Old Fad: Bush-Bashing; New Hotness: Palin-Pouncing

By Tony Mazur

The 2008 Presidential Election, which seemed light years away, is less than one month away. And in the past two years, there has been so much mudslinging that it's disgusting. In fact, they're not even throwing mud anymore. Everything plus the kitchen sink has been tossed.

However, there are lines when it comes to trashing another candidate. Most importantly, they cannot be a minority. It's true. Have you heard anyone once rip Barack Obama for his appearance? In fact, I haven't heard much criticism towards Obama besides his lack of experience. Remember Reverend Jeremiah Wright? If John McCain attended a church where the pastor doubled as a Ku Klux Klan leader, he would have to drop out of the race. If Cindy McCain said that the only time she was proud of her country was when he husband was running for president, this could be a different election.

When Hillary Clinton was still in the race, it seemed like she was an untouchable. Hear me out before you comment. The only time she was criticized, her husband's name was spoken in the same breath.

However, Sarah Palin falls into that minority category, and all I've heard it non-stop Palin-pouncing. It's to the point where it's vicious.

Aside from her short political experience (which, by the way, is much longer than Obama's. And also remember that she is running for VICE President, not President), which is fair game, the attacks are all personal. The pundits, commentators, bloggers, and radio show hosts make fun of her dialect and origin, which is really getting old. Okay, we get it. Tina Fey looks like her.

She been called an unfit mother for having a pregnant teenage daughter and giving birth to a baby with Down Syndrome. I thought it was understood that there would be no trashing of the candidate's families. Oh, wait, she's on the Republican ticket. That means we can tear her to shreds.

The media wants to ruin her. Their goal is to make her drop down and bawl her eyes out. And they will not stop until it is done.

Recently, Larry Flynt (of Hustler fame), announced that he has made a porn flick with a Sarah Palin look-alike. The film apparently features women who look like Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice.

I want to know why there is no outrage over this. Women typically protest over the most ridiculous events or occurrences. Why aren't they picketing in front of Hustler's Headquarters?

Please tell me why it's fair game to lambaste Sarah Palin, but walk on eggshells when bringing up an Obama blunder. That's the American Way.