CBS' Ambinder: Palin Was 'Presidential-Esque'

"Sarah Palin, in a sense has thrown a gauntlet"
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On "Washington Unplugged" Wednesday, CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder commented on Sarah Palin's "America's Enduring Strength" video statement:

"It's a remarkable video for several reasons," Ambinder said. "If you look at the video, and you look at the scope of what she says, it's almost presidential-esque."

Ambinder noted to CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante that her response before President Obama's scheduled remarks Wednesday evening elevates her status as a prominent Republican, "I think it makes her the most prominent Republican, in a sense, to respond or to 'prespond' to what President Obama is going to say tonight."

We have two comments of our own. First, Gov. Palin's video statement was not "almost presidential-esque"; it was presidential, very presidential. Second, you have to wade through several of the remarks on this "Washington Unplugged" segment, but it is See-BS, after all.

- JP

NewsBusters: CBS Touts Todd Palin Email Leaked By Left-Wing Anti-Palin Website

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In the wake of all this we just knew the lamestream media (LSM) would try to characterize a minor pique as a (gasp) major division in the ranks. The only question is which of the likely suspects in the police lineup of national media outlets would be the first to try to exploit it. That it was leftist See-BS should come as no surprise to anyone. Media Research Center news analyst Kyle Drennen reports at NewsBusters:

On Wednesday's CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith highlighted supposed division between Sarah Palin and Alaska senate candidate Joe Miller: "...a controversial e-mail, reportedly from Sarah Palin's husband, Todd, that is burning up the internet, it was leaked by a left-leaning website called The Mudflats and is causing quite a stir in political circles."

Smith explained that Todd Palin was upset that Miller had not endorsed Sarah Palin when asked about her possible 2012 candidacy in television interviews. Smith then quoted from the email in question: "Todd reportedly sent it to Republican senate nominee Joe Miller, who Sarah Palin endorsed, and it says, quote, 'Sarah put her blank [a**] on the line for Joe and yet he can't answer a simple question, is Sarah Palin qualified to be president? I don't know if she is. Joe, please explain how this endorsement stuff works. Is it to be completely one sided?'"

Turning to CBS political analyst and Republican strategist Dan Bartlett, Smith said of Miller, "he's gone on Fox a couple of times and he hasn't really been able to say how much, you know – profess his fealty to Sarah Palin." In response, Bartlett remarked that, "you can kind of feel for Todd Palin and what he's doing," but then added: "Sarah Palin and her camp are extremely thin-skinned and if she does plan to run for president, she's going to have to get used to people like this doing things that they don't appreciate." Smith replied: "A thicker hide in order, perhaps."

Neither Smith nor Bartlett raised the ethical issue of a private email being publicized or the fact that Palin had been a victim of email-hacking in the past.

(More)

As is its habit, rather than investigating the story and reporting the facts, See BS merely promoted a story from a left-wing website. The lines between the nutroots and the LSM have become increasingly blurred, as both are swimming in the same tank for the Obamunist DNC.

- JP

Johnston via CBS: 'That apology kind of makes me sound like a liar'

Kind of?
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From NewsBuster Rich Noyes:

Continuing their obsession with the credibility-challenged Levi Johnston, whose sole claim to fame is his continuing ability to exploit his relationship with Sarah Palin’s daughter, Bristol, CBS’s The Early Show on Friday devoted more than four minutes to an “exclusive” interview with the “reality star” and how he now recants his apology for lying about the Palins in previous interviews.

To her credit, correspondent Betty Nguyen challenged Johnston’s openly frivolous approach to running for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (a stunt concocted for a reality show) and whether his temporary apology was “honest” (he said it was “something I did to make my fiancee happy”).

But CBS has shown a particular fetish for publicizing Johnston’s antics, especially his slams of Sarah Palin.

[...]

As for Johnston himself, he ludicrously claimed that his interest in running for mayor of Wasilla was completely independent of the fact that it used to be Sarah Palin’s job (“I don't care what she did or where she was at. I'm doing it because I want to”).

And, just weeks after he apologized for lying about the Palin’s, he insisted that everything he’s said is true.

[...]

The only thing less credible than that is the notion that CBS is repeatedly showcasing this publicity hound for any reason other than to embarrass Sarah Palin and diminish her political clout.

It's sad that this kid has no redeeming values. Not one.

- JP

CBS story focuses on Sarah Palin's online community of supporters

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When Scott Conroy, who covers the digital realm for CBS News, contacted us in April to interview us for a story he was working on about Sarah Palin's supporters on the Web, we were more than a little bit hesitant. We know CBS' history of bashing conservatives in general and Gov. Palin in particular, and we asked Scott whether he intended to treat his subject matter fairly. After assuring us that he had no axes to grind, we answered his questions over the telephone for some 20 minutes or so.

