Comments | willtruncheon: The Knives Come Out

willtruncheon

The Knives Come Out

Nov 06, 2008 10:03

I thought it would take longer for Republicans to assign blame for McCain's defeat, but I guess the wheels have been in motion for a while:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/05/palin-didnt-know-africa-i_n_141653.html

When Carl Cameron ( Read more... )

Comments 12

dcltdw November 6 2008, 15:40:14 UTC

When Carl Cameron on FOX news reports that [...] Honestly, I have no reason to believe the veracity of anything said on the network.

Consistency, my good man. If they're a pack of yipping hyenas dressed in journalistic clothes, don't start believing them when they start saying things you agree with.

Didn't the left eat its own after '04? I imagine after a hard-fought campaign, the losing side, regardless of who it is, will have its vindictive subgroup that is furiously laying about on whatever is near at hand, intent on blaming anyone but themselves for their failure.

Me, I want to know what the quiet elements in the GOP are thinking. That's not an "uh oh" statement, btw. (It could turn out to be one, but since they haven't *said* anything, I don't know yet. :) )

willtruncheon November 6 2008, 15:47:19 UTC

Indeed, as I said, I don't accept a word of it until independently verified. It gives me food for thought, when I consider the source is a "news" apparatus that seems to serve the larger Republican interests and talking points at every turn... what are they up to? When the Dems lost it in '04, I recall the blame (broadly) fell to Kerry's staff and general errors in strategy. There weren't a lot of stories about how Edwards was a hysterical diva who couldn't name the members of NAFTA. What's the difference, I wonder?

dcltdw November 6 2008, 15:54:49 UTC

I agree with tiranmal's closing point below. Namely, does applying Occam's Razor also lead you to the conclusion that there are factions within the GOP that are jockeying for position for '12? If so, it makes sense that Palin is both a rallying banner and a lightning rod.

So I'm inclined to think it's not a conspiracy or some mad plan; people are trying to figure out if the Pats lost the Super Bowl because Belichek lost it, or Brady got cocky, or if blah blah blah.

I think if Fox is still going on about this in, oh, 72 hours, then it might be some sort of Plan(TM). Right now, I'm inclined to think it's OH SNAP ELECTION OVER and we're on the air for the next 24 hours?!? What do we say???

willtruncheon November 6 2008, 16:29:47 UTC

You're probably right. It still seems odd, to me, seeing how Palin has been marketed as The Bold New Face of Republicans. I expect more straightforward propaganda from FOX.

Thread 7

tirianmal November 6 2008, 15:46:38 UTC

I don't believe that about Palin. Mind you, I'm sure she couldn't name many of the countries in Africa, but even she has more sense than that.

I could be wrong, but this just sounds like someone beefing on Palin.

willtruncheon November 6 2008, 15:48:23 UTC

I agree, that is what it sounds like. What gives me pause is that FOX is reporting it as if it were true. Why?

(The comment has been removed)

willtruncheon November 6 2008, 16:35:34 UTC

If this had been a FOX strategy for a while, now, I would be less surprised. It just seems like an abrupt about-face.

I think that to shift the focus to McCain was gonna be tricky: the guy is pretty old, and has had a lot of health problems. His surviving the term was a legitimate (if longshot) concern. It's tough to try and cash in on Palin's star power while at the same time insist that the election is about the less-charismatic McCain. You can't really have it both ways.

diagonti November 6 2008, 19:26:09 UTC

I think part of the unspoken aspect of why Palin was examined more closely and criticized more tightly was because of McCain's age. Looking up the mortality rates near the beginning of the campaign, I remember figuring out that he had something like a 15-20% chance of dieing before his first term ended. While no one ever really brought this to the front as an issue, I think it did cause Palin to be examined closer.

warriorbard63 November 6 2008, 17:22:21 UTC

It's like hiring a plumber to build a space ship, then suing him when it crashes into the sea after launching. Was she ever even remotely qualified to be there? No. Should she have had a better grasp of her limitations? Yeah. Was it her fault she got in over her head and McCain's campaign tanked? Naaah. His numbers were sucking before the convention. Choosing her was desperation. They were doomed a long time ago.