The Tragedy of Sarah Palin

Let's just go ahead and call this thing for Barack Obama. If I've done my math correctly, I'm giving him 369 electoral votes. Clinton-esque numbers.

Now, if you have no interest in talking about the "other side" of politics, consider the above your takeaway.

Take it. Go away (but please come back some other time) while I lament the short, could-have-been-brilliant career of Sarah Palin.

Over the past eight years, the Republican Party has imploded. In this election cycle, the conservative intelligentsia has effectively split from the "base," that portion of the party that is seemingly "excited" or "energized" not by issues of war or oil or the economy but by those that forge a social wedge. Add to that the shifting demographics of America and the Republican Party's woeful inability to attract people of color, and there is a very real possibility that for the foreseeable future the Republicans will be reduced to a nonentity within politics.

The Republicans desperately need their Barack Obama.

It could have been Sarah Palin.

Could have been, except for John McCain's gut-check, Hail Mary, game-changing, unvetted decision to take an inexperienced "small town" politician and dump her on the national stage with little more than 60 days to go before votin' time.

Palin instantly struck a chord with the "don't care about nothing except 'values' portion of the party." What Palin brought to the ticket was an ability to blunt the Democrats' message of change -- personified by Obama and Hillary Clinton and even Bill Richardson on a national level -- while being able to speak the language of "values" with the GOP base.

However -- token hire that she was -- Palin 1.0 alienated Republicans who don't support affirmative action that puts the under qualified at the front of the line. (And I give those Republicans credit for at least being consistent on the question of capability.)

And no matter her folksy ways, in those 60 or so days, Palin got stung by some controversies, nontroversies and gaffes. Same as any other politician and, for that matter, anybody who's in the eye of the media storm 1,439 minutes of each day. But when all that happens on your first date with America and is further exacerbated by the Liberal-Elite-Sexist-Gotcha-Not-Pro-America-Part-Of-America media that you mostly refuse to talk to, what chance do you really have?

Truthfully, seriously, can you imagine what it might have been like if -- starting at this year's Republican National Convention, much as with Obama in 2004 -- Palin had been given a slow and thoughtful rollout? You don't have to be a Palin supporter to acknowledge -- tested, vetted and brought up to speed -- she would have been positioned to truly lead her party, as opposed to merely appearing as the illegitimate love child of Dan Quayle and Geraldine Ferraro.

That is not to say Palin couldn't be rehabilitated within the next four years. Hey, if Nixon could make a comeback...

But McCain's missteps, the taint of failure following his loss, and questions that will surely linger about the woman herself give much ammunition to those in her own party who would potentially run against her.

Palin's major hurdle in the next cycle will be explaining her "pallin' around" with the AIP, a radical organization that seeks the breakup of the United States.

That is quite a lot, and I haven't even mentioned having to live down the catchphrase "I can see Russia from my house." However, overcoming all of that -- as Reagan overcame the vapid actor tag -- is only going to make the governor all the stronger. If so, Palin 2.0 will be a force to be reckoned with.

Comments

[BobSacomano]

...additionally, Palin was, for the most part, chosen for her looks. There's no way a plainer lookiing candidate would have survived this long using Palin's exact same words and responses to questions - and astoundingly, no one even bothered to ask her about the Alaska Independence Party or her health records.

[conservativelady]

I disagree with the author, Palin can't ever be ready because her lack of being ready is related to a character flaw, she relied on her looks to get where she is. It takes a life-time of thoughtful self-awareness to prepare oneself for the Presidency. It isn't something you can get just out of a text-book. Now a text-book can help, if a person has already been doing the ground work, but it won't help if a person who hasn't, because then they just become an educated idiot. Palin's character flaw that I mentioned isn't easily overcome. To overcome something you first need to acknowledge it. Palin doesn't need to acknowledge anything, she has plenty of co-dependents making sure she doesn't ever learn a thing, she's fine just the way she is, you betcha!!!

