Dowd pays for ‘Caribou Barbie’ jibe

A no-holds-barred column by Maureen Dowd in the New York Times prompts a backlash from supporters of Sarah Palin

FIRST POSTED JULY 6, 2009

A withering column by Maureen Dowd in the New York Times about Sarah Palin's sudden decision to quit as Governor of Alaska has got other American columnists and bloggers rushing to defend last year's Republican vice-presidential candidate.

Dowd is invariably acerbic, but she really let rip on Saturday: "Sarah Palin showed on Friday that in one respect at least, she is qualified to be president. Caribou Barbie is one nutty puppy."

Attacking Palin's "girlish burbling", she wrote: "On the shore of Lake Lucille, with wild fowl honking and the First Dude smiling... the woman who took the Republican Party by storm only 10 months ago gave an incoherent, breathless and prickly stream of consciousness to a small group in her Wasilla yard.

"What looked like a secret wedding turned out to be a public unraveling as the GOP implosion continued: Sarah wanted everyone to know that she's not having fun and people are being mean to her and she doesn't feel like finishing her first term as governor."

What happened to the woman who hunts wolves from the air and can field-dress a moose, Dowd asked. Palin's "dewy skin" turned out to be awfully thin.

The backlash began immediately. Andrew Brietbart in the Washington Times accused Dowd of bullying. She was, he said, seeking to "finish off what sister snipers Katie Couric and Tina Fey began last fall" namely "the assassination of Sarah Palin by media".

Dowd, Couric and Fey were 'Obama's Angels', said Brietbart. "They are what my wife calls 'pad throwers', an allusion to the shower room scene in the Stephen King film Carrie, in which the popular girls throw sanitary napkins and tampons at the film's namesake.

"Simply put, they are bullies. And female bullies are the cruelest kind."

Jan Tyler, writing for Examiner.com, said the joke was on Maureen Dowd who "cannot see that it is she who looks like one nutty puppy to most people, who do not live in pricey enclaves and attend fancy parties with the swells."

Tyler went on: "Think, as your average voter might, who looks battier. A stable, long married Sarah Palin, or a thin-lipped, acerbic Maureen Dowd. A dewy-skinned Palin, still firm and slender, or a prudish, crepe-skinned, droopy-bosomed Dowd? You can almost hear her cackle like the Wicked Witch of the West as she tried to lock Sarah away from the world."

Dowd had wondered if there was another scandal in the offing. This is a point made by several online commentators and it led to Palin's lawyer, Thomas Van Flein, threatening legal action against bloggers and American publications that reprint the allegations, which he said, Palin strongly denies.

"To the extent several websites ... are now claiming as 'fact' that Governor Palin resigned because she is 'under federal investigation' for embezzlement or other criminal wrongdoing, we will be exploring legal options this week to address such defamation," said Van Flein.

He told the Anchorage Daily News that he was unaware of any criminal investigation involving Mrs Palin, an assertion supported by the local office of the FBI.

FIRST POSTED JULY 6, 2009

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Not much of a backlash, a couple of conservative columnists. Boo hoo, hate their dumb puppy being put down. Nothing to what I'd like to do to her for her disgusting murder of beautiful animals from a helicopter. Trouble is, Palin is far too stupid to understand how ludicrously challenged and unsuitable for office she is. Like the right wing Australian chip shop owner who for a short while got the media's attention, Palin is the usual simpleton with a populist message. But not even the country which elected Bush could possibly make the mistake of thinking Palin would be a safe pair of hands with the nuclear button. Nobody minds stupid people, there are plenty around, but they mostly know their place in life, and rarely get the idea that they're actually bright enough to run a country. The reason Palin is attacked is because she is dumb enough to think she can, and her pathetic homilies would only impress a moron.

Posted by Peter Simmons at 10:30am on July 6, 2009

Like previous commenter Peter Simmons, I do note hold Sarah Palin in high regard. She clearly a divisive and polarizing figure and that is something the Republican party does not need. That said, Ms Palin and her message are diametrically opposed to populism, a leftist ideology that places the regime at the leading edge of 'cradle to grave' government. Even Mr Obama has shied away from the populist mantle, declaring repeatedly that government cannot and ought nought replace individual responsibility and accountability. To call Ms Palin, an advocate of less government a 'populist' is absurd. Finally, Ms Palin was the governor of the state of Alaska, one of the wealthiest, fastest growing and most difficult states in the union to govern. While she has her detractors, there are many in the state who point to good governance and stewardship of that state. Those who voted for her are not 'morons'. Prior to the election in 2000, NY Democrat Charlie Rangel admonished his fellow Democrats for referring to George Bush as 'stupid'. He said George Bush was a lot of things- but stupid wasn't one of them. Mr Bush was the Governor of the then fastest growing state, oversaw the installation of enormous civil and social infrastructure and arguably improved Texas educational levels greatly. He was at the fore of fighting racism and other forms of discrimination and was rewarded by the voters. He handily took the Hispanic and black vote in his reelection bid. They were not 'stupid' for casting their ballots for Mr Bush. To call Sarah Palin of George Bush 'stupid' only serves to divert attention away from the real issues that merit discussion and debate. Mr Simmons would do well to consider his own words, "Nobody minds stupid people, there are plenty around, but they mostly know their place in life..."

