On a day set aside for memorializing the victims of the Tucson shooting, Palin has successfully stolen the news cycle, yet again, with more of her blithering, narcissistic idiocy.
She is so loathed by those on the left, including diarists and front-pagers on this very site, that they cannot help themselves from reacting to her every provocation. (In my defense, this Palin diary is meta.)
She is so loved by her supporters (or so feared by her fellows), that she is lauded for her bravery and willingness to speak uncomfortable truths. Yeah.
Love her or hate her, Sarah Palin has one goal: attention. She clearly relishes the role of the victim, whether it's mockery of her ignorance of the Bush Doctrine, mockery of her "all of them" response to a simple Katie Couric question, mockery of her crib notes scrawled on her hand, or any of 1000 other mock-able moments, Palin almost always wins the news cycle.
And here we go again.
In the wake of the Tucson shooting, there was, thankfully, a good deal of discussion as to whether the heated political rhetoric in this country (mainly from the right) has gone too far. Palin's "Don't Retreat, Reload" catchphrase, and crosshair target on Giffords (and others) congressional district were held up as examples, not only because they were salient examples, but because Sarah Palin sells newspapers, baby.
We began with reports from Tucson, naming and numbering the dead, updates from Giffords Doctors, profiles of heroes like Daniel Hernandez and Patricia Maisch, and also with a discussion sparked by Sheriff Clarence Dupnik as to whether the political discourse in this country has become too violent and heated.
Any fruitful or honest discussion of this worthy subject was soon left behind as conservatives disparaged the very notion as a liberal politicization of tragedy, and liberals, in-turn, enumerated the countless examples of violent rhetoric, such as "second amendment remedies" and "watering the tree of liberty"coming from the right.
Palin laid low, for the most part, while hername was dropped with increasing frequency in the "conversation." She's become a useful short-hand for the Tea Party and outrageous speech, plus she sells -- newspapers, broadcasts, websites.
Then today, on a day set aside for memorializing the victims of the Tucson shooting, Sarah Palin releases a video claiming that she is, herself, a victim. Oh, and she used the term "blood libel" in case you didn't hear.
On this site, we were treated to: "Sarah 'blood libel' Palin makes day to honor the victims all about her" by Barbara Morrill
This was followed shortly by Kos himself with Gasp! Sarah Palin used a TELEPROMPTER? (C'Mon Kos...on this day, this is a petty retort.)
Then Barbara Morrill again: Jewish groups condemn Palin's use of term 'blood libel'
Then Jed Lewison: Palin: Criticism of conservatives will result in violence
And of course the Rec List was burning up with Palin diaries.
I read all of these front page piece,and many of the diaries. I read Palin articles on other websites (all of them), and for the most part, I agreed with the criticisms leveled against her.
But as the day winds down, I realize that nearly all the oxygen in the room has been sucked up by Sarah Palin and her "poor me" "blood libel" provocation. I was sucked up in it too. But the more I saw her face, and read the criticism and support for Poor Sarah, the more sick to my stomach I got. She'd won.
It doesn't matter what blood libel means. It doesn't matter if Palin's video is lauded or condemned. For Palin, like all narcissists, it only matters that the conversation is about her.
Today was supposed to be for the victims
Christina Green, 9
Gabe Zimmerman, 30
Phyllis Schneck, 79
Dorwin Stoddard, 76
Dorothy Morris, 76
John Roll, 63
And then, of course, there's Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords herself, still in critical condition.
Sarah Palin's greatest offense today, in my opinion, is usurping this day from the victims. She didn't do it alone, though. I helped. You did too, probably.
UPDATE: No sooner did I press "Publish" than we have another front page Palin story: Palin disables comments on her video about open discourse