Palin Calls Photoshopped Images 'Atrocious'
For the past several months, Linda Kellen Biegel, the author of the Democratic Alaskan political blog Blue Oasis, has covered conservative Alaskan radio personality Eddie Burke's treatment of fellow Alaskan Andree McLeod, a self-described political watchdog who has vocally and consistently criticized Palin. As Biegel's coverage wore on, she came to suspect that the Governor's office had directly assisted what she has called the Republican Burke's "smear campaign" against McLeod.
Moved to investigate the validity of her suspicions, Biegel requested that the Office of the Governor provide her with whatever e-mails might be pertinent to her investigation (i.e. any e-mails between the Governor's office, Burke, and anti-McLeod writer Sheila Toomey). After corresponding with the Governor's staff, Biegel found out that copies of the aforementioned documents could be hers -- after she paid administrative fees amounting to $5,552.64.Undeterred, Biegel began to raise money on her blog, which she then started to festoon with satirical, altered images featuring Palin and Burke. And therein began the problem. On the fourth day of her fund raising, Biegel posted the above image. In a smiling Palin's arms squirms her infant son Trig -- with Burke's face photoshopped into the place of the boy's.
Wasting no time, Palin spokesperson Meghan Stapleton launched this diatribe, published today by Politico:
The mere idea of someone doctoring the photo of a special needs baby is appalling. To learn that two Alaskans did it is absolutely sickening. Linda Kellen Biegel, the official Democrat Party blogger for Alaska, should be ashamed of herself and the Democratic National Committee should be ashamed for promoting this website and encouraging this atrocious behavior.According to Politico, Blieger offered this statement in response:
Babies and children are off limits. It is past time to restore decency in politics and real tolerance for all Americans. The Obama Administration sets the moral compass for its party. We ask that special needs children be loved, respected and accepted and that this type of degeneracy be condemned.
It's called 'Baby Burke' because it's Eddie Burke...basically his probable second-biggest fantasy about the Governor. So, connecting the dots for you...WE'RE MAKING FUN OF EDDIE BURKE!!!!!!Still unwavering in her desire to ascertain whatever pertinent e-mails may sit in the Governor's inbox or deleted folder, Biegel is continuing her fundraiser. At the time of this writing, she reports that it has yielded $4,646.
Even though it's hard to argue with the Palin camp's statement that special needs children should be "loved, respected, and accepted," it's doubtful that Biegel even had Trig's disability in mind when she altered the image.
But, here's the rub.
If Palin wanted to preserve the dignity of her son by truly making him "off limits," she's gone and messed up. By binding her world-famous name to such a narrowly read, provincial blog, Palin has in fact -- intentionally or no -- taken this image from the mini-blogosphere of what may be the most secluded state in the Union and brought it to the attention of the world. So, now, instead of a debatably malicious image of her son appearing on thousands of Anchorage laptops, it is appearing on millions of monitors around the world. That, dear readers, we cannot stand behind. [From: Blue Oasis and Politico, via Huffington Post]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 92)
Bob said 1:08PM on 6-26-2009
Every Day has been that time since Sarah had to give back that wardrobe.
John Gallaher said 6:23AM on 6-26-2009
Palin should stop pimping her family members for publicity. Just how stupid does she plan on becoming?
Reply
mgc947 said 6:36AM on 6-26-2009
Well, she has not turned into a liberal yet, and i am sure never will so i seriously doube she will ever reach the pinnical of stupidity
janc said 7:27AM on 6-26-2009
The problem with you liberal nuts is, you somehow don't think Palin's children should even exist. How in heck do you come up with "Pimping her children?" If you think she is pimping her children because they breath the air that you do then, Obama and Michelle is really pimping their children out. Right?
sieben13 said 7:56PM on 6-28-2009
Palin has plenty room to show how inept she is
Kay said 9:49AM on 6-26-2009
THANK YOU JOHN GALLAHER - Palin can't have it both ways putting her kids in the media & then expecting nobody to say anything.
danay83 said 9:50AM on 6-26-2009
Palin actually does have a right to be outraged. Children, especially those with special needs, are off-limits. Period. If Obama's daughters were present in such a photographical fashion, there would be outrage. Far-left democrats hate Palin and her image (which includes her children) just because Palin is a conservative. What on earth do you mean Palin is pimping her kids? What evidence do you have for that? She is the mother of those children. What do you expect her or them to do? Furthermore, the kids really have shown no political involvement. A photograph or support doesn't count as political involvement. Bristol is old enough to make her own decisions, but the rest of the family is exempt. The hypocrisy far-left liberals use is ridiculous.
Jeff said 10:34AM on 6-26-2009
You libs kill me ,your all about love and kindness,as long as its a dog or a cat , when it comes to your fellow man then the idea of compassion never crosses your mind.
hamerxham12653 said 10:35AM on 6-26-2009
It's terrible, just terrible!!! To make fun of a picture like that!! Oh, by the way. Here's a banana for her monkey!!!
Jeff said 10:35AM on 6-26-2009
Pimping ,the election is over ,and since the election when has she pimped out her kids you fool.
skyynyte said 10:34AM on 6-26-2009
At least she found the kid. I thought she lost him at one of the conventions. BTW write it's e-mail not e-mails. jeez.
ccwstauffer said 10:38AM on 6-26-2009
Look, I can't stand Sarah Palin, but this photograph is going way too far
Chantelle said 12:30PM on 6-26-2009
After that doctored picture you sure have guts to criticize Sarah. You not only have no class, you have no sense of respect for the handicapped or any other Christian value. Your comment is totally irresponsible.
jimpferris said 11:50AM on 6-26-2009
What about obama? Oh he is exempt.
Penny said 11:23AM on 6-26-2009
Gov. Palin is not the one "Pimping" her children, you lovely liberals who put this miscreant (obama bin lyin) in office are. It is very interesting that the people who refuse to leave Gov. Palin alone are democrats. Is it possible they realize that without Palin on the ticket, McCain would have been slaughtered in the election. So keep on maligning her and her family, you are just making her stronger. As for myself, I will never vote for another democrat or liberal- they are the scum of the earth.
hopeing said 11:41AM on 6-26-2009
In my view you are stupid, insensative and totally bias. Look at all the politician who's beautiful children have been put out there for public consumption and to help them get elected. This is the most outrageous and callious attack of a human being and an innocent child. Civility has gone out the window with people like you. You may not like what a certain public figure does but there is a line that civilized people should not cross
edie said 1:08PM on 6-26-2009
you must be an evil person(?)
Geo said 11:49AM on 6-26-2009
Pimping? She's is proud of her family and runs on a platform of family values. The attacks on her family are what brings all this into the spotlight. Letterman, etc. If the media didn't have such a h*rd-on for Palin, you wouldn't hear about any of this. She's just the current favorite to skewer.
mbrul said 12:00PM on 6-26-2009
she needs to go back to alaska and lay low. she's become like when you were kids and you knew you could get to one of them, tease them and they'd go nuts, that's what she is now. poor john mccain, I hope whoever suggested and vetted her sleep with the fishes.
gattoiigug said 12:19PM on 6-26-2009
John Gallagher those are my sentiments exactly! She was so offended by David Letterman's quip about her daughter yet she has pimped her kid out as the poster child for teenage pregnancy. It seems Palin cannot take what she dishes out!