Sarah Palin...Get Over Yourself

This just needs to stop. After a media storm surrounding David Letterman's rather crude joke about Sarah Palin's daughter, Bristol, there is more trouble in the frozen tundra.

Now, Palin and her slew of publicists are all up in arms about an Alaskan blogger superimposing the face of a highly conservative, Palin-friendly radio personality over that of her infant son Trig.

"Recently we learned of a malicious desecration of a photo of the Governor and baby Trig that has become an iconic representation of a mother's love for a special needs child," Palin spokeswoman Meghan Stapelton said in a statement provided to CNN. "The mere idea of someone doctoring the photo of a special needs baby is appalling." (quote taken from http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/).

Please, Governor Palin, either get used to the media coming after you or retire from politics. Political cartoons are, as we well know, a staple of political pundits and commentators across the world. Whether it be President Obama's ears, Governor Baldacci's rather bald head, or the shear stupidity of President Bush's quotes, this is completely mainstream. I get the fact that Governor Palin doesn't like it when the "liberal media" go after her. I'm sure if I were in her shoes I would feel the same way. But that's just the way it is. If Palin wants to be the "new face of the GOP," if she wants to have a shot at the White House again, or if she ever wants to be reelected to the Governor's mansion in Juneau, she needs to get a thicker skin.
You all might remember the last election cycle. Sarah Palin came out of nowhere. She was bold, somewhat articulate, good looking, and above all, she was conservative. Thus, she was catapulted into the media spotlight and expected to turn the McCain ticket around.

Above all of that, she shamlessly used her family as political ploys. As a staunch opponent of abortion, her choice to carry a child with Down Syndrome worked perfectly. I am not saying that Palin is any less of a caring parent because of these actions, but using her "hockey mom" image along with her brave demeanor as a mother who decided to keep her baby despite various setbacks, reeked of political pandering.

Now, simply because her son Trig has Down Syndrome, her entire family is supposed to be immune to political commentary. If this were any other baby I forsee a lack of such a response. But no. Since Trig is a "special needs child" it is cimpletely innaporpriate for him to be included in a political cartoon.

Maybe my utter dislike for Sarah Palin is shining through too much. I agree that the media--on both ends of the spectrum--can be rather harsh. But really, get over yourself Governor Palin. If you want to play the game dirt is going to fly.