The Palins, The Johnstons, And Republican Class Politics

Now it gets more interesting, doesn't it? In the Judge Judy world Sarah Palin lives in, there is always the risk of turning into Jerry Springer. And so an already very messy family situation - the two pregnancies, Trig's and Tripp's, that Palin and McCain placed center-stage last fall - is turning into a nasty domestic dispute. And the dispute, at its core, is about class.

Palin's entire candidacy degenerated in the end into an accusation that the pointy-headed liberal elites regarded the Palins as "white trash"; and now Levi, Mercede and Sherry Johnston's accusation is that the Palins regard them as "white trash". In the midst of this flammable dumpster, Erick Erickson, following the party line that Sarah Palin is a misunderstood genius victimized by the "left", throws a match:

The left, when it decided Bristol Palin was fair game, went after Levi Johnson for being a   thug and redneck. He was not interested in college only in scoring with the Governor’s daughter. The classic tale of the high school jock who is, in essence, a low life loser in it for a good time. The left and media regaled the rest of us with tales of what a loser the Palin kid slept with. The left was right. Now, though, they can’t be bothered by it. Below is the actual Levi no preppy clothes. No polish. Just good old boy who knocked up the Governor’s daughter. ...

What’s even more creepy is that the other person in the picture is his sister. And, as if lifted from the pages of Deliverance, she has his name tattooed on her back finger. Think about that one for a minute... Soon Levi will sell his tell all book, delightfully ignoring awkward questions about his relationship with his sister while relishing in the awkward details of his relationship with Sarah Palin.

Is Erickson now accusing Levi and Mercede of ... ? Yes he is:

I started out the week reporting on a prominent liberal blogger who crossed the line of decency, and now, an influential conservative blogger has , effectively, evened the score... While the shock of the implication is stark, it is also telling that the picture used is from a collection that made the email rounds during the election, sent by liberals. I guess treason isn't the only thing that's a matter of dates.

The conservative blogosphere was quick to condemn Markos Moulitsas for his insensitivity this past weekend. Let's see if they can be as circumspect about one of their own leaders.

What interests me more is the potential for this kind of thing to escalate, leading to all sorts of possibilities and future revelations. If you've ever been a Judge Judy fan, you'll know what I mean.