Palin photo on cover of Newsweek

[PCLoadLetter]

I will preface this by saying I really, really do not intend for this to degenerate into a political pissing match. Really. Not my intention at all, and if it goes there, my apologies in advance. This strikes me as a very legitimate journalistic issue here, not a political one.

So, here's the current cover of Newsweek:

The art is from a photo session she did with Runner's World.

Now, my question: Are you ****ing kidding me?

Honestly, few people think less of Sarah Palin than I do, but this just strikes me as so demeaning and snotty. It seems hard to fathom that the editors of Newsweek thought this was a good idea, as opposed to a pissy way to give her the finger.

I know Newsweek has the rep of having a liberal slant. I read it maybe once every two or three years, so I have no opinion there.

And yes, she looks pretty darn good for a grandma.

Thoughts?

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

I will preface this by saying I really, really do not intend for this to degenerate into a political pissing match. Really. Not my intention at all, and if it goes there, my apologies in advance. This strikes me as a very legitimate journalistic issue here, not a political one.

So, here's the current cover of Newsweek:

The art is from a photo session she did with Runner's World.

Now, my question: Are you ****ing kidding me?

Honestly, few people think less of Sarah Palin than I do, but this just strikes me as so demeaning and snotty. It seems hard to fathom that the editors of Newsweek thought this was a good idea, as opposed to a pissy way to give her the finger.

I know Newsweek has the rep of having a liberal slant. I read it maybe once every two or three years, so I have no opinion there.

And yes, she looks pretty darn good for a grandma.

Thoughts?

You and I could be brothers.
WFW on this subject.

 

[Mystery Meat II]

You and I could be the same person.
WFW on this subject.

 

[GB-Hack]

I think Newsweek's editors thought this was a good idea because it would guarantee massive publicity, with their hope that would lead to big sales of this edition.

 

[Starman]

I will preface this by saying I really, really do not intend for this to degenerate into a political pissing match. Really. Not my intention at all, and if it goes there, my apologies in advance. This strikes me as a very legitimate journalistic issue here, not a political one.

There is really no way to discuss this person without that occurring, entirely by her own actions.

And that's all I have to say about that.

 

[DisembodiedOwlHead]

The counterpoint is that the photo shows the lengths Palin will go for self-promotion.

 

[spaceman]

Yes

 

[fishwrapper]

The counterpoint is that the photo shows the lengths Palin will go for self-promotion.

I will give you that. Fair enough.
But, that cover is plain disingenuous. Out of context, at best.

 

[WaylonJennings]

It's fine.

She posed for the photo.

 

[DanOregon]

It's sexist - and intentionally so. About the only hedge I'd give Newsweek is that the picture does show Palin as a mold-breaking Republican, she's young, female and different. How does she fit in the tent, or does she even want to be in the tent. Maybe she'll get her own.
Forget the photo - the coverlines seem to make the claim that someone getting the attention she is getting is bad. In politics?

 

[GB-Hack]

The counterpoint is that the photo shows the lengths Palin will go for self-promotion.

It is, but that's not the point here.

Here's my question. We've seen others of late that you would never have dreamed seeing from magazines like TIME and others 10 or even five years ago. Is this trend a sign that magazines are following cable news towards a more sensationalist future?

 

[mustangj17]

Bad form by Newsweek.

 

[Mystery Meat II]

It's fine.

She posed for the photo.

She posed for a photo for Running World. Not Newsweek. Time, place and manner. She (probably) wouldn't dress like that for a Newsweek cover shoot.

 

[zeke12]

Marion Berry probably didn't want to be on the front page smoking crack, either.

Not much of an argument.

 

[Babs]

Bad form by Newsweek.

Agree.

 

[MartinEnigmatica]

It's a really strange move, particularly considering the response from Runner's World:

On the cover of this week’s issue of Newsweek is a photo that was shot exclusively for the August 2009 issue of Runner’s World, in which Sarah Palin was featured on the monthly “I'm a Runner” back page. The photos from that shoot are still under a one-year embargo, and Runner's World did not provide Newsweek with its cover image. It was provided to Newsweek by the photographer’s stock agency, without Runner’s World’s knowledge or permission.

I also read somewhere the hed is an allusion to "Maria" from The Sound of Music, which features the phrase How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria and portrays Maria as irresponsible, frivolous, jokey, a clown, etc. I'm not sure if that's what they were going for, but the cover's pretty much a journalistic joke.

 

[amraeder]

According to the Runner's World site, the photo was used with their permission. That strikes me as as bad of form as anything in this whole ordeal. Or am I crazy?

 

[Mystery Meat II]

Marion Berry probably didn't want to be on the front page smoking crack, either.

Not much of an argument.

Marion Barry smoking crack is breaking news.

Sarah Palin in running gear is the opposite of that.

Hey, maybe they can run that one shot of Obama smoking, the one d_b had as his side sig, as their next cover! He probably didn't want that photo taken either.

 

[hondo]

I think Newsweek's editors thought this was a good idea because it would guarantee massive publicity, with their hope that would lead to big sales of this edition.

Maybe. Oprah also had her highest ratings in two years for the show with Palin on, beating the Whitney Houston show.

 

[Boom_70]

I just do not understand the obsession in general with "all things Palin"

It seems like in the past 3 days MSNBC has devoted half their programing time to analyzing every word uttered and every move that Palin has made on her book tour.

Clearly all the publicity is helping her sell books.