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News, Reviews & Commentary on Gay and Bisexual Men in Entertainment and the Media

Governor Sarah Palin tolerates us. Pardon us if we don't return the favor.

 

Watching these debates is really a masochistic exercise, especially if you're like me and find yourself hypnotized by those insipid line graphs at the bottom of the CNN screen and the speaker's voices start sounding like the adults in the Peanuts cartoons.

But watching the Vice-Presidential Debate tonight I did hear a few things. I heard Sarah Palin make a cheap personal attack at Joe Biden regarding the Iraq exit strategy. I heard her flat-out not answer several questions and try to talk her way around answering several others. I also would have pulled my hair out, had I any, whenever the Undecided Voters Gauge swept upwards when Palin turned on her folksy charm and ABSOLUTELY NOTHING OF SUBSTANCE CAME OUT OF HER MOUTH.

But that's neither here nor there. What I really have to talk about here is the fact that moderator Gwen Ifill did throw a question at the two candidates regarding same-sex benefits and gay marriage. Just listen to the difference in the language that Biden and Palin used, despite the fact that they were essentially (so claims Palin, anyway) saying the same thing.

When Joe Biden spoke about ensuring basic Constitutional rights regarding hospital visitation, property ownership, spousal insurance coverage, etc., he spoke of support, of civil rights, and of every American being guaranteed what is promised to them in the Constitution regardless of sexual preference. He said, "it's only fair".

What did Palin speak of?

"Tolerance."

Yes, the extent of her support of our basic human rights is that she is tolerant of us and "our choosing". She tolerates our existence. She tolerates our whining for the abilities to see our partners in the hospital or buy houses together. She's tolerant of our preposterous demands that our relationships be protected and our loved ones be provided for as hers are.

Governor Palin, "tolerance" just doesn't cut it, and if you expect that the LGBT people of this country are going to settle for your tolerance, you're even crazier than I thought. 

When asked about gay marriage, Biden was adamant that he and Obama support full civil unions for gay couples, but then made it clear that he does not support gay marriage, as he feels that is a definition best left up to local governance and faith communities. I disagree, but I appreciate his putting it simply and clearly and making that distinction.

When it came to Palin, she said that she does not support gay marriage. Full stop.

Aside from that, if this woman gains office I'm going to drown a kitten. She is literally transforming into Tina Fey's impression of her as the debate progresses. She winked at the camera. She said "doggone". She gave a shout-out to a class of third-graders. I'm shocked that she didn't drag that baby out again. Someone please stop the insanity.

To watch the video of the candidates discussing this topic, click through the jump. 

Ed Kennedy's picture

Her answers were like a sitcom laugh track...

I swear, she only had three answers going around in a loop - I thought the DVR was mess up when she was talking, because all I heard was "maverick" "energy" and "McCain" - there was nothing else coming out of her mouth, ust the same repating responses like a taping of an old sitcom where they bust out the same audience laughter for different jokes.  I watched on CNN to see how the little lines moved and was stunned how often they rose for her.  But I also noticed that the "women line almost never went up, and if polls are to be believed, women will make the difference in this election, so maybe there's some hope.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find a bunny to drown in case she gets in office.  Kittens just aren't cute enough to me to punish for such a crime.  Bunnies are adorable though.  So are monkeys, but I don't know where to get one. 

snowowl's picture

VEXATIONS TO BE ENDURED

Our founding fathers knew what the word tolerant meant.  Below a quote from Revolutionary Spirits by Gary Kowalski, pg. 82:

On religious freedom, George Washington said:

"To the Jewish congregation of Newport, Rhode Island, he offered assurances that the government of the United States 'gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance,' ...  Significantly, Washington added, that 'it is now no more that toleration is spoken of,' as if religious minorities were merely vexations to be endured by members of a more predominant faith...."

I'm sure there are other groups that Palin tolerates as vexations to be endured.

 She is dangerous. 

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Psionycx's picture

The Sad Truth About Palin

Is that there are a lot of people out there who like her precisely because she has no substance, just a lot of ideology.

It was the same with Bush himself.  Most of his fans praised his faith, his conviction, his stubborness.  Al Gore was just "too smart".  Middle America wanted to believe the lottery dream of winning without any qualifications.  Palin's lack of serious knowledge of issues, and focus on purly "moral" issues is a virtue in their eyes.

Sarah Palin's big selling point: she knows how to shoot and dress a moose.

This will, of course, be hugely useful in the tough times ahead, if the economy collapses any further due to Republican mismanagement the ability to live off the land may become an essential skill.  Besides, rednecks would love a redneck VP.

