The Sad Fate of Sarah Palin
If John McCain loses his bid for the presidency on November 4th, Sarah Palin will probably follow the path of Katherine Harris. Having sold her soul to the Republican Party leaders, she will be dumped and turned into a laughing stock, the butt of jokes about an ambitious female politician more concerned with her appearance than with real issues.
But what if McCain wins and Palin is sworn in as vice president of the United States? There is one school of thought that Palin, supported by the hard-right evangelical branch of the Republican Party, will seize effective power from the increasingly weakened McCain. I'm not so sure. What if it turns out that McCain was much cleverer in choosing Palin than he is being given credit for?
When I picture Sarah Palin as vice president, I don't see a younger version of Dick Cheney; I see a new Spiro Agnew.
For those who are too young to know about Spiro Agnew, here's a brief summary. Agnew had served less than two years as governor of Maryland (sound familiar?), and was unknown nationally (ditto), when Richard Nixon chose him to be his vice-presidential running mate. Agnew made a name for himself as Nixon's anti-media, anti-intellectual attacking bulldog. Nixon and Agnew won the 1968 election. But after they were reelected in 1972, Agnew was forced to resign after pleading no contest to charges of tax evasion and money laundering dating back to his days as governor. Following the procedure set out in the 25th Amendment, Nixon then nominated Gerald Ford to succeed Agnew, and Ford was quickly confirmed by both houses of Congress.
To get back to McCain and Palin, the conventional wisdom seems to be that McCain wanted to choose as his running mate one of two good friends, Joe Lieberman or Tom Ridge. However, the Republican Party establishment revolted against these pro-choice moderates and convinced McCain that if he wanted to win the election, he had to appease the conservative wing of the party by choosing one of their own. Thus, Sarah Palin.
What if it turns out that McCain was actually well aware of Palin's "Troopergate" problems? What if McCain accepted the fact that he needed Palin to win the election, but reckoned that he could deal with her later, after they were inaugurated? So here's the scenario: on January 20, 2009, Palin is sworn in as vice president of the United States. But soon thereafter, with McCain's behind-the-scenes support, the Troopergate investigation explodes and Palin, forced to cop a plea, resigns as vice president. McCain then gains his revenge on the conservative wing of his party and appoints Lieberman or Ridge to the vice presidency. Like Gerald Ford 35 years earlier, either of these gentlemen would be likely to receive bipartisan support from Congress.
Mind you, there is another devious possibility. What if the leaders of the conservative wing of the Republican Party were familiar enough with Sarah Palin to know that she would ultimately damage the ticket? They then tricked or bullied McCain into choosing her, and are now waiting for him to lose in a landslide so that they can retake control of the party.
Of course, these scenarios are pure speculation. But if I was Sarah Palin, I wouldn't just be taking a crash course in foreign policy, I'd be taking some time to learn about Katherine Harris and Spiro Agnew.
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This might seem a little weird but I thought that her "cute" bangs were getting into her eyes-they needed to fix that. I a;so noticed that when she was not sure about the subject/issue she blinked a lot....maybe it was just me...but she was not clear about her stand on certain issues and wants to play on the American peoples' emotions. She used more of her charm than knowledge but wait I am not sure if she can handle more knowledge---it looked like she was prepped for a loooooong time to get her to say all the things she did.
I am not impressed with Palin and in fact I know that my European friends are laughing at her ignorance.
I strongly disagree, Noola were we watching the same debate? It seemed to me she could see quite well and was clearer than day on the subjects and issues at hand. Looks like to me she can
stand on her own two high heels with her own strong convictions of what is right and what is wrong. If she hasn't made her stance on the issues more obvious to you I don't know what you would define clarity. If anyone wants to talk about playing on the American's peoples emotions, what was that little bit about Bidin crying on stage, which was clearly an attempt to pull upon the heart strings of the American people. Lets just say we will agree to disagree. As for me I am impressed with her and it is clear she knows the issues and has done her homework on them.
Someone else did her homework for her and she memorized the answers. As a professor, I've seen it a million times. All bells and whistles (and winks), with no depth and lot's of little embellishments to cover up a lack of true understanding. How about answering a question, Sarah? Or maybe you can only answer the questions your handlers have equipped you to answer.
It's amazing to me that you fall all over yourself for Palin's constant--and I mean, constant--tug on your heartstrings, but you cannot recognize a true show of emotions from a father who lost his wife and small child and nearly lost his son. Is it because Biden is a man? Do you have something against men crying?
"Please cry for me, A mer i ca!
I tried to beee your VP
I got asked questions
about Russia and I said stuff.
And now they're scowling...
Why are they scowling?
Please cry for me, A mer i ca!
The meeedia hurt my feelings.
And now I have to
debate Jo Biden
Why can't I just go
and bring my baby?????
I think Republicans know that 2008 is out for them. They're setting the stage for 2012 and John McCain won't be in the picture. Neither will Palin ... bless her heart. She has basically destroyed her political legacy. I suspect that she will go back to Alaska finish her term as governor, then lose her next election and go on 'political milk carton' status.
