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Curtis</font></b><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b><a href="books.html"><br> </a></b></font><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b>(310) 204-8700</b></font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><i>Copyright September 5, 2008<br>All Rights Reserved. </i></font>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="style3">W</span>hipping up her base, GOP vice presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin went after the media for daring to say unkind things, something akin to shooting herself in the foot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Last night s tour de force acceptance speech showed she s no shrinking violet, blasting Washington elites and the liberal media.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Throwing the GOP audience red meat, Palin blamed the media for spreading falsehoods, despite her lengthy speech, serving up disinformation about Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.), accusing him of the country s economic and foreign policy mess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>  I ve learned quickly, these past few days, that if you re not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone, Palin told frenzied delegates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>While she delivered her lines well, blaming the media opens up an ugly can of worms.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Palin surely knows that she no longer enjoys the anonymity of the Alaska wilderness, having taken the role of McCain s attack dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Lashing out at Barack is one thing but biting the hand that feeds approval ratings is still another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> But here s a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>I m not going the Washington to seek their good opinion I m going to Washington to serve the people of this country, Palin slammed the media, figuring they wouldn t give her a fair shake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Palin s smiling scorn for the media translates well to her conservative base, whose battles with the  liberal media are well-chronicled by Rush Limbaugh and a slew of right-wing radio talk show hosts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>She delivered her speech was with such sarcasm and smugness, not the best way to win friends and influence people in the media.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>If she only plans to appear on Fox News Network, she ll be OK.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Blasting the media for  misinformation and outright lies, Palin didn t hesitate to take the offense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Palin said nothing in her acceptance speech about seeking constitutional amendments banning abortion and gay marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Nor did she express her desire to legislate creationism in public schools, where the bible appears along side Darwin s theory of evolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>She talked about Barack raising everyone s taxes, after he promised to cut taxes for 90% of wage-earners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Appealing directly in writing to GOP fund raisers, Palin, promised the  misinformation and flat-out lies must be corrected, pitting the liberal media against the GOP.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Palin s campaign hasn t specified exactly all the  misinformation and flat-out lies, other that suggesting she s served as Alaska governor less than two years and mayor of Wasilla another six.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Stories about her four-month-year-old or firing controversy swirl on the Internet.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Palin should get used to the media fishbowl, whose job it is to flesh out her real views on key issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>While she talked about shattering 18 million cracks in women s glass ceiling, referring to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton s !8 million votes, they d like to know Sarah s views on abortion, gay marriage, stem cell research, prayer in public schools, vouchers, national health care, the Iraq War, Afghanistan, Iran, and more recently the former Soviet state of Georgia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Her speech conspicuously omitted any details about her controversial views, leaving the  liberal media a big job of getting out the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Palin feels baited and challenged by the press for daring to ask real questions about her political views.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Bashing Obama is far easier than admitting you d like to reverse Roe v. Wade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>McCain must stomach his pick of one of the most conservative voices in recent memory.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Palin proved she can deliver a punch with a smiling face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>It remains to be seen whether she can take the scrutiny and criticism that follows from someone throwing down the gauntlet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>  The only flat-out lie in this ridiculous claim, and it proves that John McCain wasted no time in teaching Sarah Palin the ways of Washington he s inhabited for 26 years, said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Unlike the Kerry campaign four years ago, Barack has decided to push back when the other side throws mud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Palin s attacks on the media could come back to bite her, when they become more relentless in getting questions answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Delivering a bruising, no-punches-pulled acceptance speech opens Palin up to the same scrutiny, covering any and all details in her personal and professional life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Blasting the media plays well to her conservative base but doesn t<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> answer any questions.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Palin won t be able to hide out on Fox News or duck the  liberal media indefinitely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>There s nothing that tricky about answering basic questions on key campaign issues, especially exposing her conservative side in plain view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Her acceptance speech won t stop reporters from seeking clarification on national security, abortion, gay marriage, creationism, prayer in public schools and bible study at the White House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> McCain married himself to a female copy of George W. Bush, closely wed to the causes of evangelicals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Palin won t stop the press from asking her what she intends to do about Iran, Georgia and what happens when the Russians bomb U.S. missle installations in Poland and the Czech Republic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>All are fair game when she leaves the podium and must answer tough questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>More clichés about lower taxes and shrinking government won t get it done.</p> <p><b><u>About the Author</u></b><br> </p> <p><b>John M. Curtis </b>writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He&#x2019;s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of <a href="books.html">Dodging The Bullet</a> and <a href="books.html">Operation Charisma</a>.<br> </p> <p></p> </td> <td width="1" height="2576" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" height="2"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2"></td> </tr> <tr height="2574"> <td width="133" height="2574" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0"><img height="172" width="111" src="images/johninframe3.jpg"></td> <td width="1" height="2574"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2574"></td> </tr> <tr height="1" cntrlrow> <td width="133" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="133" height="1"></td> <td width="7" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="7" height="1"></td> <td width="182" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="182" height="1"></td> <td width="300" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="300" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="597"> <tr> <td><font size="1" face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica"> <hr noshade size="1"> </font><a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong>Home</strong></font></a><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> || <a href="articlesindex.html">Articles</a> || <a href="books.html">Books</a> || <a href="teflon.html">The Teflon Report</a> || <a href="mailto:letters@onlinecolumnist.com">Reactions</a> || <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">About Discobolos</a></strong></font> <div align="left"> <p><font size="1" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">This site designed, developed and hosted by the experts at</font><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"> <a href="http://www.cmeonline.net" target="_blank"><img height="30" width="138" src="images/cmelogoANIM.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></a></font></p> </div> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">&copy;1999-2005 <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">Discobolos Consulting Services, Inc.</a><br> (310) 204-8300<br> All Rights Reserved. </font></td> </tr> </table> </center> </body> </html>