What will the rethug reaction be once Palin's adulterous affair is exposed?

[Hugabear]

With the Enquirer's track record for exposing this type of stuff, I suspect that within a week or two, this story about her adulterous affair with her husband's business partner will start gaining some serious traction.

Here's how it will unfold, tell me if I am wrong.

Sarah Palin makes a tearful confession, admits to giving in to "temptation", calling it a "momentary weakness of the flesh".

The religious right will once again rally around her, bringing up their whole "forgiveness and redemption" meme. They'll say what a brave woman she is to admit her weakness, and they'll blab on and on about how Christ forgives all, so we should be willing to forgive.

This is how they react when it's one of their own. Just like they did with her pregnant daughter, who obviously didn't listen to her mom's abstinence speeches.

[PBS Poll-435]

1. Jesus told her to do it.

Said it would strenghthen her family

[SpiralHawk]

66. "Republicons are special. Smirk." - BC

[Happyhippychick]

2. And the Religious Right will christen the ticket: The Adultery Platform.

I can hear the accolades now...

[Rosa Luxemburg]

30. is one of her children - his?

[Tarc]

3. Is this wishful, post-Edwards thinking? Or is there sbstance to this?

If so, link pls.

[Hugabear]

9. The National Enquirer is reporting on it

It's been discussed here on DU a few times. Obviously there isn't any 'substance' to it just yet, but neither was there any at first regarding the Edwards affair. Remember how many of us poo-pooed the Enquirer when they broke the Edwards story, only to have him admit the affair?

I'd love to see this be true. The religious right might rally around her, but it's going to turn off much of their base.

[Freddie Stubbs]

57. The Edwards thing didn't get any traction until the whole incident at the hotel

[shimmergal]

60. There's nothing to sue on, yet.

I read the article. They're very careful how they phrased it. I read the article: it has just two sentences about "allegations of an adulterous affair" brought up in the midst of stormy family discussions on other stuff. No doubt they're out digging for further evidence right now.

[Epiphany4z]

11. maybe a little of both

it is from the enquirer...they did break the Edwards thing..but they are enquirer...soooo...McCains camp has already threatened to sue.

[Teaser]

12. link for the hungry

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iCQKRFo4ZmCB4v060sbYhVX_dUJQD9305F2G0

[grannie4peace]

4. i wonder when they (NE) are going to run the pushback

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

[dkf]

5. I wonder how they can prove something like that.

I would guess that unless they have a letter or a text or an email that people will discount it.

[Ikonoklast]

44. She was rumored to a party in her husbands business partners divorce

He's trying to get the divorce records sealed by court order.

Too late, methinks the cat is out of the bag.

National Enquirer got there first.

[Epiphany4z]

6. oh it is ok

its over and she did the right thing she stayed with her husband.

[napi21]

7. Well, they DID welcome Diaper Boy back to Congress with a

round of cheers ya know!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. She's Done If There's Proof With The Emphasis On The Word "Proof"

You need the admission of her lover and third party witnesses who put the two together in places where two people married to other people should not be...

That's a tall order...

[cloudythescribbler]

50. BS -- the soap opera stuff works for the Kennedys, the British royal family, as for Eva Peron

to fail to recognize this is to imagine we live in an age before mass media

[DemocratSinceBirth]

65. We Still Have A Double Standard...An Adulterous Women Is Still Looked Upon Worse

Men are expected to be weak...

And the Kennedy women were faithful...

[scheming daemons]

10. She'll make a crying confession (a la Jimmy Swaggart) and the fundies will all forgive her...

...and then they'll attack the media.

[tinrobot]

13. More white powder will be sent to the Enquirer

[SmokingJacket]

59. With Ivins out of the picture, they can't do that anymore...

They'd have to reopen the investigation!

[arbusto_baboso]

14. Exactly! They'll just suppress their cognitive dissonance, and embrace hypocrisy.

It's what they do. They couldn't be republicans otherwise.

[RoadRage]

15. Nope. Unless they have PICTURES

She won't admit to anything - at least until after the election. Repug Fudies are only forgiving up to a point... even they would draw the line at an affair, preggo daughter, current investigation.

If they only have "sources" confirming this - then they will deny, and spin it as the media is being horribly unfair and is out to do whatever they can to squash the threat that Palin poses.. blah blah blah. They will spin it as a sexist media & the left wing going after another woman just like they did Hillary.

