Peggy Noonan: Sarah Palin A 'Nincompoop' For Reagan Reduction

Conservative columnist and former Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan doesn't like people demeaning the Gipper's legacy, not even Sarah Palin, and not even if she's only talking about the former president's Hollywood career.

She writes in her latest column of a recent incident in which Sarah Palin attempted to explain away a Karl Rove criticism over her "reality show" by drawing parallels to former president Ronald Reagan's silver screen career, including his roles in movies such as "Bedtimes for Bonzo, bozo or something":

Excuse me, but this was ignorant even for Mrs. Palin. Reagan people quietly flipped their lids, but I'll voice their consternation to make a larger point. Ronald Reagan was an artist who willed himself into leadership as president of a major American labor union (Screen Actors Guild, seven terms, 1947-59.) He led that union successfully through major upheavals (the Hollywood communist wars, labor-management struggles); discovered and honed his ability to speak persuasively by talking to workers on the line at General Electric for eight years; was elected to and completed two full terms as governor of California; challenged and almost unseated an incumbent president of his own party; and went on to popularize modern conservative political philosophy without the help of a conservative infrastructure. Then he was elected president.

"The point is not 'He was a great man and you are a nincompoop,' though that is true," Noonan continues. "The point is that Reagan's career is a guide, not only for the tea party but for all in politics. He brought his fully mature, fully seasoned self into politics with him. He wasn't in search of a life when he ran for office, and he wasn't in search of fame; he'd already lived a life, he was already well known, he'd accomplished things in the world."

Though Noonan's piece is not simply a jab at Palin, but rather a larger message about the real political significance of one's actions and accomplishments, as well as the necessity to "earn your way into politics," it's also worth noting that Noonan has never shied away from writing confrontational columns about the former Alaska Governor.

From Palin's coming out party until her decision to step down as Governor of the Frontier State, Noonan has made it clear that she doesn't jive with the "mama grizzly" brand of politics.

Comments

[ciarrai]

01:48 PM on 11/14/2010

It's about time some of the Republican sympathizers start taking the nincompoop to task. But don't get to lathered up just yet. We need her to run so that Obama will get the 2nd term. BTW, only those who HATE THE USA will vote for the Wizard of Wasilla.

[Robin Whiteside]

12:18 AM on 12/01/2010

It's never a good idea to bet that Palin will lose. I agree with you that it's pretty certain, but the risk is way too great. The payoff would never be worth it. We can never play dice with the presidency.

When people think back about Bush and think what a whackjob he was, we have to remember that originally, he came across quite differently. As a capable person, whether or not you agreed with his politics, he seemed to be someone who compromised, who seemed legitimate enough to be president. He had experience completing his governorship.

To be sure, I didn't vote for him and wouldn't have, but he was legit. We had no idea what a loser and incompetent he'd become. With Palin, there is no legitimacy. She's a big zero. I just can't believe the US would be so stupid to run her for president, because that would mean the US is stupid enough to elect her.

[ShanaJuly]

08:52 AM on 11/12/2010

Peggy Noonan is a snotty, broad. How dare her say the president won't even make a "good former president." This broad is so in love with Ronald Reagan her brain is fried--she needs to go crawl into his grave with him...what a phony, phony broad...and she HATES President Barack Obama...

[conservativelady]

01:52 AM on 11/11/2010

Good for you Peggy, I am so glad that you had the guts to point this out. We need famous conservatives like you to point out that Palin had a fruedian slip. The fact is, Palin doesn't give a damn about Reagan, she just uses him for her own benefit, and her flippant remarks let this slip out, but we shouldn't let this kind of thing slip by because it is very telling. There a lot of obnoxious people defending everything Palin does, when they shouldn't. Truth has a funny way of coming out.

[Dr Scott R Smith]

05:15 PM on 11/10/2010

Reagan "went on to popularize modern conservative political philosophy without the help of a conservative infrastructure. Then he was elected president." And during his presidency he continued to invoke extreme right-wing conservative philosophy in his RHETORIC, but in his governing, after cutting taxes in the two largest tax cuts to that date (on the basis of the disproved Laffer curve and trickle-down/supply-side economic theory), he had to raise taxes several times to save Social Security and increase revenues, leaving economy with largest deficit to that date; and Volker, appointed by Carter, rescued Reagan's US economic a_s from high inflation/stagflation; making Reagan's administration Keynesian in economic policy. He increased size of government rather than limiting it; his deregulation led to the S&L crisis--there are so many false conservative myths that have been wholly made up and allowed to persist about Reagan, the Republicans do not really have any successful conservative presidency they can emulate to force their unworkable, ideological policies onto the American people. When the Republicans fail to ceate jobs and grow the economy, they ultimately will be thrown out of power (again).

