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Sarah Palin Claims Babygate is a Media Conspiracy Against Her
Never one to let an opportunity to play the victim pass her by, Sarah Palin took to her Facebook page to blast the media for what she called, “A dark and demented conspiracy regarding my son, Trig.” According to Palin, this is why she doesn’t talk to anyone but the friendliest right wing media, and she refuses to do serious interviews because the media is out to get her.
The Daily Caller, who Palin just happened to give a friendly interview to last week, has been selectively releasing, a.k.a. Breitbarting parts of the Journolist email exchange. Here is part of what was released about Baby Gate from August 2008:
Dylan Matthews
Aug 30, 2008, 12:21am
“Obama absolutely cannot touch this. Even if it’s true. I think the press would justify covering it on the issue of trust, but for me it’s offensive that she would refuse to allow her daughter the choice. She has no business deciding what to make of that pregnancy. If her daughter wanted an abortion, it speaks very ill of Palin’s character to deny her the option.”
Sara Mead
Aug 30, 2008, 12:24am
“A note to journolisters who may not be aware of this: “Downs child” is NOT an appropriate or sensitive way to refer to Palin’s son, who has Down Syndrome. Please use “people-first” language here. I’m not at all a fan of Palin, either, but as liberals and decent human beings, we should be respectful in how we refer to people with disabilities.”
Palin took to Facebook full of exploitation and victimization, “How ironic that on a day when we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, The Daily Caller released 15 pages of JournoListers’ email exchanges about a dark and demented conspiracy regarding my son, Trig.”
She claimed that these media is part of the conspiracy, “It’s tough to fittingly describe these numerous members of the mainstream media who actively engaged in the debate about this conspiracy back when I was first introduced as John McCain’s running mate, and it’s impossible to legitimize any “prominent” media publication that continues to traffic in this bizarre narrative today. It wasn’t just a few fringe characters in that JournoList discussion. It included writers for major newspapers, magazines, and online news publications. Those participating in this immature exchange in attempts to plant seeds of doubt and falsely accuse even included a famous historian.”
She used this an excuse to defend her refusal to give a legitimate interview, “This JournoList exchange exposes the warped nature of today’s media, thus explaining why many of us are forced, in fairness to the public, to utilize other mediums to communicate until the mainstream media wakes up and begins respecting the public’s intelligence and desire for truth in reporting. There is a sickness and darkness in today’s liberal media. With revelations like the JournoList exchanges, may the light keep shining to expose the problem.”
What Palin leaves out is that the Journolist discussion concluded that there was not enough evidence to investigate the story. The people on the email exchanged dismissed Babygate as a rumor. Instead of pushing a conspiracy in the media, as Palin suggests, here is what the journalists really said:
Harold Pollack
Aug 30, 2008 12:44am
“Yuck on several fronts. We don’t have any evidence she did anything wrong here. If the baby was her daughter’s, what’s the problem here? Unless she actively prevented her daughter from having an abortion, we should leave this alone.”
Adam Serwer
Aug 30, 2008, 1:28am
“I also think that from that newsweek article it’s pretty clear nothing happened and that local reporter was an asshole.”
Kathleen Geier
Aug 30, 2008, 9:13am
“Now, that said, this does sound like a pretty wacky conspiracy theory. If there’s no evidence to it other than the fact that Palin allegedly did not look pregnant, and her daughter was allegedly absent from school, that’s an extremely slim reed to hang a story on.
However, if a reporter investigated this story and came up with compelling evidence that it’s true — such as documents or eyewitness testimony from medical professionals and the like — the media should have no compunctions about running with it. But it’s such a wild story I seriously doubt there’s much to it. On the other hand, I thought the idea that John Edwards would risk having an affair and a love child in the midst of a campaign for president was preposterous as well. So you never know . . .”
Oh my gosh, look at the evil liberal media refusing to report on a conspiracy theory that they don’t have evidence. Look at them being fair, and actually practicing journalism. (Note to Breitbart, Fox News, and Palin: This is what journalism looks like). If you only read Sarah’s opportunistic, movie of the week, victimization take on it, you could think that the media is out to get her, but the reality is that the reporters were debating whether or not this was a story, and they decided that it was a rumor.
