After characterizing Bill Ayers as a domestic terrorist during a recent interview, Palin reveals a despicable double standard in failing to concretely answer the follow-up question “Is an abortion clinic bomber a terrorist under this definition?” In fact, she scoffs at the question.

The relevant clip:

Melissa at Shakesville has the transcript.

The clip ends with Palin concluding that “I would put in that category of Bill Ayers anyone else who would seek to campaign to destroy our United States Capitol and our Pentagon and would seek to destroy innocent Americans.”

Of course, what makes terrorists terrorists is not just that they target such institutions as the Capitol or the Pentagon but that they make their point by spreading fear. And about the destruction of innocent Americans, do women seeking legal medical treatment and their doctors not count in this category? Palin doesn’t seem to think so.* Nor does McCain step in to clarify any discrepancy of view.

This response downplays the real threat posed by anti-choice extremists in this country. It also shows that Palin’s definition of terrorism only encompasses violence enacted on behalf of those ideologies that she disagrees with, and that her position on this issue is pretty extreme itself. I, for one, see the last 8 years as proof that this is a dangerous, failing, and ultimately unacceptable position for anyone with any real sort of political power to stand by.

*Even within the popular conservative anti-choice framework and rhetoric of abortion this thinking makes no sense. What about the innocent fetuses?

Posted under Politics