Palin's Fight Against the Media

Source: D'Oro, Rachel. "Palin to media: Leave my kids alone". Deseret News. 27 September, 2009. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705279314/Palin-to-media-Leave-my-kids-alone.html?pg=2


Summary: Sarah Palin has decided to fight against the bloggers and news organizations who gossip about her children. Yet, though that may be a good motivation to argue against the news, many people are claiming that it is her way to keep her name in the spotlight. She also could be doing it to gain some supporters. Recently, Palin has been going against People's Magazine and the Associated Press that have written stories about her eldest daughter, Bristol. She argued harshly against the idea that because Bristol was pregnant, she and her fiance were high school drop outs. She also went against the rumors that her 9 month-old son, Trig, was actually conceived by Bristol in a secret and previous pregnancy. She says that she has no political intentions in fighting against the media, she just wants to protect her family. Palin said, "It's all about the family. I'm wired in a way that I can take the criticism. I can take the shots. But any mother would want to protect their children from lies and scandalous reporting" (D'Oro). When some of her comments are reported, she bickers that they are taken out of their original context and made to be a conflicting situation. Leonard Steinhorn, a professor of communications at American University in Washington, said about Palin, "I think she's exploiting and cultivating the anti-intellectual and anti-elitist side of the Republican party. She's trying to salvage her reputation, so she attacks the messenger" (D'Oro). Many others believe that she contradicts herself. Before being named as McCain's running mate, she was asked about how political figures should respond to such media. She answered that they should ignore it and not bring that kind of attention to themselves. Yet, here Palin is, doing the very thing she previously said was wrong. She insists that she isn't complaining about the treatment of the press, she merely is just protecting her children against the media who shouldn't be putting them in the spotlight. The media argues back that the children of high political figures are always in the spotlight and that they don't just attack her family. "Palin is fueling the stories she condemns by talking about them instead of ignoring them," said Janis Edwards, an associate professor of communication studies at the University of Alabama. All in all, most people aren't buying Palin's excuse of protecting her children as much as they are buying the fact that her intentions are to be and to remain in the public eye.


Response: This kind of situation has me sitting on the fence. For one, I agree with the media. They can't help to notice stories that sell and use them and they can't help it when Palin brings her family into the public view. It really is hard not to observe that Palin is using these attacks on the media to keep the attention on herself for her political career and for her hopes of running for a Presidency in 2012. But, is this the truth? Because this is what the media claims, does that mean we should also judge Palin in this way? One can fall on Sarah Palin's side and say that she is just being a protective mother. I know for one that my mother would strive hard to make sure that I was safe from gossip and rumors. But Palin's at a whole new level. This isn't just some high school kids saying whatever they want, it's in the national news, open to everyone to read, hear, and judge. She honestly could be really trying to keep that kind of embarrassment away from her children, not just herself. And who says that the media has the right to go off about such things? Having a father who works closely with political figures, I hate it when the local news writes false stories about him, claiming that he's conspiring against this or sucking up to this senator. It isn't true and only hurts our family. What I believe the media's purpose is is to be giving the public the facts about events that we can not see personally. I believe that the media crosses the line when they start to bring in negative comments and stories about certain public celebrities and their families. It refers to my previous blog that it's okay to toss in your opinion, but what the media doesn't realize is that sometimes their opinions are taken as facts. Say what you wish about Palin, but it doesn't mean that it's true, whether it sells your news or not.