'Hockey Mom' Palin Booed -- At Hockey Game

From the Sports Desk: You never know where you are gonna find a political scoop, but Lynn Zinser at her NYT hockey "Slapshot" blog just posted that Sarah Palin, in her much-ballyhooed appearance dropping the puck at the Philly Flyers' opener, was greeted by "resounding (almost deafening) boos from the Flyers crowd."  Of course, Fox Sports was kinder,  observing on its site, "The crowd reacted with a mixture of cheers and boos at her appearance."  The AP was even kinder: The Alaska governor heard a few boos when she walked onto the ice Saturday night. But that soon turned to polite applause as she walked out to center ice."  And Politico excused it this way: "The world's most famous 'Hockey Mom' was greeted, like most any politician likely would be at a Philly sporting event, with more boos than cheers." See video below.

Fox also revealed: "The GOP Vice-Presidential nominee said at an earlier fundraiser that she would stop some of the booing from the rowdy Philadelphia fans by putting her seven year old daughter, Piper in a Flyers jersey. She said, 'How dare they boo Piper!'"   So much for that theory.

But Zinser's post at the NYT had a lot more in mind:  "I would object to this sideshow whichever political party it involved. Having vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin drop the ceremonial first puck at the Flyers’ opener Saturday night was problematic not because it was Palin — Flyers owner Ed Snider’s decision under the flimsy excuse of 'honoring' hockey moms — but because it is injecting politics in a place it should not be."  More:

The biggest problem: when Palin came out to onto the Wachovia Center ice Saturday night — greeted by resounding (almost deafening) boos from the Flyers crowd — the 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 gets brought up. I think both would rather play goalie in a shootout than weigh in on the presidential election.  -- Greg Mitchell

Comments

[Jeff]

Thanks for posting my video :D

[trueblue74]

I'm sooo glad the Flyers fans came through! It would have been the perfect Philly welcome if they threw some stuff at her too!

[tony dee]

Of course, she's going to be booed as such a liberal place as NYC. Do you think she would be booed if the game were played in say a Conservative state such as Texas.

[PJBravo]

She's opened Palindora's Box

http://thetruthburns.wordpress.com/2008/10/11/we%e2%80%99ve-gone-from-silly-season-to-hate-week-what%e2%80%99s-next-kristallnacht/

[PJBravo]

She's opened Palindora's Box

http://thetruthburns.wordpress.com/2008/10/11/we%e2%80%99ve-gone-from-silly-season-to-hate-week-what%e2%80%99s-next-kristallnacht/

[Jessica]

While I am glad Philly booed Sarah Palin, a mean-spirited political operative, I do feel sorry that her little girl, all dressed up in a Flyers jersey had to hear that.

[tony duh]

game was in philly tony, not NYC. in addition to the boos they should have been chanting: GUILTY...GUILTY...GUILTY!

[Rob]

Ummm, Tony Dee, the game was in Philadelphia, PA, home of the Flyers, not NYC. Reading comprehension is your friend.

[Schim]

That's an unfair comparison.. texans can't play hocky.

[bill derlago]

jessica, you're right about the little girl. a good mother would have never subjected her child to that. palin knew there would be boos and she probably brought the kid out to deter people from reacting negatively. that's a gutless thing for her to do. poor kid.

[Slide]

hey.... tony dee.. the game was in PA not NYC, a swing state last I saw....

and no, she would not be booed by the state that gave us George Bush.... a ringing enforcement that is..lol

[keith]

tony dee: "Of course, she's going to be booed as such a liberal place as NYC"

the game is being played in Philadelphia. I thought PA was supposed to be one of those toss-up states? Hmmmm..... ;)

[Bill]

I'm glad the Philly fan's showed here some love as only they know how!!

[Cassandra Chandler]

Hey trublue84

Didn't she say she was speaking for "all those Hockey Moms acrosss America..." Well now she will have to amend that statement to only those hockey moms in certain states like Texas. I think that is more fitting.. Dont ya think!!!

[leslie LeClair]

I did feel sorry for piper and willow but, remember that is the same mom that asked her 17 yr old daughter to sit behind her when she accepted the nomination. With her infant son across her baby bump.
As a mother of 3 girls. I would never had asked my daughter to do that knowing the whole world would find out the next day she was pregnant.

[Slide]

this is the same wonderful mother that put her poor 17 unwed preg daughter on the world stage and may force a shotgun wedding with a racist kid that already said he doesn't want kids... yeah.. GOP family values for ya.

[Carroll Wills]

Fox wasn't the only media outlet to whitewash this. From AP:

"The Alaska governor heard a few boos when she walked onto the ice Saturday night. But that soon turned to polite applause as she walked out to center ice with Mike Richards of the Flyers and Scott Gomez — from Alaska — of the Rangers.
Palin waved to the crowd and smiled as she dropped the puck to applause and cheers."

Anybody who watched on TV agrees -- a resounding negative response, before the music started to drown them out.

Also, if you watched the interview beforehand on MSG TV, you would note the agonizing discomfort of Brandon Dubinsky ... poor guy just wanted to play hockey.

Very disappointed in AP.

[Susan Rennie]

Has ANYONE told NBC Sports? NBC is so in the bag for McCain!

[Melanie]

anyone notice the other interesting tidbit? Go back and look at Bristol's waistline.

[Chris]

Hey Genius, the Flyer are a Philly team...Philadelphia, PA, that's PA a "swing state"......you must be able to see Russia from your house too.....

Trueblue74 said:

Of course, she's going to be booed as such a liberal place as NYC. Do you think she would be booed if the game were played in say a Conservative state such as Texas.

[Broadway Carl]

Good job, Tony. The game was in Philly. And Jessica, perhaps Palin should've thought better than to use her daughter as a prop yet again. No sympathy here.

[Kelley in Texas]

Why are y'all picking on Texas! There are LOTS of us here in TX who do not like Palin either.

Like this senior citizen:
http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com/

We are working hard to turn this state blue.

[Slide]

Daily News got it about right

Gov. Palin booed in Philly
October 11, 2008

If you’re wondering, they booed.

Gov. Sarah Palin, Republican vice presidential candidate and hockey mom to the masses, dropped the puck on the Philadelphia Flyers’ season just minutes ago, with Scott Gomez taking the ceremonial draw with Flyer captain Mike Richards. (Palin even moved in on Gomez for a peck on the cheek. That was awkward.) A sign on the scoreboard read: “Flyers fans, show the class of Philadelphia and welcome America’s #1 hockey mom … Sarah Palin!”

Class of Philadelphia, you say? Palin’s entrance was greeted with a burst of boos - a Philly favorite - though there certainly was a sizable contingent of clappers among the orange-clad in the stands.

So, to the hockey: Nigel Dawes’ lackluster start has earned him a game in a suit. The second-year winger was scratched, with Patrick Rissmiller seeing his first action of the season. Steve Valiquette also gets his first start in the nets.

In the time I’ve written this, it’s become 3-0 Rangers and Philly looks like it’s still on the golf course. Better pay attention to the hockey - yo, Secret Service! Down in front!

[marc]

I couldn't hear the boos in the YouTube clip because the music was turned up to a level that drowned it out - at least on that clip.

Sarah Palin acted in a cold and ruthless by bringing her daughter along as "cover," because she had to know she was going to get booed - it's been all over the comments on Philly.com for the last two days, and Philly fans have always let their feelings be known. Surely her handlers must have told her.

[Melanie]

oh man--i got the wrong daughter. Sorry, Willow.