Palin Power and New York's 23rd District
After the McCain-Palin ticket went down in a ball of flames last year, there was a strange period of time when we didn't quite know what to do up here. Palin lost. She was back in Alaska, slogging through the dull days as governor, attempting unsuccessfully to deal with the local fallout of a campaign that had left carnage in its wake, and trying to play nice with people who weeks before had been unceremoniously thrown under the bus. What were her plans? She certainly didn't heed the conventional wisdom that said if she had any kind of serious intent to launch a presidential run in 2012, she should go back to Alaska, be a good governor, and basically spend every waking moment trying to learn about the government, and what makes it run.
And then, of course, came the Friday afternoon before the Fourth of July weekend, when she stood on the shores of Lake Lucille, called the Alaska media to her home 45 minutes north of Anchorage, and proclaimed before God, country and a raft of honking waterfowl that she was quitting. Two weeks notice. And that, as they say, was that.
It was at this point that the muttering began. "Why are you still talking about Sarah Palin?" Sometimes the muttering came from the right, and was usually accompanied by "Why can't you just leave her alone?" Sometimes the muttering came from the left, and was usually accompanied by, "If I have to hear that woman's name one more time I'm going to shove a fork in my temple." Still others started talking about "Palin-obsessed bloggers." There had to be something wrong with someone who kept shining the light on the now ex-almost-one-term governor. The Palin era was over. Just move along. Nothing to see here.
It was obvious, and backed up by her sagging approval ratings both in the state and in the nation as a whole, that we were not going to have a President Palin. She was a divisive mayor, a divisive governor and a divisive VP candidate. Divisive doesn't win.
But long ago, some words of wisdom were spoken in Alaska "Underestimate Sarah Palin at your peril." Karl Rove has proven over and over that you don't have to hold elected office to affect policy. George W. Bush has proven over and over that you don't actually have to understand anything to be able to stand in front of a podium and speak. And Sarah Palin has proven over and over that a pair of high heels, a wink, and a dynamite performance is enough for many people.
So why does everyone keep talking about Sarah Palin? May I draw your attention to Exhibit A, New York's Congressional district 23. Moderate Dem Owens vs. Moderate Republican Scozzafava vs. the "Conservative" candidate Hoffman. This unlikely district, that has voted Republican since the Civil War Era, was all set to support the party-backed Republican candidate. Then a couple well-known conservatives started supporting Hoffman, and then... the long bony finger of Sarah Palin pointed East and declared Hoffman the chosen one. Tens of thousands in campaign contributions started pouring in, and ultimately Scozzafava withdrew from the race with an ambiguously worded statement, realizing that all the attention from Palin (and Pawlenty & Co. who were falling all over themselves to jump on her coattails) would make a win difficult. Dede Scozzafava got ground up in the gears of the Palin machine.
After Scozzafava pulled out, Palin spoke through her Facebook page (which we have come to think of as the Great and Powerful Oz), bestowing her gratitude.
"I want to personally thank Republican Dede Scozzafava for acting so selflessly today in the NY District 23 race. Now it's time to cross the finish line with Doug Hoffman so that he can get to work for District 23 and the rest of America."
We still don't know who's behind the curtain, but they seem pretty full of themselves lately.
And here's where it starts to get really interesting. It's like in those movie scenes where our hero lies, seemingly dispatched by the hideous beast, but manages somehow to spring to life as the attacker turns away, and clobber the thing in the back of the head. BLAM. The movie audience cheers.
Sarah Palin, was undoubtedly feeling like quite the King Maker. Taking the Saxby Chambliss meme one step further, she is beginning to believe that all she has to do is speak and tap a candidate on the head with her magic money-wand and >POOF!< they are instantly transported to the nation's capital. But then... BLAM. Dede Scozzafava has endorsed... wait for it... the Democrat. Ouch.
And with her support went the endorsement of the Watertown Daily Times:
Mr. Hoffman is running as an ideologue. If he carries out his pledges on earmarks, taxation, labor law reform and other inflexible positions, Northern New York will suffer. This rural district depends on the federal government for an investment in Fort Drum and its soldiers, environmental protection of our international waterway and the Adirondack Park, and the livelihood of all our dairy farmers across the district, among other support. Our representative cannot be locked into rigid promises and policies that would jeopardize these critical sectors of our economy.
This unlikely little district is a microcosm of the national Republican dynamic of self destruction. Newt Gingrich, taking the role of the voice of inclusion and moderation vs. Sarah Palin, the voice of a narrow ideological base that doesn't care a whit about long range outcomes. "If I die, I die," is a favorite Bible quote of Palin's that she has used on more than one occasion. And to Palin and her ilk, if the GOP dies, it dies. It may be the chaff that is burned off in the crucible as the conservative ideals are purified over the fire.
