Conservatives respond: Bristol Palin is not dancing with the tea party

There is no graver decision before you, my fellow Americans, than the choice you will have to make on Monday night.

Will it be the classy Jennifer Grey? The fun-loving Kyle Massey? Or the indomitable Bristol Palin?

Oh, the suspense.

Here at Show Tracker we thought we had exhausted our coverage of the controversy that landed at our feet Wednesday morning, after Sarah Palin's eldest daughter once again survived elimination for the seventh consecutive week.  But then we realized we could do more. We could reach out to the conservative "tea party" movement and see if there was any truth to the notion that they were conspiring to light up the phone lines and crash ABC.com servers with their blanket support of the 20-year-old "Dancing With the Stars" contestant.

In between hearty laughs, Dawn Wildman, co-coordinator of the California Tea Party Patriots,  dismissed the idea of an organized coalition to get the dancing competition's mirror ball trophy in Palin's young hands.

"We are all still reeling from the elections and the business at hand with the lame duck session," said Wildman, of San Diego. "And I wish we had the opportunity to spend time to just sort of mull the situation for 'Dancing With the Stars.' But that’s just not happening. It is interesting that the left would think that there is somehow a concerted effort or a conspiracy of the 'tea party' movement to propel this young woman into — what? Winning the giant disco ball award? What would we actually achieve by her doing that? How will it help the nation if Bristol Palin wins 'Dancing With the Stars'? I don’t think any of us have enough time on our hands to consider our options for that one."

To be fair, there are plenty of individual conservatives backing Bristol Palin and using social media to garner support for her. Author and talk show host Tammy Bruce certainly has made no secret of her dancing preferences on her Twitter account. And Smart Girl Politics, a conservative organization, encouraged visitors to its site on Monday to carry Palin into the semifinals. But is that any different than fans for Rick Fox or singer Brandy drumming up support for them on their Facebook pages?

"I think there are individuals, like there would be in any community or group," said Stacy Mott, president of Smart Girl Politics. But are some of the big conservative organizations out there putting out 'Dancing With the Stars'' phone numbers?  No. There’s some excitement, absolutely, but is it solely the tea party that’s keeping her in it? Absolutely not. The movement is not pushing this."

Wildman attributes Bristol Palin's popularity on the show to her everywoman quality, with which this YouTube user seems to agree.

"To me, it just looks like a giant personality contest," Wildman said. "The show was not built to have the best of the Rockettes on there. The whole point is that you’re bringing in people out of their comfort zone to put them into this setting with professionals. And I think the appeal of Bristol Palin is that she’s a young woman who’s made some mistakes and has been dinged up pretty good in the media because of it. I can’t imagine being her age and having every stupid act any of us ever do at that age be front-page news. So, if she’s actually excelling at something that she’s really enjoying and putting her all into it, then why wouldn’t people want to support that, whether they’re tea partyers or not?"

Mott also noted that Palin has been savvy about using Facebook and her website to stay connected to the show's viewers.

"The one thing that she herself is doing better than the other contestants is she’s getting the information out on her social media sites and her website," she said. "I don't see others doing that. Besides that, she’s the underdog. She’s someone who’s not a star. Kelly Osbourne was rooting for her. And I have no doubt that Kelly Osbourne has no fascination with Sarah Palin, but it’s something she can relate to."

This season, with all of its surprise eliminations — Rick Fox especially — "Dancing With the Stars" has picked up an additional 3.3 million viewers. It certainly hasn't hurt that the former governor of Alaska has been on set a few times to watch her daughter perform.

"If people are watching to get time away from their heads exploding from all the politics, then it’s a good thing," Wildman said. "And good for Bristol. I think it’s incredibly brave of all the people that go on there that don’t come from dancing backgrounds to be out there every week, giving it their all, in a hugely subjective fashion. But other than that, I'm sorry, I just find this all so incredibly stupid."

Mott echoed the feeling.

"If this is what people are worried about, God help us," she said. "Then again, I get that if people have to focus on the real issues in the world, it gets really scary."

— Maria Elena Fernandez
twitter.com/writerchica

Photo: Bristol Palin on "Dancing With the Stars." Credit: Bob D'Amico/ABC.

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Comments

[rsrobinson]

I've never seen the show but if this is all it takes to make lefty heads explode I'll definitely have to check it out and cast my vote for Bristol.

[Astaire]

Of course it's organized to subvert fairness. What else can America expect from the rabid right-wing?

No-one is suggesting that any member of the palin family is involved, so naturally that fraudulent point is what organized tea-baggers seize upon. Like other republicans, they never respond to legitimate points, but make up ones they think sound good.

