By Bill O'Reilly for BillOReilly.com

Thursday, November 19, 2009

With the possible exceptions of Richard Nixon and George W. Bush, no politician of the modern era has been more derided by the media than Sarah Palin. And the attacks did not stop with her; they included nasty rumors about her family and even the mocking of her children.

Now, Mrs. Palin has responded to some of the vitriol in her new book, hoping to give readers her side of controversies like the expensive clothes, the interview gaffes, and the Alaskan "trooper-gate" case.

So, how has the media received the governor's side of the story? Not well. She is being called a whiner and an ingrate, among other things.

Writing in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, über-liberal Cynthia Tucker says, "There is absolutely nothing in Sarah Palin's past that suggested she was ever going to let the past go. She's always been petty. She's always been vindictive."

So let's get this straight: Media people like Ms. Tucker can hammer Sarah Palin all day long, but if she defends herself, she's "petty and vindictive."

Isn't the American media swell? By the way, it is worth noting that the left has not been able to knock Governor Palin out, despite trying very hard. A study by the Culture and Media Institute looked at a two-week period during last year's campaign. During that time, the network nightly newscasts ran 18 negative stories about candidate Palin for every positive one. Fair and balanced? Give me a break.

Somehow, Sarah Palin has gotten under the skin of the far left. The latest propaganda was put forth by feminist Naomi Wolf and crazy-left Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson who, independently, have dubbed Mrs. Palin the "new Evita." Now, what are the odds of Ms. Wolf and Mr. Robinson, who operate worlds apart, both referencing the Argentine Eva Perón at pretty much the same time? Coincidence? Sure.

Eva Perón was a demagogue who appealed to the common man. She was also an incompetent leader. The song "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" has immortalized her.

So, I am expecting a new song to be sung by Bruce Springsteen entitled: "Don't Cry for Me, Wasilla, Alaska." I hope the lyrics aren't whiney.

My theory is that liberal America fears Sarah Palin. Even though a CBS News poll has her approval rating at just 23%, a whopping 37% say they are still undecided about the governor. That means that millions of Americans are potential converts to her populist cause—bad news for the left if the country turns against the Obama administration.

Thus, the liberal media is hunting Mrs. Palin, trying to drive a stake through her heart once and for all. But the woman is tough, wily, and unafraid. She's driving them crazy.