Kathleen Parker: After Interviews, Palin Should Bow Out

Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker, admitting that until recently she was a vocal supporter of Sarah Palin, now says the vice presidential nominee should bow out:

Some of the passionately feminist critics of Palin who attacked her personally deserved some of the backlash they received. But circumstances have changed since Palin was introduced as just a hockey mom with lipstick -- what a difference a financial crisis makes -- and a more complicated picture has emerged.

As we've seen and heard more from John McCain's running mate, it is increasingly clear that Palin is a problem. Quick study or not, she doesn't know enough about economics and foreign policy to make Americans comfortable with a President Palin should conditions warrant her promotion.

Parker says her turnaround came from watching Palin in interview. Like other critics, she wasn't impressed:

Palin's recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.

No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I've been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I've also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted.

Palin filibusters. She repeats words, filling space with deadwood. Cut the verbiage and there's not much content there.

It's so bad, Parker says, that Palin should quit the race:

Only Palin can save McCain, her party, and the country she loves. She can bow out for personal reasons, perhaps because she wants to spend more time with her newborn. No one would criticize a mother who puts her family first.

Read the whole thing.

Comments

[S1m0n]

It's way too late. It would all be seen as yet one more stupid John McCain stunt. He'd lose the crazy-christian votes and gain none to replace them.

[jja]

I saw part of an interview that Kathleen Parker did this morning on CNN where she discussed the negative backlash she has receieved from making these comments. I would like to applaud Ms. Parker for speaking out as she did in regard to Sarah Palin. Although I do not believe that Sarah Palin should bow out under the guise of some "family matter", it was refreshing to finally see someone say something that made sense. I know parties need to rally around their candidates and spin things toward their causes, but it is unconscionable what the Repubs are doing with regard to Sarah Palin. So she did not bomb the debate. She did not answer a single question. She gave a wonderful "performance" of canned and rehearsed responses.

[Voteorgetoffthepot]

I beg forgiveness to Queen Parker, but Senator McCain has chosen his running mate and he has chosen well. It seems that the good ole boy network has succeeded in condemning any female who is chosen to run for any of the highest offices. In light of the fact that even President Bush is not an economics major, I believe that Mr. McCain and Mrs. Palin are quite capable of putting together a brilliant economic research team. At this point in the pre-election, switching horses in the middle of the stream just doesn't make sense.

[munki]

Perhaps you may wish to learn to analyze and understand the picture...
your life is in stake...hope you are not one of kamikaze...

putting a team is ok, but understanding what the team did...
sorry... she has not demonstrated it... for several weeks...
Thanks and No Thanks.

[BartLA]

But Sarah is such wonderful entertainment. Please let her stay.

And if she bows out she'd have to go back to dealing with Russia and Canada that are "in the state" that she's executive of. And heck, that can't be easy.

Not only that, if she has to take over the care of little Trick (or is it Twig? - something like that), what will her other children do? They'll have to get another job. And that's not so easy in this economy with the Fannie and Freddie and health reform and spending and reducing taxes.

[jja]

Don't forget reining in spending!

[ericdondero]

The elitist wing of the conservative movement has always been wary of us libertarians coming into the GOP. Sarah Palin is one of the top elected libertarian Republicans in the country, (along with Idaho's Gov. Butch Otter, and Cong. Jeff Flake of AZ).

Of course, she's going to make some conservatives nervous.

They are wary of her libertarian cultural views. This is the woman, after all, who famously fought back against social conservatives in Wasilla who wanted to run all of the bars and taverns out of town.

They even started a whisper campaign in Alaska during the 2006 primaries that Sarah wasn't really a Republican, but rather a "closet libertarian." She had attended a couple local Libertarian Party meetings seeking their support.

But what she loses from the social conservatives, she gains 10 times over in libertarian votes.

Figure, Libertarian Bob Barr was polling 6% nationwide in mid-summer. As high as 10% in New Hampshire. And post-Palin he's now down to 1%.

Ever since Goldwater the eastern establishment Republicans have distrusted Western cowboy individualists in the GOP.

With Sarah Palin, the libertarian wing of the GOP has finally arrived. Of course, that's going to make some other Republicans nervous.

