If the National Enquirer story is valid (a huge IF) does she withdraw tonight?

[OmahaBlueDog]

Until now, I'd have said "no" -- they'll eat this mistake -- the GOP never admits error. Now I wonder if this circus has gone too far?

Edit : (this is in threads elsewhere)
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/09/03/politics/fromtheroad/entry4413030.shtml

<<ST. PAUL, MINN.) – John McCain’s campaign threatened legal action against the National Enquirer today for running a story about McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin, allegedly having an affair with her husband’s business partner.

“The smearing of the Palin family must end. The allegations contained on the cover of the National Enquirer insinuating that Gov. Palin had an extramarital affair are categorically false. It is a vicious lie,” said McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt. >>

[billyoc]

1. IOKIYAR

[damndude]

33. i think we should wait for proof the enquirer has a story to print.

when i see a cove or its posted on their site i'll believe there might be something there. until then i'll assume the mccain campaign is just blowing smoke to turn her in to a conservative martyr

[JimDandy]

51. I second that. DU has,

for the most part, been running down sources these past five days or at least speculating on things that actually existed (such as pictures of bellies from the front view) even if that speculation never panned out. Let's wait for the substance.

[SpiralHawk]

2. What story? A clue please...

Perhaps a smidgen of context?

[Mrs. Overall]

10. She had an affair with hubby's partner!

[iamjoy]

3. What Story?

enquiring minds want to know!

[Egnever]

8. enquirer is reporting she had an affair with her husbands biz partner

[iamjoy]

36. Well, They Got It Right On Edwards

But Americans voters can't wait that long for the the truth to come out on Palin, can we?

For now, I am going to assume it is tabloid trash.

[napi21]

14. The Enquirer said it has info that Palin had an affair while she was married.

It apparently has Schmitt, McNuts campaign mgr. all in a tizzy!

[99th_Monkey]

4. What does this particular story allege?

[trueblue2007]

50. here is some informaion about sleazy sarah's LATEST personal problems

No wonder is "in retreat.....hiding herself" as I just heard them say on CNN


http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/09/03/politics/fromtheroad/entry4413030.shtml



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



September 3, 2008, 4:48 PM
McCain Camp Knocks Down Enquirer's Palin Rumor
Posted by John Bentley| 35





(CBS)From CBS News' John Bentley:

(ST. PAUL, MINN.) – John McCain’s campaign threatened legal action against the National Enquirer today for running a story about McCain’s running mate, Sarah Palin, allegedly having an affair with her husband’s business partner.

“The smearing of the Palin family must end. The allegations contained on the cover of the National Enquirer insinuating that Gov. Palin had an extramarital affair are categorically false. It is a vicious lie,” said McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt.

“The efforts of the media and tabloids to destroy this fine and accomplished public servant are a disgrace. The American people will reject it.”

The Enquirer also alleges that Palin unjustly fired a public safety official while she was governor of Alaska, but the story is based entirely on unnamed sources. The Enquirer has also paid sources in the past to speak with them, something mainstream media outlets do not do.

“Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin look forward to discussing the issues that Americans care about, fixing broken government, creating jobs, making our country energy independent and securing the peace for the next generation by bringing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to a victorious end,” said Schmidt.

“Legal action will be considered with regard to this disgraceful smear.”

[liberalmuse]

5. What story?

Is there other stuff? I haven't been on since last night. This election is killing me. I'm not getting anything done.

[OmahaBlueDog]

See the edit in the OP

[grannie4peace]

6. what's in the nat enquirer?

[MannyGoldstein]

That She Schtupped Her Hubby's Business Partner

That's what I heard that NI is claiming.

[MannyGoldstein]

7. No

But she'll be gone in a week or so.

[yourguide]

9. Impossible

they are heavily denying...she will speak tonight and the resignation will end up in one of the friday news dumps.