Now that his story has been published on the CBS politics page we have to admit that Scott was as good as his word. The thrust of his article is that a passionate and loyal community of Gov. Palin's online supporters has become a potent force and could become an important grassroots component of her 2012 campaign organization, should she decide to run for the White House. Not that we don't have a few nits to pick with the final product of Scott's labors, however.

We don't like the term "Palin-Heads." It's a bit of a sore spot for us. We didn't much care for the "Fredhead" label, either, back when we were supporting Fred Thompson in the 2008 GOP presidential preliminaries. Our personal preference was "Frederalist" -- a pun to be sure, but it beat the heck out of the alternatives. Scott took "Palin-Heads" from our colleague Nicole Coulter's comparison of members of the Palin blogging community to the "Deadheads" who were fans of the Grateful Dead more years ago than we care to remember, as we enjoyed the Dead's music when they were at their best. Unfortunately, the band was not always at its best, and the music was at times awful. "Wake of the Flood" is our all-time fave Dead album, but we digress... Not all Sarah Palin's supporters are cultists, but the writer seized on Nicole's comments to portray us as such, which we believe undermines the seriousness of our support for Gov. Palin and the extensive research many of us conducted into all facets of the governor before we made the decision to support her.

We're sure that most of what Nicole had to say to Scott went unused in the final edited version of his story, and we're not criticizing her. She merely made an innocent comment, but Scott picked up on it to create what may not actually be an accurate impression. Only one quote from the entire 20-minutes of our own conversation with him survived the editing process, and this has generally been our experience when being interviewed by reporters. Standing alone and as out of context as a fish out of water, the quotes as published rarely convey their original meaning. This was certainly the case with what we said to Scott. Our point to Scott was that we didn't make Gov. Palin an object of worship, as many of the Obama cultists did with "The One," but rather we appreciated her all the more for being a down-to-earth real person who many ordinary Americans can relate to. We told him that she's a woman, not a goddess or diva, but she is nevertheless an exceptional woman. Our point was unfortunately lost in a CBS word processor. We were on the other side of the process for some 20 years when we worked in radio station newsrooms, however, so we understand how stories get cut for length, and it's often not done by the reporter, but rather by his or her managing editor. Sadly, editing for length often deprives a piece of meaning and continuity. By that time, a news story or feature is often out of the hands of the writer, however. It's something akin to a horse being designed by a committee and turning out to be a jackass. Or like any government project, but again we digress...

Besides Nicole Coulter and yours truly, Scott also talked to Adrienne Ross (whom we were only too happy to steer him to), O.P. Ditch, Sapwolf and Hillbuzz guy Kevin DuJan. Overall, it's a good and mostly positive piece (read it here) -- much better than we expected from CBS -- and for that, we can all be thankful. We should all get together, however, and come up with a descriptive term for the Paliniste which will be a better fit and not wince-inducing, as is "Palin-Heads."

Update: Scott talks to liberal CBS talking head Bob Schieffer here.

- JP

That's not Maggie's job

On NRO's Media Blog, Tim Graham says CBS morning anchor Maggie Rodriguez is "a liitle sloppy" in her rationalization of promoting Levi Johson so he can spew his wild accusations about Sarah Palin on that network. Rodriguez says The Early Show "offered a dozen times to interview Sarah Palin, but she has declined each of those requests."

Graham says that this is the journalistic equivalent of the old Tom Lehrer song:

"Once the rockets go up,
who cares where they come down?
That’s not my department,
said Wernher von Braun."

- JP

Sarah Palin responds to Levi's lies; slaps CBS

It appears that the Palins have run out of patience with Levi Johnston's antics:

Levi Johnston repeated on CBS' "The Early Show" on Wednesday his assertion that Sarah Palin called her son Trig "retarded," prompting a firm rebuke from the former Alaska governor.

Mr. Johnston initially claimed in a Vanity Fair tell-all that Mrs. Palin had called her son, who has Down syndrome, "retarded," about which he reminded "The Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez.

"I think the biggest hit we’ve had on, like, the Vanity Fair, you know, people really look on, is when she called her kid retarded," he said. "I mean, I've got a lot of people talking about that."

Sarah Palin responded to Levi's loose lips Wednesday afternoon, issuing the following statement through her personal spokesperson Meg Stapleton:

"We have purposefully ignored the mean-spirited, malicious and untrue attacks on our family. We, like many, are appalled at the inflammatory statements being made or implied. Trig is our 'blessed little angel' who knows it and is lovingly called that every day of his life. Even the thought that anyone would refer to Trig by any disparaging name is sickening and sad. CBS should be ashamed for continually providing a forum to propagate lies. Consider the source of the most recent attention-getting lies -- those who would sell their body for money reflect a desperate need for attention and are likely to say and do anything for even more attention."

