The last few weeks, I've noticed a kind of image moving on the AP wire that I don't recall having run across in the annals of photojournalism vis-a-vis presidential campaigns.
Each time I see one of these, I go,
"legs!," because, well, that's the sort of thing I notice. But then, trying to explain what on Earth caused a photo editor to post these (I understand fully why the photographer shot them, but it seems to me more like the sort of thing he would keep to himself, or just share with the guys), I think, "It's gotta be the shoes." I figure maybe there's a fashion angle to which I am oblivious. That would be acceptable to women, and therefore the sort of thing an editor might dare to post. I mean, I've read that Sarah Palin has had an impact on the eyewear industry; maybe there's something special about her shoes to which I am oblivious.
But nope; it's not about the shoes. In fact, no excuse is offered for shooting Sarah Palin in a way that it would never occur to the photog to shoot Joe Biden. Here's the caption:
Republican vice presidential candidate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, stands at the lectern during her vice presidential debate Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008, in St. Louis, Mo. (AP Photo/Don Emmert, Pool)
I guess, despite all these decades of being bludgeoned by the sensitivity crowd, boys will still be boys. I mean, I knew that, but most of us don't SHOW it show so blatantly.
Then again, maybe AP HAS been moving pictures of Joe Biden's legs, and I haven't noticed because my eye wasn't drawn to those images.
But I doubt it.
Posted by: Brad Warthen | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 11:59 AM
But Brad, considering the Seinfeld-ism of your sports section today: Not that there would be anything wrong with that.
Posted by: Gary Karr | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 12:20 PM
Her legs are hot, her mind is what turns me on.
Posted by: Deborah Harry | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 12:34 PM
ZZ Tops's "She's Got Legs":
Posted by: Ralph Hightower | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 12:58 PM
There are leg men. Then there are upper torso men. Then there are men that go for the eyes. Then there are men that go for the brain. Have you seen a picture that is going around on the net with Sarah undressed. Seems that this lady has it all.
Posted by: slugger | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 05:09 PM
the way she was winking and flirting with the camera last night almost encourages some sort of sexual fantasy, bu tthis is not cute. boys may be boys, but editors run or block pictures from appearing on web sites or in newspapers unless the photographers are now masters of content decisions. it is as disrespectful of gov palin as constantly running pictures of gov schwarzenegger shirtless would be.
Posted by: george32 | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 05:19 PM
Having read many of the posts on several of the topics on here, I had a flash to one of my sophomores who will send me e-mails to ask me something and put a heart next to her name. Sweet girl, but she's failing.
Wink.
Posted by: Susan | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 05:38 PM
GAMS! SCHMAMS!
Do we REALLY need another person in high office who can't properly pronounce the word "nuclear" for crying out loud?
Posted by: Susan Quinn | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 05:55 PM
Susan, we addressed that one back here on an earlier post.
But since you bring it back up, it's IS odd, isn't it? There's nothing HARD, it would seem, about saying NUKE-lee-er. I mean, in chemistry class, did she speak of the NUKE-ee-luss of an atom, or did she say it right? It's certainly not the spelling, which is so often the problem in English, because it's spelled phonetically. It's especially odd coming from her, because she OVERpronounces so many words.
I mention it in my column Sunday, speculating that (being young and impressionable as she is) maybe she thinks if the PRESIDENT says it that way, it must be right. I mean, he oughta know, dontcha think?
Somebody mentioned earlier today that Jimmy Carter had trouble with the word, too. And HE was a nuclear engineer who once worked directly for Hyman Rickover, the Father of the Nuclear Navy. Seems like HE would know. Weird.
Posted by: Brad Warthen | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 06:37 PM
Could Abraham Lincoln pronounce aluminum?
Did George Washington ever misspell separate?
Can Joe Biden tell the truth?
Posted by: p.m. | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 07:35 PM
Has Barack Obama ever had a friend who was a patriotic American?
Posted by: Lee Muller | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 08:47 PM
how about colin powell or is he not patriotic enough for you-or course he did not dump his first wife for a rich trophy blonde and rose to 4 star rank without daddy/grandaddy legacy points.
"mindless patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels" you can ask chief drug ditto who said that. he probably will tell you it was a communist raised by muslims who did not draw government checks for over half a century.
Posted by: george32 | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 09:06 PM
You're all sick. But at least you realize it.
Posted by: Anonymous | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 09:31 PM
The old historian turns to cinema -- one of the great movies of modern times -- for an explanation:
So the new gal on the block is a flirt because she’s a looker? How bizarre! Given the context, was that flirting or underscoring a point?It really doesn’t matter. Turning Palin into a sex object is more than childish. This was not funny and was just as demeaning as most of the nonsense directed Palin’s way.
But the point seems to be to demean Palin by any means necessary.
Posted by: Mike Cakora | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 09:56 PM
She is a force to be reckoned with, no doubt. But as a part of John McCain's Washington, she is neutralized. I almost despise him for this!!!!! He has raped the natural order of things. Sarah was most effective as he found her...kicking boo-hiny in the wild.
Posted by: Anonymous | Friday, 03 October 2008 at 11:17 PM
Don't care for her, thought she looked like she was selling cars with all that winking, but I do love her shoes. Since we're on this mindless thread and all...
Posted by: Sarah | Saturday, 04 October 2008 at 08:48 AM
And the suit was to die for...I wish I could draw a heart on here...
Yes, Brad, "nuclear" turned out to be a bear she couldn't shoot, didn't it? And listening to her I pictured Professor Higgins taking down her language in his linguistic shorthand to try to pronounce it himself later.
Posted by: Susan | Saturday, 04 October 2008 at 09:15 AM
The shoes are swell and all -- but shouldn't she have worn ***STOCKINGS*** for this?!?
Looks like she has bare feet in those shoes.
I don't care if it IS the style. It's not the style for the White House.
Posted by: Anonymous | Saturday, 04 October 2008 at 11:23 AM
Obama supporters are having a hard time naming any of his close associates who are good, patriotic Americans.
No shortage of terrorists, cop-killers, thieves, swindlers, communists and radical Muslims in Obama's past, present or future.
Posted by: Lee Muller | Saturday, 04 October 2008 at 11:57 AM
Uh oh, Susan, don’t read this:
The winks upset a lot of folks.Posted by: Mike Cakora | Saturday, 04 October 2008 at 08:05 PM
Great.
More ridiculous drivel from Brad Warthen.
I'm clearly not always a B+ student, but I can usually figure things out given enough time. Warthens' motives for publishing this line of silliness about Palin escape me, I must confess.
--This stuff isn't fit to go into the newspaper, it would cause fewer of them to sell than the dismal and dwindling number that do already.
--It doesn't make the blog host look good...it is unoriginal, unbecoming and frankly boring.
--It is the kind of patronizing and sexist bullsh*t that could only be perpetrated by the cowards who do it against a successful Christian woman.
Way to go Brad.
David
Posted by: david | Saturday, 04 October 2008 at 09:17 PM
Of course Sarah Palin spoke at a higher level.
The average education of an Obama supporter is much lower that that of a McCain supporter. Far more of them never finished high school, than hold graduate degrees.
Posted by: Lee Muller | Saturday, 04 October 2008 at 09:38 PM
Link, Lee?
Posted by: Susan | Sunday, 05 October 2008 at 06:51 AM
Just drop by your local Democratic headquarters and strike up a conversation, Susan. That should be link enough.
Posted by: p.m. | Sunday, 05 October 2008 at 07:18 AM
95% of blacks plan to vote Obama.
50% of blacks drop out of high school
Posted by: Lee Muller | Sunday, 05 October 2008 at 08:37 AM