Minor Scandals Can Help
Lee on Sep 01 2008 at 7:57 pm | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Lee's Page
Apparently the teenage pregnancy of Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol has excited social conservatives even more about the candidate (for the when-it-counts demonstration of opposition to abortion). According to Grover Norquist, the soc-cons are “over the moon” in their support.
That’s interesting. It reminds me that historically a minor or unfair scandal that is politically survivable (as this one most certainly is), can often help a young candidate, as it compels his or her supporters to circle wagons and commit to advocacy, as well as forcing his or her opponents to commit to opposition and be proven either wrong or very petty and vindictive. It should also be said that it can have more obvious benefit in stripping the candidate of any illusions about comity in national politics.
Consider for instance how Bill Clinton masterfully used his sordid but rather minor adultery scandals (real and invented) to strengthen party support behind him. Even Nixon, undone in later years by a major scandal, was enormously strengthened by a smaller one with the Checkers event, where he was falsely accused of hiding a personal slush fund as Eisenhower’s young veep.
As for the vicious invective pouring out of left as a matter of principle in political discourse, MSNBC’s Brian Alexander says it all:
Sphere: Related ContentStop it. Unmarried 17-year-old girls get pregnant every day in this country — too many of them — and they come from strong, healthy families, and broken, dysfunctional families, and conservative families and liberal families. Bristol’s pregnancy says nothing about Sarah Palin’s suitability to be the next vice-president just as Obama’s youthful cocaine use, or his middle name, says nothing about his suitability to be the next president.
(MSNBC)
5 Responses to “Minor Scandals Can Help”
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[...] and Obama. Sisu: Strong Men, Strong Women Pro-Contraception: Sarah Palin A Secondhand Conjecture: MSNBC’s Brian Alexander says “STOP IT” on behalf of Palins. He’ll probably be out of a job, now. Bristol Pregnant; watch “tolerant” & [...]
Q. How does a Radical Pro Life woman get rid of a baby she doesn’t want?
A. She stays pregnant and then . . . . when she breaks her water . . . . she doesn’t immediately get examined by a doctor . . . she gives 30 minute political speech . . . . still doesn’t see a doctor . . . . then Ignores a Great Hospital in Texas . . . . gets on a plane for an 8 hour flight, (where No medical attention is possible) . . . lands and . . . . still doesn’t see a doctor . . . ignores a Great Hospital in a large Alaska city . . . . drives 2 hours and goes to a rural Small Hospital. The baby survived despite the deliberate neglect . . . . but NOT because the Mother cared for it, as best she could have.
So let me get this straight…
You’re “pro-choice” viewpoint is to criticize a woman for choosing how to have her 5th child delivered?
Really, that’s your line of attack?
God speed with pushing that into the mainstream media. I’m sure the millions of women in this country who’ve had children will line up right behind this line of attack.
voter521 - She was consulting her doctor the whole time. She had been through this 4 times before and probably knew her body better than you claim. Frankly I find your insinuation scurrilous and evidence of your complete lack of moral fortitude. You are what is wrong with politics in this society.
As a mother who has also given birth several times, I would NEVER put my baby at risk in the ridiculous ways that Sarah Palin did. Few Mothers would.