More on the Press and Sarah Palin
Sure, Sarah Palin gave a great speech. But she is going to have to face the press in coming days — and it appears that they’re already pressing her on some tough questions, if Treacher is to be believed:
Palin Dodges Tough Questions About Existence of “Alaska”
By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 3, 2008; A1Media Bubble, Sept. 2 — Embattled former beauty queen Sarah Palin* continued to wilt yesterday under the pressure of fair, evenhanded media questions about the alleged state of “Alaska.” Palin has claimed to be what she calls “governor” of the legendary land mass, which was once rumored to contain “eskimos.”
One of the things they’re likely to grill her about is her invoking God in matters of war, with prayers like this:
Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.
Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
. . . .
Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
It goes on like that, ending: “With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. . . . Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen.”
Good Lord.
[Patterico handed a piece of paper.] Wait. This just in.
I’m sorry. That’s not Sarah Palin. That’s Franklin D. Roosevelt from June 6, 1944. (Thanks to jot.)
Well, even if that issue falls flat, we have the word of Unbiased Journalist Ron Fournier of the Associated Press that the scrutiny will continue:
“This nonsense,” [senior McCain adviser Steve] Schmidt said, “is over.”
Not likely.
You have Ron Fournier’s word: the nonsense will continue!
Just watch the media run with the new National Enquirer story alleging Palin had an affair, in a way they never did when the first stories about John Edwards came out in December of last year (also look for a big TV network “get” of Palin’s fired trooper/ex-brother-in-law, especially if he’s willing to dish as much dirt as possible on the family).
John (623487) — 9/3/2008 @ 11:00 pmOr maybe this:
Kevin Murphy (0b2493) — 9/3/2008 @ 11:01 pmI sure hope they get that trooper on TV. May have to sober him up first, though.
Kevin Murphy (0b2493) — 9/3/2008 @ 11:02 pmThe problem with Palin is not that she invokes God in matters of war. Every politician in America invokes God about everything, all the time, especially war.
The problem is that she stakes out her political territory as God’s territory, saying Iraq was a “task from God.” God is on my side, she’s saying. Therefore, if you are against the Iraq war, you are against God. That’s called hubris, and it’s more than a little obnoxious.
Perhaps I can illustrate with a few examples.
Prayer: “God, help our soldiers, and be with them in this time of need.”
Hubris: “4100 dead Americans prove that God thinks we should leave Iraq.”
Prayer: “God, help my poor old grandmother with cancer, ease her suffering, and if you must take her, make her passing quick and painless.”
Hubris: “God wants you to take out the trash.”
Prayer: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.”
Russell (da1856) — 9/3/2008 @ 11:06 pmHubris: “I am driven with a mission from God’. God would tell me, ‘George go and fight these terrorists in Afghanistan’. And I did. And then God would tell me ‘George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq’. And I did. And now, again, I feel God’s words coming to me, ‘Go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East’. And, by God, I’m gonna do it.”
Russell, here is some more small town hubris:
Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!
You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have
striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The
hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.
In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on
other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war
machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of
Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.
Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well
equipped and battle hardened. He will fight savagely.
But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of
1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats,
in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their
strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home
Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions
of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men.
The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to
Victory!
I have full confidence in your courage and devotion to duty and skill in
battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!
Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great
and noble undertaking.
SIGNED: Dwight D. Eisenhower
Perfect Sense (9d1b08) — 9/4/2008 @ 12:44 amKevin Murphy: I did a Google search some time in late June or early July, looking for images of “Trooper Mike Wooten,” and found several. He looked like one of the secondary characters from “Deliverance.” But I decided not to use any of them after all, and didn’t save any of them. Figured I could always get them again.
Looked again last week. They were gone.
Just sayin’.
Beldar (aec07e) — 9/4/2008 @ 12:58 am(GREAT post by the way, Patterico.)
Beldar (aec07e) — 9/4/2008 @ 12:59 amIn passing, there is a disease named “Fournier’s gangrene”. This is an infection of the skin and fatty tissues that leads to blackening and death of the affected body area, very often the genital area. Would this disease be offended to be associated with journalist Fournier?
C Durand (8116cf) — 9/4/2008 @ 5:31 amYou won’t believe this one! (actually you probably will) Roger Simon at Politico is making light of the sexist media. My blood is boiling right now. Please check it out!
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13143.html
Cory (6b4784) — 9/4/2008 @ 6:58 amIt is becoming obvious that while Russell was concentrating his academic time on his studies of chemistry to support his drug crusade, he woefully neglected his studies in History, and Comparitive Religions.
Another Drew (22a60f) — 9/4/2008 @ 7:29 amRussell’s collective knowledge of our history can be summed up by what he read on the cocktail napkins at Stucky’s during his summer vacations.
Dmac (874677) — 9/4/2008 @ 8:46 amStucky’s
What is that?
Once again, you miss the point. Eisenhower here is asking God to bless the undertaking, not saying it is a task from God.
A humble man asks for God’s help. An arrogant (or insane) man says God talks to him.
Russell (8f6651) — 9/4/2008 @ 11:12 amAnd yet Patton was one of the greatest generals the US Army has ever had…
Scott Jacobs (a1c284) — 9/4/2008 @ 11:14 amStill you refuse to addess the point: it is inappropriate for any person to claim their political territory as God’s territory. It’s the sin of pride. And do point out where Patton claimed God was talking to him.
Russell (8f6651) — 9/4/2008 @ 12:21 pm13~
And neither did Palin, asswipe.
Her prayer, along with the one the One! left at the Wailing Wall, were both prayers asking guidance.
Hers was sincere.
EW1(SG) (da07da) — 9/4/2008 @ 12:21 pmEW1 – It would be more productive to argue with a brick wall. Brick walls tend to respond to logic. And sledge hammers.
JD (75f5c3) — 9/4/2008 @ 12:24 pmI know, JD. But aside from the relentless attacks on Gov. Palin’s family, to deliberately misread someone’s PRAYER in an effort to slander (or libel, or whatever it is) them just chaps my ass.
EW1(SG) (da07da) — 9/4/2008 @ 2:07 pmThere is no god or gods. I don’t know what all this fuss is about. People should just get over it and stop giving money to the corrupt churches. They also don’t deserve a tax break either.
julie@lynxpm.com
J P (55a4ae) — 9/5/2008 @ 1:28 am877-955-7711 x 80
People should just get over it and stop telling other people, unsolicited, what to do.
Icy Truth (1d7751) — 9/5/2008 @ 1:53 am18, Atheism is a dead end. Just ask Madelyn Murray O’Hair. Oh, I forgot, she’s feeding the worms as she said she would.
PCD (5c49b0) — 9/5/2008 @ 5:08 amWhile Palin and Great American Politicians invoke God, Democrats invoke stupidity and elitism at every turn as they pray to Stalin, Lenin, and Marx.
PCD (5c49b0) — 9/5/2008 @ 5:10 amPray without ceasing. We need to get together a group of committed Christians to pray for Sarah Palin 24 hours a day. I have never seen the Evil One so viciously attack one of God’s children.
I pray that Christ will place a Guardian Angel over her, because I fear that someone will try to take her life.
She is not being attacked because she is a woman, she is being attacked because she is a Christian woman who believes that all life is sacred.
God please help us.
Robert (c9dde6) — 9/10/2008 @ 3:53 pm