"McCain and Palin are currently close in the polls, but they face an even tougher job of selling this combination than does the history-shattering ticket of Obama-Biden."
--John Mashek, US News & World Report
USN&WR's John Mashek is a MSM Meme Poster Child
What time is it again?
It's Beat-on-the-Girl Time!--at least in the Mainstream Media.
The MSM spent much of the Democrat primary season shilling for Barack Obama, their 'Chosen One' candidate. In the process, the MSM, in an about-face from their 1990s' coverage, published a stream of unflattering attacks on the Clintons in general, and Hillary Clinton, in particular.
The MSM "coverage" of the Democrat primary tussle at times resembled a journalistic "Whack-a-Mole" game--with Hillary the target of hundreds of MSM mallets. Big Media is substituting Palin for Clinton and the beat goes on.
NOW, the MSM thinks that Hillary Clinton supporters won't notice they're using much the same tactics against Sarah Palin, John McCain's VP pick. Either that, or Big Media figures that Hillary supporters will get in line and shut up, since Palin carries the "Scarlet 'R'" behind her name.
US News & World Report's John Mashek, [Sarah Palin and John McCain's Cynical Game] sums up much of the MSM's loathing/fear of Sarah Palin by stating, "It's a cheap political ploy—and any voters who fall for it deserve what they get."
As a bonus, Mashek gets in a dig at the intelligence of women who supported Hillary Clinton ("If Democratic women upset about Clinton's absence from the ticket fall for this transparent appeal to their angry instincts, McCain is entitled to them.")
Taking this another step, Palin is certainly an attractive maverick who has fought scandal—Republican scandal, by the way—from the statehouse in Juneau. But is she prepared to step in and lead the country in case the 72-year-old McCain is stricken? Her record as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska (population of under 7,000), and her two years as governor stand as a stark contrast with Sen. Joe Biden's six terms in the U.S. Senate, much of that time focusing on foreign policy.
Note to Mashek: Americans might put considerably less emphasis on Joe Biden's Senate experience than you and the rest of the MSM do; it's been 48 years since Americans considered Senate experience a plus in a presidential race. John F. Kennedy's 1960 election being the last time Americans voted an inclumbent senator in the White House. Warren G. Harding, in 1920, was the only other incumbent senator elected president in the last 100 years.
While Obama (less than 4 years in the Senate) represents "Change!", Palin (less than 2 years as Governor) does not.
While MSM's meme has been that McCain's selection of Palin somehow undermines his "experience" advantage over Obama--which the MSM considers a non-argument, anyway--Obama's selection of Joe Biden doesn't undermine his "Change" theme.
Now, a MSM who relentlessly attacked Hillary Clinton in the primaries is urging her supporters to "get into line, shut up and support who we tell you".
Our opinion: Politics do indeed make strange bedfellows. Hillary supporters may disagree with Palin on the issues, but they will recognize the MSM attacks on her for what they are: thinly-disguised Obama cheerleading masquerading as probing analysis and "concern".
We think, if comments and emails are any indication, that at least some Hillary supporters see the similarity in the two MSM attack campaigns.
Once again, it's Open Season in the Mainstream Media.
Once again, it's Beat-on-the-Girl Time.
by Mondoreb
image: Heidi from Pittsburgh for DBKP