Then, after they election is over - win or lose.. they can come clean. They already have the seat (or don't) for 4 more years.. but unless they have pictures (and even then they'd probably just say they were photoshoped) or DNA evidence... there will be no admission from this administration until after November.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

31. I expect the NE will have pictures, no smoke without fire

[enfield collector]

16. it depends on whether he kept the dress he jizzzed over. if not I'd say

she's home free.

[jobycom]

17. So were they right about Obama murdering the gay choir director?

They sort of got it right on the John Edwards story, but they weren't the only ones who reported that one. They just picked up a rumor and got lucky. 90% of their stuff is still bogus. If they pull out some real proof, then I'll worry about how the Republicans will react.

Our candidates have been on the losing end of false rumors and pure fiction too often for me to embrace that crap about the other side. I'm stunned by the garbage on DU lately. For seven years around here we've complained about the personal slanders and unfounded rumors the media launches against our candidate, and yet with Palin, we can't find garbage too sleazy for our tastes. Pure hypocrisy. There should be a difference between Republican and Democrat beyond just the names of the candidates.

http://www.brendan-nyhan.com/blog/2008/03/national-enquir.html

[Critters2]

46. I didn't know they'd made that accusation. Shame on them.

I knew that choir director, and his death--at Christmastime, no less--was devastating for the congregation. If they tried to make tabloid fodder of it, well, shame on them.

But they did get the Edwards thing right.

[jobycom]

52. Shame on them always. The couple of times they get something "right"

just makes some people believe all the lies they tell the rest of the time. Shame on anyone who gives them any credibility on anything.

[FSogol]

18. They'll deny it and blame the liberal press. n/t

[Lucky 13]

19. This is where the sexist double standard comes in.

As much as I hate it, I think Palin will have a more difficult time with this than if a male candidate had an affair.

Men who cheat are seen as "bad boys" who couldn't resist temptation.
Women who cheat are seen as "whores".

If true, and there's any real proof, it will end her.

[pampango]

20. I wonder what the time frame for the alleged affair was. Seems to me that

an affair in the past (say 10-15 years ago or more) won't have the same impact that a more recent one. Heck, McCain had an affair with Cindy many years ago and that doesn't seem to be bothering anyone.

[yellowcanine]

21. No way. If she were to admit it she is done. Too off message. I personally do not think it is true

Daughter is one thing, personal failing is quite another. So even if it is true, which I doubt, she will deny all as long as possible. Kind of a tough thing to prove, unless she were to be named as the "other woman" in a divorce suit.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

32. if she was named they would be certainly quick to cover that

[Bread and Circus]

22. Actually, someone posited last night that the "Affair that almost ended her career" isn't her affair

but another couple's that she got tangled in with some legal issues.

We will see but don't get too deep in the woods on this. The GOP has a big broom.

[onenote]

23. you're wrong.

Palin denies it. Period.

[Hugabear]

24. So?

Of course she's denying it now. They always do. Edwards denied it at first also.

I'm talking about once proof starts coming out.

[onenote]

36. what sort of proof do you think that they have?

Short of a photo of her in a compromising position with this guy or a letter or correspondence whose authenticity is unquestionable, its likely that the only proof that the Enquirer will havewill be one person's word against another. And if that's the case, Palin will deny it, attack the "witness's" credibility and tought it out.

From what the ENquirer has indicated -- that the source of info on the affair is the family of the ex-brother in law -- I'd be surprised if they can come up with the kind of "proof" that would force her to admit to anything.

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

42. Deleted message

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[onenote]

61. "retard" . Nice, Very Nice.

I'm sorry I called you an idiot. I insulted idiots everywhere.

Try reading. The premise of the question (and of the answer) was that there is no "proof" -- no baby, no photos of clandestine meetings in hotel rooms, hiding in closets. There is someone saying she did and she says she didn't. Does she "tearfully confess" for that? You may think so, but then again, you do make idiots look like Rhodes scholars.

[City Lights]

25. *If* it's proven that she had an affair, the pukes will sweep it under the rug.

She's running with a POW don'cha know!

[kurth_]

27. The blessed virgin is blameless

It was just another plan from Gawd.

[Overseas]

40. She repented to Our Lord and Savior and has been reborn.

Just like the POW Adulterer John Sidney McCain III, your humble servant with seven homes.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

28. They'll wait for Rush Limbaugh to blow the dog whistle and come up with the response

Whatever explanation Rove and Limbaugh can come up with, that's what extremist right wing preachers throughout America will start pushing to their flocks. The flocks of sheep will open their mouths, stick out their tongues like dogs, and say "yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah".

