Sarah Palin and the Politics of the Irrational

In The Age of American Unreason, Susan Jacoby writes: "If Bush's election was not a measure of conscious anti-intellectualism on the part of voters, it was certainly a measure of the public's indifference to demonstrable mental acuity and knowledge as standards for the presidency." (p. 285)

In recent years, presidential races have become highly personalized media events. They focus voters' short attention spans on the individuals who are running, rather than on the policy prescriptions they represent. This battle of wills allows the Republicans to construct a false narrative that might resonate with just enough voters to put them over the top in the Electoral College. The qualifications of a presidential candidate don't seem to matter much. Experience, intelligence, and competence actually can be detriments -- just ask Al Gore and John Kerry. Whether it's the Florida recount in 2000 with an assist from a Republican Supreme Court, or Swift Boaters eviscerating a war hero's military record in 2004, or Willie Horton scaring the bejeezus out of white middle-class people in 1988, the Republicans have turned American presidential elections into quadrennial experiments in applied social psychology.

As John McCain's campaign manager said: "This election is not about issues. This election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates."

At this point in the election of 2008, with the red states becoming redder and the swing states tightening up, we're heading straight into familiar Republican ground. In Great American Hypocrites, Glenn Greenwald notes: "What matters is that Democrats and liberals are weak, effete, elitist, nerdy, military-hating, gender-confused losers, whose men are effeminate, whose women are emasculating dykes, and who merit sneering mockery and derision. Republican right-wing male leaders are salt-of-the-earth, wholesome, likable tough guys -- courageous warriors and normal family men who merit personal admiration and affection." (p. 90) The fact that these Republican tropes are based on lies only seems to strengthen their appeal as faith-based political belief. And the corporate media repeat this meta-frame in a thousand different ways without ever setting the record straight. With Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate the Republicans have the "salt-of-the-earth, wholesome, likable tough guy" -- but this time in the form of a woman.

McCain looks old and haggard and delivers a terrible speech. With his languid, deathly persona he cannot go into the mega-churches like Bush used to do and get the faithful eating out of the palm of his hand.

Enter Sarah Palin.

According to Susan Jacoby, two thirds of Americans want creationism to be taught along with evolution in public schools; over half of Americans reject any form of biological evolution (even guided by God); and "42 percent say that all living beings, including humans, have existed in their present form since the beginning of time." (pp. 22-23) And "25 percent believe that Christianity was established by the Constitution as the official government religion." (p. 299)

Although impossible to measure, part of the rise of right-wing Christian fundamentalism in recent years was a backlash to the cultural and social gains women made with the successes of the Second Wave feminist movement, (like the career opportunities Sarah Palin has enjoyed). The Republicans have cleverly figured out a way to channel that anti-feminist backlash into garnering support from conservative voters by nominating an interesting and attractive (if unqualified) woman candidate who embodies the old white male social agenda. This ploy would never work in a political environment where reason and logic prevailed in the collective decisions of an informed electorate.

The 72-year-old McCain looks weak, anemic, elderly; he's not a dynamic personality. Sarah Palin gives him everything he lacks: Christian fundamentalist bona fides, which distract from McCain's adultery and marital history; average "hockey mom" status, which distracts from McCain's $100 million fortune; and hunting, fishing, and general outdoorsiness to compensate for McCain's decrepitness.

Sarah Palin leads anti-abortion rallies. She is a fundamentalist Christian who preaches abstinence-only sex education (even though it clearly failed in her own family), creationism in biology classes, and when she was mayor of Wasilla she tried to ban gay-friendly books in the local library. She and her family hunt moose in the Alaskan wild. Compared to those families who only hunt deer and squirrels in rural Ohio or Pennsylvania the Palins are awesome frontier people; they give an inferiority complex to every hunter in the lower 48. The National Rifle Association couldn't ask for a better spokeswoman. Todd Palin wins the grueling 2,000-mile "Iron Dog" snow machine race every year where as "First Dude" he proves his measure against other Alaskan men. Palin gave birth to a Down syndrome baby choosing "life" by example. Her eldest son has just shipped out to Iraq as a soldier in the United States military. And she is beautiful.