[hollybork]

Of course, Bob, you are right. What men may not fully grasp is that a truly beautiful woman knows and expects to have all kinds of opportunitites because of the endowments that come with her physical beauty. Her life teaches her that the world is her oyster. She need not be accomplished or even smart to develop confidence and such a smoothly integrated self of assured success that in a man these characteristics would be viewed as bare affrontery. A beautiful woman from childhood to her prime is fed with royal jelly like a queen bee, and her ego grows and grows. It is no wonder at all that this particular woman, Ms. Palin, was successful in her little career with even less real ability. Nor is it surprising that she was able to fluidly learn her lines and speak without fear in public because of the assurance that she has developed from her physical beauty.

Women see this and say, "yes she's got to use it while she's got it." Margaret Thatcher was also a beautiful woman and she backed it up with a superb legal education and a fine mind to become a political powerhouse and Prime Minister. But once her beauty faded, Thatcher still had the "goods." Sarah Palin clearly will not.

[msmaggie]

I disagree. A really good looking woman has trouble being taken seriously a lot of the time. My daughter is a med student and quite beautiful (and that's not just my opinion...); she deliberately downplays her appearance--pulls her hair back, wears her glasses instead of contacts, no makeup--to underscore her gravitas. Says other good looking girls do the same.

Palin isn't on that level of oh wow good looks, just good looking enough to add some kick.

[BobSacomano]

Palin is already a forced to be reckoned with - among the brain-dead evangelicals, the rich Republicans, and the ignorant rednecks in this country who would vote for a loaf of bread if it was declared the Republican nominee.

Palin is already an adult, she has proven she has an incurious mind and that she can barely be credible in a semi-serious debate or interview. She is, in fact a lightweight. That being said, one half of this country has proven that they are lower than lightweights and they happen to be superficial, ignorant, and VERY nasty. However, they will try to bring her back anyway against Obama and Obama better prove he is up to the task since the bar is ALWAYS set in the stratosphere for any Democrat.

The Republicans will, once again, vote against their best interests.

[ChurchofOne]

That would a loaf of white bread, wouldn't it?

[isaidit]

GOP will need Sarah Palin 6.0 if she's going to have a political career at all in 4 years. Nixon didn't have to come back from laughingstock, he just needed time for people to soften up on him a bit and of course not make any major cockups in the interim. People like Quayle and Palin have to come back from laughingstock status. That's not an easy feat. And considering that she may have some razzle dazzle going for her, in the end she is intellectually wanting. Just does not have the wiring. She would be a good cheerleader on the GOP side, though.

[LHoney]

...as Christopher Hitchens said this morning on Morning Jo, "I'm not even going to talk about Sa rah Pail-in" And by the way, it is worth it to tune in this morning, just to see the look on Jo's face!

[Bad actor]

After 11-4-08, the only place you will see Sarah Palin is in a computer-aged picture on the side of a milk carton.

[abigail1]

no one ever thought Nixon was d u m b.

[GrooveyHenrik]

No matter if Obama wins or not, will we never be able to unite under just one leader? Will we ever find the Perfect Leader, or the Perfect Leadership Style? These questions are also discussed in this film that I' found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk1NjrSHrWE

[TFDNYC]

In short, no. Nor should they be- that's dictatorship.

Thinkers simply need to outnumber the non-thinkers. Then vote. We may just be there right now... Tomorrow will tell.

If Obama wins, hopefully the repubs will regroup, go back to their basic core beliefs and we can resume an actual debate based in different perceptions of FACTS. This current trend of anti-intellectualism in the repub party must be swept away with the dust of history. Debate is the cornerstone of critical thought. Without actual, fact based debate, nothing except destruction will ever get done.

It seems Ms. Palin has made all of that (finally) obvious to the 'right' in a way that G.W. did with the 'left'. All doubt about how repubs have operated for the past 28 years has been removed- the mask is off for all to plainly see. And not a moment too soon.

