Palin: They are attacking my First Amendment rights!

[Lorini]

Which even as a statement is so stupid to be incredible. But here's the whole statement (stolen from Glenn Greenwald's blog)

In a conservative radio interview that aired in Washington, D.C. Friday morning, Republican vice presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin said she fears her First Amendment rights may be threatened by "attacks" from reporters who suggest she is engaging in a negative campaign against Barack Obama.
Palin told WMAL-AM that her criticism of Obama's associations, like those with 1960s radical Bill Ayers and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, should not be considered negative attacks. Rather, for reporters or columnists to suggest that it is going negative may constitute an attack that threatens a candidate's free speech rights under the Constitution, Palin said.
"If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations," Palin told host Chris Plante, "then I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media."


Link to interview here (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/10/palin-fears-med.html) Link to blog here (http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/). Link to actual discussion (mp3) here (http://www.tinyrevolution.com/mt/archives/Palin.mp3)

So she believes that the first amendment allows her to say anything she wants without anyone criticizing it. Naturally if you actually know what the First Amendment states, you immediately realize that she has no clue. Just endless stupidity from this woman.

[jerri blank]

The Salon headline has it right - "So stupid it hurts".

[SpoofyChop]

The more elite you are, the more rights you have. Her F.A. rights clearly trump those of mere journalists.

[Anti-Bunny]

Heheh, Palin, running under McCain, who brought us the abominable McCain-Feingold, shouldn't say shit about their first amendment rights...

[Angie Gallant]

I guess it would beyond the pale to remind her that we're not at war with Iran, then. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D9LofMCa8A)

[corsair]

Her solution to people pointing out her negative campaign? Claim negative things about them! The irony is clearly wasted on her.

[Supertanker]

Such a fundamental misunderstanding of a Constitutional right. I should stop being surprised by now.

[Tim Partlett]

This election expresses to me both the best and the worst of American democracy.

On the one hand you have a system that has enabled the product of a broken home, the son of two nobodies, a minority and a man who shares the name of a recently defeated enemy, to go head to head with two of the greatest political machines in the world (Republicans and Clintons) and make himself the presumptive president of the most powerful nation on the planet on the strength of his guts, drive, personality, brains and organisational skills.

On the other hand you have Sarah Palin.

[TheBrokenMirror]

Would it be considered racist to point out that Obama benefits hugely from his minority background as well? Imagine if a white candidate had had an equivalent to Rev. Wright as his pastor and mentor for 20 years. Just saying that's all.

[Hawkeye Fierce]

Would it be considered racist to point out that Obama benefits hugely from his minority background as well?Yes, because you blithely ignore the negative effect his background has had as well. For example: Imagine if a white candidate had had an equivalent to Rev. Wright as his pastor and mentor for 20 years. Just saying that's all.Why should we imagine? We see examples of this on the right every goddamn day. But they're white, so no one gives a shit. But a black liberal pastor says some stupid nonsense and suddenly it's the end of freaking civilization.

If you think Obama is winning the election because of the color of his skin rather than in spite of it, you're at best an idiot.

[Hanacker]

Yeah, you could make an argument that he got noticed because of his skin color and I'd even buy that it was a positive for winning the Democratic nomination. But for the general electionl, there's no way it's anything but a net negative.

[Zylon]

The Salon headline has it right - "So stupid it hurts".
If you're going to put something in quotes, it helps to make sure you're getting the quote right.

[Lorini]

I added the link to the actual conversation in the OP.

[jerri blank]

If you're going to put something in quotes, it helps to make sure you're getting the quote right.

Oh, so sorry. "So dumb it hurts."

"Fuck you." -- me

[Kool Moe Dee]

Would it be considered racist to point out that Obama benefits hugely from his minority background as well? Imagine if a white candidate had had an equivalent to Rev. Wright as his pastor and mentor for 20 years. Just saying that's all.

I don't understand the supposed benefits you cite. And, as far as a honky-equivalent Wright-like figure goes, how about the Alaskan Independence Party and its ties to Palin? I think that example shows that a similar sort of scandal is less damaging to a white candidate.

[jerri blank]

And McCain's admitted association with domestic terrorist G. Gordon Liddy has gotten no traction at all.

[Midnight Son]

Palin - box of rocks is smarter.

[RSofaer]

And McCain's admitted association with domestic terrorist G. Gordon Liddy has gotten no traction at all.

Domestic terrorist? Thuggish criminal enemy of the fabric of democracy, maybe, but what terrorist stuff did he ever do?

[Hugin]

With 10 stories a day about die hard lifelong Democrats having a hard time voting for Obama because of his race, and an absurd number of people still thinking he's a Muslim, and the general lack of having an African American President ever, I think the idea that his race is such a fantastic advantage for Obama makes me laugh.

[bago]

Also.

[Midnight Son]

Furthermore.

