Truthout Original

Stop Smearing Sarah Palin! You ... You ... Fox News Embed?

by: Elizabeth de la Vega, t r u t h o u t | Perspective

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Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. (Photo: Henny Ray Abrams / AP)

    I don't know what Fox News producer Shushannah Walshe's angle is. While posing as a completely impartial Fox News journalist, she is deliberately trying to create a horrible composite view of Sarah Palin!

    She must know - as we all do - that her job is to be fair and balanced. Yet, for weeks, while embedded with the Sarah Palin campaign, Walshe has been recklessly disclosing entirely accurate information about the governor of Alaska, mostly on her FoxNews.com Embeds Blog, but at times even on air, with absolutely no regard for its subversive effect. Fortunately, however, the McCain-Palin campaign's deputy communications director, Michael Goldfarb, is on high alert for just this type of stealth journalism and he is not shy about making his feelings known.

    Goldfarb knows a thing or two about biased reporting. Before jumping on the Straight Talk Express, the Republican candidates' online spokesperson was the Internet voice of that eminently neutral publication The Weekly Standard. Furthermore, in 2007, he received a $25,000 fellowship to write a magazine-length piece entitled "The Upside of Global Warming." Who provided the funds for this project? The Phillips Foundation, which, as it explains in its own web site, is specifically dedicated to both the promotion of "objective journalism" and the Republican College Leaders Scholarship Program.

    So, there you go. Goldfarb is a fellow in an organization that is dedicated to objective journalism. So when he speaks, or at least writes, about The New York Times's journalistic standards, we should listen. Here, in part, is what Goldfarb posted on the McCain-Palin web site in the wee hours of the morning of September 24, by way of response to the Times September 23 article about McCain aide Rick Davis's connections to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac:

We all understand that partisan attacks are part of the political process in this country. The debate that stems from these grand and sometimes unruly conversations is what makes this country so exceptional. Indeed, our nation has a long and proud tradition of news organizations that are ideological and partisan in nature, The Huffington Post and The New York Times being two such publications. We celebrate their contribution to the political fabric of America. But while the Huffington Post is utterly transparent, The New York Times obscures its true intentions - to undermine the candidacy of John McCain and boost the candidacy of Barack Obama - under the cloak of objective journalism.

    O.K. The Times is so busted. In fact, looking back at things now, it's clear that they've had an anti-John McCain agenda for years. And what better way to obscure the paper's underlying hostility than by shoring up McCain's bogus arguments for war with the publication of baseless articles about Iraq and weapons of mass destruction?

    It was a brilliant deceit. And even more brilliant on the part of Goldfarb to figure it out. But now he needs to take a closer look at Fox News. Those guys have been much, much sneakier, hiding their true intention to boost Barack Obama's 2008 presidential bid by mindlessly trashing not just Obama, but all Democrats - except Joe Lieberman - for years. What a great setup for tricking people into paying attention to Walshe's partisan truth-telling about Palin.

    Walshe is a remarkably clever con artist. In early September, on camera with Fox News anchor Greta Van Susteren, Walshe acted excited about Palin and her own good fortune in being assigned to travel with the campaign. She may have seemed ecstatic, fairly jumping out of her chair as she talked about the inside access she would have as an embed. But that pretense was undoubtedly part of the scam.

    It was just days later, in fact, that Walshe began shedding her disguise as a fair and balanced pro-Palin Fox News journalist. She became relentless, making comments and posting blogs in a faux straightforward manner, undoubtedly designed to advance her covert plan to advance Obama's campaign. Here is just a sampling of these outrageous partisan attacks:

  • On September 8, Walshe told Fox's Brian Wilson that the press was not getting much access to Palin at all: "But, as you know, the more access we get, the more press availability, there may be more gaffes, more mistakes and they don't want that."

  • The same day, Walshe quietly pointed out that the McCain-Palin campaign's new commercial claims the "duo will take on Washington," but "does not reveal that Governor Palin did support the Bridge to Nowhere, the much-maligned bridge to a tiny populated island in her home state when she ran for governor in 2006, but opposed it when she became governor of Alaska."

  • Still later, from Lee's Summit, Missouri, Walshe lobbed another zinger: "Governor Sarah Palin went after Barack Obama today for requesting earmarks while she touted her own budget-cutting record at a rally here ...She didn't mention the earmarks she has accepted for Alaska which amounted to 52 earmarks valued at $256 million in her first year, and 31 earmarks valued at $197 million this year."

  • On September 9, she wrote, "There's no doubt about it - she's a superstar. Well, at least to her supporters."

  • September 10: "Palin is staying completely on message. Her stump today was word for word to the speeches she gave at their two rallies yesterday."