Posted by Alex Harris at 12:13pm on July 6, 2009

I agree that the outrage over Palin's treatment is coming mainly from hard-core conservatives. She hasn't done herself any favors by quitting her job as governor. During the election, one of the few advantages she could legitimately claim over Obama was her "executive experience." Now she can't even claim to have served one complete term as a governor. If the Republicans are banking on this person to carry them to victory in 2012, they're in more trouble than I thought.

Posted by Clarence Ewing at 12:52pm on July 6, 2009

Expect no more from the Obama worshippers than a backlash against someone who believes differently than them. I'm not really a Palin fan and I don't believe she's the one the Republican party should get behind, but as any girl discovers by the time she's in middle school, girls are mean, spiteful and downright nasty. The three non-investigative "news" (ha) mavens mentioned, no let's see Tina Fey is just a joke herself and Katie Couric has almost taken the news down since sitting in the anchor's chair are nothing more than mean and spiteful little girls with nothing better to do than worship at Obama's feet and cover for his tax-cheating cabinet. No one can say a word aginst that statement because it's as true as they come. Most of the US media makes me ashamed that I was ever in the same profession. I'm disappointed, but not surprised they find fault with another woman, she's getting press while they are just ugly.

Posted by strepagnier at 1:43pm on July 6, 2009

I just can't believe anyone takes this woman seriously. And talk that this might be the first step to get her elected nearer the real action so she can run for President next time is, simply, mind-boggling. I heard her speech and, frankly, couldn't make head nor tail of what she was talking about. Good riddance I say and, yes, I too have read a lot about her legal entanglements, especially regarding her brother in law.

Posted by viv.johns@gmail.com at 2:49pm on July 6, 2009

I have never been a fan of Palin's and am in agreement with Simmons regarding cruelty issues. I've said repeatedly, however, that she should keep her mouth shut and refuse to talk back to the press. As for strepagnier's comments, sounds like one of those mean, nasty girls from school days.

Posted by Blanche Radnor at 5:07pm on July 6, 2009

The last thing that the USA needs is someone like Sarah Palin in public office. She trumpets her "common touch" so much that it seems to be her only asset. Comedians and "opinion" journalists make mincemeat of so-called "common touch" politicians like Palin because it's easy. It's a bit like shooting corralled big game from a helicopter.

Posted by Mark Hale at 5:26pm on July 6, 2009

Tina Fey is a comedian, they tell jokes and generally abuse ALL politicians, it is what comedians do. Ms. Dowd is an Op-Ed writer, what she writes are generally HER opinion, it is what Op-Ed writers do. Ms. Couric is a journalist. Gov. Palin majored in journalism in college, she should know that journalist ask questions, it is their job, it is what they do. Off the top of my head I knew the answer to nearly all the questions Ms. Couric asked Gov. Palin. (with exception to what does Gov. Palin read) They were softball questions, Gov. Palin was running for the second highest spot in the nation, she should have known the answers, if to nothing else at least to what she reads. Good grief. I'm sorry, but a free pass to someone just because they are pretty does not cut it with me. When it comes to casting my vote, I check and double check all the contenders in the race. She was not worth my vote then and I doubt very much she will be in the future. Don't care how pretty she is on the outside, it is the stuffing between her ears that count and she seems to have precious little at that.

Posted by psk at 6:19pm on July 6, 2009

I get amused at reading the comments on Sarah Palin, they make me laugh, 1-she gets press while they are just ugly. 2-stupid people should know their place. And my favorite (Jan Tyler is a hoot) crepe-skin and droopy- bosoms. Zing, zing, zing, keep them coming!

Posted by komoto3030 at 6:52pm on July 6, 2009

Ya know, folks, if we just stop thinking and talking about this pathetic excuse of a state leader, she WILL go away. Good publicity, bad publicity, it's, "Did they spell my name right?" Time to give Sarah the quiet time she deserves.

Posted by Midyola at 1:50am on July 7, 2009

Feel there is a spot of jealousy coming forth here. Palin, who was the elected official of the State of Alaska's Governor posistion has a lot more going for her then Dowd, who some one has attributed to the fact she may be a witch, is a paid basher of anything that is right of the Far Left. I suspect the millions Palin is going to make as a resigned Governor, with book deals and speaking fees will make dowd's salary feel like chump change. Couric is also not long for her job as she trails every pundit including Oreily, who is on cable which has a much smaller listening audience that national networks. Too bad ladies, she has outfoxed you in your domain. I personaly, do not feel she is Presidential material at this time but she seems to be a street fighter with a lot more moxey then the two above named ladies.

Posted by Leonard Eisenstein at 7:49pm on July 10, 2009