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

[moongal6]

I am too old to not be suspicious of the campaign press releases.
I believe they (GOP) want us to think she will sink at the debate next week. But, she could come out the victor against Biden.
I don't trust the Repubs at all. You know they are counting on Karl to help mix things up. And damn, he is so good at it.
Just sayin'.

[imfedup]

So you think she's been holding back and acting like a total incometent fool just so she can surprise us and knock Biden's socks off in the debate? Interesting theory. Ridiculous, but interesting.

[swift goat pet for truth]

After the debates, watch how many viewers will say she won.
Right now, I guess 47%

[2876]

Please....Don't throw a pity party for ms. palin. She's calculating, ruthless, and vindictive. She didn't get to be governor by playing nice. She isn't Miss Congeniality for a reason. Remember her nickname Barracuda?? You don't get that nickname by being everyone's favorite friend. She will lie, cheat, fire, and steal for power and ambition. Lest we forget, this is a campaign for the highest offices in the land. She's playing to win. So let's not pity or underestimate this pitbull. She's not the smartest but she's still dangerous. And if you think I'm joking, who's the dunce sitting in the White House?

[didleijoe]

So true.

[OddManOut]

Wow. You are right and your comments are a little scary.

[Will753]

Here, hear... she was arrogant enough to think she could lead a nation of over 300 million and weld power to destroy mankind 10 times over just on rhetoric and looks. The whole Republican Party should be embarrassed at the very idea of her unrealistic thirst for power.

As for McSame HuffPo would band me for life it I wrote what I'm thinking about him. So I'll sum it up in one word... "Ig-no-ra-mus"

[4Detroit]

The diiference is that the barracuda is out of it's environment.

[yorkie]

the POPULARITY OF THE PALIN pick should be quite telling and scary commentary of the base of the gop today,,,these fools also backed bush/cheney and like them over mac any day,,,this crowd is for guns, wars, not health care,,,phony creationism,,, anti foreign,,,,seeks war in mideast to bring on ''end of times'' bs,,,,,,,,,,,,, also these fools demanded the rescue of teri shcivo in fla a few yrs back!!!!! these kooks no little about sound econ policy etc.....yt they are for big tx breaks for oil, insurance co's,,,seek more funds for defense industry etc!!!! IT'S REALLY THE PERILS OF PALIN we have brewing here!!!!! I CAN NOT stand her voice and phony looks she gives in the words coming out of her mouth period !!!!!!!!!!!!! what are the backrs of her on ??? the dumbing down of gopers!!!! this lot would be scorned,,,not cared for at all by founding framers of the nation,,,the early gop leaders would dis won them big time,,,

[sillyseason]

McSame went for shock and awe with Palin... He definitely got the shock... She's shockingly inept.

I say KEEP HER - It will be a great reminder in 4 weeks to any undecided voter how McSame handled his first important decision as the presumptive nominee of his party for our country's highest office.

The sad truth is, after watching McSame over the past few weeks, the Palin choice is no longer surprising.

[watchingthings]

Maybe she should call her witchdoctor friend to come pray for her to win the VP debate. After praying for her and driving the witches and demons out for her, she won the governorship, or at least she says it helped.

[stayinsouth1981]

~shakes my head~

I would be VERY ashamed to be a republican.

[JulianJons]

I read that in mock debates Palin is doing very bad. I wouldnt be surprised if the McCain campaign fakes something like she got sick or whatever to avoid the debate. Remember he planned to cancel it because he was "suspending" the campaign. They will try anything.

[Tinsdale]

You can be sure the McCain campaign is searching for a good excuse to allow Governor Palin to avoid the debate and a possible bad performance.

[SimonNZ]

Palin is starting to look like the gift that keeps on giving. When she's not locked away in the closet by her minders she seems eager to offer opinions about everything, even if she's clearly got absolutely no clue what the interviewer is talking about.

So keep please keep talking Sarah. You're doing wonders for the Obama campaign.

[PrairieDog]

Palin's incompetence is her good point. For all her blather about being a reform minded maverick, she is just another corrupt power hungry political thug. With a bonus of extremist tendencies.

[JulianJons]

This is music to my ears. I savor every moment of it. I look forward to the VP debate with earnest.

[LibertiBelle]

Its like watching a train wreck you know whats gonna happen but you have to watch...like Britney,they all reach the bottom..eventually

Palin is so out if her league and yes she was a ploy to get the evangelican vote BUT I bet they didn't plan on that witch doctor video surfacing or they did know about it and leaked it themselves so they dump her now citing inproper vetting (my bad) or wait for the big train wreck the VP Debate????

ya know we are all gonna watch it...it will be the mother of all train wrecks I imagine.

[imfedup]

Or the adultrous affair with her husband's ex business partner . . .

Or all the people she's screwed over and fired speaking up . . .

Or the troopergate scandal blowing up in her face . . .

It's a scandal a minute!

[Over50WhiteWoman]

This is so funny! Now the R's don't want an inarticulate person who cannot pronounce nuclear and fumbles their way through interviews. Has everyone forgotten GWB in the debates in 2004? He was an embarrassment, but the folks just loved that folksy fellow, and didn't care a damn that the emperor had no clothes. No one would even come out and say it out loud.

So, it's a good thing that Parker has started thinking for herself. Good for you, girl. I have noticed a change in her columns in the last year or two. I used to almost always disagree with her, but have found myself nodding my head more often now.

Bluechord is right--I think the plan is to dump her after the election--and replace her with Joe L. I actually feel sorry for her--but let's hope the empathy of the public doesn't mean they will vote for her. Too many problems with Princess Palin. They chose her because of the kids, the troopergate thing, the witchcraft thing, the churches. They have so MANY outs to choose from.

[imfedup]

Does anyone know how a VP would be chosen if she did bow out after the election? (This is strictly hypothetical. I don't think she will be elected.)

[kalapa]

"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."

Yes, watching her being interviewed made it blatantly clear that SHE.IS.SERIOUSLY. STUPID.

Unfortunately, she is also ruthlessly ambitious.

DEADLY COMBINATION.

Ah well. The VP debate should be her last hurrah.

[imfedup]

I've gotta disagree with the confident part.

[markmceahern]

Why should people respect the opinion of someone who supported the selection of Palin as vice-president in the first place?