20 November 2009

Sarah Palin for the people and by the people?

Amanda Fortini's post at Salon, "The Annie Oakley of American Politics," concludes with this observation on Sarah Palin:


After all, as the populist governor of a state whose voters respond to plainspoken directness, she suddenly found herself a national figure addressing big-media sophisticates. She was given about seven seconds to learn her role and then, after eight seconds, patronized and mocked. The reasons she performed so poorly are the very reasons her fan base loves her. If, over the next three years, her performance improves as much as it appears to have in just the last year, the conventional rap about her rustic idiocy may come off as mean-spirited and archaic. Her foes might be wise to contemplate the notion that someone of Palin’s background and sensibilities has a right, regardless of her views, to participate in the national debate merely because she speaks (though often unclearly) for many like her. If this possibility can’t be countenanced, then government for the people by the people is an abstract idea we’ve grown too cynical to practice. Sarah Palin endures not because she’s brilliant, smooth or philosophically correct, but because hope in democracy endures, too.


I'm really indifferent to Palin as a politician.  My own rural, southern values resonate with hers, but being president is about more than just having good values.  As the ineptitude of B.O.'s amateurism in the Oval Office is proving all too well, being President is about sound judgment--in personnel decisions and policy-making.


Her appeal as a candidate will ultimately fall on how well she reflects the American voting public as it sees itself.  If there's anyone out there in the GOP or among the Dems who does this better than she does, I don't know who they are.  

6 comments:

  1. Most conservatives I know are ambivalent about her. The only thing the piques interest is how progressives go into apoplexy at the mere mention of her name. As Mark Shea put it, the way they act, you'd think she had won in '08. Perhaps it's that Sore Winner Syndrone we've witnessed--people thought their vote for Teh ONE!11! was magic and upon his victory lightning would shoot out his rear like in Raiders of the Lost Ark and melt all the evil Republicans and when that didn't happen, they felt cheated. Sometimes your best argument is merely continuing to exist.

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  2. As evidence of Palin's growing power I'd cite the attention given to her book tour. Does anyone even consider those last two words? It's a BOOK TOUR fer crying out loud! Yet look at the MSM coverage, how often has this happened for a FAILED political candidate?

    While I'm a fairly strong supporter of Palin, there's the same potential here for a "cult of personality" mindset that is so repugnant in B.O.'s followers.

    So she bears watching.

    Hey Father, you going on a book tour anytime soon? Maybe she could give you some pointers! Think of the screaming fans greeting you in shopping malls across the land, lining up at 0h-dark thirty in the morning to get your autograph.

    Maybe you'd even make the cover of Newsweek (but ditch the running shorts, okay?)

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  3. ineptitude of B.O.'s amateurism

    Your assessment is far too kind.

    Obama is anti-American. You cannot find ONE substantial initiative, policy, or diplomatic move which does not reek of the antithesis to American values in his entire pallette to date.

    Go back as far as you like.

    This is not a matter of "values," or nuanced moral positions. He and his ilk despise this country--and as usual the primary target is the unborn. The secondary target(s) are those who hold Right Order.

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  4. Father, for some reason when I posted my comment it came in under MightyMom's name. Dunno how that happened.

    She is making sure I correctly identify the author, failure to do so could have me sleeping in the garage.

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  5. Sub, wouldn't hurt you...I hear garage-sleepin' can be quite humbling.

    ;-)

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  6. Gee, thanks Father (I think).

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