Leon Wieseltier On Sarah Palin: These Are Not The Times For Right-Wing Screwball

The New Republic :

It took only a few days for the saga of Sarah Palin to go from Frank Capra to Preston Sturges to Judd Apatow, and then for the farce to stop being funny at all. These are not the times for right-wing screwball. The world is aflame and we have been pondering the knocked-up daughter of a pert and uncannily confident Alaskan mediocrity who was elevated to a national ticket for the purpose of changing the conversation. The Republicans wanted a new conversation, and they got one. Juno in Juneau! The anthropological harvest has been rich: what a carnival of double standards Palin provoked. I was unaware of the tender feelings of conservatives for sex outside of marriage. I thought that all the swingers in America lived in fleshpots such as this, my Beltway Babylon, where just this morning a vixen in pin-stripes walked over from K Street and dropped an expensed grape into my mouth, but I was wrong. I should not have scanted the libertine understanding of my Christian brothers and sisters. I am also happy to learn from them that pregnant teenagers are an American norm--"hardly shocking," as the Right Reverend Michael Gerson taught in The Washington Post. Some commentators have detected moral relativism in the untroubled, even edified conservative response to the obstetric developments in the McCain campaign; but I see something even more sinister. I see the teleological suspension of the ethical. You remember the teleological suspension of the ethical. It is the recognition that, whereas there is morality in religion, religion is not the same as morality, and may justify an exemption from morality. I know of no religion in which this handy power of extenuation is not used. The telos, in the case of Bristol Palin, is life; and a fine telos it is. The casuistry goes something like this: since there are no unwanted babies, there are no unwanted pregnancies. "It can sometimes result in the arrival of new life and a new family," Gerson cheered. For "evangelical Christianity (in most modern forms) is not about the achievement of perfection." If evangelicals are so exquisitely conscious of our creatureliness, why have they devoted so many decades to reviling the imperfections of others? If they are, as Gerson says, "about the acceptance of forgiveness," why do they diabolize difference? The fecundity of Bristol Palin is a windfall for Jesus, but the fecundity of black girls is the doom of the republic. Spiritually speaking, the forgiveness of oneself or of one's own is a smaller attainment than the forgiveness of the other or of all. My friends, the politics of virtue is a vice.

Read the whole story: The New Republic

Comments

[petey64]

Even the writers cannot help but to label and call people names, what is wrong with you people you have lost the battle of ideas and you continually call people names, go to europe you'd fit right in, because the thing about erope is that all these people here in america left europe for a reason.

[maveman]

but-we must make a lot of people who don't rely on anything but rumors,e-mail jokes and the grocery store tabloids aware of the tragic consequences of a McCain/Palin ticket!!

[JoeBlough]

After 8 years, we need to be punished. Bring on McCain/Palin.

[GrainOSand]

These may not be the times for screwballs in leadership positions, but these may yet again be a time when the electorate certifies screwballs and then wonders why afterwards as their tongues wag in the blistering and suffocating heat of their realized folly.

For the simple person who cannot understand the above, these may be the times when good people once again shoot themselves in the foot and wonder about the gushing blood and the pain afterwards.

[csalinger]

I was watching the Palin McCain Rally in Pennsylvan­ia....I say Palin and McCain, because Palin is truly in the drivers seat...McC­ain stands to the side with an uncomfortable grin twiddling his thumbs. If this is an indication of how he will portray himself as president it's frightenin­g...he doesn't look presidential he looks "whipped".­...

[gala1]

These Are Not The Times For a Right-Wing Screwball.­..........­....

You are right, they're not.
Unfortunately, these are not the times for a left-wing paint by numbers, whatever soundbite turns you on hologram either.

I'm fairly amazed at the instant acceptance Palin has received out here in the Flyover. But the thing that most impresses me is the overwhelming sense of relief that someone in the mirror is now on the ticket.
What Palin reflects is every failure that we warned you about in foisting Obama on us.

Unrelatable and unelectable. How do you expect the same people that would rather have had Bush twice- think about that one - than vote for Dean or Kerry are going to go for Obama. How is that supposed to happen?
This guy can't even prove definitively where he was born to a country of traditionalists, many who are generations strong in their houses.
And there isn't anyone coming around the press to say what swell job it was art whatever very brief job stints he's had.
All we've seen is a lot of speeches, a scary level of narcissism and endless promotion of Brand Obama in an empty package.

