Tipster Who Leaked Palin’s Comments About Africa Doesn’t Exist

          Like I said in my last post, I always had a hard time believing that Palin didn’t know that Africa was a continent. As it turns out, the entire story was merely a viral ad for some new TV show, and the mainstream media has once again been duped. Apparently Fox News didn’t do a background check on the man who first broke the Africa rumor, Martin Eisenstadt; if they had, they would have found out that he doesn’t exist. Several other news organizations, including MSNBC, then decided to run with the story before realizing their mistake. It does seem strange that Fox News would be so quick to attack one of their own, though it’s most likely just another example of shoddy journalism. Either way, I would have thought that the Killian documents might cause news organizations to actually start checking their sources, but I guess the hit piece was just too juicy to resist. It is sweeps, after all.

          It’s likely that this will also cast doubt on other accusations made against the former Vice Presidential candidate, such as that she refused to prepare for interviews and threw temper tantrums while reading news articles about herself. She has, after all, denied the allegations, and this latest revelation lends her some credence. Hopefully more tipsters will make themselves known so that their stories can be checked out. Either way, a 2012 run for the Presidency now seems more likely then ever.

Infighting in the GOP

          Now that the election is over, the leaks from Republican insiders about Sarah Palin’s behavior have turned into a full-blown flood. It’s gotten so bad that even Fox News is reporting disparaging stories about the former Vice Presidential candidate.

          It seems that Republicans have divided themselves into two groups after losing to Obama, those that support McCain and those that support Palin. The intellectuals of the party are attacking Palin for her lack of experience and knowledge, while the more blue-collar members cling to her telegenic personality and proclaim her the second coming of Regan. I have to admit, not even I believe some of the more questionable accusations against Palin, such as that she didn’t know that Africa was a continent. It just goes to show that Republicans can be as cruel to members of their own party as they are to the Democrats.

          The infighting probably won’t cause a split in the Republican party, but it will affect their overall mentality for next several years. Losing both Congress and the Presidency was a humiliating experience, and it’s not surprising that they’re looking for someone to take the blame. Most Republicans agree that at least one of the scapegoats should be Bush, but the question remains as to whether Palin will be resigned to the same fate.

Proposition 8 Passes

          Despite this being a strong week for the Democrats, I am saddened to say that Proposition 8 passed in California, once again outlawing gay marriage. It’s hard for me to express how deeply disappointed I am in the state that I once considered to be a bastion of civil liberties. The simple fact is, banning homosexuals from an institution as important as marriage denies them hundreds of rights that most people take for granted, making them second-class citizens. The only good news to come out of this is that it passed by a lower margin than the last measure from 2000. I can only hope that one day we will look back on this sorry chapter of our nation’s history with the same contempt we currently have for anti-miscegenation laws.

          The real surprise here is that blacks actually voted overwhelmingly for the proposition, according to exit polls. That a group who had their own civil liberties violated for so long would now continue to do the same is, to me, the very essence of irony.

Congratulations, President Obama

          No real point to this post, I just wanted to write out the words “President Obama.” It’s got a nice ring to it, no?

Politically Motivated Layoffs

          A new conservative chain mail is making the rounds, in which a business owner threatens to fire any workers who show support for Obama. What amazes me is that he’s completely within his rights to do so, as political beliefs are not a protected class. I personally consider this to be an oversight, and can see no reason why something so critical to a democracy doesn’t enjoy the same legal protection as religion or sexual orientation. Either way, I sincerely hope that no one loses their job over a bumper sticker. People need to remember that they shouldn’t let petty political squabbles affect their judgment on something as important as employment status. I know, it’s a particularly heated election cycle, but that doesn’t you an excuse to loose your cool. Of course, there’s also the issue of sign stealing, but I’ll save that for another post.