1)Dialogue With A Reader (Not a Retraction) about Palin and Buchanan (2) Random thoughts on Election 2008 and the "Duty to Die"

Sarah Palin has been the focus of misinformation, slander and harassment that is more intense than any in recent memory. The story that she was a fund raiser for Patrick Buchanan was even given air by Patrick Buchanan himself. Further investigation turned up the fact that no records existed of Palin raising funds for Buchanan, that she had in fact endorsed Malcolm Forbes Jr. She stated that she wore a Buchanan button out of politeness. I accept that explanation, given her known support of Malcolm Forbes. I received the following e-mail response, somewhat belatedly to my article. I am reprinting it here in its entirety.

Bruce has left a new comment on your post "Patrick Buchanan and Sarah Palin: One Jew's Opinio...":

Your article is seriously flawed and boarders on a smear..in all due respect

factcheck.org says this about Palin's supposed support of Buchanan

Palin never endorsed or supported Pat Buchanan for president. She once wore a Buchanan button as a "courtesy" when he visited Wasilla, but shortly afterward she was appointed to co-chair of the campaign of Steve Forbes in the state.

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_palin.html

I don't have the link, but Palin insists that she wrote to the local paper to state that she wore the button a a courtesy and didn't want anyone to think otherwise..I'd hope that if that letter to the editor exists you'll post a retraction..and even if it doesn't , that you see there's another side to this story . "

Bruce accuses me of mounting a "smear". I infer from that that he shares my strong political support for Palin and McCain.

Most of the article I wrote was spent detailing how Buchanan mixes some very good ideas with some absolutely toxic beliefs. The logical step for someone like myself who can not in good conscience support Buchanan is to look for a public figure who provides a "detoxified" alternative to Buchanan. Ms. Palin drives her political conservatism form her religious beliefs. She is unapologetic about her opinions and positions. Unlike Buchanan, she does not espouse holocaust revisionism or flirt with admiration for Hitler. I do not feel that I am betraying Judaism and Jews by supporting Palin. I do feel that way about Buchanan.

I would never wear a Pat Buchanan for President button. Sarah Palin did. Many people consider wearing a campaign button to be a statement of support for the candidate named on the button. I share this opinion. It is sensible and plausible.

Palin does not share my style of expression when it comes to campaign buttons. It is a minor question of style that does not diminish my respect for her at all. To the contrary, it shows a desire to maintain civility in political discourse. I share this concern. I could wear a Hillary Clinton Button for this reason. I could not bring myself to wear an Obama button, a David Duke or a Pat Buchanan button. That is my threshold of political tolerance. I'll bet that there are buttons Palin would not wear either.

I am willing to satisfy Bruce by disavowing any implication that Palin is a Buchanan supporter. It is however reasonable for me to have supposed that she did support Buchanan with the limited evidence I had at my disposal. Had Palin never worn a Buchanan button, I would have issued an unqualified retraction with an apology.

It offends my sense of moral symetry to apologise on page fifty seven for a page one transgression. I thought about Bruce's letter all day. I do not like to mislead readers. I am laying out my reasoning as well as a link to the original article. Given the unprincipled cruelty to Palin and her family on the part of the Democrats, I respect Bruce for his zeal in Palin's defense. I hope this article will lay matters to rest.

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Notes on Election 2008, Nasty Rumours and the “Duty to Die”

The bumbling disinvitation of Sarah Palin was a big topic of conversation after shul this Shabbos. Someone asked a really sensible question. Why didn’t the sponsors of the rally invite Biden and Palin and then Clinton and Schumer ? Protocol would place Biden and Palin on an equal level. Clinton and Schumer are both Senators from New York. Had protocol been followed, the burden of responsibility would have been upon anyone who refused to attend whatever their reasons might have been.The whole affair makes one wonder how much more common sense our “community leaders” have than the man on the street.

The National Enquirer ran a headline that made it sound like they had dirt on Sarah Palin. The article inside actually debunked a lot of nasty rumours about Palin and her family. It published pictures of Palin that it identified as fakes, including the one that supposedly showed Palin in a black leather miniskirt. The headlines on the front page were extremely misleading. The article had no “shocking stories”. The only shocking thing in the article was the depth to which Democrats would stoop to defame Palin. The article was actually quite fair. Only the headline was misleading. O.K. so I wasted my money. I’m a chump. But I can write this article and save you money.

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