Political Culture: Sarah Palin? Censorship? Thanks … But No Thanks!
Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 by Jon Cummings
What a confluence of events this week! A few hours after this column posts, Sarah Palin takes the stage for what might turn out to be her one unscripted, real-time appearance before the American electorate. Tomorrow – speaking of “real time” – Bill Maher’s documentary Religulous will open in theaters to poke fun at (and to poke holes in) religious-fundamentalist worldviews like Palin’s. Also at the movies tomorrow: An American Carol, the first-ever right-wing political farce.
The first-ever fictional right-wing farce, that is.
And just in case you hadn’t noticed, Sept. 29-Oct. 4 is Banned Books Week – the week when the nation’s librarians hope you’ll give at least a moment’s thought to the continuing threat censorship poses to our free society. It is entirely fitting that Palin’s debate with Joe Biden should fall during Banned Books Week, since her resume includes a contemptible brush with book-banning during her term as Wasilla mayor in the mid-1990s.
Since Palin became John McCain’s running mate a month ago, I have been frustrated with the mainstream media’s refusal to pay much attention to her censorial tendencies. There have been a few back-of-the-section newspaper articles and brief mentions in Palin biographies, but few words of real outrage concerning an issue that directly reflects upon the Republican ticket’s attitude toward free expression. Even last weekend, when actor and Creative Coalition member Tim Daly mentioned it on Real Time, the panel failed to discuss it at length – perhaps because the subject didn’t offer fellow guest Ralph Nader yet another opportunity to rail incoherently against the major-party candidates’ “corporate masters.”
Nevertheless, Daly was on target when he identified the censorship incident as a disqualifying offense. Indeed, I consider it not only a firing offense for Palin, but for McCain as well, for tolerating (much less choosin as a running mate) someone who would so blatantly undermine the Constitution that the president swears on a Bible to uphold. (more…)





President George W. Bush recently visited Monmouth County, NJ to press the flesh for the local candidates. There were several protests to commemorate the event, but one piece of dissension that quietly slipped by was a sign lovingly placed on Laird Road, home to an extensive apple orchard owned by Laird’s Apple Jack Company. The sign read “Mister Bush, do not come here. You are the worst president in history.”
You’ve got to give McCain credit, though – he certainly knows how to make a splash. His grandiose display of “statesmanship” yesterday was a P.R. move, pure and simple, but it will probably work like a Pavlovian whistle among the small sliver of the electorate that sends poll numbers careening back and forth. What this says about those folks is another question. Why must the leadership of the free world hinge on a bunch of ninnies who are so easily distracted by shiny objects of no value (Sarah Palin) or offers of free (bi-partisan) joints from a guy who so clearly plans to get us strung out on the usual GOP heroin?


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