Once again Sarah Palin’s paranoia knows no limits. If she is really that outraged about the Trig rumors, then why does she keep talking about it? The answer is because this the way that she garners sympathy and support from her followers. She drummed up the media’s role in the whole thing in order justify her cowardly avoidance of the media. Palin not only managed to use her disabled son, but also the Americans With Disabilities Act as tools for political exploitation. Palin is a con artist whose need for victimhood has no floor. The woman will say anything for sympathy and attention.
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AFM
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 7:15 pm
All you have to do is go to Palingate.com and you will see lots of pictures of her right before she was having a baby. Palin I feel isn’t telling the truth. The wild ride couldn’t of happened. Anyone who has had a baby knows the pain is terrible especially when the water breaks. Get on a plane travels 18 hours to get back to Wallisa hospital knowing they are not equiped to handle a special needs child. Palin is pulling the wool over peoples eye. But everyone woman needs to sit down and really look at it. I don’t care if your a republican or a democrat just look at the situation. No even her family knew she was having a baby, really who doesn’t know when mom is going to have a baby?
lilly lily
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 7:19 pm
Yup. A conspiracy of silence about Babygate.
An empty uterus arrived at Mat Su.
When you spend more than half a day flying, by passing big hospitals to rush to Mat Su on a snowy road when there is a well equipped hospital in Anchorage where you would be treated like royalty . One can go at your liesure with an empty uterus, when a little bundle of joy is waiting for you at Mat Su courtesy of ?
Only a theory of course. But notice she doesn’t say he is her biological son.
Palin is becoming a bit more careful how she refers to Tri-g.
Jason Easley
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
Yes, but were all of those pics up at Palingates in August 2008 when these journalists were discussing whether or not to investigate it? The problem is that pictures alone are not enough evidence, unless it is a picture of Bristol giving birth to Trig. The pictures are interesting but what is really needed are documents, and/or testimony of witnesses who saw Bristol have the baby, or Bristol pregnant.
Jason Easley
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
It is stupid for Palin to bring this up herself, but since when has Sarah ever done anything but look for the next way to gin up either anger at others or sympathy for her?
Phil Perspective
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 7:29 pm
The only person remotely considered TradMed who has gone anywhere near this story publicly is Andrew Sullivan? Is he really that powerful?
LXO3
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
Like the media conspiracy of questioning Obamas’ citizenship? You mean like that? Like the media conspiracy that you really didn’t quit when YOU QUIT because of the media? You mean like that? Like the media conspiracy that Obama pals around with terrorists that your lie started? You mean like that? Or did you mean the media conspiracy that again, you started, about Obama’s death camps? Like that? Or did you mean the way Sarah conspires to lie thru her teeth and expect everyone to believe her idiotic different lies day after day? You mean like that? Looks like you don’t have a case sarah since its pretty clear you are the one doing the MAJOR CONSPIRING! You mean like that?
LXO3
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 7:33 pm
She wants to rewrite the past of 18 months..as if we won’t remember what she actually said and did the last 18 months. The woman’s lies change daily. She needs her own newspaper so she can keep up with her own lies. She’d love it! All about Sarah! :)
Cronopio
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 7:35 pm
If she really finds these rumors so pesky, all she needs to do is release the birth certificate and medical records. Presto! Rumors gone! Two years of rumors, wiped right out!
She won’t, because she can’t. Why do you think the pertinent sources that are posting the pictures and other evidence have never once been threatened with legal action regarding Babygate? Because truth is an absolute defense to libel, and Sarah knows better than to bring this up in court.
EnglishSaddle
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
She has the nerve to complain about her treatment by the media. These emails prove they left her alone even though they suspected there was a story there. They left her alone because they didn’t have evidence and because they had 6 weeks to vet her before a national election and had to chose what was more important — her record, her ethics violations, or her wild ride story.
In my opinion, they failed to vet her properly based on her ethics violations– forget the rest of it. She should be baking them cookies and thanking them, not whining.
