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

[oceanbreeze]

Several years of research consistently show that people who are incompetent, are so simply because they have no idea when they are way off their depth. Basically, they don't have the self-awareness. They'll be folksy, happy, and jolly, when they need to be seriously engaged and struggling to weigh among many ambiguous options, pulling in their help, etc.

It amazes me that mccain found someone to replace the lack of intellectual curiosity that exists in this white house.

As far as noonan, she is not objective -- she never was. why does anyone think this is significant? does anyone really care what rove thinks?

[vinny]

It's funny Noonie uses the terms strategy and tactics, and gets them backwards.

Populism would be the political strategy, and saying we are good and you are bad, e.g. attack ads, stumps speeches, etc. is the tactic.

Apparently, McCain impressed upon Noonie that these were important words, and she started using them without thinking about what they mean.

Her mistake probably happened because McCain actually uses populism, or rather a rhetoric of populism without the actual policies, as a political tactic.

Poor Noonie, she's not so quick, everytime I watch her try to form a response to a question, it looks like she is trying to channel a spirit or something, rather than just saying what's on her mind.

[PT6]

This woman analyst, Noonan, saw the "MUD SLINGING" coming and mentioned it on Brokaw's Show!

Palin with the McC camp's approval started this with her Outrageous Accusations!

She seems to LOVE the "Mud Slinging," so a typical Repub!

By FRIDAY when the Alaska Report comes out PALIN will pay!

Lets Hope the Alaska Supreme Court rejects McC sponsored motion to cover it up!

[gottatellya]

Yes, she can look at the camera very well. It isn't intellectually or emotionally engaging, though. It's the look of a sports reporter reading the scores off the teleprompter, peppered with the smile and winking of a small town beauty pageant contestant trying to imply some inappropriate intent to the judge if he'll score her well. She's just dangerously narcissistic.

[AlaskanToo]

You hit the nail on the head. She is dangerously narcissistic! Well put.

[StillAmused]

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

Noonan's type of obsequious, 'yes-but-on-the-other-hand', smarmy drivel in the face of Palin's sputtering, decaying glidepath does nothing to obviate her unchallenged credentials as the right wing's Poetess Laureate. She's read the handwriting on the wall and can't bear the prospect of all the chairs being filled when the music stops.

Even a stopped apologist tells the right time, twice a day... and this one, mainly, likes to savor and romance the affected nuances of her own voice while she performs. Makes you wonder how her fellow panelists constrain themselves from squirming in their seats and squinting at her.

[dcjdjay]

A cynical take from a political prankster who invented the us versus them speeches in political debates. When Reagan talked to the American public, his speeches were based on us (the white supposedly "silent" majority) versus them (urban liberals, union members, feminists, gays, blacks). And who wrote his speeches? Ms. Noonan should put a mirror to her face before she gets all high and mighty.

[NotYourCupcake]

Wow, did any of you see the youtube show that came out today called History of Racialism? It is all about Obama's connections to ACORN and others people he knows. It is frightening.
And this is just the first part. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_HZMD97nMw

[pottery]

"We're really dealing with very limited information." And that, is the basis for an hour of speculation aimed at "radicalizing' Obama.

If anyone remembers, they did the same thing to Bill Clinton. He was supposed to be a closet radical because of his associations, and, because he went to England on a Rhodes Scholarship to study government, and he smoked a joint. Or, two.

[StillAmused]

Wow! Stopped in just to contaminate four different, unrelated article threads with your non-story 'ACORN' clinker, huh? Must be hard work, draggin' that PUMA grudge behind you everywhere you go.

[Miravanguild]

The conservatives have been selling " ignorance is a virture form of populism" for some time now. Sadly the main barkers for this snake oil have been the talking heads on the news programs... For years now they have drank the Kool Aid of education in our better schools and experience on the world state as being "out of touch" with the everyday American... I guess we are an ignorant lot who want to be intertained form the White House rather and led... Well, in George W. Bush the chickens came home to roost, and now in Sarah Palin they have also bitten Noonan and all thinking conservatives in the butt big time... The rest of the country as well..

[TheGeicoCaveman]

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***
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[pottery]

wow. 10 personal water craft in 5 years, an H&S Trailer, and two POLA, whatever that is. And they've owned a bunch of trucks over the years. Related to their business? That's kinda interesting. Right.

[SwingVoter]

It appears Fox "News" in collaboration with the GOP and McCain's campaign have pledged to unleash an all-out smear assault on our campaign.

The only way we can help fight Fox "News" and Bush-McCain wrong headed policies is to donate what ever we can to help the Obama/Biden campaign.

Please give whatever you can. This is a turning point in the 2008 Presidential election. You do not want to wake up November 5, 2008 and regret not having done enough.

http://barackobama.com

[moonbay]

This is all true: I work on main st of a small town that makes its money off of fishing and raising flowers. Years ago I was in the Amazon jungle while there was a potable water shortage in the village we started our trip from, into a previously unexplored region; as a result the ONLY thing we had to drink for 16 days was beer. The only food we took with us was rice, beans and onions, we had to catch our own food (my 35lb catfish fed the 5 of us for 2 days), I have had a good education, I love this country, I am a progressive, I have a deep ethical and spiritual life, I have worked as a blue collar worker for 17 years of my life, and many more "creds." Sarah Palin is not only ignorant, she is also deluded. She can't see what a disaster she would be for this country if she had to assume the presidency. She can't see that she is being played by McCain, et al... She does not speak for me, my friends, my community. May she disappear into the dustbin of history and have a nice life. Vote O!

[LiberalBuzz]

Interesting life you got there and great background to let everyone know that Palin is NOT representative of anyone.

[harriettubman]

Well, Ms. Noonan can thank her Republican party for this. I put Palin's popularity and knowledged of nothing, in the same category as Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian and all the other popular folks out there that having people asking, why?

[Call me Sweety]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh God....please don't tell me Mooselady will be on the next Dancing with the Stars!!

[McChimp]

Palin's only reason for being on the McCain ticket is to fire up the far right

Even moderate conservatives aren't voting for McCain just because of her

The fact that Independents say that Biden won in a landslide against Palin shows that she does NOTHING but attract Republican voters

[gregjones]

Listen to Obama Talk Radio.....Nothing But The Truth with Greg Jones. What MSM omits....you'll hear on NBTT !

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stations/HeadingLeft/The-Greg-Jones-Show/2008/10/05/NOTHING-BUT-THE-TRUTH-with-Greg-Jones

[SistaV]

Read this article on the 'maverick'


http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain

[cycle3man]

. Hey Peggy, Stop the BS we all know where you stand: Take away the mind stuffing and cramming in preparation for this debate and take away the 3x5 cards and she is in ‘deep do do’ ala the Couric interviews. This Palin, six pack genius, hasn't read a newspaper since sixth grade. Palin is intellectually shallow like Coney Island when the tide is out.

[littlerabbit]

What is so frightening about Palin is her sincere belief that she would be a good President. The praise for her Thursday-night performance has created a monster and it will be entertaining to see McCain try to pull her back in when she has gone too far.

I watched a group of 4 hockey moms on CNN who had watched the debate together and were interviewed by CNN. One of them voiced her opinion that since she had 5 children, worked and was a hockey mom like Palin, that she too could be vice president. How on earth have we allowed Saucy Sarah to set the bar sooooooo low!

[harriettubman]

I agree and I saw those silly hockey moms too. You have to learn how to read people. Those moms that love Sarah Palin have nothing in common with her but the same political party. That's it. They would vote for Sarah the Clown if she were a hockey clown and Republican. Trust me.

[janep576]

Palin did not debate,she spewed alot of BS.