Palin scares my socks off. But what you see is what you get.
Obama is even more frightening because the few decisions we've seen from him he's so blithely contradicted.
No thanks to either. I'm writing in my choice.

-gala1

[RaiHoney]

This is a petition just started to ask Congress and the President of the United States to request that Gov. Palin and the State of Alaska return the funds that are so obviously scorned by Sarah Palin.

Sure, we know it is just Republican BS, but make her (and John McCain) put OUR money where HER mouth is or shut up.

I'm sure the American public can find somewhere to spend the $433,000,0­00.00 in funding that Alaska received because of that earmark.

http://www.petitiononline.com/giveback/petition.html

[KoolBreez]

I am glad the evangelicals finally discovered forgiveness and embraced pre-marital sex.

[getoffthecross]

This is all I'm going to say...

http://www.jokerzinternetradio.com/phpmotion/play.php?vid=106

If you agree, pass it on!

[sjmsga]

What's the difference between George Bush and Sarah Palin? Lipstick..­.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

She is starting to sound like an automaton.

[ErnestineBass]

Nanook Barbie and McKen.

House sold separately, batteries not included.

[nirak]

It didn't take long for me to be sick and tired of her self serving speeches and they are all the same.

She is a Sham Ladies and Gentlemen

[All in All]

Ditto...Pu­ke...

All She has been saying are the same few tired lines, which hold no weight.

I Love Women, but Sara Palin is not in My " I love You for Your mind book " at all !

Please someone take Her out of the Political spotlight, where are the courts when we need them.

[rroy]

This is a little bit off subject but,A sudden thought just struck me!Palin and McCain,like all Neocons and ultra rights come with a persistant whine about too much government ,taxes,and government interferance with our lives.Let'­s look at some facts;McCain went to the Naval accadamy for four years,getting a tax paid college ed equivilant and living expenses.H­e went into the Navy Air Arm and became an aviator and presently holds a four stripe Captain's reserve rank and pay,while serving in the Senate(I believe this is called double dipping). Even if he,hopefully fails in his campaign he will retire with tremendous comfortable perks furnished by us tax payers.
His father and his grandfather were career flag officers in the U.S.N.spen­ding their entire working lives being paid by U.S.Tax`pa­yers. They were both ultra Consevative Hawks and,no doubt retired with very generous life time perks and worked for Defense contractors.
Palin has lived off the Alaskan tax base her entire working life.Every day new evidense of chicanery by her against the Alsakan tax`base is revealed.
And these are the people who are gonna get the Federal Government off our backs and protect the tax`payers! COME ON!!!!!!!

[SMP]

McCain has NEVER held an hourly wage job. He is out of touch with 95% of struggling Americans

anyone know if Palin has ever held an hourly wage job?..you know..jobs of us ordinary people

[08politicaljunkie]

For them to get into an uproar over an unwanted pregnancy, but not condemn the willful act -- if it was willful, that created the situation is hypocritical.

For them to judge others is wrong -- that's God's position ONLY
For them to lie is wrong

But what gets me more than " the fecundity of Bristol Palin is a windfall for Jesus, but the fecundity of black girls is the doom of the republic,"­...

To drop bombs on the innocents of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan while missing their target for seven years. Seven years and no outcry from the Religious Right and their Poster Girl, Sarah Palin --calling it "God's War" is disgusting.

I would love to be able to mail photographs of the murdered babies in these countries to each Pro-Lifer and ask them if this is what they consider to be "Pro-Life?"

[vfippinger]

It is amazing that anyone is foolish to fall for this pure political ploy on the Mcsame campaing.
If she were a he, he would never have been chosen as the record (or lack of) speaks for itself.
She is being used as a "token" choice. Hillary supporters think hard about the 18 mil. cracks in the ceiling - is this what we want to break through it? Any woman that supports her needs to remember they will try to take us back 30 years pre - Roe V Wade.

[ajax2]

Can we afford to dumb down our society again with someone who considers Pennsylvania a trip abroad, and has a smaller library than GW Bush?