Steven P. BarrettPOLITICS OF PERSONAL DESTRUCTION:ALWAYS IN VOGUE
September 7th 2008 05:41
By Steven Barrett
Governor Palin, welcome to the capitol city of drive-by innuendoes, slander for sport and what the late Vince Foster called the "politics of personal destruction."
It all kind of reminds me of that great Jimmy Stewart film, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." He's different, off-beat and a fresh breath of air to the public. But to the cynical politicos played by Edmund Arnold (the moneybagg'd special interest poohbah and the slick corrupt but "grandfatherly" and "godfatherly" senior senator from Smith's state, played by Claude Rains were way ahead of their time, save for the senator's suicide in the senate hallway.
Do Obama's dirty work for him. Obama promised to fire anybody engaging in any personal attacks on Palin's family or anybody else's. Easy promise to make when you don't have to keep it since the people doing your dirty work for you are loyal supporters of yours in the 4th estate. Can't fire people who aren't on your payroll, right? Take a look at this great column in todays Townhall.com by Ken Connors ... "The Politics of Personal Destruction."
Really Long Link
Governor Palin, welcome to the capitol city of drive-by innuendoes, slander for sport and what the late Vince Foster called the "politics of personal destruction."
Vince Foster
Bill Clinton's First Chief of Staff
Suicide Victim
While others are too busy snitting at your "lack of gravitas" as one local pontificator wrote in a letter to the editor section of an old New England college town newspaper, you might want to wonder if Washington's good enough for you.It all kind of reminds me of that great Jimmy Stewart film, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." He's different, off-beat and a fresh breath of air to the public. But to the cynical politicos played by Edmund Arnold (the moneybagg'd special interest poohbah and the slick corrupt but "grandfatherly" and "godfatherly" senior senator from Smith's state, played by Claude Rains were way ahead of their time, save for the senator's suicide in the senate hallway.
Claude Rains, left; Jimmy Stewart, right.
Still from Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
I think Palin's up to the job having cut her teeth on one of the most corrupt state machines. It's that I don't think Washington and New York, ahem, those cities where gravitas oozes from the cracks of both the Washington Post and New York Times' buildings, are ready for her. So what are they to do?Do Obama's dirty work for him. Obama promised to fire anybody engaging in any personal attacks on Palin's family or anybody else's. Easy promise to make when you don't have to keep it since the people doing your dirty work for you are loyal supporters of yours in the 4th estate. Can't fire people who aren't on your payroll, right? Take a look at this great column in todays Townhall.com by Ken Connors ... "The Politics of Personal Destruction."
Really Long Link
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Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Washington isn't good enough for the likes of Sarah Palin! But with any luck, and a little help from Above, Vice President Palin will teach them a little respect!
Comment by Jim Stillman
Political Certainty
Madeline Al(not too)bright”, “Barack Hussein Obama and Joe Obiden.” or “Cindy ban-Sheehan”,
Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
On the flip side, how about the ticket that Sarah Palins husband got? It was 20-odd years ago, but the media brought it up. And the nasty rumors about her new baby? The demands for a paternity test? Carping about her daughter being pregnant? McCains age? His war injuries?
Your "side of the aisle" knows a lot more about the Politics of Personal destruction than mine does, Jim.
Comment by Jim Stillman
Political Certainty
As to Senator McCain’s age, unfortunately this is an issue. While his war injuries are not relevant, it is his campaign that has made his Vietnam ordeal a focal point of his campaign. The “cross in the sand” story, cribbed, was either a deliberate falsehood or something more serious.
See how one can express views without the names?
Comment by Steven Barrett's OpEd Blog
I had to come up or some air after doing my impersonation of Tim Allen doing some destructiveness, but if it's only personal, it's only directed at yours truly for busting one more blasted blade after another. Quick, I need an entitlement of quick-fix feel-good pickmeup attitude adjustment and beam up up to get some air! LOL! Although Al Gore might not think it's good for me, (or my wife for that matter) but I love the smell of sawdust ... it reminds me of victory.
Ooops, I just pulled a Biden, or was it an Obama on my guv?
What's happening to Sarah Palin's plain and simply nothing but the politics of personal destruction on 'roids and very much upfront and in her face compared to what happened to Foster who got it in bits n' pieces; but sadly of course, in enough doses to completely undo the poor man.
Here's one very chilling thing we should all keep in mind,and I've been guilty as any writer in committing this major mortal sin: the ad hominem attack. For every ad hominem, scratch at least three or four would-be one-time worthy civil servants who decided not to put their families through that kind of chum-feeding frenzy.
I'd rather take a visit to my nearest emergency room than cut any one else like I had in the past. And if I or anybody, needed any further reminders, all we have to do is keep Vince Foster in mind.
Bill Moyers had a segment on his show tonight about Shock Jock radio, and (I don't have the author he featured or the link on hand as Im typing this) Moyers' guest brought up a very solid point when he said the pressure to keep up the listeners' interest is always there and the real danger is that one day somebody (who's not all put - together upstairs) may act on a shock-jock's wilder suggestions made only as a bad joke or attention getting device, and this could lead to a great tragedy for everyone involved.
(Let's put it this way, Neil Boortz didn't come off very well. Nor did Michael Reagan who was a lot more strident "on air" than in his columns.Rush seems meek n' milde in comparison, and that takes some doing.)
We're gonna show all those libs that not all the conservs are rug-chewing full-moon howlers! Just so long as Obama doesn't get in with his economy-killin' tax plans. We'll all be howling from Nov to Jan while watching nearly all our companies and jobs go "whoooooosh" outta here. I'm for making the rich pay their fair share, but not for scaring them (& the jobs they can best create) out of Dodge. G'nite guys!