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Ear to the Ground

Hitchens Calls Palin a ‘National Disgrace’

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Posted on Oct 13, 2008

Christopher Hitchens has reached an endorsement by process of elimination. John McCain, he writes, isn’t up to the job, while “the only public events that have so far featured his absurd choice of running mate have shown her to be a deceiving and unscrupulous woman utterly unversed in any of the needful political discourses but easily trained to utter preposterous lies and to appeal to the basest element of her audience.”


Slate:

The most insulting thing that a politician can do is to compel you to ask yourself: “What does he take me for?” Precisely this question is provoked by the selection of Gov. Sarah Palin. I wrote not long ago that it was not right to condescend to her just because of her provincial roots or her piety, let alone her slight flirtatiousness, but really her conduct since then has been a national disgrace. It turns out that none of her early claims to political courage was founded in fact, and it further turns out that some of the untested rumors about her—her vindictiveness in local quarrels, her bizarre religious and political affiliations—were very well-founded, indeed. Moreover, given the nasty and lowly task of stirring up the whack-job fringe of the party’s right wing and of recycling patent falsehoods about Obama’s position on Afghanistan, she has drawn upon the only talent that she apparently possesses.

It therefore seems to me that the Republican Party has invited not just defeat but discredit this year, and that both its nominees for the highest offices in the land should be decisively repudiated, along with any senators, congressmen, and governors who endorse them.

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By NeedSomethingReal, October 16, 2008 at 7:37 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

What happened to americans that we care more about who’s having an affair or who you talked to 40 years ago?

I drove by the world trade center many times and I went through Oklahoma city about a week before the bombing. Using today’s bizarre standard that makes me a terrorist by association? Whatever.

If Palin had to be voted on for VP spot (instead of sliding in on the coat tails of a presidential election) would anyone POSSIBLY vote yes? I think not.

Hitchens is polarizing yes - I happen to agree with his politics and opinions. I think the people commenting here need to look at his comments the same way you look at wikipedia - its a good starting place - do your homework. 

Lastly, the sad, sad truth is from all places outside the US, Joe the Plumber (dolt) is now the poster child for the average American. What a shame.

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By moe, October 14, 2008 at 3:43 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

well said dude!!!

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By troublesum, October 14, 2008 at 3:35 pm #

Sarah Palin is a national disgrace and Cindy Sheehan is a sob sister, but Bush and his unprovoked attack on Iraq are just swell.

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By felicity, October 14, 2008 at 2:08 pm #

Hitchens survives on the slings and arrows hurled at him by his critics, and they are legion (which makes him legion.)

McCain survives by way of his self-imposed maverick label, a cover for what he really is, a person who revels in flipping people off.  His choice of Palin was little more than giving ‘us’ - the media, the Republican establishment, elites, just plain us - the royal finger.

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By Leefeller, October 14, 2008 at 12:44 pm #

Thinking out loud, good one Fenwick!

Finding the substance of Hitchen’s article very well stated and I always enjoy his writing, even to disagree.  Seems some posters do not like the messenger for different reasons or the same does not matter,  but what of the message?  Oh yes, the message is supposed to not matter, we are led to believe as they try. 

On occasion I have attacked the messenger, now it could be said I am attacking the critics of the messenger?  NO, they are not critics, they are perverters of issues, supporters of smoke and mirrors for substance is on holiday.  Waving the blood soaked flag, in our faces again, is this supposed to be a tactic to confuse? 

Come on folks, keep your hate and division for the McCain rallies were it belongs. .

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By Alan, October 14, 2008 at 11:59 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

How could it possibly have been the case
that Arnold would win the race?
Hallo, I ahm Ahnold, I am zhe guhvnohr uhf
Caulifornia. Nyoh! Ayy did not say “Cauliflower”!
And now, my friends, the Godzilla from Wasilla
and her Atilla will do a dance for you, now
don’t change the channel and be sure to adjust
your heads per the instructions.

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By dick, October 14, 2008 at 11:21 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

My thoughts, entirely. But I will vote with clear conscience for Nader.

