Palin: First Amendment Rights Threatened By Criticism

saltwn · #1 (**permalink**) 11-01-2008, 10:11 PM

Quote:

In a conservative radio interview that aired in Washington, D.C. Friday morning, Republican vice presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin said she fears her First Amendment rights may be threatened by "attacks" from reporters who suggest she is engaging in a negative campaign against Barack Obama.

Palin told WMAL-AM that her criticism of Obama's associations, like those with 1960s radical Bill Ayers and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, should not be considered negative attacks. Rather, for reporters or columnists to suggest that it is going negative may constitute an attack that threatens a candidate's free speech rights under the Constitution, Palin said.

"If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations," Palin told host Chris Plante, "then I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media."

Salon's Glenn Greenwald explains why this argument is frighteningly wrong:

If anything, Palin has this exactly backwards, since one thing that the First Amendment does actually guarantee is a free press. Thus, when the press criticizes a political candidate and a Governor such as Palin, that is a classic example of First Amendment rights being exercised, not abridged.

This isn't only about profound ignorance regarding our basic liberties, though it is obviously that. Palin here is also giving voice here to the standard right-wing grievance instinct: that it's inherently unfair when they're criticized. And now, apparently, it's even unconstitutional.

According to Palin, what the Founders intended with the First Amendment was that political candidates for the most powerful offices in the country and Governors of states would be free to say whatever they want without being criticized in the newspapers. The First Amendment was meant to ensure that powerful political officials would not be "attacked" in the papers. It is even possible to imagine more breathaking ignorance from someone holding high office and running for even higher office?

Palin: First Amendment Rights Threatened By Criticism

What a totalitarian mouthpiece this woman is. Gosh, I hope McCain loses.

foundit66 · #2 (**permalink**) 11-02-2008, 12:18 AM

Sadly, it's not the first time I've heard this garbage.

Is it just me, or are some (admittedly, a minority segment) of the McCain supporters sounding nuttier and nuttier as we get closer to the election?
Joe the Plumber is saying that Obama would bring about the destruction of Israel.
The Obama supporter crowd has vocal people who are "afraid" of what will happen if Obama gets elected. (And it boggles my mind to wonder how many of "that" crowd has absolutely no problem with what Bush has done over the last 8 years...)
And Sarah Palin...
Well I guess she has just sounded ridiculous as long as she has had a microphone in front of her and people were paying attention. No wonder the McCain camp kept trying to hide her for so long.
Good pick McCain!

Spencer Collins · #3 (**permalink**) 11-02-2008, 12:49 AM

Just more acts of desperation,it's almost too sad to witness...almost...

Mikeyy · #4 (**permalink**) 11-02-2008, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spencer Collins

Just more acts of desperation,it's almost too sad to witness...almost...

You know how the right made an art out of hating Clinton? Well, Obama will get the same treatment. That is sad.

foundit66 · #5 (**permalink**) 11-02-2008, 12:54 AM

The MCCAIN supporter crowd has vocal people who are "afraid" of what will happen if Obama gets elected.

Good grief.
I meant "McCain" in the above sentence, and not the original "Obama" mistype...

Adept1 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-02-2008, 01:05 AM

""""Thus, when the press criticizes a political candidate and a Governor such as Palin, that is a classic example of First Amendment rights being exercised, not abridged.""""

AND WHEN THE FREE PRESS COVERS UP AND REFUSES TO CRITICIZE I would like to tell you that you might as well live under a DICTATOR or COMMUNIST REGIME.

WHEN the "free PRESS" does NOT do it's job and DOES so totally treat an election so unfairly you DO need to begin to worry.
Ever hear of the "fairness doctrine" that is trying to be reinstated by the democrats.....ask yourself WHY such a thing would ONLY be applied to radio and not ALL of media....I mean really just think a little deeper about the first amendment and what it means......while your at it think about how the first amendment actually gives SPECIAL rights to the media and ask yourself what happens when the media ABUSES those SPECIAL RIGHTS and how it is just SO WRONG as to have possibly horrifying consequences.

Mikeyy · #7 (**permalink**) 11-02-2008, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adept1

WHEN the "free PRESS" does NOT do it's job and DOES so totally treat an election so unfairly you DO need to begin to worry.
Ever hear of the "fairness doctrine" that is trying to be reinstated by the democrats.....ask yourself WHY such a thing would ONLY be applied to radio and not ALL of media....I mean really just think a little deeper about the first amendment and what it means......while your at it think about how the first amendment actually gives SPECIAL rights to the media and ask yourself what happens when the media ABUSES those SPECIAL RIGHTS and how it is just SO WRONG as to have possibly horrifying consequences.

What hasn't been reported? Or are you just mad because the stories against Barack haven't stuck?

foundit66 · #8 (**permalink**) 11-02-2008, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adept1

""""Thus, when the press criticizes a political candidate and a Governor such as Palin, that is a classic example of First Amendment rights being exercised, not abridged.""""

AND WHEN THE FREE PRESS COVERS UP AND REFUSES TO CRITICIZE I would like to tell you that you might as well live under a DICTATOR or COMMUNIST REGIME.

You know, I look at this and my first thought is to question why the press NEVER QUESTIONED BUSH on why he said "We don't torture" only to later find out that it was an EXPLICIT DECISION by the Bush administration to COMMIT acts of torture.

The press never asked why Bush lied...

saltwn · #9 (**permalink**) 11-02-2008, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adept1

""""Thus, when the press criticizes a political candidate and a Governor such as Palin, that is a classic example of First Amendment rights being exercised, not abridged.""""

AND WHEN THE FREE PRESS COVERS UP AND REFUSES TO CRITICIZE I would like to tell you that you might as well live under a DICTATOR or COMMUNIST REGIME.

WHEN the "free PRESS" does NOT do it's job and DOES so totally treat an election so unfairly you DO need to begin to worry.
Ever hear of the "fairness doctrine" that is trying to be reinstated by the democrats.....ask yourself WHY such a thing would ONLY be applied to radio and not ALL of media....I mean really just think a little deeper about the first amendment and what it means......while your at it think about how the first amendment actually gives SPECIAL rights to the media and ask yourself what happens when the media ABUSES those SPECIAL RIGHTS and how it is just SO WRONG as to have possibly horrifying consequences.

You can always hope that the press will come back around to helping the nationalistic agenda like W. R. Hearst who's creative reporting resulted in Japanese interment camps.

Adept1 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-02-2008, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foundit66

You know, I look at this and my first thought is to question why the press NEVER QUESTIONED BUSH on why he said "We don't torture" only to later find out that it was an EXPLICIT DECISION by the Bush administration to COMMIT acts of torture.

The press never asked why Bush lied...

OOOOOOH...they sprinkled water on them.

ASK MCCAIN about TORTURE

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to saltwn For This Useful Post:
crazyflamingos, dabateman, DownSouth, foundit66, Mikeyy, Spencer Collins, tristanrobin

The Following User Says Thank You to foundit66 For This Useful Post:
DownSouth

The Following User Says Thank You to Spencer Collins For This Useful Post:
Mikeyy

The Following User Says Thank You to Mikeyy For This Useful Post:
Spencer Collins

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to foundit66 For This Useful Post:
saltwn, Spencer Collins

The Following User Says Thank You to Mikeyy For This Useful Post:
foundit66

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to foundit66 For This Useful Post:
DownSouth, saltwn