[Jim Pasterczyk]

01:23 AM on 11/17/2010

He had a conservative infrastructure; the John Birch Society for one, the remnants of Goldwater conservativism for another.

[Jimcracky]

03:58 PM on 11/10/2010

Here's the "between the lines" implications here - this is the latest of the Republican intention to thoroughly discredit Palin lest she end up a populist (and disastrous) pick for president in 2012. She IS a nincompoop, but she's a popular nincompoop and the Republicans know she's not electable. Watch for more and more mainstream Republican criticism of Palin to do in any presidential hopes.

[conservativelady]

01:55 AM on 11/11/2010

The only thing they need to do to discredit Palin is to tell the truth when they see it happen, and to not be intimidated by the fact that Fox News is trying to buy Palin the nomination by paying her to campaign on their program. It's not right, and I am glad to see that some people are still willing to do what is right.

[StellaDZ]

01:59 PM on 11/10/2010

On The View yesterday, Newt Gingrich made the same statements about Reagan as Palin did.I wonder if Noonan will write a column about that?

[Dr Scott R Smith]

05:17 PM on 11/10/2010

Gingrich is not worth the print.

[JFHunt]

10:49 AM on 11/10/2010

Wow, if that all ain't "a tempest in a tea pot" Noonan sure as heck sounds like a petulant GOP neo-con. Yikes, I'm sorry I bothered to read anything about this "big issue".

[IATSE MEMBER]

12:49 AM on 11/10/2010

Everytime I think Sarah has finally topped herself she proves me wrong? She's an overachiever!!

[Tim Smith8422]

12:40 AM on 11/10/2010

Sarah Palin Gives The Best Audio!

http://www.youtube.com/user/SimpleGramma?feature=mhum#p/a/u/2/Nl6Pd4rmM0w

[lilana]

02:09 PM on 11/09/2010

Hey, Peggy Noonan, $arah is teflon, she doesn't care what you or anyone else says about her as long as she is laughing all the way to the bank.

$arah cares about $arah.

[Dr Scott R Smith]

05:25 PM on 11/10/2010

Sarah most certainly DOES care about what noteworthy Republicans think of her! She is revenge-driven, poor white trash who is extremely oversensitive to ANY criticism. There's a reason it took five colleges for her to finally graduate--when people found out how stupid she was, she would leave.

[Spastic Punk]

12:59 PM on 11/09/2010

Sarah is preparing a short rebuttal as she's rumored to be glancing at her hands a lot lately. At least Ronnie could read "others" written speeches very well. What Alaska doesn't have toastmasters?

[ixzist]

12:12 PM on 11/09/2010

You just can't take Palin's spin-doctoring seriously. She literally made up a word on Twitter, and instead of owning up to her mistake, compared herself favorably to Shakespeare. She is a ridiculous loon, and if America ever elects her to another public office, it will be the biggest mistake, one that will leave the US the laughingstock of the world. Palin even makes W look like a statesman, and that's hard to do!

[blueman00009]

11:59 AM on 11/09/2010

So noonan can call her a ninconpoop but I get moderated for calling her a mental lightweight? WTF

[mvtaylor0487]

12:19 PM on 11/09/2010

Ha Ha welcome to the club. Most of my post never see the light of day. HA HAAAA

[lilana]

02:11 PM on 11/09/2010

F&F, yep, same here, LOL.

[spassmeister]

11:55 AM on 11/09/2010

the emperor has no clothes. Wait - I mean all the emperor actually has are clothes that somebody else paid for.

[blueman00009]

12:11 PM on 11/09/2010

Typical republican slacker. Living off of contributors, like republicans milk the taxpayers for their champagne and caviar. Hypocrites.

[Erica Berman]

12:14 PM on 11/09/2010

fortunately she is not the emperor

[GBPackerfan]

11:50 AM on 11/09/2010

I CAN'T WAIT for Palin to announce her run for president, and I hope she wins the GOP nomination. Not only will that ensure Obama's re-election, I will get to watch all the GOP pundits fall over themselves trying to justify her existence on the national scene, let alone carrying her party's standard. Calling her a nincompoop is an insult to real nincompoops everywhere.