  • September 13: "In response to a Boston Globe article today, the Palin camp has been forced to clarify exactly where Sarah Palin traveled in her July 2007 trip to the Middle East to visit Alaskan National Guard troops. Previously, the campaign said she had traveled to Iraq to visit Alaskan soldiers, but the Globe reported today that it was just a border crossing between Kuwait and Iraq ... Today, the Palin camp responded that the vice-presidential nominee did cross into Iraq, but it was a quick trip."

  • From Carson City, Nevada, on September 13: "In her first campaign event since she left her native state of Alaska, Sarah Palin brought back some lines to her stump speech that she took out for the hometown crowds in Fairbanks and Anchorage.... To prove her maverick past she repeated an anecdote wildly told on the trail, but eliminated in Alaska. That she got rid of the Alaska governor's private jet and put it on EBay. She does not add that the plane did not sell on EBay and it had to be taken off the web site and then sold through a broker."

  • September 15: "Both Palin and John McCain have touted the statistic that Alaska provides 20 percent of the domestic energy supply. But, the nonpartisan group, Factcheck.org says it is not true. Instead they say it is much lower."

  • September 16: "The governor of Alaska spoke first and blasted Barack Obama insisting that he would raise taxes on Americans ... Obama has consistently said that he would not raise taxes on anyone who makes less than 250,000 dollars a year. The Democratic nominee has said that he would give credits of 500 dollars to people making less that 150,000 dollars and up to 1,000 dollars per family."

  • And here, in a post headlined "Where's Sarah?" is what Walshe had to say on September 19: "Sarah Palin is spending her weekend in Orlando and for most of that time she has no schedule. On the campaign trail, it is called down time, and due to the maddening pace of covering a presidential campaign it is usually a welcome relief for their harried press corps. But, the Alaska governor has a lot of down time - the campaign usually says she is in meetings or prepping, but no real specifics on what she is exactly doing. Most of this weekend, she will be off the trail in Orlando."
  •     Why would the Fox News embed producer, with the closest access to Palin, smear her this way day after day? Why would she neutrally print facts, which leave the definite impression that Palin - whether she does or does not talk - inevitably reveals herself to be not only spectacularly unqualified to hold the second highest office in the land, but also dishonest to her core?

        Could it be that Walshe is merely trying to provide the public with accurate information?

        Well, that strains credulity. Far more likely, is that the suspiciously forthright Walshe is trying to obscure her true intent - to undermine the Republicans and support the Democrats - by hiding under one of those New York Times-like "cloak[s] of objective journalism." Maybe McCain-Palin campaign spokesperson Goldfarb hasn't caught on to the Fox News embed producer's scheme yet, but, as far as I'm concerned, the jig is up. Goldfarb should start calling out CBS's Katie Couric, too. She's acting really elitist.

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    Elizabeth de la Vega is a former federal prosecutor with more than 20 years of experience. During her tenure, she was a member of the Organized Crime Strike Force and chief of the San Jose Branch of the US attorney's office for the Northern District of California. Her pieces have appeared in a variety of print and online publications including Truthout, TomDispatch.com, The Nation, The Los Angeles Times, Salon, Mother Jones and The Christian Science Monitor. The author of "United States v. George W. Bush et al," she may be contacted at ElizabethdelaVega@Verizon.net or through Speakers Clearinghouse.

    Comments

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    Murdoch owns both and what

    Murdoch owns both and what better way to enforce your wishes on the masses then to deceive all parties of your true intentions by getting the republican idiots to be against the Times and then getting the democrat idiots to go against FOX news. Way to be divisive Murdoch you piece of trash.

    Well it'll be interesting to

    Well it'll be interesting to see if blowhard Biden can control his instincts for exaggeration and self-aggrandizment (otherwise, he's a very capable senator) and if Palin can remember all the zingers she's been fed in order to distract from her utter inadequacy for any national post. Does anyone else feel like they're in a Roman arena watching gladiators distract from what's really going on? Oh, I forgot, we got that in spades with Bush's "Shock and Awe," a deeply disgraceful bit of our shocking and awful history.

    Sarah Palin's crime is

    Sarah Palin's crime is ambition. This is her only shot, and despite the numerous items in the "con" column, from a bitchy, laissez-faire small-town management style and lack of depth to an unwieldy, dysfunctional family that needs her more than the country does, she will go for it, regardless. She's being used and is, therefore, dangerous. And the more she allows herself and her family and life to be exploited by McCain, the more dangerous she becomes.

