A Pandering Politician, With Lipstick

Forget, for a minute, the wisdom of appearing at a sporting event, especially in Philadelphia.

Why is Sarah Palin towing around her pregnant daughter everywhere?

Is this some kind of "tough love" thing? ... The "you-went-out-and-got-knocked-up-but-don't-think-you're-going-to-get-out-of-being-a-prop-in-my-career-reaching-moves" thing?

Sorry, we digress ...

Mommy Moose was invited to drop the puck at a Philadelphia Flyers game this evening and, well, golly-gee, gosh-darn-it, did they boo and hiss Stumblin' Bumblin' John McCain's Ethics Poster Girl?

Ya Betch'ya!

Hockey mom Sarah Palin boo'd at hockey game




From Ben Smith;

It's hard to blame Sarah Palin for her booing on the ice in Philadelphia this evening. It's almost a truism of politics that if you send a pol to a sporting event, he's going to get booed. Politicians, as a class, aren't all that popular, and it's what sports fans do. According to legend, Eagles fans once booed Santa Claus. Still, not a great moment.

“I am surprised that the candidate would go on the ice in Philly — Philly fans threw snowballs at Santa Claus and booed Beyonce because she was wearing a Michael Jordan dress," said Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Capitals, a conference rival of the Flyers. "This is dangerous territory.”

A Misplaced Hockey Mom Moment

The biggest problem: when Palin came out onto the Wachovia Center ice Saturday night — greeted by resounding (almost deafening) boos from the Flyers crowd — the two hockey players who had no choice but to appear with her in that photo op were turned into props in a political campaign. If Rangers center Scott Gomez or Flyers center Mike Richards wanted to make some sort of political statement, that would be fine, but in this case, they were thrust into a situation not of their choosing. Snider put them there with his ill-advised mixing of politics and sports.

The level of discomfort has been palpable for the Rangers’ two Alaska natives, Gomez and Brandon Dubinsky, as they have been asked questions about Palin and the election in recent weeks. Dubinsky, a 22-year-old who has shied away from nothing since he broke in with the Rangers last year, looks petrified when the topic is brought up. I think both would rather play goalie in a shootout than weigh in on the presidential election.

Flyers fans give Palin mixed welcome

The Boo Birds

Philadelphia Flyers fans boo ‘hockey mom’ Palin