Mrs. Smith Goes to Washington

The Democrats face two potential dilemmas in the Senate. The first one is easy: If they win the Senate seats still up for grabs, then they have to make nice with Senator Joseph Lieberman in order to secure a filibuster-proof majority.

The second one is a a lot trickier: does it really make political sense to expel convicted felon Senator Ted Stevens if he scrapes by in the Alaska election? For one thing, Stevens is a Republican problem, not a Democratic one. If he refuses to resign, then voters apart from the apparently more forgiving Alaskans will be constantly reminded of his corrupt ways.

What's more, evicting Stevens could simply open the door for a Senator Sarah Palin -- a vital step in her quest to airbrush her image. As Senator, Palin would surely depict herself as a kind of Mrs. Smith goes to Washington, setting the stage, as she clearly hopes, for 2012.

On the other hand, if you figure that more exposure to Palin will further disenchant the electorate with her charms, then a Palin in Washington might not be such a bad thing. But serving in Washington would unquestionably polish up her resume, allowing her to claim both executive and national experience as well as having weathered the presidential campaign trail in 2008. The bottom line is this: John McCain's true legacy isn't losing the presidential election. It's creating Sarah Palin.

Comments

[FirstShirt]

You democrats have a problem. When you are scared of someone you don't just ignore them and refuse to give them free publicity, you focus on them and lie and distort the truth until even the most jaded partisan begins to feel sorry for the poor victim of the abuse. Funny, really. Ignorant, but funny.

You tried every tact against her and it didn't work. She is like a female version of Ronald Reagan, Mr. Teflon. Get ready.

Sarah was a rock star in her own right even with the mishandling by McCain's staff and the misinformation about her through the liberal media.

She will be back like Obama came back after his speech at the democratic convention. It was done before and it can be done again.

[OutsiderSA]

The Larry King interview said it all when you looked at his face that silently said WTF?

It is like watching a train wreck in slow motion from multiple angles, the more she speaks the deeper the hole is that she digs for herself.

I just hope the senate seat is won by the dems. That will put paid to her illusions of grandiore.

[MSiddique]

My question is when will the S. Palin nightmare end? May be a moose will get her next time she goes huntin!

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

Iiiiiiiiiit's Aliiiiiiiiiiiive!

[mikey76]

It doesn't matter. One crook or another. Still no honesty about the clothes. And they sure are being quiet about Don Young aren't they?

[RepugsOut08]

I pointed this out on another post concerning Palin's Senate prospects.
This is one of the few elections in which a Senator won the presidency. Senators have voting records that follow them, making it hard to finesse their positions.
If Palin becomes a Senator, I can imagine a possible record she might have in four years.
She might find it hard explaining her Let Alaska Secede Act proposition.
The Harry Potter Prohibition Bill could give some people pause, and her attempts to secure excessive funding to prepare Alaska as a sanctuary for the "end of days,' could be problematic in 2012.
If Palin's the best the GOP has in 2012, Obama has real job security for the next eight years.

[nonamesleft]

It is sad enough that she has power in AK.

[davism97]

I was wrong...not all government positions are decided through election, but you know what I mean.

[davism97]

Anyone can serve in any government position if they're elected. Big deal. Not everyone can serve in those positions competently though. It takes real talent to make be effective in office. I think Sarah Palin would quickly discredit herself in Washington.

[mike38]

People keep saying that Sarah Palin lacks the experience to be in the White House !
Sarah Palin LAAAACKS the intellectual experience & the basic knowledge of the
national & international affair.her ego prevents her from saying the truth when asked
a questain that she doesn't have the answer for it ! she always pretends that she knows all the answers but she gets lost by speaking about a different subject not related
to the questain at all & 4 years from today,2012 the Republicans themselves will prove my point when the time comes to compete against each other 4 president.
I LOVE TO SEE & HEAR WHAT MITT ROMNEY ,MIKE HUCKABEE & The three times LADY
Would say about her qualification to run 4 president ???

[gracieloufreebush]

The idea of Palin in the Senate, getting paid with my tax dollars makes me nauseous. Let her stay in Alaska and rip off the taxpayers there (at least until they boot her out).

[tompoe]

Every legislator has her price. It's cheaper to buy 3 votes when you need them, than to have Lieberman dictating what, and what not, takes place with Homeland Security Commission. We have a lot of hearings coming up to prosecute our last administration, and Lieberman is the last person to rely on to do what needs to be done.

[SeanOcali]

Palin wouldn't win the Republican primary, let alone an election, let alone against an incumbent president, let alone one as politically awesome as Obama.

[mgc 56]

Yea, poor GOP and Mccain, he was a SP fan who laid her on the country and now she won't go away. The Senate is not a place for big thinkers, just big talkers, who cares about intelligence at this point? Pelosi will take care of all the money, and Hillary will pitch the health care, so where is SP in the mix? Just likeable like Bill Clinton, give me a break, But the men like her, she's not masculine lookong or acting like Hillary or Michele Obama which puts people off. She's topped them on that.

[mike38]

This is not about beauty pageant swimsuit competition, It's about the United States Congress
and she'll be eaten alive by its predatory members .

[lisakaz2]

I wouldn't be too sure SP could "airbrush" her image. If she did become a senator, the country would have a perfect opportunity to know how much of an intellectual lightweight she actualy is. The former beauty queen is all of sudden going to become smart? Is she getting a map from Miss Scuth Carolina so she know such as well Track went to The Iraq, such as? Puleeeeze.

[farmgirl]

How about requiring candidates for public office to pass the citizenship test that we use for naturalization? That might clean out some deadwood. Not naming names, or anything.

[scooperss]

Maybe the voters need a test as well. They're the ones who elect fools.

[mike38]

I don't know if I can blame the people for electing the fools when the voting machines
has a role to decide the results of our election or should I blame the system
that prevent a U.S. citizen from voting for minor crime but allows a convicted
politician to RE-run for his Senate seat to be RE-elected & keep his job ?
" LAWS,LIKE THE SPIDER'S WEB, CATCH THE FLY AND LET THE HAWK GO FREE "

[loper2008]

Sarah Palin would be stupid to join the Washinton elite as a senator. She would have nothing to talk about. Her idiocy would be exposed all the time. She is better of remaining in Alaska where she is well liked. Sen. Palin is not something we should fear. We should encourage that.

Stevens hasn't even won yet. Begich has a good shot at winning this thing.

[augiemarch]

As I think I've said on Kos, I have a hunch that when facing the decision of whether to try for the Senate, she'll pass. It's an uncongenial environment, and even she can probably sense that she would be outmaneuvered at every turn. She's not stupid, but she is crass, inexperienced and unimaginative. I get the impression that some inkling of her limitations has begun to get through to her.