Sarah Palin's address at the Tea Party convention in Nashville vividly demonstrates why this woman is unlikely to ever become president of the United States: she's too pissed off.
Tea Party convention organizers found talismanic significance in the coincidence of Palin's Saturday night speech with what would have been Ronald Reagan's 99th birthday. But the secret of Reagan's success, both rhetorically and politically, was the aura of amiability that surrounded even his most radical ideas. Where Reagan floated above his critics, Palin remains tethered to the ground by the mega-ton chip on her shoulder. If the speech in Nashville is any indication, this tetchiness now threatens to engulf the more appealing aspects of her persona.
Anger is a tricky emotion for politicians to pull off, especially on a sustained basis. When deployed strategically, righteous indignation can be a useful tool -- think of Reagan's "I am paying for this microphone" outburst at the famous 1980 debate in New Hampshire. But when high dudgeon becomes the default mode, as it is with Palin, audiences have little reason to remain interested. Why watch the show when you already know the script?
Even in tough times, Americans remain an essentially optimistic people. Politicians who work the dark side of the electorate automatically distance themselves from all but the most dissatisfied voters. This is the risk that Sarah Palin now runs, that even as her supporters become more ardent, their numbers will dwindle.
One of the most astute political messages in recent memory came from a potential rival of Palin's, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. "I'm a conservative Republican," he liked to say during the 2008 campaign, "but I'm not mad at anybody." The brilliance of this rhetorical maneuver cannot be overestimated. Like Reagan, Huckabee saw electoral benefit in projecting an upbeat demeanor. You got the feeling that if you ever met Huckabee, you could disagree on every issue yet come away liking the guy.
This ability to rise above vitriol is a rare gift in politics, one that transcends ideology and party lines. Franklin Roosevelt had it, Bill Clinton had it, and of course Reagan had it in spades. By contrast, Palin evokes the specter of Richard Nixon. Both figures seem driven by an insatiable appetite for perceived slights. Nixon, at least, mixed self-pity with political substance; for Palin, getting her dander up constitutes pretty much the entire act.
Beneath the surface of Palin's wrath a troubling contradiction lurks: the more entrenched she becomes as a celebrity, the more her outrage appears manufactured. Even her fan club may find reason to wonder if Palin's anger is genuine or mere political posturing. After all, how angry can anyone be who has hit the great American jackpot of instant fame and fortune? What can Sarah Palin possibly have in common with Tea Party regulars whose very identity hinges on their sense of disenfranchisement, when obviously she suffers from no such deficit?
For Palin the politics of being pissed off may make sense in the short run, but it poses a long-term danger to her presidential aspirations. Vituperation may guarantee media attention, and it may satisfy a sliver of equally pissed-off citizens. But if history is any guide, anger does not pave the way to the White House. Americans, it seems, prefer their political leaders sunny side up.
Stuart Whatley: The Tea Party Movement Is a National Embarrassment
The Tea Party movement is the latest installment in an old American tradition: the exploitation of mostly frustrated, desperate, and susceptible people by monied interests and profiteers.
If she couldn't handle being a Gov, do you think she honestly will want to put in the hrs & effort it would take to run this country? Of course not! Its easier for her to make snarky comments via Facebook & Twitter & make the occasional appearance on Fox.
There is NO WAY on Earth she is going to give up her new "rock star" status for a real job doing serious work.
Palin/Palin 2012
She is out of her mental comfort zone for sure, but her cult followers do not care and there seem to be many well meaning people who do not have the time to listen to her to see that she is hollow.
I hope she makes more "public" speeches so her impact is smaller.
Again interesting point of observation. Thanks
1. you give too much credit to the tea baggers and the palinbots. they still think of Palin as one of them even as she travels the country in first class and private jets.
2. Palin knows that she needs to continue to stroke the anger and hatred of her followers. The more preoccupied they are with their anger, they're not going to notice that Palin is getting richer off of them.
The rest of us have grown up, and are raising our families, trying to hang onto our jobs, and working in our communities.
And Sarah ...
she's still calling people names, and using the "unpopular" folks for her benefit.
IMO, she really needs to be taken to the principal's office. I'm sure any number of the GOP leaders would be more than willing to paddle her.
She just wants to be popular cause that's all she knows. AND it pays.
And I still can't believe her arrogant mischaracterization of the high school nickname "barracuda". It wasn't a term of endearment, it had to do with her ruthlessness and willingness to advance by stabbing her teammates in the back.
Whereas Bush was from Texas by way of Massachusetts, Sarah is the "real deal". No ivy league education for her you betcha. She lacks the decorum necessary to affect the average-Joe persona preferring to show off her lavish house, plane, and other toys. She is prom queen hits the lottery. She wears her heart on her sleeve and unless she can control this tendency she will be come increasingly irrelevant.
Her recent trampling by Boss Limbaugh all but sealed her fate. Perhaps his was a none-too subtle reminder that choosing your battles is as important as anything else.
Or maybe he just wanted to knock her down a peg or two.
And to say that she has little in common with the teabaggers is also a miss. You forgot that what they have in common is that they are all blithering idiots.
I would have voted for Ron Paul in 2008, had he won a primary. Despite the fact he has some odd and quirky views. They were honest and reasoned.
Palin urged Republican Party to 'absorb' Tea Party movement and SC did.
Ron Paul has 3 tea party candidates running against him.
So tell me TP what are you angry about? High Deficits? Really?” who’s debts are they?
Here’s the debt clock http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 12,1/3 T today
When Bush took office, the national debt was $5.73 trillion. When he left, it was $10.7 trillion and he left a $1.3 trillion budget deficit and a projected 10-year shortfall of $8 trillion. Ron Paul in 2008 said; everyone is upset with Washington but no one does anything about it. You have to commit to doing something about it and put forth a plan.
If you think railing against Obama is doing something you are mistaken and the numbers bare that out. This Debt is all of ours now. Or you can be absorbed by the Neocons who have served America so well.