EnglishSaddle
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
Oh, and one more thing: Is anyone in the media going to call her out on naming one thing she has done for special needs children or people with disabilities, besides trying to get their benefits reduced? How DARE she use that issue as a way to feel sorry for herself. She makes me sick.
Sarah Jones
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 8:12 pm
Cue the Right Wing Whine, but in reality, we KNOW for a fact that they not only orchestrate their talking points to benefit a party and candidate, but deliberately try to destroy free speech for anyone who disagrees with them.
It’s unbelievable listening to their poutrage over this. The only thing worth debating here is whether or not this story should have been pursued. These journalists obviously thought the evidence wasn’t there (contrary to Canadian TV, I might add); however the truth is that they would have reported on the controversy alone if they weren’t so AFRAID of the Right Wing Outrage, which has dictated media decisions ever since the Right found “moral high ground” over a certain blue dress — hypocrisies revealed thereafter notwithstanding.
The squeaky wheel and all of that.
C.L.
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Absolutely correct in your assessment of Palin’s response to these emails. Since the journalists actually gave her the benefit of the doubt, her accusations of conspiracy are obviously calculated to buttress her personal narrative that the “lame stream media” only wants to victimize her. This ploy works to her advantage since she’s using it to justify not sitting for general media interviews.
It could well backfire on her, though. Even her fans are starting to question why she doesn’t just put these speculations to rest by offering some basic proof. Many are agitatedly saying that she looks like she’s trying to hide something.
The idea that birth certificates are sacrosanct documents is hogwash. I’ve had to give copies of my own kid’s BCs many times for school, soccer league proof of age, and as ID for my minor kids on plane flights and extended class trips. Mrs. Palin has NEVER given any shred of independent documentation that she’s the mother of her fifth child.
kilob
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
It is rather odd that the State of Alaska was actively scrubbing photos of Sarah Palin just after her being chosen by McCain. The McCain Rupublican apparatus moved in and got rid of the evidence.
Ryan Donmoyer
Aug 30, 2008, 3:58pm
2) The state of Alaska yesterday removed official photographs of her the months that coincide with her third trimester.
crystalwolf aka caligrl
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
Jason, Patrick at Palingates.blogspot.com has said Sarah did not Birth TriG, and it is not a rumor but a FACT!
Please go there and check out. The MSM won’t touch this and it is tragic considering they KNEW and all the damage this evil dangerous woman has already done to this country and all the disrespect from GOP Senate/Rep/lawmakers to POTUS b/c of this horrid hateful shrew! I say citizen bloggers have done enough, Step up and Do your JOB and REPORT the fraud that is SARAH PALIN! She has done enough damage to our country!
Anne
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 9:05 pm
It’ s absolutely sickening the way this woman whines and tries to drum up sympathy when she alone puts herself out there. I’ve never commented on the issue of Trig’s birth before, but I will say this. If she is telling the truth about having been on a plane when her water broke, she behaved stupidly and irresponsibly. Any doctor would tell a woman to get herself to the hospital A.S.A.P. due to the possibility of danger to herself or the fetus. In addition, a DS baby is quite fragile, so she comes across as being criminally negligent as well. This is just one more way for her to play victim and to complain about how the big, bad media persecutes poor little Sarah. It’s a neurotic bid for attention, and her rabid followers naturally fall for it. Palin is the silliest, most immature 46-year-old woman I know of.
Jason Easley
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 9:18 pm
I prefer to see some legal documents or witness testimony, of which Patrick has neither of. I am simply posting about Palin and the journalists. Babygate is fun to speculate about, but let’s see some real evidence. I am more cautious than most. It might be true but it might not. I don’t write to spread rumors. Otherwise we are no better than Obama birthers.
