Comments on: Newsweek scores sexist own goal with Sarah Palin cover

By: Amused

Amused — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:55:21 +0000

Caroline Flint: Nice figure… Pity about the gap teeth and rather disconcerting eyes (at times).

By: Scotty

Scotty — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:15:25 +0000

Well I have to admit that my first girlfriend was seriously right-wing. A supporter of Joh Bjelke-Peterson no less!!!! Lovely girl.

Attractive left wing ladies? Natasha Stott-Despoja would be one… Caroline Flint..maybe…

By: David All

David All — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:31:08 +0000

Gordon MacMillan: Thanks for linking to Christopher Hitchens essay on Palin. It was a good one and a useful reminder that us liberals badly underestimated Reagan.

By: David All

David All — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:23:10 +0000

Well you cannot have Sarah Palin without Tina Fey’s impersonation of her at http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/11/20/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5727004.shtml

Mine’s a Newt: That’s scary, Michelle Bachman makes Sarah Palin look rational.

By: Mine's a Newt

Mine's a Newt — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:24:44 +0000

Yeah, I think that the retired Alaskan Governor really sees her short to medium term future principally as a rightwing pundit and general media figure. Rightwing power broker is a possible longer-term dream. If she does stand, it’ll be more in furtherance of the media career than a serious political campaign.

Democrats will just have to hope she’s still the teabaggers’ Joan of Arc by 2012. The longer she lasts, the better. If she really was the Republican candidate they wouldn’t even need to campaign against her. (They could ignore her, go positive, and leave her to it.) But I don’t think Democrat strategists even dare to fantasise about that.

So you’d have to hope that the “liberal media” keeps annoying her supporters and increasing their commitment. Sadly, I think David’s right, and Palin most likely won’t be a serious presence by 2012. I’m starting to pin hopes on Michelle “I’m a fool for Jesus” Bachman, for next Republican spoiler.

By: Amused

Amused — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:56:40 +0000

Dearest Gordon Bennet

“weeding out”:

1. Identifying, exposing, removing (various contexts).

2. The Nazi policies of genocide, eugenics etc.

Take your pick… But may I gently suggest that when someone says “weeding out” they are not actually Nazis, or supporting Nazi policies.

Just a suggestion, like.

By: David All

David All — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:25:33 +0000

Wonder when and where the first Republican candidate Sarah Palin campaigns for actually gets elected. Palin is going to self-destructive through far too much publicity far too early for the 2012 Presidential Campaign. Also her leaving the post she was elected to, Governor of Alaska, halfway through her first term is not going to sit well with most voters.

By: Mine's a Newt

Mine's a Newt — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:29:16 +0000

If I were a photo editor, looking for a photo that made Palin look bad, or unelectable, because my magazine was interested in harming her political career, I’d choose “the wink pic”, or just one of her looking tired and old, better yet sullen or angry, towards the end of a long day. But if I were just looking for a cover to sell a magazine, I’d choose what they chose.
There’s an alternative view of how unintended consequences play out. The idea that the elitist liberal media are against Palin plays well with her core support, and maybe extends it.
That may win her enough funding to have a serious try for the Republican nomination, which is the worst possible outcome for Republicans. True, her enemies do tend to underestimate Palin’s political nous, but other people badly overestimate her electability in any campaign that needs more than the passionate support of one faction of the Republican base.
Even if she has a dream run, aided by Huffpo, Andrew Sullivan and other thickies, it’s still unlikely she’d get the nomination. But she does have scores to settle. Within the Republican Party. The better she does, the more there’ll be infighting, angry crowds, and the kind of unpredictable stuff that happens when someone who may be a little bit shallow leads a crowd who may be a little bit crazy into the front rows of a serious political party.
If she doesn’t get the nomination, her supporters will be angry with the Republicans. If she does, then the angry crowd will be jubilant but still angry with most of America, which always goes down well.
The better Palin looks, and the more likely she is to get anywhere near the Republican nomination, the better for the Democrats. Like McGovern was for Nixon.
So maybe that was the cunning Newsweek plan all along. Damn liberal media.

By: Gordon Bennet

Gordon Bennet — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:02:04 +0000

Brits seem to think that sexuality inherently exploits women and girls.

Just a bit racis… sorry, the correct word to use here is “essentialising”, I think …, eh, Josh?
Some do. Many don’t. This Brit doesn’t.
Or perhaps I should characterise all Americans as obese trailer-park dwellers?

By: mesquito

mesquito — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:41:58 +0000

Oops. Forgot to change my name back.