Palin Justifies Her Whining About the Media as Self Defense

Last updated on August 10th, 2014 at 05:13 pm

Read: Kristi Noem Is Banned From 20% of South Dakota.

In an interview with Time magazine, Sarah Palin tried to differentiate her whining about media coverage as different from what she accused Hillary Clinton of doing during the 2008 campaign. Palin said, “But freedom of speech and that invitation to constructively criticize a public servant is a lot different than the allowance to lie…” In summary, it is fine to whine as long as Palin is doing the whining.

Palin was asked if she now sympathizes with Hillary Clinton. She answered, “What I said was, it doesn’t do her or anybody else any good to whine about the criticism. And that’s why I’m trying to make it clear that the criticism, I invite that. But freedom of speech and that invitation to constructively criticize a public servant is a lot different than the allowance to lie, to continually falsely accuse a public servant when they have proven over and over again that they have not done what the accuser is saying they did. It doesn’t cost them a dime to continue to accuse. That’s a whole different situation.”

She continued, “But that’s why when I talk about the political potshots that I take or my family takes, we can handle that. I can handle that. I expect it. But there has to be opportunity provided for truth to get out there, and truth isn’t getting out there when the political game that’s being played right now is going to continue, and it is. When you realize that it doesn’t cost them a dime and it’s a fun sport for some, you know it’s going to continue. I love Alaska too much to put her through this in a lame-duck session.”

So Palin thinks that Hillary Clinton was whining when the right wing accused her of murdering Vince Foster, but it is perfectly fine for her to complain about criticism of her decision to resign as the governor of Alaska. Apparently, it isn’t whining when Palin is the one doing the complaining.

Sarah Palin does have one thing right. Whining about media coverage doesn’t help anyone. Is Palin claiming that the media is spreading lies about her family? It seems more likely that she has now woven a web of enemies in her own mind that consists of the media, bloggers, and those who filed ethics complaints against her.

I am so tired of Palin using her family as a defense for everything that comes out of her mouth. This isn’t about defending her family. It is about her inability to shut up, when criticism is leveled against her. If she thinks that things are too hot right now, she is going to crumble and wilt under the intensity of a presidential campaign. Palin isn’t the first, and definitely won’t be the last politician to be criticized, and the criticism will only grow as she attempts to move on to the national stage.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association