Palin attacks "lamestream media" for forcing Gingrich apology; calls for Tea Party candidate in 2012 election

Sarah Palin on Wednesday chided the "lamestream, leftist media" for allegedly pressuring Newt Gingrich to change his heavily critical assessment of Rep. Paul Ryan's budget plan - and questioned the former House Speaker's decision to apologize.

In an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, Palin said politicians should not cede to pressure by the media to change their positions on controversial issues - even when they get "dinged" for it.

"We should ignore the lamestream, leftist media's criticism of what it is that we say in an interview if we believe what it is that we say. Don't let them, in a 24-hour news cycle, make us change our positions," she told Hannity.

Palin's comments came despite the fact that the criticism of Gingrich in the wake of his controversial comments came largely not from the mainstream media but from Fox News and conservative talk radio.

Gingrich came under fire after comments he made in a "Meet the Press" appearance on Sunday in which he suggested fellow Republican Paul Ryan's Medicare plan amounted to "radical change" as well as "right-wing social engineering."

After facing harsh criticism, Gingrich apologized to Ryan for the remarks and asked that they essentially be stricken from the record.

"So let me say on the record, any ad which quotes what I said on Sunday is a falsehood. Because I have said publicly those words were inaccurate and unfortunate and I'm prepared to stand up,'" he said on Fox News Tuesday.

"When I make a mistake -- and I'm going to on occasion -- I want to share with the American people 'that was a mistake' because that way we can have an honest conversation," he continued.

Yet Palin seemed to dismiss Gingrich's repudiation of his Sunday comments, telling Hannity, "And it sounded pretty clear to me that Newt Gingrich's position -- because he articulated this -- was that Paul Ryan's plan would be social engineering, and he didn't like it."

Palin said she thought Gingrich was "terribly wrong on his assessment of [Ryan's] plan," but also criticized him for backing off his earlier position.

"I don't know why politicians feel that they have to apologize for something that they said just because they've gone through a 24-hour cycle of the lamestream media giving them a hard time for something that they said," she said. "A politician either believes in what they just said in an interview, or they don't believe in what they just said. And if Newt Gingrich believes that it's right-wing social engineering to undo Obamacare and reform Medicare to make sure we provide a safety net for our seniors who are going to need health care coverage, then say so. But don't apologize later just because the media's dinged you on what it is that you said."

"I believe that he made the apology because the media dinged him on it," Palin argued. "Would he have made the apology otherwise? I don't know."

In reference to the original interview, Palin said it was up to candidates to be ready for the "gotcha" questions. (It's unclear how a question about Ryan's much-discussed Medicare plan amounts to a "gotcha" for a Republican presidential candidate.)

"There's got to be the preparation on all the candidates' parts for those gotchas," she said. "That's what the lamestream media's known for these days, the gotcha trip-up questions and you just have to be prepared for it and overcome it."

The former Alaska governor declined to say whether she would be jumping into the 2012 presidential race, but she did call for a candidate "with Tea Party principles" to jump in.

"I want to make sure that we have a candidate out there with Tea Party principles, understanding that we're taxed enough already, our job creators cannot afford to be taxed anymore, and will do the right things that so many Tea Party patriots have already been articulating and cheering on and looking for candidates to embrace," she said.

Palin is polling relatively well in what currently looks like a wide-open GOP field, but she is not the only Tea Party candidate who may throw her hat into the ring: Minn. Rep. Michele Bachmann, a Tea Party favorite, has also been seriously weighing a bid.

According to a recent Gallup poll, Palin has a major advantage over Bachmann in terms of name recognition: 96 percent of Republican or Republican-leaning voters know her name, compared to just 58 percent for Bachmann. Palin's overall support is 18 percent while Bachmann comes in at 5 percent.

[jim_ick]

"In reference to the original interview, Palin said it was up to candidates to be ready for the "gotcha" questions. (It's unclear how a question about Ryan's much-discussed Medicare plan amounts to a "gotcha" for a Republican presidential candidate.) "

If you actually watch the interview, she doesn't say that this specific question about the Medicare plan was a "gotcha", Lucy...