The former governor's reference to "those who would sell their body for money" clearly refers to Levi's deal to pose nude for Playgirl magazine. But Johnston told the "Early Show" that his photo spread would be done "tastefully," so that makes it okay, right? Anyway, that's what he can tell his son in a dozen years or so after the boy gets teased and bullied at school because his dad posed in the buff for a magazine read mostly by gay males. Rather, that's what he can tell his son if the Palins ever let him get near their grandson again.

Update: Geraghty - "Man With Limited Career Options Threatens Mutually Assured Destruction"

- JP

Who is calling who white trash, Letterman?

- by upinak

Per Psychology Today:

Who's accusing who of being white trash? Letterman joked that Sarah Palin, then Alaska's governor, had the style of a "slutty flight attendant" and commented that, while attending a Yankees game, "during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez." 

Why does a man in his late fifties have a baby out of wedlock when he is living with the mother? Most parents figure their child will appreciate their being married - that it avoids needless embarrassment from the kid's schoolmates down the road.

ZING! Tell me how you REALLY feel Doc! Actually it would probably be worth the read as this article was. But Doc. Peele is right, who is Letterman to talk when he doesn't have his personal life in order. As in his mariage, his child, the news on him screwing his staff (yuck) and of course he fact that someone was trying to blackmail him.

Letterman needs to go. CBS needs to let him go. Maybe it is time for them to part ways.

- u

The Media's Constant Palin Hyperbole

(First of all, I want to thank Josh for giving me the opportunity to add to the bog. I appreciate the invite to stop by once in a while with my contribution to the coverage on Governor Palin. Also, for those of you interested in my other work, please visit PubliusForum.com where we have a lot of talented writers -- including one Josh Painter -- commenting on the news of the day.)

-By Warner Todd Huston

A recent CBS report by Scott Conroy and director of political coverage Steve Chaggaris is typical of the hyperbole to which the Old Media is prone when "reporting" (by that you can read dramatizing) Sarah Palin's political doings.

This report is not as chock full of it as some others that have utilized over-the-top phrases and rhetoric to beat down Palin, but there are a few here that ring typical of the sort of backdoor slams that the Old Media constantly over use in its Palin coverage.

We start with the opening line:

In a fiery speech that felt more like a partisan campaign rally than a formal transfer of power, outgoing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin reflected upon her administration's most significant achievements and shared her vision for the country's future. But the address was most notable for Palin's remarkably blunt swipes at her favorite nemesis: the media.

What does "felt more like a partisan campaign rally" as opposed to a "formal transfer of power" mean, anyway? It is a colorful way of intimating that Palin overstepped herself at the ceremony, of course. It's a way to slam her as gauche without directly saying so.

The last line is also a perfect example of the nonsense we get from the Old Media where it concerns Palin. The CBS pair wrote, "But the address was most notable for Palin's remarkably blunt swipes at her favorite nemesis: the media." Yet, this supposed notability of Palin’s "blunt swipes" at the press is belied further in the story where it maintains that Palin's swipes at the media have become "close to a daily ritual."

So, the question in my mind is this: how can the swipes she took at the ceremony be "notable" if, according to CBS, she's been doing this since her stint as the GOP vp nominee over six months ago? In fact, there can't be much "notable" about it if it has become so entirely ubiquitous.

Naturally, the reason they use the "notable" rhetoric is to convey to the reader that Palin's behavior is something to raise an eyebrow about. This is just one of the tactics the media uses against her, an effort that is becoming "close to a daily ritual" -- if I may steal a quote.

And speaking of the "daily ritual" business, the CBS piece says the following:

Palin's relationship with the press deteriorated further during her vice presidential campaign, and upon her return to Alaska, she has made her condemnations of the media something close to a daily ritual.

Something "close" to a daily ritual? My guess is that you won't even be able to find daily public comments on any subject from Palin since she ran for vp, much less a daily attack on the press. It may have been frequent, even common that Palin slapped the press in her public comments and statements, but a "daily ritual"? That is simply hyperbole. She has not daily swiped at the press.

The CBS report also ignores the history of the press of attacking her children and seems to imply that the only example of it was when Late Night host David Letterman recently made a sexual "joke" about her youngest daughter, Piper.

Her now several weeks old public feud with David Letterman over the late-night comedian's failed joke about one of her daughters was apparently still smarting, as she leaned forward into the microphone and added angrily, "One other thing for the media, our new governor has a very nice family, too, so leave his kids alone."

This minimizes Palin's hurt feelings over the constant media attacks on her children as a mere spat with some TV show host. But Palin has over the past half year suffered constant media attacks on son Trig and daughter Bristol as well as her husband and other family members. It all serves as an understandable impetus for her suspicion and anger at the media. But did the CBS pair note this history to show why Palin's suspicions might be justified? Not at all, the better to make her seem shrill and out-of-control, naturally.