Get over it Conservatives, THE LIBERTARIANS HAVE ARRIVED!!

[HLMerkin]

The road to nowhere.
The deficit she left as mayor.
He use of eminent domain
Her view on abortion
Her view on Iraq
Her view on the war on drugs.

Those are stances at odds with libertarian beliefs.

She is just another Republican.

Libertarians should be sick with her selection.

[obamagramma]

No, McCain should not have picked her.

That is the issue.

[KarateKid]

It's nice to see a conservative columnist finally open her eyes to see what we saw from the get go. Sarah Palin is an empty suit, just like McCain.

This is HIS example of judgment???

I have noticed less Republican visitors here in the past few days; I wonder what cat's got their tongues.....LMAO.

[enochroot]

if mccain was a real maverick, right now, with this financial crisis which will not be solved overnight, or in 2-3 years, he'd drop palin (or she'd bow out) and defer to mitt romney or someone with serious financial skills to add to the ticket.

mccain would be seen as a maverick, and i'd garner, win the election

[starboymikey]

I agree with the posters who think Palin will come off looking much better than expected and, yes, precisely because the bar has been set so low. It has all the makings of a setup.

The debate format Republicans have insisted upon actually favors her because it doesn't allow for much if any exchange between her and Biden. So all she really has to do is get her talking points right this time. Use the right one for the right quesiton and get in a few digs at Obama/Biden, and she will come off smelling like a rose. It will be billed as "Palin's great comeback," All talk of her dropping out of the race will end, and once again the pundits will talk about what a great asset she is to the ticket.

Then all Republicans will need to do is keep her from being interviewed, or from any forum where she has to really show some intellect.

Sorry, but I just have this gnawing fear that this woman is destined to be #45 when McCain has to step down due to halth problems. I hope to hell I'm just being a pessimist, but our history of usually placing the worst possible candidate in office really makes me nervous.

[FreeExpression]

We all need to RAISE the bar for our expectations of Palin's performance at the upcoming debate or else she will win with a mediocre performance!

Be very, very careful on how low the bar has been set for Palin. This is another strategy by McCain's team to setup the American voters to expect her to fail miserably. And when she handles herself better than expected; then the pundits will reevaluate their opinions on air and in ads saying how wonderful she was.

We should all go into the VP debate expecting Palin to perform WONDERFULLY and hopefully the bar will be so high that she will not succeed using her talking points. I don't think Gwen Ifill is going to let either Biden or Palin to get away with much.

[Miravanguild]

If Palin bows out, so should the guy who picked her.... Talk about total lack of judgement! McCain has the bennifit of his twenty-six years of experience in public office, close to presidents and their vice presidents.... He loves to brag so much about it and his judgement... He even mentioned her a couple of times last night.. THE MAN IS CLUELESS about his careful choice... It isn't Sarah's fault save she got very bad advice, and should have stuck to hunting moose... It is McCain who should go and I hope the American people are smart enough to send him back to the senate,,

[hudsuckerproxy]

Not surprisingly, wingnut commenters at Townhall.com (where this article is cross-posted) are raking the author over the coals. Kudos to Parker for speaking her mind.

[StandUpAmerica08]

BREAKING!

The real reason McCain is at his office making calls is to prevent going on the road with Palin. He's hoping to take the attention away from her after her disasterist interview on CBS. McCain will hide out in his Senate office for the remaining of the week until the coast is clear and his Campaign team think of a solid reason to remove Palin from the ticket.

[StandUpAmerica08]

There must be something wrong with the landlines. I was speaking to my sister and our lines got crossed with someone from the GOP. Here's what we heard (no joke):

"We got to get her off the ticket"

"We may need to wait until the debate is over, if not we're done!"

"**** that! we need to get her off now. We need to figure how to do this with little damage to our ticket. Call Romney and tell him to get ready to stand in for Thursday's debate. We'll run it as her daughter is ill or something then we can roll her off the ticket on Friday evening"

"John really scre.wed us this time"

The Judgment of these two men running for President will be on display next Thursday. Let's see who has the BETTER judgment and see who FAILED their first test!

[StandUpAmerica08]

"I'll get back to ya on that Katie"