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

[veggiequeenmo]

If she quits now for "motherhood" reaons, everyone will know why - she can't handle it. She can't scream "motherhood" when everyone was considered a sexist when they thought she already had her hands full with 5 kids and a governorship. I can't wait to see her eaten alive at Thursday's debate - unless there's another "crisis" - like the Russians bombing Alaska.

[jja]

I agree. I am so infuriated that Kathleen Parker would even consider using motherhood as an excuse for her to bow out of the race. Everyone was up in arms, screaming "sexist" at the notion that anyone would ask if she could handle being a mother of five children and running for VP. I have been so mad that this woman was even nominated. If she does bow out or is asked to step aside it should be soulely because she has NO CREDENTIALS to be the VP. If she chooses to use the "motherhood" angle then all she is doing is bringing women down a rung on the ladder.

I have thought for the moment she gave her crass acceptance speech at the RNC, that she is antithesis of what Hillary Clinton stands for. Palin is a set back to what women like Hillary have achieved.

[eleven11]

A Possible October Surprise

Call me "crazy" BUT, my thoughts about Palin ALL ALONG is that the strategy was never to keep her on the ticket. The "brilliant" (quite possibly) plan was to derail the momentum of the Obama machine after the convention, (done, in 5 hours) mobilize the evangelical base, (check) and throw a little fire into the very flat Republican campaign (understatement). DISTRACT DISTRACT DISTRACT. (not drill) Keep headlines off of Obama and protect her from all the "yucky" stuff in Alaska until the next act in the play.
Quite possibly right before the VP Debate, Palin steps down because this is "too much" for her family, children, etc. No one would blame her. "Of course!" we would all say. And with enormous amouts of relief. And she'd still look like a million bucks because she fired up the Republican party.
Lieberman (....maybe?) steps in. Palin's role then is join the new 4 weeks left GOP ticket and serve as a sort of third musketeer. Wave, fire people up, smile, and let the McCain/Lieberman ticket provide "experience" etc.
Rove behind the curtain the entire time.
Biden won't step down as the October surprise, Palin will. The plan all along.
We should be prepared for just about anything at this stage in the game.
And........curtain.

[Blutus]

Nixon, RayGun, BushSon all got re-elected.

The more people demand she leave, the stronger the Republican determination
to keep her on the ticket.

They will circle the wagons around her and make her the victim.

And she just might get elected because of it.

Never underestimate the stupidity of the American people.

And if it is Cotton and Peggy, god help us all. And that goes for the entire planet.

[Snoop2]

The October 2d debate will be a huge embarassment for the Republican Party.

I had some doubts about Sarahs intelligence, however the Couric interview convinced me
Sarah is dumber than dumb. She is bordering on being iliterate. Responding to Couric Sarah could not put a simple intelligent sentence together, never mind a paragraph. Didn't McCain know how dumb she was? The debate should be aired on Comedy Central! BTW - do not be surprised if some last minute issues causes the debate to be called off.

[HattieB]

OR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DEBATE, SHE RUNS OFF THE STAGE CRYING . . AND AS USUAL, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL SAY SHE WAS BEING PICKED ON BY THE LIBERAL MEDIA .. ..

[mollywood]

Or, how about she goes completely berserk and just starts repeating....Maverick, Maverick, Maverick.....and so on, like the broken doll she is! Ha!

[AnAverageAmerican]

I'm wondering if she will resign before then...You know, due to family issues. What a joke!

[Sciguy]

What scares me is that expectations of Palin are so low that if she merely lives through the VP debate, everyone will be saying how well she did.

[pithy]

I feel sorry for Palin and am dreading the debate - if she even shows. I think she is a typical Republican - lots of sound and fury signifying nothing - who played very well on the insulated stage of Alaska, but is so far out of her depth that it's just pitiful.

She seems to be trying, but she can't possibly succeed - and her sort of sick smile, trying to be perky, is really sad. Can't you just imagine the coaching sessions, where some poilicy wonk berates her and makes her feel utterly stupid - over and over?

McCain used her - and that's a good measure of him.

I don't want a "hockey mom" to be second in command - I want somebody a whole lot smarter than me - and this woman is not!

[deb123]

I've had a theory from the beginning of Palin's fifteen minutes of fame and that is, should McCain win the election, Gov. Palin will bow out a la Spiro Agnew. The McCain campaign has delayed action on "troopergate" and wouldn't it be convenient if, should they be elected, Gov. Palin is found guilty of abuse of power and had to step down as VP? She will have served her purpose in rallying the base and will then be expendable. I can think of no other possible reason for her to be on the ticket and, despite how I feel about McCain, he's not totally stupid.

[Mustang Sally]

Say, I think you have something there! Excellent theory.

[HattieB]

ITS A SHAME THAT THESE STUPID GAMES ARE BEING PLAYED WITH THE FUTURE OF AMERICA...

JOHN MCCAIN NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BEFORE HIS EVIL SCHEME IS HATCHED....

[imfedup]

OK. But then what?

[imfedup]

Just don't appoint Cheney to find her replacement . . .

[ggmome]

For all the progress Women have made in the world, and in this country, for the sake of that progress, Palin should step down. We will be hurt beyond belief, if she continues. As a woman I object to this kind of person representing Women's progress in the realm of things..

[OutsiderSA]

The way they have been trying to cocoon her and even trying to soften the debate format, the sheer opposition to all this manipulation, I have a suspicion she will not even make the debates. I even think that Joe Biden would go easy on her so as not to come across to bullish - he is after all a gentleman and would win no points for BO in doing this and would also push away undecided women voters.

I read that they are trying mock press conferences and she fails dismally.

I mean when you are faced with these insurmountable odds of just trying to get her pass the mock tests, then what we see in reactive vetting. It was a gamble and yes she is attractive but good looks does not equal sound judgement or knowledge.

She has been played the patsy and McSame has effectively destroyed her career. I think more Alaskans would turn out to vote her out with all this international coverage she has had.

Regarding comments of the "witch-doctor"; in Africa witchcraft is traditional in the black cultures similar to voodoo. The preacher is not a witch-doctor but fights against witchcraft. Even here in South Africa, the govt. has gone against these folk as they peddle their "mootie" for things like "cures" to aids etc. that do not work.

Why pray for SP is beyond me and if there is a similar practice in Alaska, an African approach is not really relevant.

[welcome]

who is she pointing her finger at.. idiot.

[OddManOut]

The VP debate on October 2nd will be a defining moment for the McCain campagin. Palin has a chance to really sink her campagin as expectations are high.

[emily00011]

It boggles the mind that she just doesn't even get that she said something very stupid about Russia. To think it's strange that people mock her for it.

[the964kid]

Lots of conservative writers, who came out too quickly and supported Palin (only taking McCain's word for her abilities) , will be back-tracking on her because they don't want to be remembered for endorsing the worst political decision in american history. Yes even worse then Dan Quayle. Look for more of this.

[Mij13]

Why haven't they invited Amy Winehouse to do a spot on SNL imitating Sarah? I want to see that!

[Aby]

Note to Sarah Palin: Focus on where you are appreciated and needed...in Alaska and with your family. It is flattering that you were chosen as John McCain's VP pick, but the job is beyond you. There's no shame in that. It's beyond 99.99% of us. Go back to Alaska where you and your family will thrive, instead of hearing constant criticism and ridicule. The Palin family deserves better than that.

[c1ee]

Her puling out will be quite disastrous also for McCain. Basically he has dug himself a hole by picking her instead of Romney, and both all possibilities lead to disaster from now.