Ed Koch: Reflections on Sarah Palin

A New York Mayor Defends Sarah Palin
No, not RINO Bloomberg or even Rudy Giuliani, but Democrat Ed Koch: Today the phrase "blood Libel" can be used to describe any monstrous Defamation against any person, Jew or non-Jew. It was used by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon when he was falsely accused of permitting the Lebanese Christian Militia to kill hundreds of defenseless and innocent Muslim men, women and Children in Lebanese Refugee Camps. The killings were monstrous and indefensible revenge for earlier killings by Muslims of innocent...

Sarah Palin's Poll Numbers Hit New Low
My bloleague Peter Fenn writes that Sarah Palin's post-Tucson performance has sunk her 2012 presidential hopes. Gallup released new poll numbers yesterday underscoring this point. According to Gallup, Palin's approval numbers are at their worst level since she ascended to national prominence upon being named John McCain's Running Mate in 2008. Specifically 53 percent view Palin unfavorably, while only 38 percent view her favorably. That's the same desolate realm occupied by GOP punching bag Na...

Ed Koch Backs Palin On "Blood Libel" Charge
Ed Koch, former Mayor of New York City, has come to the defense of Sarah Palin regarding her use of the term "blood Libel" to describe the malicious and false accusations that Palin's electoral target map contributed to the Tucson shootings (emphasis mine): Today the phrase "blood Libel" can be used to describe any monstrous Defamation against any person, Jew or non-Jew. It was used by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon when he was falsely accused of permitting the Lebanese Christian Militia to kill h...

CNN Poll: Palin unfavorable rating at all time high
Washington (CNN) - A new National Poll indicates that 56 percent of all Americans have an unfavorable view of Sarah Palin, an all-time high for the former Alaska Governor. That 56 percent unfavorable figure is up seven points from just before the Midterm Elections, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Wednesday morning. Thirty-eight percent of people questioned in the poll say they have a favorable view of the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, down two points fr...

Palin's unfair critics
Image via Wikipedia Ed Koch: ... Why do I defend Palin in this case? I don't agree with her political philosophy: She is an arch conservative. I am a liberal with sanity. I know that I am setting myself up for attack when I ask, why did Emile Zola defend Dreyfus? Palin is no Dreyfus and I am certainly no Zola. But all of us have an obligation, particularly those in politics and public office, to denounce, when we can, the perpetrators of horrendous Libels and stand up for those falsely charged...

Sarah Palin defends 'blood libel' remark and rounds on her critics
Sarah Palin, defending herself against criticism following the serial shootings in Arizona said that she used the term "blood Libel" to describe comments made by those who falsely tried to link Conservatives to the Assassination attempt against Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Speaking out for the first time since she used the term in a video, Palin said on Fox television that the term referred to those "falsely accused of having blood on their hands". Some Jewish groups strongly protested abou...

Sarah Palin's poll numbers go down after 'blood libel' Facebook post
The headline of the Public Policy Polling (PPP) article published today says "Palin shoots herself in the foot."  While one may argue with the wording of the post, it would be hard to argue with the numbers behind it.  According to PPP survey many Americans, including a plurality of Republicans, did not approve of Palin's 'blood Libel' Facebook post following the Arizona shootings.  Even worse for Palin, she now trails President Obama by a much wider margin in a potential 2012 pre...

Arizona Shooting Bungle Sinks Sarah Palin's 2012 Presidential Bid
Well, this really was what the inside-the-beltway Republicans were hoping for—Sarah Palin has effectively sunk her campaign for president, just as she was trying to launch it. Last week she gave a fireside chat that was to connect her with “Average Americans,” a straight-look-into-the-camera moment for eight minutes without a cutaway or even a camera push-in or pull-out, an attempt to show that she could be “presidential” on the very day the president was in Tucso...

