It’s interesting that the information age has done nothing to dampen the apparently deep-seated human need to concoct elaborate conspiracy theories. The psychic malady that drives some people to dream up implausible and sinister plots is obviously impervious to objective data.
Otherwise, it would not be possible for the incredibly well-documented facts surrounding the 9-11 attacks on New York and Washington to be questioned by the “Truthers.” Likewise, it would hardly be possible for ”Birthers” to exist in an extremely hostile evidentiary environment.
Nonetheless, the Truthers and Birthers are there, and in unnervingly large numbers. Now, they’ve been joined by the “Triggers.” These people believe that Sarah Palin, in concert with her family, friends and associates, is hiding some presumably damning secret about the birth of her fifth child.
The patron saint of this weird crew is Andrew Sullivan, who suspended his regular blogging yesterday so that he could scour Palin’s book for subliminal evidence that there was a second shooter on the grassy knoll have been dark doings relating to Trig. Here’s his ironic explanation:
This is only the second time in its nearly ten-year history that the Dish has gone silent … When dealing with a delusional fantasist like Sarah Palin, it takes time to absorb and make sense of the various competing narratives that she tells about her life … the Dish has tried to be rigorous and careful in analyzing Palin’s unhinged grip on reality from the very beginning - specifically her fantastic story of her fifth pregnancy …
One can imagine the surreptitious looks of alarm that Sullivan’s assistants exchanged when they were told to stop their normal work to focus on this neurotic jihad. In fact, as Michelle Malkin points out, one of them (Patrick Appel) disowned this wacky theory nearly a year ago:
I am the only other person [other than Sullivan] who has read all the obstetrician interviews, the interview with a reporter at the scene, and all the primary sources. I strongly believe that there is nothing to this story.
And Appel isn’t alone. At TNR, Damon Linker tries to make Sullivan see the virtue of shutting up, and Jules Crittenden provides a good roundup of other bloggers who collectively wonder what has happened to Sullivan. Meanwhile, whither the new revelations on the Trig conspiracy?
I tried to write a fair account of Palin’s various stories of her incredible fifth pregnancy, labor and delivery and to reconcile all the various facts we know and the various versions of the story she has told … I honestly however cannot make total sense of them in a way that I’m completely convinced by and so simply do not feel comfortable making any judgment on them in any way at this point.
Here’s a thought: Perhaps the lady’s children, the circumstances of their births notwithstanding, are not a legitimate (or healthy) subject for journalists to pursue. If one feels the need to ”deconstruct” Palin, surely there is enough ammunition in her many statements about actual public policy issues. Ya think?
UPDATE I:
For a truly funny epilogue to a generally creepy story, I recommend Sarah Palin’s Uterus. Having found this blog (via Dan Riehl), I am once again confident that there are people left in the world who still possess a sense of humor. This is good, because most of the available data suggest that the TRUE purpose of humanity is comic relief.
UPDATE II:
For an even funnier epilogue, imagine for a moment how Sullivan and the other Triggers will react to the news that Palin’s book is selling so quickly that her publisher has boosted its print run from 1.5 million to 2.5 million. The Sarahphobes will be writhing like so many snakes.
Comments 13
Wrong.
It’s relevant because Palin used Trig, allegedly the fifth child she gave birth too, as a key prop to help her win the support of the “family values” community. And yet confirmed, dated, and extensive video and photos show that she went from having a small bulge around the abdomen (of the type you might get after a tasty Thanksgiving dinner) to being swelled up to relatively “normal” pregnancy weight within just a FEW DAYS. That is not possible. Anatomically, biologically, physiologically, never in the history of female bodies and pregnancy has this happened. Even today she is toting around poor Trig, the mostly deaf, visually impaired Down Syndrome child and showing him off like a Louis Vuitton bag. Trig is not wearing hearing aids or glasses at any of these events, and one can only wonder if he is receiving the highly necessary early intervention therapies he requires as a special needs child while accompanying his mother on a round the country media tour. For someone who has carefully crafted an image as “everymom” the issue of whether she really gave birth to this child or whether it arrived (as evidence would suggest) by stork delivery really DOES have merit.