Currently, the Republican plan is to somehow tie the economic failures to the Democratic party. Then, they will somehow tie the military failures to the Democratic party. See, we haven't even experienced the aftermath of the Bush/Cheney era ... the next President will have the God awful job of cleaning up Bush's mess without becoming the scapegoat. Americans have such short term memories that this will be a feat.
The problem that the Obama/Biden ticket will face is that people are associating an Obama/Biden with "change" and "good times" ... and quite frankly, it will be a long time before we're able to cleanup the mess that is/was the Bush era. People are fickle, it will take about 3 months into an Obama administration for people to start demanding their "change".
Obama/Biden 08
The plot thickens.....
hey now this is scary stuff!
Palin had confidence in Alaska and her GOP convention performance only boosted it, but that has finally has been knocked out of her now by a solid dose of reality, as it should have been long ago. She got along with a pretty face, a false sense of confidence and unbridled ambition in a remote place with corrupt politicians. Her governorship sounded more like a soap opera than a real state government. The reason she did so poorly in the interviews is because she had heretofor little knowledge or interest in things going on outside Alaska. It's hard to compensate for that and its not the stuff that politicians on a national or high level are made of. She may have some political instincts but she is a lightweight if I ever saw one - very light on knowledge, education and exposure.
The scary part is that she is ALLOWED to open her change maker. I feel sorry for Alaskans...she is representing them in the worst way! My goodness, we are always talking about "if" they win...why would we want that thought in our heads? But the cool thing, is that the US will have one less citizen "if" they are elected..I will take my military retirement and live JUST FINE!!! I was in Manila in June....and the xchange rate is 45 to the dollar!!! WTF? Guess what people...they are laughing...and why would we want them to continue laughing? Barack the vote '08...give him a chance...Mcbushy has had his shot for 26 years already and he blew it...does anyone still have a job?
Sarah Palin will be president some day. She is a GOP star, like it or not.
President of the Wasilla PTA, that is. And GOP flameout, more than a star.
Oh, really? Then please explain how being a GOP stars ensures you the Presidency. She will NEVER be President because women will stop it from happening
Sarah Palin is a sacrificial lamb. It's sad, because, if she had actually "blinked" she might have had a real political future. Not any more.
She had it pretty good up there in Alaska. Not too many people were interested in how she did things. Now the world is watching and she's got some explaining to do to her fellow Alaskans. She'll be lucky to have the governor's office to return to. I predict an impeachment. Wave goodbye to your political career, Sarah. You'll have a lot more time to raise your grandchild.
It's important that Palin not only loose the election along with McCain but that she also be destroyed politically. She is a menace to one of the most beautiful environments still existing. Obviously, the citizens of Alaska are still a bit uncivilized to have ever elected such a person as their governor. Alaska is one of the last great frontiers left and this country should try to protect it from the likes of Sarah Palin.
Wonderful post! Trashmaster J and his ride-or-die chick, Sarah P, are circling the drain, can't WAIT!!!
Is anyone going to check Plain for a receiver in her ear for the debate?
There should be a public outcry on this! The debate has to be fair, no transmitters in the beehive, ear pieces, questions ahead of time, etc.
Even with prompts she is not very articulate and quite hard to follow. She must have been coached for her TV interviews and that did her very little good.
I've always believed that Gwen Ifill has very high integrity and that gives me hope.
"...no transmitters in the beehive..." LOL!!
Most Americans have seen or heard the Palin/Couric interview. I think Americans are smart enough to make up their own minds. What I fear is a backlash if we ridicule Palin too much.
The sad fate for Palin is that there is already sounds of "IMPEACH PALIN" and, worse for her, "WALT MONEGAN FOR GOVERNOR."
Alaskans have had it with Palin, she has a 68% approval rating now which is dropping like a greased manhole cover and her Attorney General, Talis Colbers is now underinvestigation for the FELONY of witness tampering. Many feel he should also be debarred for this same crime.
We are mad as hell that McCain has taken over our local government i.e. calls to state offices are being deferred to the McCain campaign.
Humilation and the end of her political career is what awaits Palin when she comes "home."
Anchorage, Alaska
She'll probably be removed from office and possibly indited on a few charges.
And the Republican's will let her go down the tubes solo.
It sounds like it would be cosmic payback for all the times she has used people (mostly men, flirt flirt) to get what she wants, only to then hang them out to dry.
Maybe there is such a thing as karma.
For a time, I thought perhaps McCain was simply a foolish old lecher, completely out of his mind with lust for this right wing babe and that she was using him like she has so many others, but I have also wondered whether he never had any intentions of ever letting really become VP, and certainly not one that makes any real decisions, and that as soon as he got in office, something would happen to get rid of her.
It would make for an interesting morality play.....the two playing each other......Shakespeare would have loved it.
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