[Marilyn Tabor]

the whole voting system looks like a fraud since there is no open accounting to prove the vote is accurate. If it smells like a fish, looks like a fish and wins like a fish out of water, beware.... its name is Bristol. Step aside Bristol you have no business competing in the final, have you no shame?

[Marvin]

This hate is getting beyond ridiculous. We have comments about everything from overt racism to tea party conspiracies.
Let's look at the obvious first, Bristol getting votes does not signify racism. Kyle has been gathering many more votes than Bristol. Some may argue that Brandy was a better dancer than Kyle, but I do not hear the outrage that he was safe. No, Kyle was safe because people like him, just like people like Bristol. As the show host says "vote for your favorite" not for the best dancer (if this was purely a dancing competition then there would be only judges votes, and that is not how it is).
Brandy was not well liked. She had an attitude, argued with her partner, and lied how she wasn't responsible for that accident (evidence shows that she was not Criminally responsible, but was negligent and was in fact responsible for the accident). A tragedy for the other family and her, but it is what it is.
It was also in poor taste that the celebs got 10s from the celebs when they duplicated their dances, except Osborne could not do it for Bristol and had to show her prejudice by giving her a lower score. I am sure this got Bristol more sympathy votes than any tea party conspiracy (you can thank KO for getting Bristol into the finals).
Is it wrong for conservatives to vote for Bristol? How about older Jewish ladies voting for Jennifer, or black people voting for Kyle? No, you vote for whoever you want for whatever reason. It is a TV show, and helping your favorite win is empowering. The problems I hear mostly are from those who didn't even vote, yet complain about the outcome.
So now we go to the last week. Will the youth vote split and Jennifer wins? Will the white vote split and Kyle win? Will the liberals split and Bristol win? The judges will do their best to make it lopsided towards their favorite, but it is up to the public to vote for theirs.
Be sure to vote, and vote as often as the rules allow, and live with it. It is only a TV show.

[Jim H]

Of course what's going on is not organized in any real sense. But the "populism" is almost identical to the Tea Party. The messages below all talk about revolting against some "shitake-filled elite," as if some dancing judges are the kind of corrupt Wall Street financiers that brought us to this recession/depression.

Hey. Look at the dancing. Jennifer Grey is a talented dancer. Bristol is clumsy. Yes, if she was my daughter, I'd congratulate her for progress. But if you're talking about dancing, she should have been gone weeks ago. Just watch!

As for the rest, of course online polls are ridiculously innaccurate, and if there's anything conservative youth seem to love, it's a voting system that can be gamed.

[Piotr]

Algebra for conservatives, in a given formula the word "not" in any statement cancels and the rest of the statement is true.

[Enlightenment]

People can't believe that other people hate some skank on a dance tv show, but I can't belive that anyone watches that lame show, and also can't believe this undeserving story is in the news.

[Tea Baggers]

Anything the far right touches is tainted with hyprocracy. What's next the ugliest Miss America in History? There like wind up dolls that are told what to think from fox or palin.

[CLYDE SMITH]

The Palin's are very close to wearing their welcome out. My first issue is how did Bristol get the opportunity to become a contestant? It looks like those who participate have or have had productive careers. The only thing that I have seen her doing is discussing why young women shouldn't have sex before marriage. To this I say take care of your baby and stop talking. Get straight with your baby's daddy before you have a make up baby. Bristol you need to go home before somebody take advantage of you. You are a fish out of water, you can't dance.

To you Ms. Palin, the mama I am of the opinion that your saying you want to be president is a funny joke. Plain and simple, you aren't qualified. Compare your educational training, your knowledge of world affairs and experience to Mr. Colin Powell or Hillary Clinton. There is no comparison to be made. The short time that you were governor, you made numerous mistakes. You really like skills and knowledge of governmental operations. Mama Palin I leave you with Client Eastwood 's words of wisdom" you need to know your limitations.”

[You Betcha!]

It was the Palin cult, led by a very charismatic lady that gathered many of the mindless followers. But what a sad commentary about that following...a cult that extolls the virtues of mediocrity. Voting to advance an agenda that has nothing to do with Dancing with the Stars (Not an indictment of intelligent Teaparty-ers). Brandy was sacrificed on the altar of the cult, but fun, energetic vivacious Kyle was also a winner in every way. Palin came through in the end too...but really, she wanted to "middle finger all those who hate her and mommy"? I was sympathetic to her esp. with all the mean spirited comments about her until her own ugly comment. Americans often manage to sense mediocrity at its finest.

[true]

Bristol so won her spot fairly and is beautiful and stubborn and not the worst dancer and amazing to do so well with the competition and no innate ability or training or dancers body either . Must be healthy and healthier now after that much effort What is not healthy is all the criticism toward her and still she smiles and the show must go on and she did all the way to the end Go Bristol. Lovely and warm girl and good to be back with her son I bet.