[Hugabear]

29. You speak the truth - they will wait to see how Rush reacts

If Limbaugh acts like it's no big deal, then they'll circle the wagons.

However, if Limbaugh says she's gotta go, she'll be off the ticket in no time.

[mitchum]

34. As long as Jaysus was handling the cum towel, it will be A-OK with those pigs

[eleny]

35. Adultery will become a sacrament

[jberryhill]

37. Did the pre-election Bill Clinton stories hurt him?

No.

Bill and Hillary appeared jointly, said there had been "pain" in their marriage, and that they'd moved on.

And that was that.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

67. See #65

In our culture nothing is more pathetic than a cuckolded man...

Don't ask me why...

That's the way it is...

[tpi10d]

38. depends on the strength of the story

If its he said -she said without some further proof, it will be denied and right wingers will buy into the denial. Not much will come from it. If its a solid as the Edwards story, it could swing a few independent voters our way, mainly based on McCain's judgment picking Palin.

[HooptieWagon]

39. Of course the talibornagains will forgive her

and the McCain campaign will have her and Scott appear on stage together as a big fuck-you to the rest of the country.

[mwb970]

41. This is the downside of being so damn "cute".

Who knows how many guys tried for it? How much temptation was she supposed to resist?

[SeaLyons]

43. The RW nuts will just say "bless her heart" and

pretend it didn't happen....they'll just move on - business as usual.

[DangerDave921]

47. Or they'll say

it was just butt sex. It didn't violate God's word or anything.

[DangerDave921]

45. Evidence?

Is there any actual evidence of an affair? I saw some other post that said the NE article was about the business partner's WIFE having an affair, not Palin.

Can we clear this up?

[DaDeacon]

48. The Enquirer is right more offten than it is wrong.

Please don't forget that NE is not the other tabloid rags. Often it's "bombshell" stories hit hardest because they are well research and sourced to avoid being sued. Ask Bob Dole. McGrandpa and The Skirt are hoping to duck this and other question for 60 days ...not going to work.

[crazylikafox]

49. the fundies won't care a bit. But the indies might....

If you're on the fence, why would you decide that you want to go thru that daily scandal drip drip drip (no blue dress puns intended) again?

[olegramps]

54. Republicans would overlook murder, this is nothing to them

Do you actually believe that this will affect the Republicans if it is substantiated? They have exonerated McCain for his loathsome conduct that he deserted his wife when she was crippled. As he stated, "It's my greatest moral failure," at a Church service in Arizona. He was greeted with applause. It doesn't affect the Republican one iota. Look how they continue to flock to those such as Limbaugh the drug addict and O"Reilly the sexual pervert. Bill called up his young female assistant and described in revolting detail how he was shoving things up his fat ass while masturbating. She sued him and FOX and they settled out of court. His reward for his predatory sexual behavior, a new contract and a raise as Republican tuned in to admire their hero.

[rabbits4love]

63. well the good thing about it would be

the media would have a frenzy fest with that kinda story... and if fundies on the right didnt denounce it and her, theyd call out their hypocracy for saying john edwards should be ashamed and hide.

[GreenPartyVoter]

51. A0 Stop this horrifc slander of a fine, upstanding, "True Christian TM" woman! or

B) (if there's proof) "You all just made that up!" or C) (if she tells all) "She's confessed her sin and made things right with Gawd. No one is perfect, but as long as she seeks the Lord's forgiveness and help all is well."

[Marsala]

53. She'd lose men in droves

Cheating men are forgiven, but men are biologically programmed to fear women cheating on them. It hurts reproductive success.

[Dem2theMax]

55. Your version will be the response. If it doesn't work,

* will invade Iran/Georgia/pick-the-county of most distraction.

[anigbrowl]

56. Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.

And don't go treating rumor and speculation as fact: maybe she had an affair, and I think it's right that she's under the microscope (for everything from her administrative record to her political affiliations), but we're not going to do ourselves any favors talking about speculation as if it were proven fact.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

58. He was drilling her wetlands to bring down the price of oil.

[rabbits4love]

62. lets just hope if it is infact true

they wait until the end of october to bring all the evidence out.

[Vinca]

64. They'll figure she fits right in with the party. nt

[asdjrocky]

68. They will say-

"Christians aren't perfect, they're just forgiven."