(Liberal) Ed Koch vs. (staunch conservative) happyfeet
Koch : Why do I defend Palin in this case? I don’t agree with her political philosophy: She is an arch conservative. I am a liberal with sanity. I know that I am setting myself up for attack when I ask, why did Emile Zola defend Dreyfus? Palin is no Dreyfus and I am certainly no Zola. But all of us have an obligation, particularly those in politics and public office, to denounce, when we can, the perpetrators of horrendous libels and stand up for those falsely charged. We should denounce...

Transcript and video of Stephen Colberts diatribe regarding Sarah Palin
Last night Stephen Colbert offered one of his signature verbal takedowns in true, satirical Colbert Fashion.  Colbert first notes the exasperation of MSNBC Morning Joe co-host Mika Brezinski.  Brezinski expressed frustration over being forced to talk about Sarah Palin again and again.  Colbert pretends to rebuke Brezinski, while at the same time revealing his own thoughts about Palin’s overblown significance in the political world.  The video segment can be watched by c...

Colbert Reduces Sarah Palin To Media Troll Via Pep Talk To Mika Brzezinski
Its been said a lot, but every now and again it bears repeating. Stephen Colbert is a genius. Yes, his consistent amplification of absurd news items to a level of hilarious observation is a consistent part of his routine, but the fake dimwittedness very often results in a much smarter meta-commentary than a straight report could ever provide. Take for example last night’s “pep talk” to Morning Joe’s Mika Brzezinski , who yesterday expressed frustration in having to discus...

Blood Libel: Left-wing Conspiracy Theories
In the past week, the focus of the media narrative has been centered upon language.In the aftermath of the Arizona shootings, the media has cleverly diverted attention away from discussing depictions of violence within the culture and guided the debate toward conservative Rhetoric. Something that has become apparent is that the same people who dismiss conservative Speech as promoting fear and suspicion have gotten into the paranoia game themselves. Along with serving as an excuse to distrac

Sarah Palin's Ignorance.
Over the weekend, Sarah Palin defended her use of the term "blood Libel" last week in an online statement about the Arizona shooting. She spent several minutes arguing that she'd been unfairly accused by her favorite bogeyman, the media, of having had something to do with the shooting because she put out a map before the Elections with gunsights surveyor's marks over several Congressional Districts before the election, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot and wounded along ...

Sarah Palin -- " I'm not going to shut up"
Love her or hate her (lately, for many the later), former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has the tenacity of a pit bull fighting for Michael Vick. She continues to bite despite being close to death.  Instead of apologizing for not understanding the etymology of “blood Libel,”  Railing Palin chose yesterday to deem her use appropriate. When asked about her use of the term during an exclusive interview with Fox News Sean Hannity, Mrs. Palin said, "Blood libel obviously means being f...

Sarah Palin: They're not going to shut me up
Sarah Palin spoke out while appearing on Fox News' Hannity Monday night and defended herself yet again, saying those who blame her or her use of crosshair graphics will not silence her. Since the Shooting Spree in Tucson, many on the left have attempted to place blame on her and her use of crosshair graphics that targeted certain Congressional Districts. But Palin called the slanderous attacks and the never-ending criticism of her use of the term blood Libel "another diversion" intended to draw ...

A Stirring Defense of Sarah Palin . . .
. . . by former New York mayor Ed Koch, who styles himself “a liberal with sanity” — and who is. Find his column on Palin here. Sample sentence: “In my opinion, she was right to denounce her critics and use ‘blood Libel’ to describe the unfair criticism that she had been subject to.” Of course. Koch is what the world would call “old” (mid-80s). To me, he is refreshing. P.S. “Blood Libel” has long been used to signif...

Corn on "Hardball": Sarah Palin Defends "Blood Libel"
David Corn and Shushannah Walshe joined Chris Matthews on MSNBC's Hardball to dissect the latest drama from Sarah Palin. This time it's an interview with Sean Hannity in which she defends her use of the term "blood Libel" to describe what the liberal media did to her following the Tucson shootings. Sigh. David Corn is Mother Jones' Washington bureau chief. For more of his stories, click here. He's also on Twitter....

