The New York Times has accomplished a feat that few people thought possible. The newspaper of record has made Sarah Palin a national figure again. The former Alaska governor, vice presidential candidate, and Tea Party leader had lapsed into relative obscurity ever since Donald Trump had become a presidential candidate. But, by reviving the old canard linking her with the Gabby Giffords shooting, Palin is suddenly in the news again, with various media outlets springing to her defense and the politician herself offering and angry rebuke. The Washington Examiner reports that the Times has offered a belated and somewhat half-hearted correction to the calumnious editorial in question.
The Mama Grizzly shows her claws
Palin posted on her Facebook page, in part, “With this sickening NYT's editorial, the media is doing exactly what I said yesterday should not be done. Despite commenting as graciously as I could on media coverage of yesterday's shooting, alas, today a perversely biased media's knee-jerk blame game is attempting to destroy innocent people with lies and more fake news.” Her response is being widely reported in the media. No word has been revealed yet whether Palin is going to follow the advice of some of her friends in the conservative media and take the New York Times to court. Some legal analysts suggest that she will have a pretty good case, even considering the stringent requirements for a public figure to prove defamation.
The New York Times offers a correction
The New York Times has issued a mild correction to the editorial that defamed Palin. The Times now admits that no link existed between the map graphic offered by Palin’s political PAC and the shooting of Rep. Gabby Giffords by Jared Loughner, a deranged man with a variety of mental health issues.
Of course, the newspaper has not offered an explanation as to why it printed the lie to start with, known to be a lie for over five years.
Could Palin still sue?
Palin has tweeted “commonsense suggestion by a journalist, am talking to attorneys this AM and exploring options.” She quoted a previous article in which we covered the legal ramifications of the Times calumny.
What the former governor will do now will depend on the advice of her lawyers. Will she ask for monetary damages? A more explicit retraction? A libel trial, should Palin choose to pursue a legal action, would be entertaining to put the matter mildly. A higher purpose could be served by forcing into the sunlight the tendency by the mainstream media to smear conservative personalities and ideas, pretending that they are reporting the news. Liberal bias in the media may be at last on trial.
