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The Spectacle Blog
Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch has come to the defense of Sarah Palin.
While Koch makes it clear Palin “scares the hell out of me” he nonetheless felt compelled to speak up on her behalf:
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. (italics mine) We should denounce unfair, false and wicked charges not only when they are made against ourselves, our friends or our political party but against those with whom we disagree. If we are to truly change the poisonous political atmosphere that we all complain of, including those who create it, we should speak up for fairness when we can.
Koch concludes his piece with high praise for the former Alaska Governor:
While I disagree with her and I am prepared to oppose her politically, in the spirit of longed-for civility I say, Ms. Palin you are in a certain sense an example of the American dream: You have the courage to stand up and present your vision of America to its people. Your strength and lack of fear make America stronger and are examples to be emulated by girls and boys, men and women who are themselves afraid to speak up. You provide the example that they need for self-assurance.
Ed Koch is a liberal with sanity. If only he wasn’t the exception to the rule.
View all comments (21) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Aaron Goldstein
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/01/18/koch-defends-palin
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Richard Baker| 1.18.11 @ 11:29AM
I guess Mr. Koch won't be invited to any Cocktail hours in Manhattan.
Patriot| 1.18.11 @ 12:29PM
Well, neither will Sarah so he's in good company.
Floyd Looney| 1.18.11 @ 12:59PM
http://spectator.org/archives/.....rrell-issa
Does it surprise anyone that the White House coordinated the leftwing assault on the TEA Party after the AZ shooting? The same people who called for the rhetoric to be toned down, lol.
Meanwhile the so-called Republican pundits fall for it hook, line and sinker. (and John McCain, who is probably senile)
icarustraveler| 1.18.11 @ 12:59PM
I doubt Palin's being brought into this debate is a coincidence. There are too many coincidences, which look more like synchronicities. And many people don't believe in coincidences, but instead believe everything happens for a reason.
For Palin's part, it appears she is reaping exactly what she has sown: hateful, thoughtless, irresponsible rhetoric. God is slamming a door in her face.
This will, in turn, open a door for MUCH better GOP candidates. That's good for everyone, including our good GOP friends, and I say this as a liberal.
CalMark| 1.18.11 @ 1:32PM
So, apparently you speak for God? How interesting.
Maybe you could also answer some of the great theological questions of history, like why there is evil in the world. Not to mention why hateful, vicious people like you always purport to speak for God.
David W| 1.18.11 @ 2:21PM
Can you be specific on the hateful, thoughtless, irresponsible rhetoric she has been spreading? I hear liberals say this over and over (and about other conservatives as well). However, I often miss the examples of this hateful rhetoric that you and fellow liberals have provided. Maybe you did and I just missed it. Can you provide a list? or just one example?
LiveFreeOrDie| 1.18.11 @ 3:25PM
This is where the troll disappears until the next, "Drive-By Posting." Don't hold your breath waiting for an example.
James I| 1.18.11 @ 11:47PM
Firstly, Sarah Palin was wronged by Krugman/Moulitsas. Secondly, everyone on both sides has the 1st amend. right to say what they want and be criticized for it.
Palin now thinks it's blood libel to use harsh partisan rhetoric to falsely and indirectly link political opponents to murder.
Palin previously made her national political career out of using harsh partisan rhetoric to falsely and indirectly link her political opponents to murder.
1. "Our opponent ... is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect, imperfect enough, that he's palling around with terrorists who would target their own country."
2. "The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s ‘death panel’ so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their ‘level of productivity in society,’ whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil,"
Patriot| 1.22.11 @ 12:38AM
Everything Palin said is true. You clowns on the Left just have no idea what the truth looks like.
Clint| 1.18.11 @ 4:05PM
Uh Oh! Here's Mr. icky again.
Where's Sheriff Dupnik !
http://letters.salon.com/3dcea.....fb/author/
"WORDS
The question Loughner asked Giffords in 2007, which she didn't answer and started his problem with her, is: "What is government if words have no meaning?"
Loughner is reportedly obsessed with the importance of words and grammar (which Palin famously mangles with every word she writes or speaks).