[Susej]

History will witness that in 2008 the Republican party has chosen the low road and hence has alienated all minorities across the board by their despicable and racist campaign.
They succeeded in alienating Blacks, Latinos, Arab Americans, Muslims, American Natives, any interracial mix of the above, and any decent people who take issue with hate, fear mongering, and blatant old fashioned racism.
They were divisive in their strategy that History will prove destructive to their party's cohesion.
Even Confederates from the south felt offended and rallied with the Obama campaign.
History will witness.

[conservativelady]

Being a conservative, I am not one to go with the racist argument, I guess because I myself am not a racist. I come from a multi-racial family. In my family, there are white people, black people, Hispanics and Asians. I have really personally broken the racial barrier. I think what seems racist is the fact that the Republican party has decided that anyone is better then a black man, including a white woman air-head beauty queen. Ultimately, that is why it seems racist. True, she knows how to do the cheerleader thing, but it's all very empty.. The Republicans really need to check themselves, because apparently they are very unaware, very out of touch. They really need to snap out of it before they propel themselves into a place where they are of no consequence. I raised holy-hell about Bush as well. I tried really hard to be be loyal especially after 9/11, but it looks like I was right about him too. that is why I am choosing not to stand back about Palin, I will say it like it is, you betcha!

[Brillig]

There is no 'seeming racist' about it.

To decide that ANYONE is better than a man, just because of his skin color, IS Racist.

Had they found a major flaw, some flaw that neither Republican candidate had - like palling around with terrorists ( G GORDON LIDDY, JOE VOEGEL and WILLIAM AYRES) then the case would not be about race.

Sadly, Palin was a race baiting, sexist pick!

[truthfulfact]

I was astonished when Fred Thompson on Meet the Press stated he had not seen the Couric or Gibson interviews saying he saw some clips. I can reason if Fred Thompson chose to not plug into reality, the truth that Palin was ignorant of national, international and even their presidential nominee's records, positions it was denied and blame shifted on the media. Alas, the majority of Americans are intelligent enough or simply prudently believe a person running as the second most powerful position has fundamental education. It is dangerous to put an ignorant person in a position of power. Given the Republican game plan to conceal, cover up, blame others smearing them including all the media led me to distrust the Republican party. If they chose to deceive citizens and even lie she is a national expert on matters she is not that informs me the Republican party shall pull one over on citizens, the country only to serve the self. Citizens wanted to know about her and even McCain's new chosen one of Joe the Plumber after Sarah Palin Joe Six Pack did not work. We have rights to be informed who we are voting for. Since they made a poor choice selecting an unqualified politician who chose to achieve a position of power corruptly deceiving people from the start the saddest thing is they have not learned any lessons the majority of citizens are not buying it.

[arvay]

I thought the country reached a new intellectual low when I read that government tourist pamphlets at the Grand Canyon present alternative views on its creation -- the millions of years of slow erosion supplied by science, or, as evidence of the Great Flood in the Bible.

But that's been vastly outdone by the nomination of Palin, a politician of vast ignorance and incoherence, someone who is actually less educated and well-spoken than George Bush.

The fact that she was nominated by one of our two major political parties rather than the Flat Earth party is genuinely frightening. Of course, the Republicans had already earned a reputation for cynicism, Constitutional violations, anti-intellectualism and criminality.

But this nomination surely crowns their dismal record of putting our nation in the crapper and gleefully flushing. It clearly demonstrates John McCain's disdain for the country he claims to put "first."

[pir anha]

you're right to some degree, i think -- instead of being hastily picked as VP candidate, a careful rollout, having her speak at the RNC, that would have done a lot to prepare her for a future in national politics. tested, vetted and brought up to speed, yes, she would have been positioned well. though of course vetting her would have brought up a slew of problems, but they wouldn't have been under as close scrutiny. nor would she have had to talk to the national media (i continue to thank katie couric from the bottom of my heart). and by 2012 her expensive reign in wasilla, and troopergate would be old business -- hey, and maybe the pipeline would be more than a pipedream.

i don't know if she would have been a great, unifying leader of her party. she's too far to the right IMO; the republican party will have to move towards the centre again to keep any traction. palin excites the socially conservative, evangelical right, but i don't see that as the wave of the future. though i can always dream that she would split the republican party, and i am all for that. :)

[CarolinaSkeptic]

Palin didn't just come out of nowhere. The National Review and The Weekly Standard have been pushing her and grooming her for 18 months. Bill Kristol and the othe *uckups who brought us CurveBall and the war in Iraq (the NeoCons) have been prepping and pushing her . And with 18 months of preparation, this is the best she could do??

