In yet another rambling speech delivered in the heart of California's Silicon Valley yesterday--one in which she not-so-coincidentally never mentioned a single California Republican candidate by name only three weeks before Election Day--Alaska's former half-governor and the GOP's excuse for professional wrestling, Sarah Palin, took a cheap shot at First Lady Michelle Obama.
Following a gratuitous reference to Pat Tillman--the former football star from San Jose who had been slain by friendly fire in Afghanistan and whose killing was covered up by military officials and the Bush Administration (no mention of any of that by Palin, of course)--Palin stuck out her chin in that peculiar pose of hers and in her high-pitched whine mocked remarks made by Michelle Obama at a Wisconsin rally during the 2008 campaign:
You know, when I hear people say, or had said during the campaign that they've never been proud of America, haven't they met anybody in uniform yet?
I get tears in my eyes when I see that young man, that young woman, walking through the airport in uniform ...you too... so proud to be American.
Not only was it a nasty elbow at the First Lady, but Palin's remarks were thoroughly insensitive to the memory of Tillman and to his parents, who have been strongly critical of the U.S. military in the aftermath of his death.
The remainder of Palin's 40-minute speech before an adoring, albeit less-than capacity audience at the San Jose Center for Performing Arts, was equally long on hyperbole and short on substance. Palin spent far more time talking about Dancing with the Stars than she did about foreign policy. Her digs were mostly directed at Democratic Party leaders (Palin continues to call it the "Democrat Party"), the "lamestream media" and President Obama--with whom she has been singularly obsessed since her failed vice-presidential bid in 2008 and who she blames for political attacks against her in Alaska.
John McCain's wife, Cindy McCain--she of the drug habit and silver spoon wedged in her mouth--also voiced criticism of Michelle Obama's comments during the campaign.
For her part, Michelle Obama downplayed the controversy during the election by noting that she was referencing the "record number" of young voters participating in the political process in the 2008 campaign:
For the first time in my lifetime, I am seeing people rolling up their sleeves in way that I haven't seen and really trying to figure this out, and that's the source of pride I was talking about.
Palin, who is clearly positioning herself for a run at the presidency in 2012, will be attending a "victory rally" tomorrow in Anaheim, California, sponsored by The Republican National Committee--at which none of California's major Republican candidates, including gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman or U.S. Senate hopeful Carly Fiorina (who Palin has endorsed), will be in attendance.
Palin is viewed as toxic waste in California. A recent Field Poll indicated that more than half (53 percent) of California voters "would be less likely to vote for a candidate endorsed by Palin." In respect to critical independent voters in California who often decide the outcome of an election, "69 percent have an unfavorable impression of Palin, with 25 percent seeing her positively."
Award-winning writer and filmmaker Geoffrey Dunn's book The Lies of Sarah Palin: The Untold Story Behind Her Relentless Quest for Power will be published by St. Martin's Press. Thanks to Patrick at Palingates for the video.
Also regarding her potential run for the presidency--My gut feeling is that she will not run. She is just trying to convince people that she will make a run so that she can line her Sarah pac.
Another rambling speech means another rambling blog about this nonentity. Doesn't anyone realize that palin would disappear if the media ignored her? And a good bit of it is so-called liberal media that can't seem to let her alone.
I really wish that people would stop giving the half Governor a platform to spew her views on what's going on. I would actually love it if someone would go up to her and ask her about foreign policy and NATO, etc. And then see what she says. It might be funny!
She's beautiful too...inside and out!
Especially when you're as tough as Sarah Palin.
well, palin does make a good point
michelle, or so it seems, has a unique way of looking at american history,
a decidedly leftist take on america
that, to its believers,
paints america, as a bad country
and among many of the far-left, thats how they see american history
(which explains why she, previous to obama running for president, was finally, "for the first time in her adult life, proud of her country"
the way michelle, at least until that point looked, at american history is one way to look at things
if you look at it that way (as many leftists do) then i can see why you would NOT necessarily be proud of america
MOST americans don't look american history that way, of course
(which is why michelle's comments were shocking to them)
most americans (i think its safe to say), instead, see a nation with a more noble history (even if it was flawed at times
they see a nation where hundreds of thousands of americans (of all races) fought and died to END slavery
a nation where many americans fought (and died) to end discrimination
the see a nation that honors the leaders of that change, and a nation that is (rightfully) ashamed of its past misdeeds
they see a nation where we continually fight and strive to be more fair and more just, and make a better life for ALL of our citizens
But, in the end, I think we do all love this country, even if we aren't always proud of it.
and for this reason, in spite of its imperfections, they are proud to be americans, and to be part of the american experiment in liberty
the history of america is a history of increasing rights and freedoms of ALL americans
and its a history of the good guys winning (although sometimes a bit slower than we would always like)
still, most would agree, we are a great country, founded on great ideals, that we still, to this day, strive as hard as ever to obtain.
no country is perfect, but we are trying our best, and getting better every day
as someone who was not born on the USA, and who has lived all over the world (at least all over europe, north and south america, and africa)
i can say, that equality of opportunity for ALL people is the greatest in THIS country (in my humble observations/experience, anyway)
as such, how someone with so many opportunities, and someone given so many chances to succeed, such as michelle was given,
could NOT be proud of her country (or at least only been proud for the first time, at age 44, when her husband was running for president) is beyond me
like i said, it makes no sense, yet such thinking seems to be common enough among certain leftist circles
i can only hope michelle has learned from her experiences, and now that she is (finally) proud of her country, remains so
Michelle's experience is real to her and to many. The leftist circles are the circles that have fought and desired inclusion. If it weren't for the "leftist" circles, we'd still have white men with wigs making all the decisions. Don't knock her - and don't hope for her - she is entitled to her own experience.
Familiarity does indeed breed contempt.
Fanned
"May you live in interesting times." The old blessing/curse is certainly true today.
We can only hope she runs for president in 2012 so the "lamestream media" can really vet her properly this time. Oh the closets to be opened soon. And with any luck Sarah will find a way to squander all her new found wealth running unfunded smear ads against Obama.
This is going to be a fun next 2 years to watch as Sarah destroys herself and the republican party at the same time.
"HELP ME CARL ROVE, YOU"RE MY ONLY HOPE"
Excellent comment!!