The Bogus Banned Books List Distracts From Palin's Actual Efforts Toward Book Banning
Once again, the McCain campaign has been able to deflect attention from a stunning and highly problematic revelation about Palin by pointing to related false rumors that were even more outlandish. Once again the McCain camp might as well have drawn it up and executed it themselves.
I was just watching CNN, where they spent several minutes--far, far too long--on listing titles of books on the bogus list. Then they hastily mentioned that Palin had inquired about banning books, and moved to the next story with no mention of the claim that Palin had discussed firing the librarian who would not acquiesce.
It's really tough to win when you've got to fight the refs, too.
Once again, the McCain campaign has been able to deflect attention from a stunning and highly problematic revelation about Palin by pointing to related false rumors that were even more outlandish. Once again the McCain camp might as well have drawn it up and executed it themselves.
I was just watching CNN, where they spent several minutes--far, far too long--on listing titles of books on the bogus list. Then they hastily mentioned that Palin had inquired about banning books, and moved to the next story with no mention of the claim that Palin had discussed firing the librarian who would not acquiesce.
It's really tough to win when you've got to fight the refs, too.
posted by Winston Smith at
7:06 PM
4 Comments:
Hey Winston, I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but look at your previous post. You started off with the idea that the whole idea must have been made-up, that is, banning books.
Turns out your skepticism regarding the list was right, but look, again, you called into question both the list and the banning (and, as an unintended result, the idea that Palin would fire a librarian).
The book-banning claim has been around for a few days. You didn't know about it, big deal. But your own initial reaction sort of seems in line with that of CNN. Didn't believe it. You are now outraged and a decent enough person to say, hey, this is a problem.
Networks aren't like that. And I guess this is my long-winded way of saying, you seem to start a lot of recent posts with "I never would have believed..."
I'm not saying you are naive, dumb, or anything else. You are not. And no one needs to repeat stories about any party without more info (although as bloggers, heck, the harm in doing so should be minimal, especially when bloggers seem to have the ability, unlike the big-wigs, to admit mistakes). What I am trying to say is that to this guy (I consider myself a comrade-in-arms with you on most issues, and generally in terms of what I think this country can be), it is somewhat demoralizing to see references to "lefty crazies" in many posts, but a rather pernicious pattern of giving GOPers the benefit of the doubt, then being mad that in fact, yes, they do some really bad stuff.
In any event, sorry if the tone of this is grating, or offensive, or anything else. Not meant to be. Just trying to say that lefties can be hard to take, but man, the mendacity, lies, and just plain unconstitutional crap that emanates from GOPers on a daily basis might be cause for some credulity recalibration. It's only going to get worse.
Hope you are doing well and that the school year is off to a good start.
Yo, Koll, I don't see anything at all unfair in your criticism, though I do appreciate you trying to be as tactful as possible in leveling the charges.
FWIW, let me note that I think I did get it right about the initial, crazy, dKos-based rumor about Palin, asserting that people shouldn't even be discussing it in any but the most oblique terms. Re: inquiring into firing the librarian, I expressed skepticism--I mean, that IS utterly NUTS--but almost immediately noted that that point was confirmed by multiple sources. I expressed extreme skepticism about the book list...but I think it's fairly clear that I shouldn't have mentioned the specific titles at all, given how incredible the list was.
So, yeah, you're right. I thought saying "hey, I can't believe this, tho there's some evidence for it" was sufficiently circumspect...though it's exactly the sort of thing that got Andrew Sullivan in trouble.
My bad, and thanks for trying to keep me on the straight and narrow.
Always love your responses. Glad to see (above) that the phone-banking experience is on a (slightly) upward arc.
In any event, now it's time to address sex-ed in kindergarten, lipstick on pigs, and..oh heck it's just silly.
I do expect that those of us who are a big worried right now to get back in the positive groove.
Maybe.
What do you think of hunting wolves from planes? Makes me wretch, but curious about your take.
Jeez, there's just so much bullshit to address that you can't get at it all...
As for "hunting" wolves from airplanes:
As we'd say back in MO about such things, that ain't huntin', that's just killin'.
Seems to me that if you've got to cull them, that's one thing. But apparently the wolf population has fallen way below that point in AK, right?
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