Noonan Says Palin's Type Of Populism Is Bad For Country

Appearing on NBC's Meet the Press, conservative columnist Peggy Noonan said that the "populist" tactics being deployed by Sarah Palin was "not helpful to the country" and painted her candidacy as built on class warfare.

"She is a natural," said Noonan, "But I will tell you, I feel increased concern about... what she thinks of as populism, as her populist approach. There are two ways, you know, her stuff about, 'I'm main street, you are the elite, I'm Joe six-pack.' She actually says 'I'm the Joe six-pack candidate.' This has me thinking, gosh, would Lincoln say 'I represent the backwoods type?' Would FDR say, 'the New York aristocracy deserves another moment in the sun, vote for me?' There's something weird about it. But there is also something, for me, concerning. Populism as a tactic is justified often in politics. 'I need this program, the people want it.' Populism as a strategy, 'we're the good guys, you're the bad guys,' is not good. And if that's the road they are going, that's not a good road to be on. It is not helpful to the country."

Noonan has been skittish about Palin's candidacy from the get-go, though not always publicly demonstrative about her concerns. She was caught, off camera, calling the vice presidential pick as cynical. But she has also, on occasion, praised Palin for energizing the Republican base and for her debate performance.

On Sunday, Noonan expanded on those compliments, arguing that Palin did an effective job on Thursday night but one that amounted to a political infomercial.

"I'll be frank, she convinced the American people -- though they had seen her crater in the interview after interview in the previous few weeks before that debate -- that she was capable of coming forward and simply debating," said the Wall Street Journal columnist. "I think she showed that she is a woman of great and natural competence about the show-business of politics, if you will: the ability to look over the camera, to think that the camera is your friend, all of that stuff. But there are questions about other areas."

Comments

[judesedit]

Can you imagine how Obama would have been treated, had he been involved with the Keating 5, voted with Bush 95% of the time, had a gambling problem, or had even one lobbyist heading his campaign? Can you imagine how Obama would have been treated had Michelle been addicted to drugs and actually stole drugs from wherever? Can you imagine how Obama would have been treated had he cheated on his wife and left her while she was in a wheelchair? Can you imagine how Obama would have been treated had his daughter gotten pregnant before marriage? Need I go on? The media is bought and sold by Murdoch and the RNC. My television hardly gets turned on anymore it is so boring. I may even get rid of it. It's just sitting there sucking up electric.

[BLinCincinnati]

"that she was capable of coming forward and simply debating"

That wasn't a debate. It was a verbal quiz that she memorized the answers for. A "debate" is what we saw with Obama/McCain... where they go back and forth. But McCain's camp knew she couldn't hack it in that style of debate so they got the lame verbal quiz show we saw.

[judesedit]

She has stooped so low so many times, she has actually become physically ugly to me.

[irishgawdess]

Palin's populism is limited to the far right social conservatives, which is why she was brought in as McCain's second. As long as she was pleasing them, he could go off on his "maverick" way and work on more centrist issues. Palin is taking the brunt of the derision from Independents and Democrats (esp. women) due to his political pandering. Her presence on the Republican ticket is an insult to the women's movement as well as any thinking American.

From Day 1 in the national limelight, her obnoxious folksiness and snarkiness have been evident. Perhaps McCain did the citizens of Alaska a favor by revealing the "real" Sarah Palin that to date only those colleagues closest to her have witnessed.

We'll know more about her leadership style once the Troopergate details are released (if ever). With her inability to multi-task and her "just the bullets" style of management, I doubt that we'll be seeing it at the federal level.

[Matt7]

In Palin's defense (yech yech choke cough), could it be that she's gotten her "populist" views from the dreaded mainstream media? I mean, aren't they the ones who told us over and over again, through direct quotes and punditry ad nauseum, that Obama supposedly "had a problem with" what was supposed to equal the typical, average Joe? That this (at least partially) black man who lived on the south side of Chicago was "elite and out of touch"? And didn't everyone take it up and begin to sing that ridiculous song? If the need to connect with the average Joe was framed as an Obama "weakness," Rove politics 101 dictates that it would be used against him. So the Rethugs, being the fine, upstanding people they are, did.