(Sarah Palin strides into the Oval Office wearing bloody flannel togs)

McCain:  Dammit Sarah, where the Hell have you been?  I've spent the whole morning duking it out with Treasury and the Finance sub-committee.  And we have a photo op with the president of Afghanistan later.

Palin:  Well, I managed to shoot a buck over in Arlington.  Not as big as they grow back home but it'll do.  I've got it strung up out by the Rose Garden.  Think President What's-His-Name from Afghaniland likes venison?  We could have us a cookout.

Craig Young's picture

Yes, but the pendulum has swung

I had a conservative law professor who used to say to me about politics when I argued with him in frustration about the conservative frame of the say-nothing Republicans, "Yes, Craig, but the pendulum alway swings." What he meant is that America goes through conservative periods, and liberal ones.

It is now swinging leftward. As a student of politics, I wasn't certain about this until the last 2 weeks. It's not just the economic issues. Or Iraq. It's not the cultural issues like our right to marry.

I believe this election is the 1980 election all over again. People aren't just deciding between Obama and McCain, they are deciding between which party and idealogy will dominate for the next couple of decades. Which paradigm will control debates.

This is why Palin and McCain can't gain any traction. Why the GOP is in disarray. Both the CBS and CNN flash polls count this as a Biden win despite Palin doing her best folksy impression. This is why McCain feels the need to pretend he's not a conservative. This is why Palin has to say she's okay with gays because no other answer is acceptable. The base line has shifted to us although we haven't changed much legally yet. The key word is yet. They know this.

Both Palin and McCain aren't doing anything wrong according to the GOP play book. The problem is that no one is buying that play book. They have passed jugement on it.

I am starting to lean toward this election being a blow out, and consequently, the scenario you describe not ever coming close to being anything beyond a good bit of improv.

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seanb's picture

The Pendulum

Interesting observations. That pendulum theory is one that I've often thrown out there myself, and I've been seeing signs of it coming back toward the liberal side again, as you have. However, we can easily overestimate that. Newsweek recently made the point that America is, at it's core, a center-right country. It always has been, even in the 60s (which I've studied a bit). When it swings, it swings between JFK pragmatism to Reagan conservatism to Clinton pragmatism to Bush conservatism. Newsweek cautions Democrats to remember the center-right nature of the country, or doom themselves to defeat. I'm far left of that myself, and I have great hope that the country will ultimately move in my direction, but it's not even close to that yet.
Michael Jensen's picture

She is such a liar.

She does NOT agree with Obama/Biden. State workers in Alaska get benefits in spite of, not because of her. When the Alaska Supreme Court ruled the state had to offer benefits she didn't sign legislation banning them because her own counsel told her it would be unconstitutional. So instead she helped the wingers hold special legislative sessions to craft a bill to get around the court's ruling. So now she blathers on about tolerance when she is anything but. However, it's fascinating that she feels compelled on a national stage to hide her true self.
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Joseph's picture

Hiding her true self

I think this is a very important and pivotal moment, one that is being overlooked elsewhere. It used to be that bigots could be open about their intolerance of gays, especially in politics; now, a vice-presidential nominee has to hide the fact that she's a bigot, because to be open about it would be bad press.

Of course, I don't agree with the Obama/Biden position, either--I want full equal rights that are guaranteed to me in the Constitution. But while Obama/Biden may not support gay marriage, I suspect that they won't actively oppose its development across the country, whereas McCain/Palin would. Therefore, my vote becomes one for who I think will do the most to make this country stronger again, a valued member of the world community again, and fix the destructive errors of the past 8 years, and that choice is unquestionably Obama/Biden.

Check out my blog: http://radicalsexy.blogspot.com/

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Craig Young's picture

Exactly- she feels compelled to lie

That's what I got from this too. She knows her true position is no longer acceptable as the mainstream position. This is how we win. Not just in defeating Prop 8 or supporting allies like Paterson of New York, but also implicit assumptions. Here, long term they are trending to favor us.
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20thPaul's picture

Sarah Palin

Michael Jensen, you just about summed up Sarah Palin in one paragraph!

Javi's picture

fluff

All I heard from her were answers full of fluff and direct avoidance of the actual question. Also there she goes again with the "Oh golly gee I have gay friend too...wink*"...She claims "tolerance" for gays and getting civil rights but she is lying straight through her teeth. I liked how Biden was for equal rights for every citizen regardless of sexual orientation, I didn't really hear Palin talk about our rights, just that she is ok with us "choosing"...I hope McCain and Palin do not win...if not for America...or the Gays...for the those cute puppies and bunnies who will meet a cruel fate....

Biden was great and showed much experience and knowledge about the world.

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seanb's picture

Expectations

I watched the debate with great satisfaction since I'm a strong Obama supporter, and Palin obviously was crashing and burning while Biden was very strong. Then the debate ended, and David Gregory and others went on about how well she had done, and how she may have helped the ticket. And Pat Buchanan, who, though very conservative, is definitely an independent thinker, called her "sensational", and the best of the four debaters so far. WTF?!?!?! What debate were these people watching? I'm known to be able to separate my feelings from my perceptions pretty well (Palin gave a great convention speech, for example), but she was abysmal tonight, obviously having no command of facts, not answering the questions, providing little more than rehearsed soundbites. I don't know how anyone could watch her and think she has any ability to be the president. It's got to be the expectations game. People were expecting a total meltdown, and so being able to throw out rehearsed soundbites represented success. Fortunately, the American people seem not to have fallen for it, based on the early polls. I think she was significantly worse than Dan Quayle, and HE was a laughingstock.
Brian Juergens's picture

Absolutely right

The follow-up commentary was infuriating. The argument that she "did what she needed to do" is pathetic - what, she didn't actually burst into flames or throw up on stage, so it's a win for her? Sorry, I set the bar a little higher than that for a future leader of the country. She had no facts. She had no plans. She was actually unable or unwilling to speak to a handful of points. To say that she "held her own" or "exceeded expectations" is simply evidence of how low those expectations really are, which is not a cause to celebrate.
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Lyle Masaki's picture

Punditrama

seanb wrote:
I watched the debate with great satisfaction since I'm a strong Obama supporter, and Palin obviously was crashing and burning while Biden was very strong. Then the debate ended, and David Gregory and others went on about how well she had done, and how she may have helped the ticket. And Pat Buchanan, who, though very conservative, is definitely an independent thinker, called her "sensational", and the best of the four debaters so far. WTF?!?!?! What debate were these people watching? I'm known to be able to separate my feelings from my perceptions pretty well (Palin gave a great convention speech, for example), but she was abysmal tonight, obviously having no command of facts, not answering the questions, providing little more than rehearsed soundbites.

I actually wasn't surprised by David Gregory or Buchanan's comments. While Buchanan will frequently speak independently, there are plenty of times he's repeating the talking points and overlooking reality. I often end up feeling the same way about Michelle Bernard.

I used to watch David Gregory's show for Rachel Maddow (heck, I used to watch Tucker Carlson for her) and he wiped out any respect I had for him from his days of openly scoffing at McCellan's most obvious lies. His take on McCain gaffes was usually either 'Shouldn't we talk about what he meant?' or 'When you think about it, isn't he right?' (which was his take on Graham's "mental recession" comments).

The one thing I miss about watching Race to the White House was the frequent sight of Rachel Maddow bursting into laughter when someone would say something unbelievably stupid.

dkellergrl2001's picture

Quayle/Palin comparison

Thank you for bringing up Quayle. I was still in high school during the 1988 elections and he was the laughingstock of Bush Senior's campaign, but I don't believe and/or remember any of the Republican pundits/commentators saying things like "the bar has been lowered in expectations for the VP candidate, so he can't do any worse than expected".

She wants to be treated like "any other candidate", but everyone has "low expectations" of her.  So, that makes what she does and HOW she does it, better, because the bar hasn't been raised?!

As a woman, I'm absolutely offended with those remarks towards Palin and I'm not even a supporter of that woman. It saddens me that SHE'S not more offended that these folks (including people in her own party) have such low expectations of her.

seanb wrote:
Fortunately, the American people seem not to have fallen for it, based on the early polls. I think she was significantly worse than Dan Quayle, and HE was a laughingstock.
Love me less, but love me a long time - Les Chansons D'Amour

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Dennis Ayers's picture

If I hear the word "maverick" again I'm going to scream

For the past few months, every time McCain -and more recently Palin - has been referred to or referred to themselves as a "maverick" I wanted to tear my hair out. First, it's such a tired cliche; and second, it's as if they think by saying it over and over it will mean something.

But last night I noticed that EVERY time Sarah Palin said the word "maverick" her CNN real time audience opinion polling absolutely tanked. It looks like I'm not the only one who is over it.

Now I just wish Obama would come out with an ad making fun of them for using the term.

Brian Juergens's picture

Yes!

And when Biden called her out on her use of the word I cheered.
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Lyle Masaki's picture

Wordy McWord

Lately, Palin's been using "maverick" like a crutch, as if when she's stuck on a question her answer becomes "But didn't you notice our tagline? We're mavericks, that explains it all." I really wish we could see someone would bring up that most of the maverick reputation is based on saying things that weren't actually backed up with a matching vote in the Senate.

dennis wrote:

But last night I noticed that EVERY time Sarah Palin said the word "maverick" her CNN real time audience opinion polling absolutely tanked. It looks like I'm not the only one who is over it.

I so hope that's the case, too often I end up frustratedly agreeing with cynical assessments of voters' ability to make a choice based on positions and merits as opposed to the candidate's charisma and myths about claiming to have invented the internet. It would be nice to see voters seeing it as the marketing tagline it is.

Psionycx's picture

Mavericks and Outsiders

This is no different than when Bush, the son of a man who had himself been president less than a decade earlier, who had an Ivy League education and spent decades hanging out with the Republican politcal elite managed to convince people that he was an "outsider" who wasn't a part of Washington's tangled politics.  Oh, and his running mate was a former Congressman and Secretary of Defense in the Reagan Administration.  All of this could be excused though, because he drives a pickup truck out at his recreation ranch.

Now McCain trots out the "maverick" thing.  Apparently he's a "maverick" because he's pushy and stubborn, which is also an accurate description of George W Bush.  We all saw where that one led to!

Palin, who was formerly a mayor in a remote Alaskan town of under 10,000 people and has done a brief stint as governor of a state that ranks only 47th in the U.S. in terms of population is also picking up the "maverick" thing.  How she's a "maverick" is unclear, since she hasn't had an opportunity to get engaged in national politics until now.

Hopefully though the thrill of one-word labels really is starting to wear off and people are thinking in terms of what these people really stand for, not what label they slap on themselves for branding purposes.

wagville's picture

Is that new?

Great photo, Dennis. Now THAT's the kind of maverick I could get behind.
David Ehrenstein's picture

Did anyone have "Maverick" drinking game going?

You would have been under the table before the show was over if you did.

 

As usual in professional politcis neither candidate has any interest in, or comprehension of, our issues. An Obama administration will condescendingly ignore us. A McCain administration will hunt us down and kill us.

WE are gay politcs, not them. And certainly not the Log Cabinette KAPOS.

 

And so -- ALL TOGETHER NOW!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYrsDT02OcE

dkellergrl2001's picture

Palin Bingo at my local bar

The Palin Bingo was wonderful.

http://www.palinbingo.com/

 

[/quote] Love me less, but love me a long time - Les Chansons D'Amour
David Ehrenstein's picture

That the question was asked in the first place means one thing -

Gwen wants to marry her girlfriend Condi.

Interesting to see if Obama and McCain are asked about it the next go-round, but I doubt it.

Esteban "S Dot" 's picture

This Is DEAD-ON

Wow, I just last night did a youtube video about how put-off I was at Sarah Palin's use of the word "tolerant". She didn't answer any of the questions, but instead just talked around them. This is the election of our lives and I for one am not prepared to face the consequences of a McCain/Palin win. Here's my commentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poAv-iiR98o
Mister 2's picture

mooseburger dipped in stupid and toasted at quiznos

'Tolerant" is the stuff of gritted teeth, grin and bear it, etc. The sort that doesn't want gays to "shove it in their face" while they do just that. Fine, so the family comes up after the debate. But the baby? It's not a prop. Is Sarah 'Barracuda' going to have notes for every possible crisis to look over at while talking with Putin and showing off that baby and droppin' them g's? That might charm Joe Six-Brain-Cells but Annie Oakley went to Europe as a performer- not one of the 2 leaders of the United States. How about some of that yuri fanservice giving Angie back in Germany a nice back rub?

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Liz's picture

oh man

they both annoyed me, but sarah palin was the worse...that voice. *shudders*

i watched it with my parents and my dad kept laughing. he and my mom were like "they both need to just shoot each other" because they werent getting anywhere.

all i heard from her constantly was "energy...greed on wall street...energy...wall street...energy" - - and then towards the end, when she mentioned tolerance and freedom....how i didnt throw myself out the window i don't know....

UGH

Joey's picture

Rose-colored glasses

Remember, folks, everyone sees the world through their shade of glasses.  People who support or are otherwise inclinded towards the Republicans will think that Palin did a fine job & will find substance in what she said.  It won't help that much of the public lets the mealy-mouthed pundits of the "liberal media" do the thinking for them, & those pundits aren't doing much of a job dissecting what she (or Biden) said.

 

Lyle Masaki's picture

Thankfully...

that doesn't seem to be the case so far. With the way the networks are using instant polling nowadays, it's harder for the pundit class to try to create the common wisdom if hard numbers contradict them before they get established (or so I read). Then again, that didn't stop the guy on my ABC affiliate from trying to say "She won because she was so folksy." Still, some of the reports about the instant polling suggest that the usual bag of tricks aren't working as reliably. Fingers cross that turns out to be the case.