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| In this July 2010 photo released by TLC, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, left, shakes hands with Gosselin twins, Cara, right, and Mady, as their mother Kate Gosselin looks on as the Palins and the Gosselins go on a camping trip in Coffee Creek, Alaska, during a taping of "Sarah Palin's Alaska." The Gosselin-Palin camping trip episode will air on Sunday, Dec. 12, at 9 p.m. EST on TLC. (AP Photo/TLC, Gilles Mingasson) |
Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank this weekend pledged to "stop obsessing over Sarah Palin" and asked other members of the media to join him.
Milbank says he has written 42 columns about her since Sen. John McCain picked her as his vice presidential running mate in 2008 and has frequently mentioned her in blog posts, Web chats, and appearances on TV and radio.
"I feel powerless to control my obsession, even though it cheapens and demeans me," Milbank says.
Milbank isn't alone. He points out that New York Times columnist Ross Douthat has mentioned Palin in 21 of his columns since 2008; Eugene Robinson, 33 times; Paul Krugman, 14; Kathleen Parker, 30; and Maureen Dowd, 45.
Palin is even more fodder on television, Milbank says. Sean Hannity has had 411 Palin segments, while fellow Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly has had 664 segments, Milbank says. Over on MSNBC, Rachel Maddow has mentioned Palin in 183 shows. (Milbank also points out that Keith Olbermann has had 345 shows mentioning Palin, although that string ended Friday with Olbermann leaving MSNBC.)
So is Milbank right? Does the media have an obsession with Sarah Palin? And why is that?
There is no doubt that Palin's name continues to appear in the pages of the Post-Dispatch and on stltoday.com.
A quick search for "Sarah Palin" finds 43 articles have appeared since Jan. 1 on stltoday.com, which includes those sent through automatic feed from the Associated Press.
On The Editors' Desk alone, more than 20 percent of this month's blog entries mention or focus on Palin. And that may partly explain the media's apparent obsession over Palin, for she has moved from politician to media figure.
Since losing the 2008 election and resigning as governor of Alaska, Palin has been a frequent contributor to Fox News; she has been a guest on programs of that cable channel and has hosted specials there. And while being interviewed, she frequently criticizes the media. All of which opens the door for her to be mentioned on media blogs such as this one.
But Palin also has become a celebrity. She has had her own reality TV show and was featured prominently when her daughter, Bristol, appeared on "Dancing With the Stars." She also is the author of "America by Heart," which opened the year at No. 10 on the New York Times' best sellers list for non-fiction. This all provides fodder for the entertainment section of the Post-Dispatch and other newspapers across the country.
And all the while Palin has not given up politics. Though not currently running for office, Palin is a frequent stump speaker and played a significant role in this past November's elections. While her speeches draw large crowds, she draws even greater amounts of national political money to candidates she supports. She also hasn't ruled out a possible run for the 2012 Republican nomination for president.
Rarely has any person crossed into the American limelight in as many ways as Palin has. This keeps the media's attention on her, which explains Milbank's and other journalists' "obsession." And while some in the media would like to have a moratorium on Palin stories, she likely will continue to bring the focus of media attention on herself as the 2012 election season unfolds.
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