Aren't they continuing to court her as a media darling, covering all of her slanderous garbage, even as she refuses interviews with a goal of dis-informing a concerned public? And isn't it the media's job to help us find out who this woman is and tell us the truth?

She has about as much respect for the media, as they seem to have for the American public.

[Mugzi]

Winky will continue to spew lies like pus until she experiences her own negativity...Katherine Harris was similiar spewing lies, twists and turns in the name of the GOP, tried to run for office and wasn't elected...she was dropped like a hot potato...heard she now is trying to hawk Tupperware in the Longboat Key Fl area....what goes around, comes around!!!

[NoToGOP08]

Noonan should follow her own advice. have the grace to admit Palin is unqualified for VP. Instead of the long winded soap box response she gave.

[Audrey85]

AMEN!

[boycottrightwingthings]

I heard that Peggy's son is for Obama!! That must be hard for her, to have raised a reasonable, smart person, while she stays loyal to the dumb ones! I guess if she broke with the pack, she wouldn't have a job! Peggy, come on board! I KNOW that you want to! Join your son (and the rest of your family, all Democrats!!) and you will still have a job, like Ariana does, only you will be working for the people who will bring us a brighter future!
Obama Biden 08

[Audrey85]

This woman scares a lot of people especially because she is a separatist and with that she is divisive. She will set this country back 50 to 60 years!

[ConEd]

"Who is that masked man?"

[dac253]

The broken clock is right again

She's so maudlin, I can barely stand to hear her speak

[gr8abz]

Leave it to the Brits to spell it out for what it really is. I sent this link to Christiane Amanpour after listening to her praise Palin's debate performance on Real Time. Bill Maher's rebuttal to Amanpour was weak. So I tossed this link into the CNN contact page for the famous journalist to read -- doubt she'll get it. None the less if you feel ambitious send it off to as many TV journalists as you can. It's VERY sobering.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2008/oct/03/sarah.palin.debate.feminism

[VOTER]

Thanks.

What was up with Christiane Amanpour on Maher's show?
Her comments were unexpected and out of character.
Did CNN have her on a leash for this show?
Amanpour lost points, big time, which is too bad considering
the hard reporting she has been known to do in the past.

[Mugzi]

Basically, CA said ANY woman finally on a national ticket is better than NO woman...I do not agree, in fact, untimately the residue of Winky will have a negative affect on women in politics...she is basically setting back women in politics as well as women's rights! Winky is a joke we will all have to pay for! (CA must have forgotten Margaret Chase Smith, I think in the sixties...I know she ran, but can't remember if she made the national ticket..)

[gigi09]

Palin...BUSH in a skirt with lipstick!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032553

[laurinek]

I hate to say this but she makes Bush look good.

[ConEd]

"Who is that masked man?"

[mysterygirl18]

Sarah Palin DOES NOT speak for me. She never has, never will...do not assume that everyone is enamored with this woman. Give the public more credit for some brains.

http://www.myspace.com/wakeupnowpeople

[majorteddy]

I'm sure Palin is right in there, having her Starbucks coffee cup as her major news source. Of course, I do suppose that is far superior to Faux Noise.

[irishgawdess]

LOL!

Sarah Six-Pack should be getting her coffee from 7-11 to uphold her rep.

[vinny]

Everyone should watch John Stewart's interview of Peggy Noonan. He completely mocks her through the whole interview, explaining how it's sad how pols have to resort to rhetoric that distorts the meaning of our politics. Stewart was talking about her and her career, and the book that she was trying to shop, "Patriotic Grace"

[gurukalehuru]

Poor Peggy. She realizes that her side has lost, and deserved to lose, but it's still her side.
If she would just come out and say she's voting for the Democrats this time around, she might be forgiven.

[RStone]

Peggy is just confused. Obama has better ideas and she just can't say it.

http://www.boppoll.com

Obama '08