Irony, hypocrisy, call it whatever you want, but it clearly drives the conservative media movement in America, and specifically this notion being peddled by Weekly Standard writer Matthew Continetti, via his new Sarah Palin book, The Persecution of Sarah Palin, that it was crazy how quickly Palin became “hated” by her political enemies.

From American Spectator:

“It's not new for a prominent political figure to be hated,” Continetti tells TAS. “But it is novel when a political figure becomes so hated so quickly, and for that hatred to be based on so little information.”

Hmm, Continetti can't remember the last time a national politician became so hated so quickly, and for that hatred to be based on so little information; for it be be so darn irrational. I'm not sure if Continetti spent the 1990's in high school, and I'm not sure if Continetti has been so busy finishing his Palin book that he hasn't been able to gaze across the political landscape in 2009, and specifically the right-wing terrain, which views the current president as a racist/fascist/communist/Nazi/socialist.

But if Continetti is that oblivious, I'd like to suggest that two Democrats by the name of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, immediately after being inaugurated, became the subject of sweeping, hysterical hatred that infected the conservative movement, and conservative media; hatred that makes the Palin situation look quite tame in comparison.

Also, I think Continetti fails to acknowledge that many of Palin's critics simply mock her failed attempt to step up to national politics. Laughing at a politician is much different that hating one.

UPDATED: See Eric Alterman's take on Continetti's Palin apology book, here.

Even a casual student of American politics will notice some rather odd omissions. For instance, in an entire book dedicated to the proposition than an evil conspiracy sought to brainwash the American people to believe that Palin was unready for office, I found no mention of the postelection admission by McCain campaign manager Rick Davis that his choice didn't have anything to do with Palin's qualifications for office because, as he said, “You've got to win first.” Second, did you know that to this day Sarah Palin has never held a single full-fledged national press conference with actual professional political reporters?

UPDATED: Of course, don't forget Continetti's book compares Palin to Tina Fey, or actually with Tina Fey's TV character. Or something.

UPDATED: I haven't seen the book yet, but I wonder if Continetti recycles the glaring Palin error he was pushing this summer.