Bankruptcy of the Conservative Media

John Ziegler has a piece on the media and Sarah Palin. Most of it is focused on the bias in the media as well as how ignorant reporters/commentators are about her and her accomplishments. A key point: the lack of comment on how a previous mid-term resignation was the key to understanding her political values as well as her future political success.

But, to me the most interesting part of Ziegler’s piece is pointing out the current moral bankruptcy in conservative media. Though conservative pundits admit that Palin has been savaged unfairly by the media and hit with numerous groundless ethical complaints, they are not outraged at media hit pieces or groundless and costly ethical complaints from political enemies (the perps) but criticize Palin (the victim) for any fighting back. They call it whining.

Apparently they have no problem with the half a million dollars Palin is having to pay out of her own pocket* (a working class pocket–unlike their upper middle class media elite pocket) or that her children are being mercilessly slimed and lampooned. One wonders how their media outlets (not to mention each of them personally even with their media salaries) would react to half million dollar hits. National Review has donation drives at least annually. How would it do with a half a million in legal bills this year and maybe double or triple that in the next year and a half?

Ziegler:

“There’s a lot of blame to go around for how and why this has been allowed to happen, but I want to make special mention of some my conservative media “friends” (that is just an expression, I don’t really have many friends in the media) who have once again revealed just how weak, shortsighted and willing to sell out they really are. Regardless of what you think of Sarah Palin, every single conservative who attacks her by buying into media-created falsehoods so they can curry favor with the media elite should be seen as traitors to the movement. You have been duped and used as cover for a public lynching.”
. . .

“Could someone PLEASE show me just ONE legitimate example (no one making the claim has even bothered to try) of where Palin has “whined” about something that has been said about her publicly?! Are these people saying you can’t set the record straight about lies? Are you not supposed to fight back against illegitimate attacks? Gee, that strategy worked so well for President Bush. And these are the so called leaders of the movement? No wonder we are where we are.”

How many times did conservative commentators “whine” about how President Bush didn’t stand up to his critics? That they were the ones who had to defend him. When Sarah Palin from time to time defends her family and herself, she is a whiner. Well, what is the right strategy? Respond? Don’t respond? The bankruptcy of conservative media is in this as well. No ideas on what to do. Only criticism for the paths chosen by those who are actually on the firing line.

Interesting that a political outsider from Alaska could show not only the bankruptcy of the left but of elites on the right as well.

*not to mention the millions of dollars it's costing Alaskan taxpayers

H/T Conservatives4Palin

UPDATE: Case in point is Anthony Dick at National Review Online's The Corner:

". . .[John Fund] offers a few lines on the unfair treatment Palin has received from the national media: 'She made many mistakes after suddenly being thrust into the national spotlight last year, but hasn’t merited the sneering contempt visited upon her by national reporters. She simply was not their kind of feminist — and they disdained the politically incorrect life choices she had made.'

"But it wasn’t just the choices she made; it was the way she presented herself in conformance with the stereotype of the red-state simpleton. The fact that this stereotype is unfair does not justify conservative politicians in ignoring its power."
. . .
"Overcoming these prejudices is, if not a prerequisite, at least a very helpful vehicle for receiving a fair hearing on the merits. Bill Buckley was, of course, a master at this project. Sarah Palin seems either completely oblivious to it, or else too indignant to play that game."

No, it's Anthony Dick and his buddies who won't play the game. Bill Buckley was a master at disarming the left, but he didn't just stand up for himself. That was one of the purposes of NR--to stand up for conservative principles and conservative candidates and do heavy lifting in the public forum on their behalf.

John Fund is doing the heavy lifting while Anthony Dick is saying "It ain't my job."