Addressing the Tea Party, Sarah Palin wrote three notes on her hand: "Energy, Taxes, Lift American Spirits." Why? She already had notes in front of her on the podium. Surely she could remember three simple themes. Why write notes on her hand?
Here's my take on why: she knew that they would be visible when she gave the speech. And she knew that she would be made fun of -- as so stupid that she needs to write notes on her hand. And that's one of her most effective tactics -- to be made fun of. It's an integral part of her strategy of standing in for hardworking, Middle Americans, derided by the condescending, know-it-all liberal elites.
So what does the Obama administration do? Press Secretary Robert Gibbs had a great idea: he made fun of her. He wrote a grocery list on his hand at a White House briefing, and belittled Palin for not being able to remember her message. Thus the White House became a vehicle for Palin's narrative of the snooty elites who think they're better than average Americans.
Palin is a brilliant strategist. First, note that I just repeated Palin's key talking points: Palin has even us fellow travelers at The Huffington Post repeating, "Energy, Taxes, Lift American Spirits." Talk about earned media.
Palin's ploy also spoke directly to ordinary Joe and Jane. By writing her script on her palm, she got to identify with the unscripted real folks, heightening the contrast with the golden-tongued Obama and his reliance on the teleprompter. Hasn't everyone sometimes written a note on her hand? Doesn't putting your message on your palm literally define the common touch? The elites were clueless.
Sarah Palin is playing chess. I don't know what game the Administration is playing, but they just walked right into her carefully laid trap. Palin, the strategist, is amazing to watch. Her brilliance is her ability to tap in to the class conflicts that drive American politics these days. Obama, whom I have supported since Iowa, just doesn't get it.
Here's what he doesn't get: He believes in the American dream. He believes that if you work hard, even if you come from a modest, single-mother family, you can make it. You can even become President.
For him that's true. In fact, it's true for everyone in the White House. They're all there based on merit and hard work.
But there are millions and millions of Americans are out there, working as hard as they can, some just as smart as Obama, who never get anywhere. They clean your shirts, mop your floor, fix your TIVO, sell your computer service contracts. They work hard their whole lives, and they feel left out, disrespected, undervalued -- treated as if they are stupid.
So there's the Obama Administration's spokesman reinforcing Palin's narrative, showing that the elites think that average people who write notes on their palms are stupid.
We progressives better wise up, or the class conflicts that are driving American politics are going to defeat our most cherished goals: universal health care, addressing global warming, and all the rest of it. Smugness is fuel for the fire for Americans in the "missing middle" -- people who are neither poor nor rich. Americans whose incomes are between the 30th and the 87th percentile see themselves as hardworking people whom the American system has not served well. After all, incomes in this group have fallen by 13% since the late 1970s.
Have they lost ground because they are stupid? They don't think so.They think they've been screwed by the elites. What do you think?
If Palin has a strategy she needs a new one. Her polling is dismal, and gets worse with every appearance. Her favorabilty rating has trended downward since Sept. 08, and shows no sign of bottoming out. And all the "strategy" she deployed in her Tea party speech doesn't seem to have helped.
The author wrote: "Here's what he [Obama] doesn't get: He believes in the American dream. He believes that if you work hard, even if you come from a modest, single-mother family, you can make it. You can even become President. ..... But there are millions and millions of Americans are out there, working as hard as they can, some just as smart as Obama, who never get anywhere."
Oh is that something he doesn't get? You don't think he may have happened upon some of those hard working Americans in the south side of chicago?
"So there's the Obama Administration's spokesman reinforcing Palin's narrative, showing that the elites think that average people who write notes on their palms are stupid. "
You know who writes notes in their palms? Cheaters who haven't done their homework. Can you honestly say Palin has done her homework on any of the issues that were scibbled in her hand?
She's not in President Obama's league and she never will be. It's not in her nature, and flakes don't magically turn into serious people at her age. It's too late for her to develop the character traits of a legitimate leader.
What were his major accomplishments prior to becoming President?
I am curious what represents a legitimate leader to you.
Does Joe Biden represent a near adequate understanding of policy for a vice president? Did partitioning Iraq into three pieces make good sense?
are you still upset about his birth certificate too?
get real.
Let's play "How Many Things were Wrong with this Post?". Here are the one's I found.
1. Palin had note cards for her speech, but during the Q&A, she is clearly glancing down at her palm after being asked a question and 5 seconds later, she makes reference to kick starting the "Energy" programs....so is she stupid or did she just need a refresher in case she forgot the answers to the pre-scripted questions that the plants in the audience asked?
2. You call yourself a progressive and you write this un-researched, factually devoid piece of drivel that praises the centuries biggest joke?
3. Palin popularity has has dropped significantly since her book tour. One can surmise that the more she talks in public (instead of her usual Facebook attacks) the less she's liked. 32% favorable down from 46% in Nov. and 52% of Republicans don't think she's qualified to be President.
4. Instead of praising Palin, you should be exposing her as a fraud. She abused her authority as Governor, spreads lies and misinformation and takes cheap shots at our President. She's a disgrace.
What would your speech professor have said if you had read your speech verbatim from a prepared text instead of using note cards? I also took a speech class in college, and I was taught that a brief outline was far superior to reading a presentation. I have a lot of public speaking experience, and I know listeners respond more positively to the use of an outline or note cards.
I have no problem with President Obama and his teleprompter, although he probably has gone to extremes from time to time in using the device.
Is there any other reason to hate on her besides you think "she is stupid".? Goo goo gaa gaa....Fact is....you are afraid of her.
By the sounds of it, I think both you and Sarah think they are stu_pid.
The only thing I agree with you on, is that Palin did use this ploy intentionally for the reasons that you give. As for equating it to a game of chess ... Whoa! That is an insult to chess players everywhere.
Her little game, as well as your article, is an insult to anyone with a modicum of intelligence. What the both of you seem to be saying, is that the average American is somewhat stu_pid, and can only relate to politicians who share this trait.
I, on the other hand, believe that most Americans, whether educated or not, have enough "common" sense to want a leader who is smarter than they, themselves, are. A leader that doesn't feel they have to revert to some folksy twang and crib notes in order to relate to the "common" man to get their message across.
The tackiness of Palin's every move is not endearing to the "common" man. It is insulting to their intelligence. Only those of the lowest common denominator, would find it appealing. I believe the majority of Americans are not in this category.
Martha in D.C.
Being "well known" isn't the same as being "well liked"...Sarah is well known.
By now, statistically, more Americans than not agree that she is an ignorant money hungry grifter with nothing to offer in the way of leadership anywhere.
Having a bunch of high-dollar handlers, each paid by one another's benefactors..."at no cost to you Sarah" to coordinate her PR doesn't mean Sarah is playing Chess.
Sarah is being used by the moneyed elite to round up the suffering and lead them to further slaughter. Tax cuts for the RICH. De-regulate so we can continue with poisoning our earth and our discourse at the same time.
Really, what good does it do to "control the message" if the message turns around and bites you in the butt on every TV in America with everyone making fun of her? It was an avalanche!
Even FAUX couldn't stop it.
I'm not so sure she "did it on purpose"...but I do believe that within a few hours she had agreed with God to play it up and accept complete absolution of all sneakiness and set about to "re-cast" the story. That's what she has a team for, don'tchaknow.