more insulting than the fact that people mock them.

There are plenty of right-leaning, smart women out there. Palin and Bachman are not smart.

 

[kramwest1]

The Republican Party has somehow wound up having two of its most visible female representatives (Palin and Bachman) being babbling idiots, who spew talking points and don't seem to be giving their constituents any credit in the IQ department whatsoever.

If I were female, I'd find that more insulting than the fact that people mock them.

There are plenty of right-leaning, smart women out there. Palin and Bachman are not smart.

They couldn't get rid of Christine Todd Whitman fast enough.

Watch for State Sen. Amy Koch (no relation to the influential Koch family I believe) of Minnesota to rise, if she can get Bachmann out of her way.
Amy Koch - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[coemgen]

 

[DrTeeth]

I can't believe there are people who think Tracy Morgan is ever funny.

 

[DrTeeth]

Or who think Sarah Palin would make a good (vice-)president. :tryingtostayontopic: