Drawing a Bead on the Press

The New York Times ^ | September 7, 2008 (Print: September 8, 2008) | David Carr

[Gondring]

Before Gov. Sarah Palin came flying in from the wilds of Alaska for the Republican convention in St. Paul, there was a lot of sniggering in media rooms and satellite trucks about her beauty queen looks and rustic hobbies, and the suggestion that she was better suited to be a calendar model for a local auto body shop than a holder of the second-highest office in the land.

Ms. Palin, unwilling to be rendered as a caribou-skinning cartoon, stepped to the microphone on Wednesday and punched back.

[...]

In the press galleries at the convention, journalists wrinkled their noses in disgust when Piper, Ms. Palin’s youngest daughter, was filmed kitty-licking her baby brother’s hair into place. But to many Americans — including some I talked to in the convention hall — that looked like family church on Sunday, evidence of good breeding and sibling regard.

Even her styling for the speech spoke volumes. Avoiding the fashion traditions of both show business and politics, Ms. Palin looked great, but not glamorous — more like the put-together neighbor down the street who got gussied up for date night with her husband.

[...]Ms. O’Hara was fired up by all the sudden energy, but a bit suspicious of those who were there to cover it.

“Conservatives have a bad history with The New York Times,” she said, looking at my press ID, still smiling and still very friendly. “How can I be sure that you won’t take my words and twist them to suit some agenda that you already have?”

Her friends from Montana leaned in and enjoyed the spectacle as I stammered my way through a response. I’m working on an answer because I don’t think it is the last time that question is going to come up.

[longtermmemmory]

still uses “Ms.”

feminist insult to palin.

(RATHER than “Mrs.” or “Governor”, it is akin to Mr. Bush vs President Bush)

the NYT can never ever be trusted.