For this election, Frank Luntz's focus group corporation could not have cloned in a laboratory a better Republican woman demographic!

So far the corporate media have given Palin a free ride. When it was obvious in her interview with Charlie Gibson that she did not have a clue what the "Bush Doctrine" is, CNN's David Gergen's analysis was that it didn't matter because "most Americans" and "most journalists" also don't know what it is. I guess we don't have to worry about whether a vice-presidential candidate knows that there are nine justices on the Supreme Court because "most Americans" don't know that either.

"One wonders whether any candidate," Susan Jacoby writes, "instead of trying to prove that he or she is just one of the folks, would dare to tell voters that the nation needs not an ordinary but an extraordinary person as president and that one crucial qualification for the nation's highest office is the intellectual ability to distinguish, in times of crisis and on a daily basis, between worthwhile and worthless opinions." (p. 287)

We'll see whether the Republicans' latest social science experiment will succeed or fail. There is hope. There are over 30 million Americans who claim to have no formal ties to any religion, and 16 percent of Americans describe their outlook as wholly or predominantly secular. There are religious centrists who have been alienated by Bush's Bible thumping and who care more about poverty, the environment, and universal health care than controlling women's bodies and discriminating against gays and lesbians. The economy is in tatters. The Iraq war is unpopular. The Republicans were tossed out of Congress. And Bush is the most unpopular president since Richard Nixon. There are more registered Democrats than ever, and Barack Obama has generated enormous excitement among new voters and the Democratic base. Sarah Palin is a lightweight (like Dan Quayle), which means she's a major gaffe waiting to happen, and even some mainstream journalists seem ready to give her a bumpy ride.

The McCain-Palin juggernaut can be stopped.

But it won't be easy.

The Obama-Biden campaign will need to get out huge numbers of young people, blacks and other minorities, and newly registered voters to counter the formidable army of Christian soldiers that McCain has unleashed by tapping Palin. I wouldn't let her campaign go unimpeded in the swing states without running some TV ads and direct mail that put her on the defensive -- and soon. Democratic 527s should attack Sarah Palin's strengths. Most importantly, the false Republican narrative of an effete, "elitist" Democrat versus a "salt-of-the-earth," regular guy must be countered and disrupted.

Comments

[hopefulinpa]

I personally think that it looks extra bad for McCain to let Palin run rough shod over him. It makes him look weaker and paler than he is. When all this Palin bling wears off all people are going to see is a McCain who tried to fool people into voting for a charismatic woman with no politcal or worldly knowledge. In the end, we vote for the top of the ticket. That is why McCain is going to lose and lose badly.

[realpolitic]

Republicans candidates win by creating a false narrative and sticking with it. One false narrative they use is constantly talking about the values of Mainstreet and downing Wall Street and Washington, DC. But, interestingly, all their policies work for the economic elites of society. Mainstreet has fallen far behind in the Bush years. Cowered by charges of partisanship, the media plays along with Republican false narratives about their opponent painting him as an elitist and a socialist, whoever he may be. When facts become facts again and are no longer open to interpretation by partisan spinmasters, Democrats will win.

[joebiz]

Good job on the analysis and "hitting the nail on the head."

The next 6 weeks are about convincing the swing voters and the independents to go Democrat. The conditions are there for the taking (bad economy, housing crisis, unpopular war).

[idyl]

My Canadian friends are mystified why any of this should matter? Who would want a government deciding and regulating on matters of personal morality. They like their politics dry, tedious and full of polite discussion on wonkish details. Fiscal matters and corruption - now those are issues one can raise an eyebrow about. Are we so enamored by the echo-chamber of the media that we can no longer see our own reflection?

[realpolitic]

I always thought Canadians were far ahead of us in this regard.

[SeeDaddy]

Excellent post! Perspective and analysis on target. Let's get the Dems 527s cracking soon.

