Republicans Bash Media for Covering Palin, Who Gives Sarcastic Speech at GOP Convention

Joe Klein has an important post on his Time blog in which he details Republican attempts in the past few days to make the media back off their legitimate political coverage and vetting of Sarah Palin.

Klein concludes -

There is a tendency in the media to kick ourselves, cringe and withdraw, when we are criticized. But I hope my colleagues stand strong in this case: it is important for the public to know that Palin raised taxes as governor, supported the Bridge to Nowhere before she opposed it, pursued pork-barrel projects as mayor, tried to ban books at the local library and thinks the war in Iraq is "a task from God."

Klein has not only called attention to important truths about Palin, but about a perennial Republican technique that goes at least as far back as Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew: when things get rough, attack the media.

We heard a lot of that tonight at the Republican convention. Giuliani gave one of the most energetic speeches of his career, in which he lashed out at the "left wing" media. Does that include Fox News? (At least his speech was comprehensible, in contrast to Huckabee's.)

And Sarah Palin in effect gave two speeches tonight. One introduced her life and family - fair enough. The other offered a stream of sarcastic comments about Barack Obama, including a jab at the media: "If you're not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone."

Will people fall for this? Not likely, even though it's worked at times in the past. But there wasn't a word about foreign policy experience in Palin's speech tonight. Media criticism may get the Republican base cheering, but it's not much of a qualification for someone who would be Vice President to a 72-year President.



See also: Pat Buchanan Shows His True Colors to Chris Matthews ... A DA (Not) and a Democrat (Not) Address the Republican Convention

And Coverage of Democratic Convention:

Infinite Regress Democratic Convention Coverage from Day Four: Obama Deliver's New Kind of Speech: Calls McCain on "Temperament" ... Al Gore: The Two Lines of History Converge

Infinite Regress Democratic Convention Coverage from Day Three: America Moves Up - Obama Nominated! ... Biden Hits McCain on Everything from Afghanistan to Amtrak

Infinite Regress Democratic Convention Coverage from Day Two: Patrick Buchanan on MSNBC: Hillary Will Campaign Hard for Obama, But Won't Shed Tears If He Loses ... Hillary Speaks Powerfully at Democratic Convention, in a Scene for the Ages

Infinite Regress Democratic Convention Coverage from Day One: Olbermann to Scarborough on MSNBC: "Jesus, Joe, Get a Shovel!" ... Ted Kennedy at 2008 Democratic Convention: JFK Would Be Smiling ... Michelle Obama's Speech: Bringing Home America