First Sarah Palin, Now Michele Bachmann

NRO ^ | July 12, 2011 | David French

[ejdrapes]

First Sarah Palin, Now Michele Bachmann
July 12, 2011 12:15 P.M.
By David French

One of the most disgusting political spectacles of my lifetime has been the single-minded effort of the Left to destroy Sarah Palin. Without burdening the readers with a litany of links, we all remember the “not a real woman” comments, the stalking author/neighbor, the hacking scandal, the recent (enthusiastic) fishing expedition through thousands of e-mails, and the vile insults from academics, politicians, and celebrities alike. The goal: to banish her to the fringe of American life, to turn her into a figure of mockery and contempt.

Now, apparently, the Left has decided it’s Michele Bachmann’s turn. Already a hate figure on fringe media outlets like MSNBC, the MSM is piling on. Slate asked if she can be president and still believe in biblical gender roles, ABC News is recycling stories from The Nation about her husband’s counseling centers (where, try as they might, they cannot show a single unethical practice), The Daily Beast gave space to Michelle Goldberg to talk about Bachmann’s alleged “unrivaled extremism,” and the Washington Post’s lifestyle section dedicated several thousand words to a scornful profile of Bachmann’s husband, Marcus.

Why the hate? The secular feminist world view was built around multiple destructive cultural lies: motherhood is a barrier to self-actualization, orthodox religion traps women unhappily in the home, and the only real path to power and happiness is exploding, not upholding, traditional religious values. Yet a mother of five (with 23 foster children), happily married in a Christian family, and who proudly espouses the very traditional values most repugnant to the academic feminist Left is a leading candidate for the most powerful office in the world. She is a living refutation of their foundational beliefs, and — like Sarah Palin — she must be destroyed.

As we enter a primary season where Republican infighting threatens to reach a crescendo, I hope we can learn a lesson from Sarah Palin’s ordeal. You may or may not support Michele Bachmann for president, but we can (and should) defend her against the coming ideological onslaught, an onslaught that is aimed at her but whose real targets are the core values that govern many of our lives.

[bwc2221]

The more conservative a candidate is, the more likely the MSM will try to destroy him/her and the less likely it is that Establishment Republicans will come to their aid.

You can bet that the Democrats and their friends in the media have a thick folder on every potential 2012 Republican candidate. The one thing we know - they are out of ammo when it comes to Palin. They have tried everything for the past three years and come up empty. If they couldn't find anything in nearly 20,000 e-mails, there's nothing to find.

[bwc2221]

You are correct. Bachmann’s resume and accomplishments are very similar to candidate Obama’s prior to the 2008 election. That is a fact and just as Republicans should have used it against Zippy, Bachmann’s primary opponents will try to use it against her, which is fair.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

You say if Bachmann is being attacked that’s her problem.

It's the primaries. This is when the wheat gets separated from the chaff. The rubber hits the road. If Bachmann can't handle the attacks, then she either needs to hire bloggers who can get her message out, hire better campaign managers than that pond-scum Ed Rollins, or quit and focus on Congress as she should have been doing all along.

OK, so then does that same standard apply for Palin?

Nope, because Palin was part of a national ticket. Of course, conservatives should have been outraged and defended her. Had McCain selected Bachmann as VP, I would have defended Bachmann too.

Because she certainly had/has plenty of defenders on talk radio, blogs, Fox News etc. Are the attacks against Palin her problem too?

Not anymore. The media wasted their ammo on Palin. Any future attacks on Palin will be met with shrugs and her supporters will ignore them, leaving the media in red-faced, incoherent rage over nothing. All the more reason why Palin should be the nominee.

[JimRed]

The left fears and hates strong women, unless they are good little Marxists like Hitlery.

[ilovesarah2012]

On MSNBC they are doing a story about her husband’s clinic trying to cure homosexuals. I couldn’t listen any more. Like Michele would ever get the homosexual vote. LOL

[Friendofgeorge]

Do not recall anybody at the NRO coming to Palin`s defense.

[Friendofgeorge]

While MB is getting some arrows from the MSM, still much/most of her support is also from the MSM.

Chris Matthews,Andrea Mitchell,Every MSM/Rep est pollster etc etc

[Friendofgeorge]

EXCELLENT POST!!!!!

[Friendofgeorge]

Should MB follow RP and declare she is not running for re election to the House?

[RINOs suck]

Saying that Bachmann doesn't have executive experience or notable legislative accomplishments aren't "outrageous lies."

That isn't what you claimed. You claimed she was part of the Republican establishment. That utterly ridiculous, a lie and simply meant to smear someone that is standing firm for conservative principles.

[RINOs suck]

Good for her, she can stay in Congress then or run for Senate. She could have ran for Governor in '10. Legislators simply don't get elected to the WH by Republican voters.

Why? Because she threatens your candidate?

If you had any confidence in your own candidate, you wouldn't have be foaming at the mouth with smears against other candidates boldly carrying the conservative mantle.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

You claimed she was part of the Republican establishment.

I said she is a tool of the establishment. Learn to read - there is a difference.

Because she threatens your candidate?

She doesn't threaten Sarah directly. But she will split the conservative vote by siphoning away Christian conservatives. Although Sarah is also a devout Christian, she doesn't use it politically as Huckabee and Bachmann does. And we cannot afford to have this split again as we did in 2008.

If you had any confidence in your own candidate, you wouldn't have be foaming at the mouth with smears against other candidates boldly carrying the conservative mantle.

I have tons of confidence in Governor Palin and I am going after Bachmann because SHE STARTED IT FIRST when she hired that pond scum Ed Rollins to attack Palin even though she's not in the race yet. And the fact that she hired Ed Rollins means she is wedded to conventional beltway political strategy at a time when we need a Napoleon.

[RINOs suck]

I said she is a tool of the establishmen

Then, you're a paranoid kook.

There isn't a bigger advocate of conservatism in congress. It's sad when a 100% conservative is attacked for being something she clearly isn't.

There is no hope for conservatism when people like you viciously try to undermine politicians that are trying to do the right thing.

[Friendofgeorge]

Here you are now attacking EEE, another highly respected poster.

Fool was a poor choice of words, did not mean it literally as the Scripture you mentioned.