Sarah Palin In Verse

I was wondering what kind of mother, being an avowed evangelical and knowing that her underage daughter is pregnant out of wedlock, would choose to accept the vice presidential nomination and thus subject her daughter to a vicious and unrelenting spotlight for, potentially, the next eight years. And I was wondering what kind of mother would agree to take on the rigors of a presidential campaign and essentially put aside a four-month-old baby with special needs. Sarah Palin's convention speech answered that question: that kind of mother.

Palin was comfortable stepping in and lying through her teeth about her record and her opponent. She was at ease insulting people who selflessly try to give back to their communities--because it helped her politically. She had no qualms about parading her visibly uncomfortable family across a stage and passing her special needs baby down the aisle as a political prop.

The media, taken aback no doubt by Palin's ability to lie and smear with gusto as if it were second nature, mostly lauded the speech, leaving those of us who care about our families and our country--and not our ratings--to hope that the majority of American swing voters, at least, disagreed.

Maybe a night of such dramatically appalling pageantry could only be summed up in poetry, but I noticed that more than a few posts in the blogosphere that night included this excerpt from Macbeth's great soliloquy (later adopted by Faulkner): "it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." We can hope.

It's appropriate that I've been reading Yeats lately, whose life was haunted by a beautiful and fiercely political woman named Maude Gonne (any extension of the comparison would be offensive to Gonne's memory). "Why should I blame her," Yeats wrote in No Second Troy, "that she fills my days with misery." The poem is apropos, considering the culture war Palin is being used to ignite:

Why should I blame her that she filled my days
With misery, or that she would of late
Have taught to ignorant men most violent ways,
Or hurled the little streets upon the great...

With beauty...
That is not natural in an age like this...

Why, what could she have done, being what she is?
Was there another Troy for her to burn?

I've used excerpts here because Palin doesn't come close to living up to the rest of the poem. And while I wanted to include the final line, I apologize for implying that Palin's beauty might be enough to cause the burning of a capital. We may yet uncover a suspicious arson at the Wasilla Dairy Queen.

A more appropriate Yeats poem might be this excerpt from the lesser-known On a Political Prisoner, which, I would offer, Palin now is:

She that but little patience knew,
From childhood on, had now so much
A grey gull lost its fear and flew
Down to her cell and there alit,
And there endured her fingers' touch
And from her fingers ate its bit.

Did she in touching that lone wing
Recall the years before her mind
Became a bitter, an abstract thing,
Her thought some popular enmity:
Blind and leader of the blind
Drinking the foul ditch where they lie?

She that but little patience knew. We have evidence she was impatient, transferring five times in six years before finally managing to get a Bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Idaho. We don't know that she was ever innocent.

In his apocalyptic vision The Second Coming Yeats wrote, "The best lack all conviction, while the worst/ Are full of passionate intensity."

Thanks to Palin, the worst, as evidenced by the old, white, teeth-gnashing Republican convention crowd, now have that "passionate intensity."

Thankfully for us, so do the best this year.

Comments

[PennyLaneVotes]

Where's the part when she shoots the gull and stuffs it?

[NoSillyName]

Substute a wolf pup.

[Kenny1948]

Sarah, the poor thing. She is so much maligned. I wonder why? Will the press ever leave her alone. I surely hope not!

[Proudunion]

Rock Group Heart Condemn The Use of The Song Barracuda at The Republican Convention
Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart have informed the McCain/Palin Campaign that Universal Music Publishing and Sony BMG have sent a cease-and-desist notice to not use one of Heart's classic songs "Barracuda," as the congratulatory theme for Sarah Palin.
The Republican campaign did not ask for permission to use the song, nor would they have been granted that permission.
"We have asked the Republican campaign not to use our music. As American women, we don't share the views of Sarah Palin

We hope our wishes will be honored."
OOOOOOOOHBARACUDA

[Proudunion]

What I can't understand is the time line In the water breaks, give a speech, fly's 10 hrs, drive another hour while she knew she had a high risk pregnancy. Was this good judgment ? The more you learn about his family the more they look like a family on The Jerry Springer show.
"What do you call a mother who teaches abstinence only?
Grandma !