    No body thinks of why all

    No body thinks of why all this palin stuff is going around and it is as plain as day when one considers the fux news effect which is to take the bar of reporting lower and lower to the point the pseudo news casters have no fear of reporting crap as news or getting their talking points from someone such as rupert murdoch who has made a living at taking the bar for reporting, lower and lower and lower to attract the 85(IQ) masses wherever his news stations are allowed to broadcast. And if you ever consider that aspect of conservative agendas and rupert's close attachment to the neocon think tanks that have nothing better to do than to subvert the whole of the USA which makes them among the major threats to the security of these UNITED STATES along with all the irresponsible financial crooks that have brought this economic disaster on our country and the world, you are at least on the track to understand why this country is swirling fast in the toilet bowl of oblivion and will then understand it even if you don't like it when the flush is completed. And we are talking now about why this McPalin ticket is half of our choices in november. The powers or should I say the people behind the curtains want it this way, they want a mccain and a palin on the ballot to take the presidency down to the lowest bar it can go to discourage people of the current government of democracy that is left in our country. I know there are a lot of you out there that refuse to accept that there are people behind the scenes that have huge input and say so as to who is on the ballot and thus may become president or congressperson. But they are there and they are patient and persistent as their agendas are not always realized but will be pushed out again and again for acceptance later until it may finally get accepted or voted into place. The elite want everything their way which is why people like murdoch and the wall street monetary charlatans that are responsible for our current economic disaster are allowed to not just get away with their criminal behavior but will ultimately be re-compensated through this bailout when in truth, they should be the ones to have their phones tapped, their emails read and then be rounded up and prosecuted for their crimes. Because they ARE THE ACTUAL THREATS TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. If you think that they are not a threat, please explain that to me and the rest of the people in this country. How hypocritical is it that we the people are saddled with all these regulations about handling money and those financiers are accountable to nothing.

    Eyee theenk Sara Payleen

    Eyee theenk Sara Payleen shoold bee the veyes prezeedent...shee standz 4 ejukated peepl leyeke mee. Eye want mi kids 2 hav the same kynd of ejukashun shee did.

    You all are right-so right

    You all are right-so right but don't forget for a minute that there are millions of Americans who think she' s the cat's meow..while we think she's a cat's ass.Just because you all think you are smart and get the point of Swalshe's stuff,tons of Americans won't. MaCain and the Rovian types who are surrounding her to kerp her from saying something they haven't passed on know damn well she can't cut it. You know that,I know that but middle America doesn't and wouldn't believe it if they were told.. I don't think those people see through her at all. They think she is the real thing.She is dangerous as hell.Don't forget the uneducated masses of people- the electorate,those who went through our dumned down education system and are not taught to think at all,certainly not for themselves.They swallow Fox News and love Limbaugh. What more could McCain and Palin want?

    Sarah Palin is an

    Sarah Palin is an embarrassment! What a joke on all of the qualified women in the Republican party ('Here's your token woman') Now I will NEVER vote for John McCain!

    The last woman tried for

    The last woman tried for witch craft was in 1952.

    I'm for Sarah. Can't wait

    I'm for Sarah. Can't wait for Armagedin to end this foolishnes and get Raptured Up!

    Thing is, Fox "news" and

    Thing is, Fox "news" and Hannity/Limbaugh crowd won't get it, but a good laugh for progressives.

    So, after the debacle of

    So, after the debacle of being interviewed with Katie Couric, will these uninformed simpletons finally wake up to the fact that Sarah Palin is a phony? What more proof do they need that this woman hasn't matured intellectually past that of an 18 year old!

    I think Brett Bair did a

    I think Brett Bair did a similar stunt last Sunday night. His words were [kind] of typical anti-Obama, but he was actually portraying in high esteem in logic and McCain a buffoon, if one were to look at the comparisons logically. I think even OReilly secretly admires Obama.

    If there is anything scarier

    If there is anything scarier than John McCain, whose career has been based on one fraud after another, it is the idea of Sarah Palin being anywhere near the presidency. McCain might as well have gone and grabbed a local school crossing guard (well, that would count as military experience, right?) and made her the vice presidential candidate. McCain has proven over and over again that hogging the spotlight and making himself look like a savior, has been more important than actually doing anything. The guy hasn't voted in the senate since April!! Even when he is in his office he often doesn't vote. This last foolishness about suspending his campaign and rushing to Washington to save the day like Mighty Mouse, was just another indication of his political Munchausen by proxy syndrome. Create or seize upon a political situation (like Georgia's military foolishness--which McCain supported and perhaps even suggested) and then rush in to be the savior of the day (as he attempted to do with his immediate statement about Russia's incursion into Georgia). McCain and Palin would play very dangerous games with real lives at stake. We don't need a couple of gamblers in the most powerful jobs in our country. Government isn't a video game guys!