[AtomicKitten]

11. I don't care about this stuff; I care that she is a fundie wingnut.

[DeschutesRiver]

39. Fundie wingnuts who wish to control all of our lives

will care about this stuff. Too much of it from one person means she isn't what they were looking for in a family values candidate.

Which means she goes on the chopping block. I can't imagine many democrats or independents caring about this stuff on a personal or moral level, as it relates to another human's journey through life. I find those groups way more understanding about human nature, destiny, and personal choice. But the people I despise, which are the fundie wingnuts, like to imagine they can control the universe and their fellow humans.

I am okay with any kind of revelations that prove their candidate is either a fraud to their beliefs or just incompetent to run for high office, so long as this menace Palin fundie leaves the race.

[AtomicKitten]

44. Focusing on personal issues is dangerous.

It gives the wingnuts license to poo-poo every criticism by framing it as a pile-on.

Attacks need to be sharp and specific, on issues, policies, and ideology, not who's bumping ugly in a Maury Povich baby daddy episode.

[DeschutesRiver]

46. No, I do get that part

and maybe what I am trying to say is that personal stuff unrelated to a candidate's positions aren't relevant in the slightest. They just a part of human variance

But if there is personal stuff in a candidate's life that is directly at odds with their platform message, or would result in a situation where they allow themselves to do X, will eliminating my ability to do the same, in an absolute authoritarian manner, then it is fair game to point out the hypocrisy. In my life view, yeah, who she is "doing" in her private life is nothing more than speculation about who is bumping ugly.

But where she claims she will make me submit to fundie crazy ideas that even SHE appears exempt from, then I am not sure I agree that I should leave that kind of thing off limits. It isn't even a true personal thing of hers anymore, to my way of thinking. She drags her personal beliefs into my life, well, then I can filter her personal life through those beliefs and see how it works.

I suppose it is a slippery slope, and no one will know where to draw the line.

[AtomicKitten]

47. good point

She drags her personal beliefs into my life, well, then I can filter her personal life through those beliefs and see how it works.

[DeschutesRiver]

48. glad I figured out how to say it better

I was having a hard time pulling my thoughts together on that, sorry.

In most other circumstances, I am the biggest advocate of live and let live.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

12. ruh roh

[Vinca]

13. Depends on their story and their sourcing.

I went to their site and they've got a notice they pay for the goods, so Alaskans are going to be cashing in.

[Rosco T.]

18. Ever since the Equirer got nailed with the Carol Burnett story...

.. they have been SQUEAKY clean on this stuff. This deserves to be looked at

[onenote]

29. apparently the sources include members of her ex bro-in-law's family

according to what I've seen. If so, credibility is an issue since he obviously has a grudge since she tried to get him fired.

[KathieG]

15. If this is legit, I can't see how it wouldn't be the final nail in her coffin

[RagAss]

16. They'd spin a Manson Family Chick....this is easy for them

[The empressof all]

17. Nope...Not going

They'll have to drag her out of there...and if they try...She'll blab like a wet petunia. She'll have nothing to lose so she'll out the hypocrisy and live up to her "image" unless they pay her off big time.

Don't underestimate this woman. She'll make sure she comes out of this looking good however this plays out.

[liberalmuse]

19. Holy sheet?! Payback is a bitch, isn't it, McCain?

An affair? Well, well, and they didn't have a problem with The Enquirer when they ran story after story on Edwards, did they? These bastards smear good men like Gore and Obama, and they cry like little colicky babies if god forbid, the same is done to them. No one is smearing Palin. The truth is just too incredible, we couldn't make this shit up.

[Borgnine]

20. The Enquirer has been very careful in recent years.

They certainly fact check a story harder than McCain vetted Palin, that's for sure.

[Politicub]

21. I'm falling in love with Sarah Palin... well, in love with

the impact she's having on the GOP.

Big gay air kisses to sister Sarah!!



:rofl:

[Mojambo]

22. She's not dropping out.

The GOP wants a one issue election, Abortion.

And she gives them the best shot at it.