So, his politics may be unclear, but his obsession with the power of words in government, regardless of political party, still shine a light on Palin since she is one of the most thoughtless and irresponsible in this area. That, I think, is a huge connection I haven't seen mentioned by anyone.
His question is being played off as irrational when, in fact, it gets to the very heart of the blowback against Palin."
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.18.11 @ 4:48PM
Heh Clint,
Boy you must have had a hard time getting a date in high-school. It has scarred you for life.
Heh, I don't see you getting million dollar speaking gigs, little one.
Here is a copy of my earlier comment to Quin
Quin,
You know?
I again state my hope and my prayers that the woman will run.
I would not blame her if she did not, but she has stated MANY times that she is NOT going to sit down and shut up, regardless. With four children at home she might not want to leave them orphans.
I would point out to you and any other reader that should she run, she will get some Secret Service protection...and they are the best in the world.
In a sense, she is right these days in the
"Garden of Gethsemane".....praying "Not my will Father, but Thy will...be done".
Let's talk about the "negative poll numbers" a minute. I think we can safely say that Jesus Christ seemed to have "negative poll numbers" in relation to Barabas. Barabas was voted to go free, and his zealot faction led to the destruction of the Temple and the Diaspora of the Jews for two thousand years.
Quin,
we have read a LOT about a "polarized country".
I agree.
My take on that is that the forces of good and evil are aligning and dressing ranks.
On the one side, the communist atheists, (pardon the shorthand), and the atheist Islamists who are promised 72 mutilated virgins for a PRIZE for murdering innocents...
On the other side, are those of us who are for truth and justice, and agape'.
"Choose ye therefore whom you will serve!"
Clint| 1.18.11 @ 5:34PM
Duuuhhhh !
Hey Kenny The Squirrel that quote was from Palin Basher Mr.Icky's. posting over at Salon.
Sober Up Rump Mouth.
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.18.11 @ 5:52PM
Hi back,Clint.
I didn't notice any commentary by you dismissing Icky's post.
"Choose this day whom you will serve"
Richard Baker| 1.18.11 @ 1:10PM
icarustraveler:
Of course, your comments are being made as a totally disinterested spectator, correct? Hateful to your lot is the very act of disagreement. With friends like you, who needs enemies?
W| 1.18.11 @ 2:39PM
It is sad that today when you identify yourself as a liberal, you have to clarify to state "liberal with sanity." today's lefty liberals have destroyed the word liberal, even democrats refer themslves as progressives.
Ted| 1.18.11 @ 3:05PM
"I am a liberal with sanity."
Poor guy... He doesn't realize there is no such thing anymore as a liberal with sanity. All of those with any shred of sanity became conservatives....
Liberal Reader| 1.18.11 @ 4:36PM
I commend Koch's piece. I wish conservatives took note of how MANY liberals have said much the same thing. NPR has been round-the-clock on its defenses of Palin, pundits, and free speech, and often the more leftist the commentator, the more head-explodingly intense their apologias have been.
But I guess it's easier just to assume "the left" is one big monster with a single brain that you can endlessly and factlessly generalize about. And no need to do the hard work of thinking!
Admittedly many on the left went too far with talk about the influence of the political climate on the shooter; it was, however, an inevitable discussion after the past few years, and the fact that it was a Democratic representative who was shot -- a representative whose office was vandalized and who received several death threats -- made it a sure thing. But in a democracy with many voices, first impressions get CORRECTED, people's views moderate and take account of more facts. I think Palin should have trusted the American people's ability to sort out the facts more than she did. She'd seem a lot more attractive to a lot more people with Barbara Walters and Ed Koch out defending her had not she issued her strange "blood libel" charge.
CalMark| 1.18.11 @ 5:04PM
Uh-huh. Whatevs.
Patriot| 1.18.11 @ 5:22PM
Perhaps you could share the names of the many Liberals you claim are defending Palin.
Nick| 1.18.11 @ 5:53PM
Marxist Reader,
You're right, there are tons of lefty liberals defending Sarah Palin.
There's Ed Koch, Alan Dershowitz, Mark Rudd, and....umm...and....hmmmm.
I'm sorry, you're completely wrong, yet, again.
Thron| 1.19.11 @ 5:56PM
It's nice to hear the words of a sane Democrat from the past when there were sane Democrats.