Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

December 2, 2008 7:25:05 PM CST

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Errant Email Offers Insight in Dirty Politics

Posted Aug 30, 08 7:55 PM CDT in Politics 

(Newser) – An errant email from a Republican party staffer about a few Rush Limbaugh remarks shows how sleazy campaigning can be, Andrew Zajac blogs for the Chicago Tribune. On his radio show, Limbaugh imagined Obama asking Palin, "When you found out your baby would be born with Down syndrome, did you consider killing it before or after the due date?" He also joked that Palin could show Obama how to bait a hook or fire a gun.

An RNC rep sent an email to colleagues—and a Tribune reporter, accidentally—with the title “wow…good YouTube potential.” When the newspaper followed up, the RNC said it would not act on the suggestion. But Zajac calls the note instructive: While candidates stick to the high road, radio hosts and bloggers are free to crank up crude, personal, and nasty commentary as independent agents. While candidates could reprimand their noxious brethren, “that rarely happens.”

Source Chicago Tribune

4 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Election Predictors Who Got It Wrong

    Nov 6, 08 1:22 PM CST
    Election Predictors Who Got It Wrong With the election over, what's more fun than calling out all those whose predictions were off—way off. Der Spiegel lists some highlights:

    • "He cannot win, Bill. He cannot win." Hillary Clinton, on Barack Obama
    • "We'll win Florida." Rudy Giuliani
    • "Virginians are really getting fired up for this ticket of McCain and Palin." George Allen
    • "Romney for the Republicans, Hillary for the Democrats." Ann Coulter, on the nominees

    More »

  • Limbaugh Lashes Out at Anti-Palin Pundit

    Oct 10, 08 5:16 PM CDT
    Limbaugh Lashes Out at Anti-Palin Pundit Going so far as to call him a “pig,” Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell has launched a full-on war of words with Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh called Mitchell a "racist nutball" and ridiculed her and other “drive-by journalists” for saying Sarah Palin and John McCain should restrain supporters at their rallies, some of whom have shouted "kill him" and "terrorist."
    More »

As an independent agent, radio personality Rush Limbaugh can be as nasty and crude as he pleases, without tarnishing the candidate's official campaign, writes Andrew Zajac.   (AP Photo/Gary He)
On his radio show, Rush Limbaugh riffed on an imaginary conversation between Obama and VP candidate Palin. An RNC staffer picked up the crude clip as having "great YouTube potential."   (KRT Photos)
Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, hold their baby boy Trig in Anchorage, Alaska. The Palin's fifth child was born with Down syndrome.   (AP Photo/Al Grillo)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

The note is a good illustration of how campaigns really work and helps to explain why many people think the national political discourse is noxious. - Andrew Zajac, Chicago Tribune

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 3)

Tags

Barack Obama • Sarah Palin • presidential campaign • abortion • radio • Rush Limbaugh • Republican National Committee • talk radio


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Politics Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »