What do you think of Sarah Palin? I don't think it's fair or correct to call her ignorant and stupid. Palin should not be dismissed as a fifteen-minutes-of-famer. Of course, she has made some major faux pas. I think Sarah Palin was guilty of under-preparation during her vice-presidential run. But I don't believe for a moment that all politicians have, on the tip of their tongues, the correct analysis of every political issue or policy. Politicians have people who research for them and write reports and who they teach candidates about the issues. It is important to surround yourself with smart people. People who really know their stuff and won't let you take an interview with Katie Couric without being prepared. I don't think Sarah Palin is dumb; I would say she's not very substantive. Palin is not well informed, that is clear. But she can fill an 8,000 seat arena. We are entering into personality politics.
Extreme right wing people love, love, love Sarah Palin. I see Palin as the absolute symbol of that section of the right wing that paints Hitler mustaches on Obama's photographs. That part of the GOP that says "no" first and then asks "what was the question?" To be fair, and I really don't want to, I will say that there are crazy people on the extreme left as well. Usually they are well educated though. Sarah Palin is a veritable poster child for "we are right because we are not you!" She's Fox News's pin-up girl. I cringe when she speaks, because of the amazing backwards steps she takes for women in politics. If she is really considering running for President don't you think she should be able to remember "tax cuts" without writing a cheat sheet on her hand?
Palin is adroit at making fun of herself and making the most of the publicity. When she was being considered as John McCain's running mate a reporter asked her if she would like to be Vice-President and she said "I don't know, I'll tell you after I see the job description." Anyone remember that? Um, how about run the free world at a moment's notice?
I see so many more of these knee jerk right wingers these days. The people who complain, immediately after Obama proposes tax cuts, that the Democrats are going to take all their money. People who decided long before Obama was sworn in that their lives were going to be worse no matter what. This group knows they are right and it really doesn't matter what you say or what is done. Facts are facts, but this bunch doesn't care for facts. They don't care for compromise, or tolerance, or working together.
Sometimes I think that we lefties ought to be a little less polite and just be as obnoxious as they are. However, this is not the liberal way; we are far too polite and civilized. How can you reason with irrational arguments? Shall we discuss Palin's "death panels"? A pure fabrication that, no matter how many times the President said were not real, just wouldn't go away. I have friends who are still talking about these fictitious death panels. Oh, my.
My worst fear at this point is Sarah Palin running for President with unlimited corporate funds and using her "I'm just a regular girl" act, then waltzing into the White House on her fabulous legs. While in office she will not read the news, she will appoint all of her best friends to do jobs they are not qualified to do, and quite possibly lead us into . . . God only knows what. Wait, doesn't this sound familiar?
Monday, February 8, 2010
Personality Politics
Posted by S.D.S at 5:00 PM
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3 comments:
Did you happen to hear the Diane Rehm show this morning (first hour)? She had a panel of people, covering all sides of the Tea Party situation. Very good, although some name-calling did occur.
One thing that came out was that there is no solid way which that "party" leans. OK, yes. It leans right, even though they try to claim they are independents (who normally occupy middle ground). But, it was discussed that the people who [don't] run (I say "don't", because they claim to have no leaders) the party would have rather had other speakers for the convention (but would have included Palin). The parts of speeches at the convention that the audience applauded were chided by the "leaders". And, it seems the income of the crowd determines just what and who they like, because the audience at the convention (which was costly to attend) applauded different objectives than those in D.C. So, the group really only has one thing in common - they are fed up, although they're not really sure what they're fed up with, or at least they can't all agree.
THAT, is going to prove to be a problem when it comes time to nominate a candidate, which they fully intend to do for the next presidential election, according to today's discussion. It's my opinion that they will not be able to decide and will end up splitting or at least seriously damaging their ability to elect anyone.
One interesting point that was raised during the discussion was that these people all seem to rally around emotion - most noticeably anger. He sees the current administration as one that doesn't concentrate on anger, and I agree. I don't see Obama as one to dwell on anger when it's not going to solve anything. Solutions just don't rise out of anger. In any case, these Tea Partiers have adopted anger as a "cause" or focal point, the speaker said, because they don't see the administration being angry enough about the current economic situation. Perhaps, if things get better or if a little more displeasure for Wall St. comes out of D.C., that too, could put a dent in the Tea Party following.
No matter what happens, we are sure to see some political follies as Sarah Palin remains in the spotlight - she does love being in the limelight, no matter what she has to say or do to be there, or how it makes her look.
Wasn't there a song by Living Color called "Cult of Personality", which was about this exact thing?
Yes I know the song and actually heard it yesterday. I have to say that I am aware that today's blog sounds one-sided and judgemental rendering the whole thing hypocritical. I really don't care. I guess I can relate to that anger you were referring to...
Don't know that I saw it as one-sided, but then I lean your way.
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