And while the Republican Party struggles and thrashes and fights for its very life, there are a bunch of Democrats out there just munching the popcorn.
The election is Tuesday. Will the moderate Republicans only be able to win back their district from the Teabaggers by electing a Democrat for the first time since the mid-19th century? These are strange times indeed.
But, whatever the outcome, the Republicans lose. If Owens the Democrat wins, there is no "King Maker" meme with which to flood the media. The Palinite wing of the Republican party has botched it. They have lost a fight, and it's time to go back to their corner with a big raw steak on their eye.
If the Conservative Hoffman wins, then just sit back and watch the madness. The corks will pop and Palin will get sloppy drunk on her own power. She might even really listen to those little voices whispering in her ear, telling her to make a third party run for the presidency. She will buy into her own spin, and that will be the beginning of the end. Teabaggers Gone Wild will be the entertainment du jour, and this very vocal 20% of the country is going to insert itself into races everywhere, until they awaken the sleeping giant that is... everyone else. The apathetic 80% will not stay apathetic forever, and districts like New York's 23rd are none too keen on having whack job ideologues taking over their representation in DC, putting fringe wedge issues ahead of things like jobs, and local economy.
Gingrich rightly states that the party's biggest problem is the fact that moderates, independents, and minorities are leaving in droves. A bully takeover that runs a moderate Republican out on the rails, illustrates and compounds this very problem.
The GOP does not need to fear the Democrats. Their ultimate destruction will come from within. The end will come not with a bang, but with a wink. Even if it is only the mobilization of the conservative ideologues that will ultimately take down the Republican Party, never doubt that Sarah Palin has power.
Follow Jeanne Devon ("AKMuckraker") on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Mudflats
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I can't help but to think that if "DeeDee" would have been off the ticket, would the 6% that she had garnered gone to the Conservative Ticket? To an extent, people are still thinking in the old ways. "A vote for an independent party is throwing away a vote". However, if "DeeDee's" name would not have been on the ballot at all, I'm almost certain the Democrat would have lost, considering the fact that he won with less than 50% of the vote.
If Nov. 4th's numerous Conservative wins wasn't a wake up call, I don't know what is. Republicans won the Governorship in New Jersey and Virginia, both areas just last year favoured Obama and the Democrats.
The people of district 23 were not as dumbed down as palin thought,Great article and really speaks to who palin is or was.
Jeanne, Thank you from this Southeast, Alaskan; you have always been a spokesperson for all of us in all areas throughout the state in coping through hurricane Sarah....y
a hip hip hooray to you for the great "cabin fever buster of a read"....
I'd also, too like to take a moment to thank Huffpo for printing my blog opinions regarding Palin shenanigans for a while now. Uffda, it's amazing what the power of blogging will do when you are part of an ongoing train wreck.
Palin's religious credentials remained hidden while she was governor, in fact Palin herself remained hidden in her Wasilla home, just as she did during most of the VP campaign. Don't be surprised if the whole book signing thing doesn't do a BELLY FLOP like her dismal speaking career and her short stint as Governor In Name Only (GINO).
The "SPLASH" will be felt in Russia!
Never underestimate her "reliance" on what she says God is telling her to do. Her "If I die, I die" is very telling. Some fundamentalist christian churches caution against "reasoning". If all are against you, then God is for you so they aren't really concerned if "reasoning" people see the wrong they are doing and try to push back. I know cause I have been there. I know that God gave us brains and reasoning ability. I made some very bad decisions when I thought I was hearing from God and did not think things out. When you get people making decisions on that premise, when thousands or millions of people are affected by your decisions, then use of brains is required.
Well written, AKM, thank you.
Thump!!!
23rd Congressional District 33% reporting
(D): Bill Owens 23799 49%
(R): Dede Scozzafava 2489 5%
(C): Doug Hoffman 22188 46
I went to the Conservative Party of New York State website and read through the stances and agendas. It reveals what the extreme right-wing of the conservatives and Republicans in this country want to do for all of us. Would many of Palin's True Believers step back and rethink their passion for her if they also read it? Having come from a past deeply involved with extreme right-wing religious Fundamentalists, I think their positions are very scary indeedy. Devon's article is thoughtful and well-written. Thank you for giving me something positive to consider, no matter the election's outcome.
Jeanne:
An utterly brilliant piece.
I think that MSBC should hire you with your own show.
Well said, as always. I get so tired of the "stop talking about Sarah Palin already" voices - the woman should be watched, and closely. She's dangerous, and she isn't going away. She is a power-hungry shark with a devoted following who feels she's on a path given to her to walk by God himself. Never doubt her sway, and never turn your back on her.