[JMT1]

My big concern is that kids follow the trend. There is going to an uprise in unwanted teenage pregnancies and these girls are going to think it's ok because "The vice president's daughter did it!"

[karafern]

Um, that's doubtful. I can't stand Sarah Palin, but I really don't think that teenage girls are going to run out and get knocked up on purpose. It's pregnancy, not a trendy handbag.

[BillForObama]

Weren't they doing it at a high school in Massachuse­tts>???!!!­!!

[artmansd]

Why does Biden get chastised by the McCain talking heads about the benefits of stem cell research for special needs children while the Lipsticked Pitbutt parades around her special needs child to pull at the heart strings of women? McCain campaign has used this from the beginning to distract from her lack of real credentials and experience. If McCain is using smoke and mirrors to win this election I want to know what he's smoking and if its good for the country pass the pipe. Remember the three monkeys: See no truth, Speak no truth, Hear no truth.

[jamming]

Lets hear more about Mccain and less of Palin. America needs to know how McCain is going to fix this economy? I want to know where the money is going to come from to fix the economy? Where is the money going to come from to make healthcare more affordable? What does McCain consider affordable? To a millionare or billionare anything may be affordable. To the average person amking 7.50 or less an hour what is affordable. How is every American going to have healthcare. Where is the money goign to come from to make this healthcare affordable. Who will profit from his plan and who will suffer? How is gas going to get lower? Where is the money going to come from to drill offshore? Who will profit from the drill and who will suffer? What is a laid out plan of his?

[jamming]

I am tired of hearing about Palin. She is not running for president McCain is. so lets start hearing about McCain and not about his military history. I want to know how he plans to fix this economy? How is he going to make healthcare affordable? Who will be able to afford the healthcare? What does he consider affordable? Wh will qualify for the jobs he is going to create? How is he going to create these jobs? Where will these jobs be? Are these jobs for the rich and select? How is he going to fix the housing market? How is he going to fix the forclosure problems? How is he going to fix these high gas prices? Who will be affected by his ideas? Who will profit from his plans? What are his plans. AMERICA needs some answers and not a movie show. I am tired of the same old speeches over and over. We all know he was a pow, let it go. We all know he has picked Palin, let it go she is not running for president. Stop giving Palin so much news time and have McCain focus on the issues that affect America. America want to know.

[Mover]

Quote: "I was wondering what kind of mother, being an avowed evangelical and knowing that her underage daughter is pregnant out of wedlock, would choose to accept the vice presidential nomination and thus subject her daughter to a vicious and unrelenting spotlight for, potentially, the next eight years."

To hopefully answer your question, how about a woman who believes that the feminists are correct on some things. Such as a woman's obligation to break those glass ceilings when the opportunity arises.

All of a sudden, liberals, leftists, feminists, and Democrats are very, very family oriented and are pounding on this woman and her family.

And just who is operating those vicious and unrelenting spotlights?

Why is she such a threat to the left?

[AProudRepublican]

Exactly! It's funny how the tides can suddenly shift! The liberals are trying to make these actual issues, when they really aren't.... at least not for me anyway. I think the Palin family has handled things beautifully with grace, maturity and love.

[mamiel]

Glad you think so. All I know is that I am really, really glad she isn't my mom. when I think of my mom and how she was there for me..........

Also, she is lame for forcing her daughter into a shotgun marriage for political expediancy. It is selfish, this guy doesn't want to marry her daughter, yet she's pushing her into what will be a miserable, loveless marriage to make herself look better. Again, I am very grateful that she is not my mother.

[msnlilly]

Sarah is not a threat she is a joke. Lets see what she has to say when it is not scripted.
It took the republicans 24 years to finally put a women on a ticket after the democrats did it, and this is the best their party has to offer? But I guess thats about right because they are generally a quarter of a century behind in most progressive views. My goodness Barbara Bush (the elder) has probably forgotten more than Sarah will ever know.