Sarah Palin Defends 'Blood Libel,' Says Loughner Was 'Perhaps Even Left-Leaning' (VIDEO)
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Monday night provided the nation with her definition of "blood Libel" and defended her initial response to criticism of her map that featured the district of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) in crosshairs. The map was released almost a year before the shooting that nearly took Giffords's life earlier this month. "Blood libel obviously means being falsely accused, or having blood on your hands," Palin said. Unlike her aide, Palin admitted that the map was meant t...

Sarah Palin Promises Not to Do Thing Nobody Suspected She Ever Might Maybe Do
Last night, Sarah Palin faced some tough questioning from the Grand Overlord of Hannity's America and discussed, among other things: surveyors marks, (surprise! they were cross hairs all along), blood Libel (criticism of her use is itself a blood libel), and her plans for the future… Meanwhile, when asked about speculation the recent controversies have disrupted any future political ambitions, Palin vowed she will continue to speak her mind. "I am not ready to make an announcem...

Hoyer: I have a preexisting condition
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer told reporters that he is one of the millions of Americans who has a Pre-existing Condition. Hoyer has had asthma since he was four, and he called the provision that bars Insurance Companies from denying those with preexisting conditions coverage, one of the most important and popular in the law. Pressed about whether the optics for or against the law would evolve into a pitched battle over the next two years, running up to the Presidential Election, Hoyer said ...

ED KOCH ON CIVILITY: Palin Holds High Ground Over Harsh and Unfair Critics. Why do I defend Palin
Ed Koch ON CIVILITY: Palin Holds High Ground Over Harsh and Unfair Critics. “Why do I defend Palin in this case? I don’t agree with her political philosophy: She is an arch conservative. I am a liberal with sanity. I know that I am setting myself up for attack when I ask, why did Emile Zola defend Dreyfus? Palin is no Dreyfus and I am certainly no Zola. But all of ...

State Dept. Anti-Semitism Envoy Misrepresented By Washington Post Blogger
In a recent interview with Hannah Rosenthal, the State Department’s Special Envoy to monitor and combat Anti-Semitism, here’s how Washington Post blogger Jennifer Rubin relayed Rosenthal’s comments about two recent Time Magazine stories: Is a Time Magazine cover story that asserts Jews in Israel only care about money or another article that analogizes the current climate in Israel to fascism in the 1930′s over the line? [Rosenthal] said without hesitation, “That ...

Ari Fleischer On AC 360: Sarah Palin Is Tremendously Popular Within An Element Of The GOP
The tea-leaves-reading of Sarah Palin’s pushback after Tucson continued on CNN’s AC 360 last night, with former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer picking up on comments made by potential 2012 Candidate Newt Gingrich-that Palin needs to expand her base if she’s truly got a shot at winning a national campaign. Critics-including some in the GOP-have said Palin’s video response after the shootings in Arizona, followed by her appearance on Fox’...

Jon Stewart offers harsh assessment of Sarah Palin as 'Petty Woman' (Video)
By now Jon Stewart has an established reputation as one of the sharpest critics of Sarah Palin.  Last night Stewart offered an especially pointed, and to some hilarious rebuttal of Palin.  The context of the segment was Palin's recent interview with Sean Hannity.  In the interview, Palin claimed that her Rhetoric had nothing to do with the Arizona shootings.  Stewart actually agreed with Palin on that point.  However, Stewart took issue with Palin's alleged propensity to...

Sarah Palin's poll numbers get even worse
Sarah Palin's image problems have gotten even worse. A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll conducted January 14-16 (immediately after the Controversy over her ham-handed response to the shootings in Arizona) finds that perceptions of Palin have declined significantly since October: A new National Poll indicates that 56 percent of all Americans have an unfavorable view of Sarah Palin, an all-time high for the former Alaska Governor. That 56 percent unfavorable figure is up seven points f...