Posted 19 Nov 2009 at 7:27 pm ¶Er … darren … if your goal is to make the Triggers seem reasonable, you’re falling a leeeetle short of the mark.
Posted 19 Nov 2009 at 7:56 pm ¶The Trig story is only interesting because she keeps using him as a prop while the whole narrative of his birth is so bizarre and convoluted. None of the given stories make sense so it attracts attention and, of course, conspiracy theories. Palin could end it instantly by releasing the medical records but never has bothered, instead preferring to play the victim card to good advantage with her admirers. Regardless this is a very small part of the lies, career and celebrity firestorm of Sarahcuda that the Dish focuses on. When Andrew’s posts about Palin are taken in their entirety, Trig is a very minor occurrence.
Posted 19 Nov 2009 at 8:40 pm ¶Darren is absolutely correct. In fact, she is still using Trig as a prop on her book tour. She wants to use her child as a political pawn, but insists he is off limits to journalistic inquiry. She can’t have it both ways.
Posted 19 Nov 2009 at 8:47 pm ¶The comparison to the “birther” controversy is a valid one.
Posted 19 Nov 2009 at 11:54 pm ¶Oh God! That’s her BABY you dummies! What’s she supposed to do… drop him off with a nanny while she leaves him for months?
You weak-minded lemmings seem pretty desperate. She must really be worrying you. I can see why she would.
I really don’t have to comment on our current President. You’ve seen him in action for almost a year. He’s still trying to figure out a way to vote “present” on everything.
Posted 20 Nov 2009 at 12:30 am ¶Her story of the birth of her latest child was entirely plausible to me, a mother of two, who was actually pregnant, unlike the males posting comments, above. This Trig story is a real loser, but not for Palin.
Posted 20 Nov 2009 at 12:33 am ¶So What? If it’s true, so what? Then she is his Grandma … It’s a crazy witch hunt.
Posted 20 Nov 2009 at 3:42 am ¶Okay, all you MALE commenters, tell me every single personal pregnancy, labor, and delivery you have PERSONALLY experienced. Go on. I’m waiting.
Okay, then STFU. Get your noses OUT of women’s uteruses, mind your own business, and find something else to do.
For god’s sake.
Posted 20 Nov 2009 at 4:56 am ¶Darren - on what basis do you call Trig “mostly deaf” and “visually impaired”? Because he has Down syndrome? If so, you are blatantly showing your ignorance. Just because a child has DS does not mean that child will have any vision or hearing problems. I have a child with DS (not a “Down syndrome child,” for what it’s worth), so I would know.
Posted 20 Nov 2009 at 9:34 am ¶I’m not sure why Andrew is stomping down this mine field. Even if there was something to this, there’s no way to go about this without seeming mean-spirited and ultimately working to Sarah’s advantage.
The reason that conservative politicians campaign against the media is because it is as effective today as it was way back when Tricky Dick pioneered the technique. And Sullivan is just playing right into this strategy.
Posted 20 Nov 2009 at 12:13 pm ¶I have a son with DS that is roughly Trig’s age. His hearing and his vision are fine. You bottom feeders that accuse her of using Trig as a prop - ever consider that she is actually *proud* of Trig? My experience is that my son, despite his challenges, is a human being I take pride in for his ability to show appreciation and affection both to me and to everyone he comes into contact with. By giving Trig a high profile (and really, what’s she supposed to do, leave him at home?) maybe she is influencing a few hearts and minds in this cold hearted world to reconsider knee-jerk abortion for DS and other disabilities. Hateful, self-centered people like Sullivan would never understand such a concept.
Posted 21 Nov 2009 at 8:59 am ¶lol, i see the Sullivan fanatics are back, Catron! Can’t you install a filter to keep the whack-jobs at bay?
Posted 21 Nov 2009 at 7:14 pm ¶Post a Comment