[Mover]

Vote for whomever you like, but the fact is many who were for Hillary are now for Palin and the fact that Mr Change (Obama) choose a 30 year Washington insider as VP has all but killed his campaign.

The Monday USA/Gallup poll has flipped the lead from Barack to McCain and the reason is Sarah Palin.

Keep pounding on her. It seems to be helping McCain.

Lipstick on a pig. What a gaff. :)

[sws3030]

If the shoe was on the othr foot-would the Republicans react differently.

I remember criticism of John Edwards being on the campaign while his wife was ill...of using her cancer to get sympathy...how quickly the tide turns.

[Mover]

Please post a links to examples of this. The only criticism of Edwards I have ever heard concerning his family and his wife's medical problems was that he sent her out to campaign for him and to say things that he would be able to get away with.

[dutch163]

Palin reminds me of the "mean girl"...her lies, her viciousness, her self rightousness..
seems hypocritical given her widely broadcast religious beliefs
she makes choices I wouldn't make as a mother, but those are her choices
problem is, she would reduce the choices other people would have given her policies
she certainly doesn't represent what I believe in as far as what is good for the country.
frankly she scares me

[stampthatrooster]

You mentioned Palin's five transfers in six years, graduating finally with a degree in journalism. Tell us about her academic experiences. Was she a good student? Did she exhibit REAL leadership in college? Did she make good grades? What extracurricular activities did she participate in? Which colleges/u­niversitie­s did she attend? Why did she move around so much? Academic probation?

[Rosewren02]

All interesting questions but none of the answers have been volunteered yet and as she can't talk to the press you are not likely to find out. I did read that most of her teachers didn't remember her, so she couldn't have been too outstanding.

[BillForObama]

She was looking for a really good moose burger!!!!

[LoloZ]

Briston Palin's boyfriend could legally be accused of statutory rape in AK!!!

[spankies space]

You know I really don't care how many babies her daughters have, however, I do care what it is saying to my daughters and the choices they have. Jamie Lynn Spears was the worst person on the planet just a few months ago, now, Bristol Palin and Sarah Palin are the greatest. Kids are asking questions and parents are being put on the spot. Give me a break. This is shameful.

[TootsieII]

I agree with you. What is this showing our teenagers.

[robski]

I really wish people would come to their senses and stop arguing that all the people on the other side of an issue are the ignorant ones, or the ones with ill motives. Articles like this one are the reason people in America have such difficulty understanding issues and making informed decisions.

Speculation about why Palin had certain members of her family present at the convention or about why certain people were holding her baby is absolutely useless. It's a baby. Someone has to hold him. No one in the McCain campaign planned the CNN camera closeups. If she had left him at home and hired a sitter, all the bloggers would be claiming that she was too embarrassed of him to bring him along. The bottom line is that no mother in her right mind would ever use her newborn special needs baby as a political pawn. To suggest that is simply irresponsible.

There is no reason to turn this election into an episode of the Young and the Restless any more than it already is. It only hurts the process.

[TootsieII]

Why then did she use the baby and a blanket to hide her unwed, teenage daughters pregnancy on the first night? Once the pregnancy was out in the open the blanket and the baby were not longer needed. Looks like a political pawn to me.

[TheMastadon]

I happen to disagree completely. I have very little doubt that Palin is using her family for political gain, just like McCain is using his experience as a POW for political gain (despite his vow not to).

I don't begrudge them making their case, it's the American people's job to NOT get confused, to pay attention and sift through this garbage and pick the best leader from the group. And I truly do believe that anyone who IS Paying attention wouldn't vote for Mac/Pal, unless they are not voting based on the issues.

[mikie63]

At this point in the election, What if, god forbid, McSame had for some reason chosen MR.PALIN as his VP pick. If some reporter asked him about his five children and who is taking good care of them, what would he answer? Maybe this: "Oh, that's their mother's job, not mine. She is with them all the time and cares more about them than anything I am having to do in this election."

Wouldn't all the religious conservative women applaud this answer; after all, we all know that women are subordinate to men and that husbands have all the control. I mean, come on, this is god's law.