AKRNC
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
So these are the “let’s get $arah Palin” emails we’ve heard so much about?!? There is nothing sinister in these, in fact, they are mostly in favor of ignoring the story because they didn’t have any proof. However, that is their job, find the proof and it’s time someone did it. If Palin, with all her fake outrage, was so upset by the continuous media coverage, questioning her son’s parentage, she would have put it to rest long ago. In releasing her medical records, she could have included a few things from her prenatal care that would prove Trig was her natural born son. However, she loves the spotlight and being able to whine incessantly about how she and her family are treated. If this woman had not made her son a major prop in her campaign, lifting him up as proof of her right wing credentials for the Christian fundies and their pro-life hysteria, if she had done what a caring, loving Mother would do, introduce him along with her family at the convention, then leave him out of the spotlight to be cared for by family members while she campaigned, things would have been far different. Instead, she used Trig for her pro-life credentials and used Bristol to boost the credibility of the story that she gave birth to Trig, claiming she was five months pregnant so she couldn’t be Trig’s birth mother. Throwing her 17 year old pregnant daughter under the bus and into the media spotlight rather than quietly releasing proof to her own campaign that she gave birth to Trig are certainly questionable motives for any decent Mother. Palin, selfish bitch that she is, alleged mother of a four month old special needs child, mother of a 17 year old unwed pregnant daughter who had begged her not to run for V.P., put her own ambition ahead of her family. While we are always hearing women can have it all and do it all in this era, there is also the idea of common sense, obviously lacking in Palin, that indicates there are times when for the sake of our family, mothers and fathers have to step back and do what is right for their loved ones, not their career. Palin was also such a coward that she didn’t even tell her children herself that she was running for V.P., she had the campaign staff tell them–what a horrible excuse for parenting!
Palin used her children, individually and collectively, in a way that has never been seen in politics before. Piper was a shield so the crowd wouldn’t boo her at the Flyers’ game, she was warned but used her anyway, Bristol was her “symbol for teaching abstinence” along with a convenient diagnostic excuse as to why she was allegedly Trig’s Mom, Track was her war her serving his country in Iraq, making her a blue star Mom, a symbol she would move from one area to another to appear in all photos taken in her office or home and Willow is conveniently forgotten by $arah. Maybe that’s why she felt the need to help destroy a home that belonged to friends of the family, doing tens of thousands of dollars in damage and having the charges dropped due to Mommy’s political maneuvering. What does Palin do after sharing all of this info? She complains that the media will not leave her family alone at the same time she is pushing them in front of the camera. Palin’s hypocrisy is unmatched when it comes to her incessant publicity seeking for her family.
Sarah Jones
Jul. 26th, 2010 at 10:20 pm
Speaking of victims, Ms Palin, how about your children? Why for the love of god, would you NOT give the ADN the birth certificate when they asked for it? Then your poor children would not be at the mercy of the press like this. None of them. Not your daughter or son. Instead, you CHOSE to make this an issue, right down to your refusal to submit your medical records as all candidates are supposed to do.
Who would have cared if you adopted your daughter’s child? NO ONE. It would have been your business and good for you! But NO, you had to make a huge drama out of it and spin your tales of narcissism wherein you are the FrontierGal giving birth on an airplane and you wonder why they don’t buy it? You call yourself a Mama Grizzly, but in reality, you are a COWARD, using and abusing your children – just like a certain judge ordered you to cease and desist doing to your sister’s kids. GROW UP.
From one feminist to another woman, this is NOT how a strong woman rolls. You do not hide behind your children and claim victimization from the press when you have been given a pass at every task thrown your way, including your decision to quit as governor on your state when the going got tough.
As for the debate raging above, the press can not report this as fact until they have the proof. As of yet, no one is willing to come forward — least of all, the doctor herself. That doesn’t mean questions can’t be asked or shouldn’t be asked.
But even if they are asked and answered and Palin is exposed again, don’t expect this to diminish her in the eyes of the truly brainwashed. Her followers, after all, quote from her book as if it is the Bible. She can spin this as she has spun other hideous things that would have brought any other “politician” down. Why?
Because she is a cult leader posing as a politician.
As disturbed as I am by the press’ failure to inquire (please note that the Canadian press did not show such deference to Palin), I also understand the notion that this is a conservative trap in which all of Palin’s true crimes could be white-washed. That is an old Rovian tactic and is what the journalists were considering. For the impatient, please consider if someone reported this and it turned out to be something Palin could spin. All of her real crimes (abuse of power, etc) would be forever lost. That is the way of the media and the American attention span. This is country where even Tonya Harding gets work now a days.