[RichGirl]

23. Finally...

...the silver lining in John Edwards affair. The fact that is was recent, that the tabloids blasted him, even though he had a wife fighting cancer and had lost a son. They didn't give him, his family or kids a break! No one can claim the tabloids have a liberal bias.

[woo me with science]

24. Even if she did end up withdrawing,

it would not happen tonight. They will go through with the fawning convention and try to pull this out.

[onenote]

25. why would she admit it?

Reportedly, the sources for the info that the Enquirer is relying on are members of her former brother-in-law's family -- the guy she wanted fired. My fear is that this could blow up -- that it could be depicted as evidence to support the claim that the bro in law is a nutjob and that Palin did the right thing in trying to get him ousted.

[OmahaBlueDog]

32. Point well taken

However, let's say she has engaged in no wrongdoing. In spite of that, this circus atmosphere right out of the Jerry Springer show seems to dog this woman. How much longer does the GOP want to endure this? Is it simply a case of any publicity is good, or does there come a point where they say "this isn't the image we're going for here."

[onenote]

38. agreed. the noise is drowning out everything else for the repubs

and I'm loving it!

[dennis4868]

26. Hey McSane....

you need to have legal standing to bring an action in a US court...what standing do you have?

[bushisanidiot]

27. I'm hoping that the truth (if this is true) doesn't come out until after the

convention. They will all look like fools who followed their fearless leader off a cliff without asking any questions whatsoever.

seriously. if anyone had been on FR in the last 6 months you can see them argue amongst themselves who would be the best pick.. but this surprise gave them no time to debate.. it gave republicans everywhere no time to even THINK before following. So with no time to think, they just follow.. lock step off a cliff. And all I can do is shake my head and laugh at them.

[katandmoon]

28. Please please please please please...let them have DOCUMENTED PROOF

[GoesTo11]

30. I'm sure McCain has asked her if this has any truth and she has said no.

Vetting. McCain style.

[jillan]

31. Kinda convenient that this is the first time the Nat'l Enquirer has had any credibility.

Too bad it was at Edward's expense, tho.

[Undercurrent]

34. The cover:

[kestrel91316]

35. She will hang on. And the media will report on scandal after

scandal, corruption upon corruption, lying, cheating fraud, etc.

And their campaign will wither and die.

[Parker CA]

37. How does their "base"

react to something like this? She kept the baby with DS, she is hero-mommy, and now potentially had an affair. Will the neo-con base really continue to support this? Let's see if the double-standard goes the other way now that a woman is in the spot-light.

The Enquirer breaking Edwards' story at the time it did has given them a boost of credibility on the National stage at a very serendipitous time considering the wealth of information spewing forth from AK.

[Graybeard]

41. Hey Parker CA. Welcome to DU.

Turning over rocks to see the ugly underside is dirty work. Nobody does it better than Natl. Enq.

[EffieBlack]

40. Hmm. What standing does the campaign have to sue the Enquirer for libel based upon an allegation

made against Palin?

Sounds fishy to me - Palin and the others cited in the story would have legal standing to sue, not the campaign. So why is the campaign making the threat?

Interesting

[Bucky]

42. If Republicans could back out of mistakes, we wouldn't still be in Iraq.

[BlueIdaho]

43. The Enquirer usually gets this stuff right

And now the MSM is PISSED they missed the (god rest his soul) Edwards' story - If the Enquirer has something - and they do - the MSM will shit itself blind trying to find more and show they still have some sort of relevance in the 21st century.

[sfam]

49. Bullshit. They "sometimes" get this stuff right. They clearly get it wrong very often

I really hate that the press is getting worked up over this stuff. If its true, as in Edwards' case, the Enquirer will eventually win out. I would prefer to leave it in the closet until then, and instead focus on the plethora of truly horrid TRUE scandals surrounding her experience.

[Joanne98]

45. Watch the right slam the Enquirer, after they praised it so much on Edwards affair.

I want to hear Sarah get on tv and call herself narcissistic