I have followed Jeanne Devon off and on throughout the campaign, and no one has a more complete picture of the train wreck that is Sarah Palin. She states in her article a number that I kept seeing throughout the 2008 campaign: 20%. 20% of voters would follow Palin into the Cuhkchi Sea, if she lead the way. In terms of number of votes cast in the general in 2008, that's 25 MILLION people who probably believe down to their core that President Obama is leading us down the highway to hell. My fear of people like Palin is not Palin herself winning anything, it's the fact that she has the ear of 25 Million people that think of themselves as revolutionaries fighting some grand cause against a tyrant / antichrist / secret vegan pan flute player. That many people can muck up almost anything.
Within that 20% could lie dangerous individuals.
All too true - It doesn't take a statistician to understand that 1 person out of 25,000,000 with a delusion and a weapon is not that long a reach.
By the way, I meant Chukchi, not Cuhkchi. Hey, it's my first post on Huff!
She loves power but she hasn't the capacity to govern or lead. That takes intelligence and lots and lots of home work and a coherent team. But Sarah's not a student she doesn’t do homework and she is hard to get along with..
She has seen the capacity of using the rabble of the religious far right to attack.
She is into revenge in a big way, and who dumped on her the biggest. The RepoCons. So that is who she is going after now.
The Dims and the Pepugs and the MSM need to find out who is financing her and what their agenda is, because the violence prone rabble she has now appointed herself the head of is ardent enough to do what any of their leaders tell them to do up to and including murder.
Even if it means, as it does in upper NYState voting for a candidate that doesn't even represent you.
Plain and simple -- it would mean hard work and a work ethic -- something she totally lacks.
Dede Scozzafava is a very decent person and has been a great representative of her district. Hoffman's backers trashed her in a very personal, nasty campaign. The mailings and ads have been disgusting. Her dropping out and endorsing the Democrat says more about the tactics of the Republican right wing that will stoop to any level to win, meaning treating a fellow Republican with cruel language and imagery. End the end the people of the 23rd district will lose out by a national agenda that cares little about local issues and electing the best person for the job, and everything about pushing a harsh ideology.
I've seen the same mean-girl cruel language and imagery used by Palin supporters in vilifying Linda Kellen Biegel, a delightfully flame-redheaded "Celtic Diva" Alaskan blogger who's in the forefront of the citizen volunteers investigating the truth behind many of the lies of Sarah Palin during her 2-1/2 year term as Governor of Alaska, as listed by Andrew Sullivan last July.
http://and
http://div
Linda happens to possess the same general body type as Dede Scozzafava, and is disabled -- so if Palin herself can laugh at jokes a radio talk show host made about a cancer survivor rival of Palin's, you can imagine how cruel Palin's fans/followers have been to The Celtic Diva.
Even Jeanne Devon, our AKMuckraker authoring this article, has been a target of these foul bullies also (too!), with threats that forced her blog into limbo for a time, and another blogger was the subject of a smear campaign similar to the one mounted by Palin supporters against David Letterman after an unfortunate joke about Palin.
From your comment: "Her dropping out and endorsing the Democrat says more about the tactics of the Republican right wing that will stoop to any level to win, meaning treating a fellow Republican with cruel language and imagery."
Very, very concise and well said. You summed it perfectly, in fact. Favorited.
I think we do know who's behind the curtain putting up the funds to keep the Palin name in the news, funding "conservative" candidates. Just follow the money and it the same bunch who gave us Bush and Co. The religious right has deep pockets.
Look out or we'll all be living in Texas soon.
You're exactly right and isn't it time that these churches were stripped of their tax exempt status due to the fact that they can't stay out of politics? Meanwhile - go, Sarah power! Finish at least ONE job you've started...
They've gotten much more quiet and stealthy in their approach, but I believe you are right - the hardcore evangelical Christians are still pulling the strings and making things happen in government that benefit them and their goal to "return" the United States to a "fully Christian nation" (not realizing - or maybe not caring - that it was not one to begin with). The worst part is that these deep-pocketed, ignorant bigots honestly believe they are on a mission from God himself, and they will step on any man or woman - even one of their "own" - to accomplish their self-serving goals. They care not what is good and right for the people - they care only what is good for those whom they consider "God's people".
This has been going on since religion was invented! How many millions have died for"God"? Wars, honor killings, being burned at the stake for heresy! Nothing new here; just new players hacking out the same old tune.
When you have a God on one side, you get to have a demon on the other. Demonizing people is the only way to work up the gumption to kill them. Unless you're God is one of compassion and kindness.W
AKM! I've read Mudflats for months w/out registering and just now created a HuffPo acct SOLELY to fan you here.
Keep up the good work.
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