    I like the satire. What a

    I like the satire. What a joke politics and the "political class" has become. Totally inane and empty. And to top it off, most US citizens are frighteningly ignorant and naive about everything- I mean everything. There is no longer an informed citizenry to make our husk of "representative democracy" to work. It's all over but the play acting.

    Interesting, BUT...As I do

    Interesting, BUT...As I do door to door "persuasion" visits for the Obama team in my Philadelphia Ward, I find many "undecided" women like Sarah Palin, enough that they will vote for McCain. This is even if they believe global warming is a threat, that gun ownership needs lots of regulation and Palin is an amateur in foreign relations. I ask "Why?" They say, "I just like her!" If I were younger, I'd split this country. We are the most naive undereducated people in the world.

    The more i follow of the

    The more i follow of the 'perils of sarah', the curiouser it gets . . . like Alice down the Rabbit hole, it seem like we may have met the Queen . . . But (as an alaskan you better believe i am paying close attention !) i have also read that, for years, "Todd was more ambitious for Sarah than she was for herself, and had more confidence in her abilities . . . " I am seriously wondering about the dynamics of this couple and if what we are really seeing in Sarah is a secret, desperate need to please alpha males (why else would she be so attracted to creepy old dudes like McCain and Kissinger ?) According to her biography, during the early years of fishing in Bristol Bay, Todd pretty much bullied her. I had to crew for my bully of an older brother when I was young, and that dynamic is still with me . . . and it took me many years to become aware of it . . . Sarah definitely does not seem to be an individual capable of independent thought, and her weird efforts to turn the charm 'up a notch' when things aren't going her way are really pretty scary . . .

    I have heard that Rupert

    I have heard that Rupert Murdoch is supporting Obama. Is that correct? If it is then Walshe may be doing the usual "fair and balanced" coverage in favor of "their" candidate.

    Jeez, doesn't anyone

    Jeez, doesn't anyone understand satire anymore? This article is tongue in cheek, nitwits.

    This woman is a couple of

    This woman is a couple of skipped heartbeat away from the oval office. Yes, Senator McCain, you always think of your country first.

    "Ready to Serve," they say,

    "Ready to Serve," they say, but not, apparently, "Ready to Run." If this impression is not true, why are Republicans not decrying "secret Sarah's" absence. You'd think that this world-class mayor could at least be handling some Town Hall Meetings.

    Shushannah Walshe probably

    Shushannah Walshe probably is reporting the true picture of Sarah Palin. I think Walshe has realized that it is important that we all know the true Sarah.Walshe probably has realized that this is no game show. This is serious business. The whole world should be concerned that there is a BIG probability that Palin might one day be the most powerful person in the world. IT IS VERY SCARY!!! I don't think Walshe is smearing Palin, she only reports the truth.

    You are seriously delusional

    You are seriously delusional (or hugely bought-off) if you think for a femtosecond that FoxNews is "fair and balanced"! Just because that's their motto does not make it so. Sarah Palin does not need Rupert Murdoch nor Amy Goodman to portray her ineptitude...she's pretty good at that herself. And by the way... Andy Warhol was right!

    Zounds, Shushannah and

    Zounds, Shushannah and Elizabeth - I'm sure you're not implying that Sarah Palin's campaign style and behavior is neither conservative nor christian, in her down home, hockey mom run for Blair House. I'm sure you're not implying that her handlers are holding their breath with 40 days to keep her dangerous inadequacies away from the American public. I'm sure you're not implying that Katie Couric should be applauded for asking 5 or 6 simple but seemingly unanswerable questions. That Pitbull!!! Thanks for not implying, but stating it right out of the box. Keep up the good work; we have a hard time finding real facts this week. Hey there, to both remaining Palin fans: Sarah didn't blink; but you should stop and think!

    What's the problem? Palin is

    What's the problem? Palin is smearing herself. Remember the adage, "If you can't stand the heat stay out of the kitchen"? Palin is revealing her own weaknesses. Her shrill speaking patterns, tarty attire, stupid and vapid commentary (international experience because Russia is right next door and Putin flies around Alaska's borders), her repeated"thyanks but no thyanks" lies about the bridge to nowhere, her cutting remarks about Obama and community organizing, and her clear lack of knowledge about and interest in the real issues -- all reveal her for the shallow shell she is. Her performance as governor, her vindictiveness in troopergate, her involvement in a religious group that venerates a witch hunter and shouts and rolls around babbling in tongues -- all should raise some real concerns. Sorry, Sara, you're in the big leagues now. Take it or leave it!!