The Blog @ Spolitics

The Sexism Set-Up

After her addition to the ticket, Newsweek posted an old interview with Sarah Palin in which she was asked about the media coverage of Hillary Clinton. Here’s the exchange:

NEWSWEEK: Sarah Palin, you are a Republican and a conservative one at that. It’s unlikely that you and Hillary would agree on too many issues. But, yet, as a woman, chief executive—someone who’s been through the grinder—when you look at the coverage and you listen to the conversations, what do you see?

Sarah Palin: Fair or unfair—and I do think that it’s a more concentrated criticism that Hillary gets on so many fronts; I think that’s unfortunate. But fair or unfair, I think she does herself a disservice to even mention it, really. You have to plow through that and know what you’re getting into. I say this with all due respect to Hillary Clinton and to her experience and to her passion for changing the status quo. But when I hear a statement like that coming from a woman candidate with any kind of perceived whine about that excess criticism or a sharper microscope put on her, I think, man, that doesn’t do us any good. Women in politics, women in general wanting to progress this country, I don’t think it bodes well for her, a statement like that. Because, again, fair or not fair it is there. I think it’s reality and it’s a given, people just accept that she’s going to be under a sharper microscope. So be it. Work harder, prove to yourself to an even greater degree that you’re capable, that you’re going to be the best candidate. That’s what she wants us to believe at this point. So it bothers me a little bit to hear her bring that attention to herself on that level.

The media will ask her about the coverage she’s been receiving — and whether or not she thinks it’s been sexist — in the hopes that she’ll complain so they can throw this comment back in her face and paint her as a hypocrite. Based on what we’ve seen of Palin so far, I doubt she’ll fall for it. But she should expect it and be ready with an answer.

My suggestion, don’t even acknowledge it. Simply say: “Whether it’s there or not there, I’m not going to worry about it. I’m going to focus on making sure the American people know what John McCain and I stand for — and that’s ending the status quo in Washington.”

Then they’ll ask her what she thinks about her supporters complaining about the coverage. To this she should say, “Well, they’re free to call it as they see it and I appreciate their support. But for my part, I’m going to continue to work hard to bring our message of reform to the American people.”

They’ll also likely ask her what she thinks about the media coverage of her daughter’s pregnancy. She shouldn’t say whether or not it was right or wrong or qualify it in any way. She should simply say she wants the media to respect her daughter’s privacy.

The media’s sins have already been committed. Now they’ll try to provoke Palin into complaining about them so they can turn the tables on her. As she says above, she should just plow right through it. I have confidence she will.