Hammering Sarah

With the possible exceptions of Richard Nixon and George W. Bush, no modern era politician has been more derided by the media than Sarah Palin. And the attacks do not stop with her. They include nasty rumors about her family and even the mocking of her children.

Palin has responded to some of the vitriol in her new book, "Going Rogue," hoping to give readers her side on controversies like the expensive clothes, the interview gaffes and Alaska's "Troopergate" case.

How have the media received the former Alaska governor's side of the story? Not well. She is being called a whiner and an ingrate, among other things.

Uber-liberal Cynthia Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says: "There is absolutely nothing in Sarah Palin's past that suggested she was ever going to let the past go. She's always been petty. She's always been vindictive."

Let's get this straight: Media people like Tucker can hammer Palin all day long, but if she defends herself, she's petty and vindictive.

Aren't the American media swell?

It is worth noting that the left has not been able to knock Palin out despite trying very hard. A study by the Culture and Media Institute looked at a two-week period during last year's presidential campaign. During that time, the nightly network newscasts ran 18 negative stories about candidate Palin for every positive story. Fair and balanced? Give me a break.

Somehow Palin has gotten under the skin of the far left.

Feminist Naomi Wolf and crazy-left Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson put forth the latest propaganda. Independently, they dubbed Palin the new Evita. What are the odds of Wolf and Robinson, who operate worlds apart, both referencing Argentine Eva Peron at pretty much the same time? Coincidence? Sure.

Peron was a demagogue who appealed to the common man. She was also an incompetent leader. The song "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" has immortalized her.

So I am expecting a new song, to be sung by Bruce Springsteen, entitled: "Don't Cry for Me Wasilla, Alaska." I hope the lyrics aren't whiny.

My theory is that liberal America fears Palin. Even though a CBS News poll has her approval rating at just 23 percent, a whopping 37 percent of respondents say they are still undecided about the former governor. That means millions of Americans are potential converts to her populist cause. Bad news for the left if the country turns against the Obama administration.

Thus, the liberal media are hunting Palin, trying to drive a stake through her heart once and for all. But the woman is tough, wily and unafraid. She's driving them crazy.

Veteran TV news anchor Bill O'Reilly is host of the Fox News show "The O'Reilly Factor" and author of the book "Who's Looking Out For You?" To find out more about Bill O'Reilly, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com. This column originates on the Web site www.billoreilly.com.

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