[michaelamsterdam]

I don't really think Sarah Palin is as stupid as people make her out to be. I believe she made a conscious decision (at one of her 6 colleges, no doubt) to acquire a very thin veneer of knowledge on any given subject...then try to bluff her way through on looks and charm.

She is more willfully ignorant and intellectually lazy than stupid (low animal cunning doesn't count)

On the other hand, she probably thinks that Sherlock Holmes is a housing development and that manual labor is an undocumented Mexican immigrant, so...

[carolo43]

Oh goody. Palin gets another go at being able to shove her face in front of a camera. Republicans gave Newt all the grief over his statement! The Democrats loved it so Palin AGAIN doesn't know what she's talking about. But she is the expert at back tracking on statements, especially her own.

She can see Russia, she can't see Russia. She doesn't read, she does read. She sold the Governors jet on Ebay, she didn't sell the jet on Ebay. On and on.

[san850]

As usual, Palin blaming the "media" for everything. She never has taken responsibility for her shortcomings....it has always been the "media's" fault. Now she's even encouraging other candidates to do the same. How lame is that.

No one really cares what she thinks anyway. This bimbo is so past tense...finished....toast.

[justme2012]

You must care, you seem drawn to all articles about her and spend a vast amount of your time commenting on her. Either you care or you have a very empty life?

[san850]

More juvenile comments from justme2012...is that the best you can do?

[Bardo1959]

She'll soon disappear... Don't forget -- Alaska will be releasing an estimated 26,500 pages of emails between her and her aides by the end of this month. (this is why she isnt running for prez)
--
Also, one of her former staffers is also releasing his book "Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin," in 5 days.
--
Plenty of fun times ahead..

[justme2012]

She has not only survived a full fledge attack by liberal for three years, she has thrived. I don't think she's worried about more soap opera theatrics by democrats.

[catmomtx]

She has only survived by getting ignorant, gullible people to hang on every ignorant word she says. I'm sorry but Palin and only Palin is responsible for what has happened to her and what the media reports. She is the one that has made the stupid statements, who has shown her lack of knowledge and her unwillingness to educate herself. She has shown herself to be weak, petty, ignorant and vindictive. She has proven not to be capable of running the government of a small rural state (she quit) and she is certainly not ready to be anywhere close to the White House. It isn't the media making her or Newt look bad, it is them. And people who can't admit that perhaps they are wrong or don't know something and blame everyone else for their faults should never, ever seek higher office. It is way to much for them.

[kansas1946]

We should ignore the lamestream, leftist media's criticism of what it is that we say in an interview if we believe what it is that we say. Don't let them, in a 24-hour news cycle, make us change our positions," she told Hannity.



Palin's comments came despite the fact that the criticism of Gingrich in the wake of his controversial comments came largely not from the mainstream media but from Fox News and conservative talk radio.

*************************
Poor Sarah. Dumb as ever. I guess she is now calling FOX, "lamestream media." Speaking of that, only a person of very limited intellegence and creativity uses a little catche phrase like "lamestream media" over and over and over. It was cute the first or second time, but now is just trite and tiresome.

[Zann-Zel]

Palin is giving advice to Gingrich???
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL...

And working for FOX, isn't she PART of the "lamestream media"?

[Zann-Zel]

I've never heard it put that way - but ya know it makes perfect sense! LOL! FOX "news" - Journalistic Porn

[nanc12]

Is she on crack??!!?? The only media criticizing his comments were Fox and the conservatives! After he announced his candidacy, Fox was fawning all over the Newt, loving his credentials, his experience and his "truthiness." After he criticized The Great Ryan, they said he was a non-candidate, had no credibility, etc. What he said about Ryan's plan probably appealed to moderate repubs and independents. This shows that there is no room for those groups in the repub party - only conservative zealots need apply. It also shows that Palin is an idiot, but we already knew that.

[boatdocster]

Palin's comments came despite the fact that the criticism of Gingrich in the wake of his controversial comments came largely not from the mainstream media but from Fox News and conservative talk radio.

Surely we are not asking Palin to THINK!

The picture of clueless paints a thousand words - The lights are on but no one is home...

[vielmann]

I wonder if Palin should be directing her comments and her fellow repos, namely Lamebaugh, since he particulary took issue with the Grinch.