Hard questions are not 'Gotcha' questions

Oh, there's been sexism, DC.

But Twoback's dead wrong about the other candidates not being asked to "prove" their competence. They've all been through months of a national interrogation about their qualifications, and in Obama's and McCain's cases, have been voted into their roles as presidential candidates. I'd say they've "proven" plenty.

Palin is a complete unknown, and is hiding from every question. Damn right she has to "prove" a little more, given the short time frame before the election in which people are trying to gain an educated opinion. That part's not sexism. But the "VPILF" stuff and the dominatrix dolls, etc., are pretty vile. No need for that shit.

 

VPILF and dominatrix dolls are not being done by mainstream media. That's my point. Just like the mainstream media is not dressing monkeys in Obama gear to make a racist point.
There will always be racism, sexism, religious bigotry, etc., associated with political candidates. It's a shame, but it's one of the costs of freedom of speech.
I just take umbrage with the assertion I've seen others make that the media is trying to destroy Palin because she's a woman. No, she's ignorant and it shows. That has nothing to do with her sex.

 

But it's happening nevertheless; that's my point. Doesn't matter who's doing it. It's wrong.

Agreed.

 

Then we are in agreement on both points, Buck.

 

I'm pretty sure that asking someone who, if elected would be first in line for arguably the most powerful position in the world, her thoughts on the doctrine that has guided this country's foreign and military policy since September 11 is not sexist. Nor is it trivial.

And even if I were to allow that asking her about the "Bush Doctrine" simply by name rather than describing the underlying tenets is a "Gotcha question" - which it might be for "Joe Sixpack" but not for someone running for Vice President of the United States - once it was spelled out for her she just bumbled and spouted some line about how "We have every right to defend our country." No kidding. Good job. Doesn't really answer the question though.

Of course, Charles Gibson got the Bush Doctrine wrong. He said that it allows the U.S. to make "preemptive strikes," when it deals with preventive strikes. (Which is the difference between hitting someone right before they throw a punch and hitting someone who might at some point pose a threat because they look at you the wrong way.)

Either way, she didn't know and it was evident because she didn't correct him. Gibson isn't running for VP. Palin is. She should know AND have an opinion.

Here's a link to video of that part of the interview, and it's not just some five second bit designed to make her look bad:

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To quote Demo, "she's ignorant and it shows. That has nothing to do with her sex."

 

No, they're trying to destroy her because she's a conservative woman.
They didn't try to "destroy" Clinton. They just picked at her enough to make it harder than it was for her opponent.

 

Who is trying to destroy her?
In honor of the recently-returned Fenian, show your work.
I'll wait.

 

The media were supposed to gloss over the fact that she's unqualified in every conceivable way?

 

They were happy to gloss over it with Obama.

 

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Fox is on the right. I stipulate that. Are you really saying you can't stipulate that the media (TV, print, all of it), on the whole, leans the other way? Your own condemnation of MSNBC should be more than enough of an indictment of NBC itself to satisfy you on that network. CBS dropped 60 million into Katie Couric's lap to sit in their anchor seat (and don't tell me that was about ratings not politics, because where ethics in coverage are concerned, its motivations don't matter). I'm only scratching the surface here in hopes that you'll at least concede the basic point without a full dissertation. Oh and thanks for the fine character labeling about lesbianism, Foster, etc. -- too bad those labels don't fit me (funny how outlandish attacks that reduce intelligent political discussion into name calling always seem to come from the blue corner). If you'd like to make your display of ignorance complete, go ahead and call me a war monger and any other convenient labels you can summon while you're at it.

 

I love it when Republicans get indignant. It's cute, in a completely oblivious, hypocritical way.