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By FENWICK, October 14, 2008 at 10:26 am #

“I used to call myself a single-issue voter on the essential question of defending civilization against its terrorist enemies and their totalitarian protectors, and on that “issue” I hope I can continue to expose and oppose any ambiguity.”  Hitchens

As Dana Carvey would say, “Isn’t he special.”

I agree with TheBeerDoctor.  But on Democracy Now! Blumenthal from the Nation magazine exposed Palin as the link to the introduction of brownshirts into mainstream national politics starting with goons from Alaska.  It’s like some force picked up the US from Florida pivoting one the other end and everyone with a screw loose tumbled into Alaska.  If Palin winds up in the WH, it will be like my mother used to say before she whacked me, “I’ll give you something to cry about.”

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By Purple Girl, October 14, 2008 at 10:25 am #

And a Miracle Worker- slapping the Republicans Wake from their Drug Induced Coma!!
One Brownie Point for Sarah!
This campaign has shown a very Bright light upon the most vile part of our society…We should thank them for this Reverse Psychology,aka Backlash. No Racist like to be called Out as Such in Public.Reason they use code Words and phrases,because they are Innately Terrified PUSSIES! Funniest thing to watch is a Redneck in Detroit….You don’t just see the Fear on their Faces, you can Smell it!
I have lived outside Detroit most my life, went to Events throughout..I have NEVER had a Problem in Detroit..Why because I’m Not afraid, and I’m Not a Dumbass!Respect and Empathy are the best protection. You don’t need a Gun to go to Detroit, all you need is a smile and the Balls to look ‘em in the eye.
I can pick out a Racist a Mile away in the City, their heads are down as they scurry their Butt Puckered asses across the Street- easy Pickin’s, even for a White girl to Identify!

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By Big B, October 14, 2008 at 9:14 am #

Hitchens does tend to remind me of that grizzled old man at the end of your local bar, who constantly laments the downfall of america because we gave women and jiggs the right to vote.

The truly scarey part is that he will be one of the first in line to vote on election day.

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By thebeerdoctor, October 14, 2008 at 6:08 am #

I really love the pedantic screeds of someone like Hitchens. The booze inflated, once “hard left” blow hard, who saw greener, or at least more lucrative, pastures in the neocon fields, now is shocked, absolutely shocked, that those very same folks could offer up Governor Sarah Palin.

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By Maryanne Jameson, October 14, 2008 at 5:59 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Christopher Hitchens? Great, another phoney disgrace of a journalist rehabilitated by Palin bashing. Katie Couric started a trend, and the bottom is not in sight.

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By Saddler, October 14, 2008 at 4:06 am #

I can’t believe Truthdig’s editors felt that Hitchens’s opinion was important enough to post. He’s an attention-starved hack who is saying something fairly obvious for a change. What will he say next? Who cares! Next.

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By WeMustChange, October 13, 2008 at 11:48 pm #

I agree wholeheartedly!

It is my goal to get in touch with someone from the Obama campaign and share with them my desire to be a part of his inauguration by reciting a poem I wrote called “We Must Change,” and I kindly ask for your help in doing so.
Go to youtube and do a search for “thinkverybig” and watch all of those videos.  The one called “We Must Change” would be fitting to recite at Obama’s Inauguration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM58nqX1ehE

Here are the words!  http://www.thinkverybig.com/We Must Change.htm

1.

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By Jim Watt, October 13, 2008 at 11:04 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Whatever sympathy I had for Senator McCain as a patriot and a victim of smear tactics in South Carolina was lost when he chose this person as his vice-presidential candidate.  And his refusal to either rein her in or dump her has destroyed whatever claim he could ever make again to being a “straight talker”! It’s evident that he is a pitiful old man and common decency would suggest that we all be quiet about him from this point forward.  Indeed, I wonder if Keith Oberman hasn’t hit the nail on the head when he suggested that the Governor of Alaska may be some kind of ‘stealth’ democrat on a mission to destroy the Republican party.  Certainly the Senator is acting increasingly like some kind of mysterious ‘Manchurian Candidate.’

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By Allan Krueger, October 13, 2008 at 10:32 pm #

F*ckin, eh!

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By faith, October 13, 2008 at 10:14 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Very well said !

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