[babygeo]

Exactly. She was not new, a surprise, but not knew. But I can honestly say, there is no Republican Party as I have know it. Bush started the reversal in his first term. I knew we were in trouble when he stated he had political capitol. And then this year. Holy Sh--. Ms wasillia is a right wing extremist who is extremely smart. Don't think this is the last we will see of her. But I hope she retires to Alaska and becomes president of the AIP where she belongs. It just shows you how the NEOCONs are testing America. They will put someone out there who is much worse next time but will not make the same mistakes. Be afraid America.

[sondysue]

If' that is true, maybe the Weekly Standard and The National Review should do some restructuring to coin a "Corporate" phrase. America has a an awakening. No longer will we be looking to same old white folks who say they have all Americans best interests at heart. No lying or stealing or race baiting can cover up what has been happening to the average American for the last eight years. And thankfully those who did the parenting to our now involved young voters didn't teach racism. Hopefully this kind of hate is on it's dying bed. And then can we say we are truely a melting pot.

I used to have a lot respect for John McCain's war record and leadership until the last 3 months. And his pick for VP put the nail in the coffin. There was no "Country First" thinking, only how can I win. At time like this where America is losing everything we've worked for and took pride in. Our wealth and standing. It was an all about me decision, something we Americans have seen far to much of and frankly I'm sick of. Obama has a long hard road to climb, I hope his words are true, only his actions will tell. It sure will be nice to see different face that America shows to the world.

[class1]

Where are the health records? In Russia?

[Brillig]

She can see into her doctors office from her window so we KNOW she has health records.

[AlaskanToo]

Republicans need Independants and moderate Democrats to win elections. There simply are not enough Republicans to do it alone. Sarah Palin repulsed many of these voters. Did McCain really think that all these zealots would stay home and not vote for him had he chose Lieberman? Espesially considering all the horse $h!t they are inventing about sweet old Senator Obama. Many Alaskan Dems chuckled upon hearing his pick for veep; knowing it was a fatal mistake for the GOP.

[Info08]

I agree with you Scott. The Republicans are in desperate need of their own transitional figure. Sarah Palin is not that person.

[fcsakes]

A tragedy is where the hero dies. Palin is no hero and even with as much disrespect for the woman as I have, the worst I wish for her is that she leave for Alaska like NOW and I never hear her name again.

Her entire shtick has been a lie from the start and I have a feeling we're going to find out just how much more of a lie than we knew once the dust settles.

[Owlygirl]

Thank you!

She has become an unwelcome virus, nay - plague!

Let's vote her off the island already! I'm so over it.

[bellabeach]

Well said!!

[Fernando]

Hardly, Mr. Ridley. I'll continue to be in the minority who think Palin is already toast: there are entirely too many gaffes and did-she-just-say-that? moments to haunt her for her next run. Further, the GOP was forced to support her, yet, anyone who expects them to be that responsive and open in four years when she runs for the primaries doesn't know the GOP. It's not only Democrats, Republicans know she is a trophy, but she is their trophy, and for the time being they'll circle the wagons around her... for the most part... I give the GOP a lot of grudging respect for that.

Palin is charismatic, electric and magnetic, she just didn't do her homework and it showed (you'd think she'd have hit the books with a vengeance in Feb. when she was first interviewed as possible VP) but she is going against the zeitgeist; she's anti-science, anti-intellectual and pro-drilling. If the GOP learns their lesson after Tuesday, they won't want anything to do with her. It's not like anyone but the zealots will be nostalgic in 2012 for the good ol' days when George W. Bush was president.

[tidalfist]

Wow, um, ' thanks ' John.