In Sarah Palin’s “World of Grievance” there’s nothing more harmful or pernicious than the media. Or as she put it in a groan-worthy flight of rhetorical fancy, the “lamestream” media. So, it’s no surprise that the FOX News commentator blames the press for the enormous political hole Rand Paul is thrashing in right now. Nevermind that it’s a hole the Kentucky Republican Tea Party candidate for Senate dug with his own mouth.
One thing that we can learn in this lesson, that I have learned and Rand Paul has learned now, is don’t assume that you can assume in a hypothetical discussion about constitutional impacts with a reporter or media personality who has an agenda, who may be prejudiced before they even get in the interview in regards to what your answer may be or the opportunity that they seize to getch ya. They’re looking for that ‘gotcha moment.’ That’s what it evidently appears to be what they did with Rand Paul.
I understand why Palin came to Paul’s defense. She endorsed him. But her allegiance is blind. “They” didn’t get Paul into this mess. He did. Paul was asked about the Civil Rights Act by Rachel Maddow as a follow-up to statements he made to the Louisville-Courier Journal editorial board last month. Maddow gave Paul ample opportunity to save himself from his controversial views. A political novice who strives to be ideologically pure, Paul didn’t recognize the lifeline.
Paul announced his candidacy on Maddow’s show a year ago last week. So it only made sense that he would choose to do a victory lap on her show after he secured the nomination. That he got tripped up during that interview and during an interview with George Stephanopoulos the next morning is no one’s fault but his own.
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