[djarvis]

"the nation needs not an ordinary but an extraordinary person as president and that one crucial qualification for the nation's highest office is the intellectual ability to distinguish, in times of crisis and on a daily basis, between worthwhile and worthless opinions."
My thoughts exactly. All of this stuff about voting for a president who "is more like us" is hogwash. We elected a president with a low IQ 8 years ago... look what that got us.

[PioneerKing]

ARE THE REPUBLICANS RUNNING PALIN FOR PRESIDENT OR McCAIN FOR PRESIDENT?

Are the republicans really saying that their hockey-mom is going to be ready on day one?

America wake up! Is McCain going to be the president or is Palin a grandiose affirmative action plan for the highest office in the land?

Are the republicans finally saying yes we believe in quotas and we are going to allow on the job training for Palin; who will be a heartbeat away from the presidency to a 72 year old multiple cancer victim?

The republicans have made their point that racism, bigotry and double standards are alive and well in America and the republicans are willing to gamble our country on a woman who does not have a clue on foreign policy

The republicans are sending a message uppity minorities - white is always right and never could a blackman or any other minority be better than a white man and a white woman and by no means will a blackman become president

The republicans and the bigots in the main stream media have allowed this election to be turned into a culture war and an election on personalities to the detriment of our nation.

Unfortunately, the republicans will prove that race does trump all - the republicans will win in November.

[dewsaltlake]

We've had seven years (seems like 100) of an administration run by the religious right.. I thought we left England for the New World in order to get away from a government run by the church. Sarah Palin is a fanatic who will bring more of the same extremist views to government. She has stated that she believes the war against terrorism is a war endorsed by God (if you believe in such nonsense). Democrats are more focused on winning this election to ensure Palin and her extremist views do not become a platform for creating policy.

[kjdwyer]

Kevin Phillips writes about this as well in his excellent book "American Theocracy." In it, he cites a staggering statistci that more than 60% of Americans believe in the story of Noah and the Ark; not as biblical metaphor, but as historical fact.

In this age of "unreason" as you point out, it's virtually impossible to imagine a scenario where the problems of the U.S. will be adequately dealt with.

In addition, all this "dumbing down" has created a whole new media industry that relies on American Stupidity: Fox News, Limbaugh, etc. This is no small consideration. These are now very powerful corporate interests who will not allow for improvements in education, etc. because it is in direct conflict with their industry. They have a vested corporate interest in the continued stupidity of the Amercian people.

How frightening is that?

[Lemeritus]

Great book, kjdwyer! I can't recommend it enough and I'm always happy to find others who've read it. This is the kind of book that takes a lot of noise and makes sense of it.

As for the dumbing down of America, I have some grim thoughts concerning the Republican's crusade against public education (vis-a-vis "school vouchers"); barefoot and pregnant isn't just for women anymore.

[realpolitic]

So right, Limbaugh and Hannity have a vested interest in the stupidity of the American public. They label real journalism as the left-wing press or as "drive-bys." They actively encourage listeners not to trust other news sources. Rush calls his listeners "ditto heads" as if it is membership it an elite club to mindlessly repeat whatever propaganda Rush is selling at the moment.

[Lemeritus]

I was prepared to endure the China Syndrome occurring on Wall Street today, but Susan Jacoby's statistics concerning the American electorate are numbing.

Say it ain't so, Joe!

[marysandra]

If your percentages are correct, and I assume they are, then it's fair to say that the American educational system is in terrible trouble..One can foresee another "Scopes" trial in our future.
We criticize Islamic countries such as Afghanistan for their backwardness, but it seems some Americans are desperately trying to go there..My mother told tales of growing up on a farm on a lonely country road, and the illiterate lady abortionist who live at the end of it..After two occasions of young women who were bleeding profusely, coming by to ask for help, her father took action. The abortionist was out of business, and a local, compassionate doctor started seeing women in distress after hours.
My mother and her four sisters idolized their father, who knows how many lives he saved?
I understand that most of Palin's support comes from wealthy neo-cons and older, white women.
Neither group really has to confront tough choices when it comes to the choice issue, that is until it's one of their daughters or granddaughters, God forbid. Oh, I forgot, God will take care of everything. How nice for them.