I’m not saying it’s the ideal, but it is reality. Also, the press were operating under tremendous pressure to vet this person under limited time. Did they fail us? You betcha. But let’s not forget who failed us first and foremost: John McCain and the Republican Party. I’d suggest Palin be responsible for this mess, but since she takes responsibility for nothing, I’ve given up on accountability from her. After all, this is a person who doesn’t even think she needs to understand government in order to run it, let alone read a book. Ever. And a person who throws her own children under the bus over and over and over again.
Rvrctyrdnck
Jul. 27th, 2010 at 12:06 am
I’m waiting for the secretary of State for Alaska to say he has seen the birth certificate and certify that SP’s child is really hers. I wish an investigative reporter would collect some DNA and put the issue to bed once and for all.
Memo to Princess Sarah: If you think the kitchen got hot when you were VP, just try and run for the top spot and see what happens.
TimeOut
Jul. 27th, 2010 at 1:26 am
If Sarah did give birth to Trig as she says, then my next questions would be: after your water broke, why did you by-pass good hospitals in Dallas? Take two flights amounting several hours in the air as well as a lay-over of a couple of hours in Seattle, arrive in Anchorage but then by-pass a hospital with a NICU to drive one hour to Wasilla to reach a hospital with no NICU? When the baby is 5 or so weeks premature? Already diagnosed as a high-risk DS baby? Then drag that baby to her office when he was 3 days old? Who would do that? The best that I can say is that she showed horrible judgment if she did in fact give birth to Trig.
I can see where her fan base would immortalize her for “saving” Bristol from the shame of being an unwed teenage mother. I can’t see a woman who has had 4 live births and 2 miscarriages, choosing to take those risks to the baby. Or to herself especially at the age of 44. (I don’t think the JournoList showed any discussion of the 2 miscarriages so that may not have been known until Sarah mentioned it in Going Rogue).
The JournoList participants did her a major favor by passing on working on the story. She should be thanking them.
crystalwolf aka caligrl
Jul. 27th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Except the Gutsy photo, that got to stay….
crystalwolf aka caligrl
Jul. 27th, 2010 at 2:25 pm
Jason its not true that there were no witnesses….
Patrick has talked with 2 high ranking Repubs in AK who say she was not preg.
And I believe it was mentioned that is was a open secret Bristol was.
Maybe if the MSM has the guts to pursue this…they will get to speak with these people.
They are not doing their job and this woman wants to run for President!
JulieJ
Aug. 4th, 2010 at 2:07 am
Ms Palin would simply show proof to stop all of this speculation if she was interested in helping our country. I do not believe that this is the case, however. Sarah loves attention.
Raleigh Wedding Photographer
Aug. 5th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
that was a ridiculous photo for a post like this one. yet a very interesting discussion around here, I may not have any authority in giving my unsolicited opinion here but it is quite amusing to here you guys around. Sarah Palin need some changes for good.
Plain disgusts me
Feb. 11th, 2011 at 12:29 pm
No matter who was pregnant when or who Trigg’s birth mother is, Sarah Palin is unfit to hold ANY sort of public office. Her ignorance of basic knowledge SHOULD be an embarrassment to herself and her family as well as to anyone who would even consider voting for her even for local dog catcher. Just take ONE comment she made: when asked about Russia and she gushed that it could be seen from her house . Gimme a break. A five year old should be embarrassed at this woman’s ignorance. So why even bother with the genealogy of Trigg — the woman is unfit to hold office in a local ladies club let alone have been Governor of Alaska. The fact that she was then chosen by McCain just tells you how poorly she was vetted and how low the Rep party sunk to try and get votes. It can only be assumed that they chose someone they thought was attractive or sexy in order to get male votes and a woman to get the female vote. Palin and all those who put her in public life are the cause of her being the biggest embarrassment this country has ever suffered and the reason we became the laughing stock of the world!!