In the end, this CBS piece serves as a great example of the loaded rhetoric that the Old Media use against Palin as they report the news. It shows the sneaky language they use to minimize, belittle, pester, and scoff at Governor Palin, for sure.

(Photo credit: fitsnews.com)

- WTH

The Anti-Palin Leakers Strike Back

You can tell that the leakers who were working to kneecap Sarah Palin from inside McCain's campaign are feeling the heat of being exposed to the sunlight. They are fighting back, and they are using campgaign resources and a media which shares their agenda to do it.

Either Schmidt, Wallace or one of their cronies has supplied CBS with some internal memos to further trash Gov. Palin.

The result is this CBS hit piece.

The AIP issue was in fact a constant leftist talking point for at least a month during the campaign, and it is still being used against her.

Gov. Palin was right. Team McCain should have put the matter to bed. If Schmidt and his lieutenants were so overwhelmed that they couldn't deal with oppo, the exchange of memos says more about their incompetence than it does about Gov. Palin being uncooperative.

These creeps are literally trying to destroy Sarah Palin, and their media allies are only too willing to cooperate.

I suspect Schmidt and Wallace teamed up on this one. She's the one with all the connections at CBS. He could have easily passed on the memos to her, which she in turn could have handed over to her CBS pals.

- JP

Gov. Sarah Palin accepts Letterman apology

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin issued a statement early this morning after the broadcast of CBS' "Late Show" with David Letterman program, saying that she accepted the talk show host's apology:

"Of course it's accepted on behalf of young women, like my daughters, who hope men who 'joke' about public displays of sexual exploitation of girls will soon evolve," she said.

"Letterman certainly has the right to 'joke' about whatever he wants to, and thankfully we have the right to express our reaction," Palin said. "This is all thanks to our U.S. Military women and men putting their lives on the line for us to secure America's Right to Free Speech - in this case, may that right be used to promote equality and respect."

Moe Lane has more on this here.

- JP

Dave caves; actually apologizes this time

New York Times media columnist Bill Carter reports:

David Letterman directly apologized to Gov. Sarah Palin and her daughters on his program Monday night, saying he took responsibility for a joke that had offended Ms. Palin, her family, and her supporters.

Mr. Letterman opened the desk portion of his show with the apology in which he said he wanted to say he was sorry to “to the two daughters involved, Bristol and Willow, and also to the governor and her family and everybody else who was outraged by the joke.” Two weeks ago on his “Late Show” program on CBS, he had joked about Governor Palin attending a Yankee game with her daughter.

Up against a planned Tuesday rally calling for his firing and a boycott of Letterman's sponsors by Sarah Palin supporters and others, the late night talk show host apparently decided that he had gotten himself into a war he could not win.

Embassy Suites had yanked its advertising from CBS' website, as company spokeswoman Kendra Walker explained:

"We received lots of e-mails from concerned guests and we assessed that the statement that he made was offensive enough to our guests and prospective guests that we elected to take the ads down,"

CBS suits, meanwhile, insist that they put no pressure on Letterman to apologize and that there has been no real impact on advertisers from the protests. And if you believe that, they have some slightly used Letterman jokes they would like to sell you.

More here, including a full transcript of the apology.

Update: John Ziegler says the "Fire David Letterman" rally will go on as scheduled. We think this is a hasty decision. Ziegler should wait and see what Gov. Palin says. If she is the person we think she is, the governor will accept the apology, declare victory and move on. There's nothing to be gained from taking this further. Sarah stood up to Letterman, and he backed down. We win, they lose. There's too many other important things to be accomplished to dwell on this.

- JP

But who will save the country from Obama-Biden?

From Allahpundit, we learn that antediluvian reporter Helen Thomas, at a "roast" of Katie Couric, said that perky Katie "saved the country" with her "gotcha" interview of Sarah Palin. Couric had prepared for the interview by consulting with Obama advisor Sam Nunn and former Colin Powell aide Richard Haass.

It's not clear how a President McCain and a Vice President Palin would have destroyed the nation, but it's apparent for all with eyes to see how President Obama has quadrupled the country's debt, gotten the government in the automobile, banking and finance businesses and has not the first clue about how to defend the nation. As for Vice President Biden, every time he opens his mouth, the world is treated to verbal stupidity.

Poor, deluded old fossil...

Update: More from Tim Graham at NewsBusters.org.

- JP

Palin Popularity High Despite Media Attacks

Although the headline for the See-BS article mentions Gov. Sarah Palin's continued high popularity, that isn't mentioned again until the very last sentence. The "story" is taken from a segment on the drive-by media network's "Early Show" which - according to NewsBusters' Erin Brown - was 99 and 44/100 percent pure hit piece.

Update 1: The take from the Culture and Media Institute.

Update 2: Warner Todd Huston weighs in at NewsBusters.org.

- JP