The Trojan Horses of Sarah Palin and Clarence Thomas

Since Governor Sarah Palin arrived on the national stage, people have been comparing her to others. Some say Dan Quayle (who actually DID become Vice-President). Some say Tina Fey. Some say watching her is like watching a "chick flick". Some say she proves McCain has faulty judgment. Some say - including myself the other day - that she represents a "Hail Mary" pass. Some say she has plenty of foreign exposure because her state is closest to Russia. Some say she is McCain's third wife. Some say she is McCain's daughter. Some say she is more inexperienced than Obama.

Now that so many comparisons of her to others have been aired, I would like to compare the actual choice of her with another choice made eighteen ears ago - a choice that at one level intended to make it hard for Democrats to oppose because they might appear racist; a choice that stuck it in the Democrats' face because the person chosen was what they said they wanted - an African-American on the Supreme Court to follow in the giant footsteps of Thurgood Marshall.

George H.W. Bush nominated Clarence Thomas - the person with whom I now compare Sarah Palin. Both are inexperienced and incompetent. And both stand for what Democrats desire - an African-American and a woman. They were both chosen, as best I can tell from my psychoanalytic perch, with cruel cynicism, It is as if Bush Senior and McCain Senior are speaking in one voice: you want something new and different? Here you are.

Again, it's important to remember that Quayle became VP and that Thomas still sits on the Bench. Jon Stewart got it in 2000 when he said that the "black vote elected Bush", and then showed a picture of Justice Thomas. When will we "get it"? Mockery doesn't work. Seeing McCain as desperate or Palin as a non-entity also doesn't work, even if both are true. Simply put, Obama and Biden better not be dismissive or complacent; they need to keep their eyes on the prize.

Comments

[skyhawkscribe]

Dr. Frank your assessment is spot on. Our challenge is to maintain our focus on the substantive issues that will determine the future well being of this nation.. "Serge" McCain is desperate and the desperate have no ethics. This is all about the politics of deflection. The attempt to distract the body politic to the AR 15 firing Governor who has her own ethical challenges, represents an attempt to draw people away from the horrific wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; an economy which has a national debt of 9.8 trilion dollars and a budget deficit of nearly five hundred billion. dollars. McCain seemingly is getting a free pass on his memory lapses because he is an ex-P.O.W. America needs a wake up call. Thanks for your leadership.

[ESerafina42]

Thank you, Mr. Frank. I made the same comparison a couple of days ago, but you explain it better. The fact that they were also both trotted out as the "most qualified [people] in America" for the job is another comparison and an even bigger insult to both African-Americans and women.

[Anaximander]

Succinctly put, Dr. Frank. Cruelly cynical but nonetheless effective with half the US population. Obama has to find a way through the dysfunction described by the other great Frank, Thomas Frank in his book about Kansas. How might this latest news about Bristol Palin play into this republican family dynamics – but as you say - be not dismissive or complacent.

[AlanBJ]

My thoughts exactly:

Sarah Palin is to Hillary Clinton

as

Clarence Thomas is to Thurgood Marshall

[MPeter]

Excellent analysis. Palin is a monkey wrench that is intended to divide women and to play the 'sexism' card if Obama and Biden become too patronizing or Dems sling her and turn her into a sympathetic victim. Thank you for firing that warning shot.