[GLaB]

"If your percentages are correct, and I assume they are, " - you assume too much. His source,
'The Age of American Unreason' by Susan Jacoby - has left even favorably disposed reviewers unimpressed with her scholarship:


"Where [Richard Hofstadter] was objective, [Jacoby] views the world through her own opinions and experiences. Where Hofstadter cites a wide range of sources, Jacoby relies mostly on the Internet and her own impressions, the very targets of her criticism."

"...where I have some experience -- book reviewing in newspapers -- Jacoby indulges in the usual tongue-clucking and finger-wagging on the decline of coverage by quoting the blog of the National Book Critics Circle which has a vested interest in the health of the papers who pay for reviews."

"She doesn't talk to book editors, publishers or readers, but confidently concludes "newspaper publishers are betting that boomer readers ... will not miss book reviews and classical music criticism any more than readers ... in their twenties and thirties."

"It's when Jacoby reaches the present era that she falls back on personal anecdotes and impressions that slide into self-congratulation."

"Inconsistency, insubstantial sourcing and the tendency to jump to conclusions based on flimsy evidence mar Jacoby's well-meaning, but self-absorbed bid to encourage Americans to seek a return to some vague golden age of knowledge and learning."

"A worthy sequel to "Anti-Intellectualism in American Life" reflecting this age remains unwritten."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08062/861256-148.stm

[08politicaljunkie]

Do you wonder why public education is underfunded and disproportionate? Republican Plutocracies WANT a class division in the US. They want people so desperate for a job they will take anything. They hate union labor. They want to pay low wages. McCain is against raising the minimum wage. McCain was against increased benefits to the enlisted and their families. He SAID they wouldn't re-enlist if greater opportunities were available to them.

They NEED people so desperate for anything they'll enlist in the military.

[Bobzmcishl]

My guess is that McCain and Palin will self destruct in the debates, the Democrat's will finally get out their base this year, and the economic news will continue to deteriorate. This is just not a Republican year, but the grassroots Democrats need to work hard to get every last Democrat to the polls this year.

[odoreida]

"McCain looks old and haggard and delivers a terrible speech. With his languid, deathly persona ...."

It's this kind of ugly rhetoric that's losing votes for Obama among voters who are over fifty years old.

[PumaAnn]

Amen......it is so incredibly offensive, it makes my skin crawl.

I want as far away from the "boyz" party as possible.

Shame on the feminists supporting this crud.

[LeftRight]

Ann, you've ALWAYS been a republican who would NEVER vote for ANY Democrat! Stop lying!

[trailerparktrash]

Hell, I'm married to a 72 year old man and I don't think it's offensive at all! I'm 61 and have had only ONE bout of melanoma, not four like McCain, and I find it frightening that he could croak while in the White House, leaving us with the Neo-cons' blank slate of a dream girl to take over the presidency. "Boyz party", schmoyz party....I want someone who knows their stuff, regardless of their plumbing.

[chagedorn]

The more unqualified a candidate is, the more "extraordinary" they become...in a winning the lottery, betting on the right horse kind of way. We've gone from admiring the Horatio Alger ideal that John McCain purports to embody -- certainly it's part of his generational DNA -- to the "American Idol" ideal, that subjective "talent," beats substance...basically Palin was chosen on charisma, particularly with a certain type of voter, because given a choice between charisma and intelligence, Americans will choose charisma every time...it's been proven that intelligence doesn't necessarily get you anywhere. Palin is exactly what Americans have been selling for a long time now, style over substance..."brand"...and until we realize that what's good for potato chips is not good for government we're going to get a President and a country that looks just like us...a country where fantasy trumps fact.

[LeftRight]

So you're saying (and I'm agreeing with you!!!!!) that sarah palin is Sanjaya!!!!

[LeftRight]

It's not that we have short attention spans. It's that the media has refused to give us any more than soundbites. You must SEARCH for the rest of the issue, and most people either don't have the time to do that, or don't understand that there is more to be learned!