Monster in a Box

Turns out that the McCain campaign has been right about one thing, if one thing only, and that is that we can tell by Sarah Palin's short stint as an executive just what sort of executive she will be. Think of Cruella de Vil or The Evil Queen in "Snow White". Associates in Alaska report that she has a full and detailed history of vindictiveness, cronyism, graft, secrecy, betrayal, and selfishness (how Republican is this?). Add that to the videos going around about shooting wolves from the air and her Christian Dominionism Church, not to mention her absolute ignorance about almost everything the federal government might be responsible for, and you have just about the worst selection for US vice president in the history of the world. Well, maybe second worst. But look at it this way -- the fact that Bush did not pick Cheney and Cheney picked himself was a prelude to Cheney's unchecked power (used for multiple bad ends) in the last seven years. The fact that McCain picked Palin is certainly a prelude to a different kind of disaster from the Bush disaster, one that will come from her narrow-minded hubris and aggressive ignorance combined with his erratic hotheaded impulsiveness. And Putin is cool enough to sedate a charging tiger!

The papers were full of articles this morning about how Democrats (not Obama but "talking heads' like moi) reacted too strongly to Palin's selection and are now responsible for the inevitable defeat of the Democrats because we have offended middle America. But you know that if we had kept smiling and elevating the discourse, we would now be attacked for being soft and rolling over, as John Kerry was. Why can't the Democrats do anything right? Well, I'll tell you. The Republican mindset is inherently extreme -- extremely aggressive, extremely defensive, extremely emotional. If you don't exhibit much aggression, they think you are wimping out, and if you do unto them what they have done unto you, they start screaming that they are being unfairly victimized. They are highly reactive and sitting down and reasoning together is not on the program.

I was writing a post earlier in the week where I was bleating on about how Obama represents the realization of the American dream, and Palin a kind of dystopian ideal, in which shooting animals, getting to do what you want, and driving large vehicles is the summa of life. But enough of that. In spite of the pundits, I think that now we need to expose expose expose attack attack attack, not to prove that Obama is stronger, but to force McCain and Palin to reveal their real selves. McCain will wilt, then explode, Palin will get more and more brittle and then meaner and meaner. We should do it over and over, getting more and more of a rise out of each of them and both of them. Both strike me as unstable, though in different ways, and public officials who love secrecy love it because they have something to hide. These two certainly do. If November rolls around and they've revealed their inner natures enough times, either the voters will shy away from them or they will know and like the pathology they are getting.

I am doing my personal best by sending along the Defenders of Wildlife anti-Palin video about wolves and the video about Palin's church. More will come out. Give them a shit storm now, because they will give the world a shit storm if they get the chance. And there is another thing -- I also want American voters to be revealed to the world for who they are. The contrast between what McCain and Palin offer and what Obama and Biden offer is stark. If Americans are going to take the low road, then we all deserve to know just how low that road is.

Comments

[bumpersticker]

It is telling that your post is literally surrounded by images of Sarah Palin. This is an image war where our enemy is armies of people who will vote on how images make them feel. That's a pretty pathetic reality, but it is the reality. I'm reminded of the movie Being There where the Peter Sellers character, Chance, is described in Wikipedia as:

His cultural and social education is derived entirely from what he watches on the television sets provided by the "Old Man", who raised him.

In our case, the "Old Man" is the Rush/Hannity/Roves of the world.

The image of Sarah Palin needs to generate negative emotions. How that is accomplished is the challenge.

[jbatch]

Yes. Let's give t to them with both barrels on full choke. Your point about secrecy is right on, and that's their Achilles heel.

Here's my worry. That the 'Merican voter is as fatuous as we fear. Possessed of nothing more than a desire for trinkets, baubles and shiny things -- houses with faux columns, SUVs, and mountains of meaningless electronic flotsam and jetsam. And the winner will be the one who tells us it's all OK -- we can have morning in 'Merica again if we just close our eyes, thump our chests in a jingoistic frenzy of xenophobia, and buy, baby buy.

But let's find out. Let's have that full on debate, lay bare the choices, strip away the BS, and find out if the sane among us should get our passports ready.

[Dap]

Dear Ms. Smiley,

That's why I heart ya SOoooooo much, you absolutely "Get It*, and to the point of making my eyes well-up from the truth within your eloquent words, yeah I know, I'm being overtly emotional, yet that's what happened. Your words touched a cord, by saying exactly what and how I feel also. Thanks for all your wonderful efforts. Agape always, dapper

[Economike]

Great post, I was getting sick of the Hand Wringing and Whining that's been goin on around here lately.

[gobarackgo]

Couldn't get on to comment on the other post so I'll comment here:

"Since being selected a John McCain's running mate on Aug. 29, Sarah Palin has yet to hold a single news conference or take any questions from reporters beyond one network interview and a chat with People magazine."

The press should refuse to cover the McCain campaign until Sarah Palin agrees to talk.

[GOP4MoreTears]

McCain 08 for a real "Palin in our arses"!

[contemporarymom]

You might want to reconsider your statment on Repubs being too emotional - the Dems seem to be the emotional ones, get tougher, no stay the same - sort of like sybil don't ya think, on some blogs here the supporters were crying "the sky is falling" after the Repub Convention talk about panic.