[Lh'owon]

I worry that we're becoming inured to this sort of stupidity. Yes we recognise it, and yes we deride it, but we have to remember that this... moron is running for Vice President of the United States of America. It's such a breathtakingly horrific scenario it would be absurd in fiction let alone reality. Why isn't more of America deeply ashamed of this?

[Qenan]

Bell curve.

[Midnight Son]

Soccer mom from hell.

[bago]

Let's just cut to the chase: Conservative Republican.

[Midnight Son]

Nutcase.

[russellmz00]

I worry that we're becoming inured to this sort of stupidity. Yes we recognise it, and yes we deride it, but we have to remember that this... moron is running for Vice President of the United States of America. It's such a breathtakingly horrific scenario it would be absurd in fiction let alone reality. Why isn't more of America deeply ashamed of this?

we're talking about the vp slot here. it has a fascinating history. if they're not convicted of treason (burr), fighting for the seceding side (tyler), resigning from high office in disgrace (nixon, agnew), or making up new powers (cheney), then rank idiocy(quayle) puts you about in the middle of the pack.

[jerri blank]

Domestic terrorist? Thuggish criminal enemy of the fabric of democracy, maybe, but what terrorist stuff did he ever do?

Well, lessee... besides what he ACTUALLY did during Watergate, he devised a plan to blow up the Brookings Institution and to kidnap anti-war protesters during the RNC. He's also recommended to listeners of his radio show that they kill ATF agents with headshots.

So maybe he's just an aspirational terrorist, but I think the tag applies.

[Anti-Bunny]

I don't understand the supposed benefits you cite. And, as far as a honky-equivalent Wright-like figure goes, how about the Alaskan Independence Party and its ties to Palin? I think that example shows that a similar sort of scandal is less damaging to a white candidate.

You guys keep mentioning the AIP, but I don't see how a recognized political party is somehow comparable to the Weathermen..

[VegasRobb]

Would it be considered racist to point out that Obama benefits hugely from his minority background as well? Imagine if a white candidate had had an equivalent to Rev. Wright as his pastor and mentor for 20 years. Just saying that's all.

I don't think it's racist. I do think you are incorrect. McCain has had to disavow comments by some religious figures who had close ties to him. He did it and moved on. I'm not entirely sure why Obama can't do the same. I know I haven't heard much about Palin's minister since she was added to the ticket as VP.

[Kool Moe Dee]

You guys keep mentioning the AIP, but I don't see how a recognized political party is somehow comparable to the Weathermen..

Strangely, my post (http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showpost.php?p=1529459&postcount=15) had nothing to do with Ayers!

Remember, reading is fundamental! (http://www.rif.org/)


"I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America or her damned institutions."


That is about as close as you can get to "God damn America" without simply parroting it.

[Andrew Mayer]

That is about as close as you can get to "God damn America" without simply parroting it.

Isn't the AIP actually worse? Whether or not you agree with his point, Wright was saying that with an eye to making this country better. I mean, I disagreed with Fallwell and Robertson after 9-11, but if they honestly believed in what they were saying then at least they thought they'd be saying it for the good of the country.

The AIP is actually wishing destruction on the USA.

[bago]

Wright was a medic in the Marines, and patched together many US troops. What did fatso mcshitbag ever do?

[Anti-Bunny]

Strangely, my post (http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showpost.php?p=1529459&postcount=15) had nothing to do with Ayers!

Remember, reading is fundamental! (http://www.rif.org/)
Sorry, apparently I was confusing America ha8rs. As you can probably tell, I really don't care who's living room Obama was in twenty years ago.

Isn't the AIP actually worse? Whether or not you agree with his point, Wright was saying that with an eye to making this country better. I mean, I disagreed with Fallwell and Robertson after 9-11, but if they honestly believed in what they were saying then at least they thought they'd be saying it for the good of the country.

The AIP is actually wishing destruction on the USA.

AIP is not wishing the destruction of the USA anymore then the Hawaiian Sovereignty movement wants to invade the mainland... They want independence and many in the AIP want to be annexed by Canada. I don't see how the United States would suddenly be destroyed with one less state..

[Jason McCullough]

Domestic terrorist? Thuggish criminal enemy of the fabric of democracy, maybe, but what terrorist stuff did he ever do?

This is a pretty accurate summary (http://www.oliverwillis.com/2008/10/05/mccains-terror-connection-g-gordon-liddy/).

As Media Matters for America has noted, Liddy served four and a half years in prison in connection with his conviction for his role in the Watergate break-in and the break-in at the office of the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers. Liddy has acknowledged preparing to kill someone during the Ellsberg break-in “if necessary”; plotting to murder journalist Jack Anderson; plotting with a “gangland figure” to murder Howard Hunt to stop him from cooperating with investigators; plotting to firebomb the Brookings Institution; and plotting to kidnap “leftist guerillas” at the 1972 Republican National Convention — a plan he outlined to the Nixon administration using terminology borrowed from the Nazis. (The murder, firebombing, and kidnapping plots were never carried out; the break-ins were.)