And when you refer to "take the high road or the low road" you do yourself a disservice, sure both parties are at opposite ends, but it always amazes me that IF your way of doing things was so right all the time - why do you have such are hard time packageing it to the masses? Calling people stupid - the easy and stupid answer.

The glaring difference of package is in the manner in which Obama "answered" Rick Warren's questions.

The debates will be spectacular if Obama continues to talk in circles - it will be over at that point.

And talk about emotions, check out the comments defending Joy on the View - a comedian - sshesshh tell that bunch that she is uneducated and the emotions fly about what a great thing she did to McCain. While I'm a fan of Whoppi's and thought she was good - the bunch of Huffington emotional screamers over there got in a tiff because some of us others thought Joy was obnoxious.

They are a bunch of entertainers - why ANYONE running for any position goes on there is beyond me.

[Lane]

Boboboy, the republican blogger plants are hard at work on this one!!!!!!!

[Johnnie Orange]

Mom, if you're referring to my post, you misunderstood me. It's ironic if you happened to mistakenly jump on one of the few here who basically agrees with you on our community's current attitude toward American voters.

[contemporarymom]

Nope not you Johnnie Orange but thanks for asking.

Jane's piece above calling us extremely emotional in combination with random comments in general about McCain and the View was something I thought Jane should take into consideration when trying to put Repubs into a box.

[Economike]

or not

[jacqmac]

Maybe some Dem posters on here are an emotional lot-but all I saw last week was a bunch of MEN shrieking about 'sexism'. Refreshing as it was, the Dem WOMEN who were the talking point surrogates for that one were cool as cucumbers. And then there's the 'I know you are but what am I?" smilesmile­smilesmugs­mugsmug Carly Fiorina and the rest of the Republican WOMEN surrogates who are making their rounds THIS week. EVERYBODY IS A CAMPAIGN MANAGER for Obama! WRONG! THIS Everybody-who happens to be a YELLOW DOG DEMOCRAT- is doing EVERYTHING SHE CAN to KEEP that pair AWAY from the White House! And the Governor had better NOT have burned all her bridges-because she's going to get sent BACK to Alaska. I don't want her anywhere NEAR my life! As for 'The View'-this was the first time in a WEEK that McCain was held accountable by the press or by a 'bunch of entertainers'. I guess Barbara Walters' CAREER as a journalist-spanning some 40 years or more doesn't make her qualified to ask John McCain about LYING!

[jbatch]

the Dems seeming Sybil-like is a result of the fact that we are loath to lower ourselves to the level of the Repugs -- that we insist on believing that an election should be a reasoned discussion of the issues. When the Repugs use Neanderthal tactics to appeal to the worst that is in us, we try not to respond in kind -- but of course, appealing to the lizard within works, so what you're seeing is cognitive dissonance, brought on by the ugly, criminal tactics of Repugs. Dems fight the need to lower ourselves, then panic when we fall behind.

[Lane]

Your best piece yet!!!

[Gma11]

Agreed. This is personal and powerful.

[OCwriter]

Jane
I love your anger, so well investigated and directed. ATTACK! ATTACK! ATTACK! You are SO right, they'll explode in rage.

[MordechaiShiblikov]

As low as a grave . . . 6 feet under.

[Shabba]

Speaking about the worst VPs lets not forget Dan Potatoe Quayle. In a job that requires nothing other than hanging around and being ready in case the president dies, he still managed to show his incompetence on several occasions.

[kayatarms]

TJane,

Thanks, for sane folks makes sense! Funny, were you one of the writers the Value Voters were bashing (The lady I believe she is the editor of National Review) over the weekend on CSPAN speaking of extremism? What a hatefest it was! Any objections to PTAlin were sexism and anti-religion and anti-life ... y'know like the Repub convention!

[mommadona]

Welcome to the fight.

The bloggers on the web have been in the front trenches on this for over 4 years.

FACTS. Attack with FACTS and MAKE THEM ANSWER.

"That's an EXTREMIST point of view - care to explain it to us?"

"You sound like you hold very EXTREMIST points of view, why is that?"

"Pretty EXTREMIST comment. Where are your FACTS to back that up?"

"Do you consider yourself and EXTREMIST?"

There ya go.
Corporate Media - you can use it for free. I usually charge about $400 an hour.
Your welcome.

[ChangingmynamefromSarah]

Great points! But let's face it, here at HuffPost we're all pretty much preaching to the choir (and I don't mean preaching about Alaska being a safe haven when the Apocalypse comes or about asking parishioners to pray for a pipeline). We need, I mean NEED, to get these messages out to the general public. That is, the ignorant, misguided, and uniformed. We've got to get people to bury this ridiculous concept of identity politics. I don't want someone like myself to be VP; I want someone smarter and more knowledgeable. WE NEED TO DRIVE THIS MESSAGE HOME!! And we need to convey to people how vehemently the McCain camp is trying to manipulate us with smear and fear and outright lies. So, please, I implore everyone to spread this message to battleground state newspapers and other media outlets. We need to do all we can to win this election. And with 50 days left, I'm starting to get really, really scared.

[fairwitness]

Absolutely right, Jane, thanks--and so well said. The country is at a crossroads, and it must be absolutely, fully aware of what it is doing this time. If it chooses "the low road" again, it will must be with eyes wide open this time.