Freedom Isn't Free -- We Still Aren't Free of Sarah Palin

Happy Independence Day, on the eve of which we've been reminded that we are FAR from declaring our national independence from the Sarah Palin addiction.

After watching her rambling, disjointed "W-T-F Moment" as she announced she's not only not running for reelection as Alaska's governor but she's bailing out now, I guess what I'm doing is marveling. It's just really impressive what human flypaper this woman is. After all, this actually pushed the Michael Jackson obsession off the top of the headline list, for Pete's sake.

Palin may still have some conservatives still singing Sarah-nades, from columnist Rich ("Sigh! She winked at ME!") Lowry to TV elder Pat Buchanan who clings to what seems uncomfortably like a dirty-old-man pipe-dream. But Charles Krauthammer evidently harbors few such fantasies, sniffing that she's "not a serious candidate for the presidency." No kidding, Chuck!

Sarah Palin makes me want to run screaming into the night. This newest jumbled speech of hers leaves me aghast that anybody finds her appealing -- at least once you get beyond her looks. She's still physically fetching enough and cameras everywhere, from either side of the aisle, still adore her. I suspect some of her appeal may finally fade as she ages. By then, perhaps, her addled, disconnected statements won't be so excusable. It may not be postpartum depression as some McCain aides speculated in recently-released emails. It may be signs of the early onset of dementia. How else would you explain her insistence that anyone who hunkers down and stays on the job to try to get along and maybe work something out anyway is really a quitter and she won't go there -- which, of course, is why she's resigning?

Huh?

There are some political observers from Keith Olbermann onward who gleefully rub their hands together, hoping she'll stay on the front-lines forever. They, too, can't get enough -- but not for the same reasons in Rich Lowry's dreams. They celebrate her as a national pet rock, her enduring popularity still inexplicable, her enduring image growing all the more ridiculous. They relish her sticking around as a target for hilarity figuring this pretty weirdo will make anyone running against her look even better. Well, okay -- if you insist.

I don't look forward to that -- AT ALL. I don't care if she does make any Democratic opponent look brighter merely by opening her mouth. I wish she'd shut up and go away. There's almost no one other than Dick Cheney and George W. Bush whom I'd rather hear less from, again. The embarrassment is very nearly crushing. I'm humiliated for other women politicians who have this trainwreck of a template to live down. That Palin remains one of the highest-profile of female pols is frankly an insult to what many of us have worked toward for years. Yes, ladies, women have finally proven that even the flakiest among them can crack the last glass ceiling. Yippee -- I guess.

I cringe to think that Palin's announcement means that we will have her to kick around indefinitely. She's not going to do the decent thing at long last and go quietly, and gracefully, into private life. No such luck. There'll be the book, the inevitable speaking tour, the guaranteed 24/7 TV profiles and interviews and media sideshows. There'll be the perpetual campaign pitches that she's already threatened to give across the "lower 48" for any candidate who really loves America and those admirable Republican Sanford/Craig/Ensign/Gingrich/Vitter values. I'm sure Fox News is already talking to her representatives about a "Huckabee for Good-Ol'-Gals" hour or some such nauseating nonsense.

Sarah, if you claim the family you wear the way some of your colleagues drape themselves in the flag is delighted that you're bailing out, why not go all the way? Show America you've really got guts and just quit, PERIOD. You'd be doing more effective public service to your country than the savviest community organizer you've ever publicly scorned. You'd even have the last laugh over David Letterman -- denying him and others like him any further fresh material. Ironically, you've announced your babbling bailout on the eve of Independence Day. The people of Alaska may indeed finally be free of you. Unfortunately, the rest of us are about to become hostages.

Comments

[termgirl]

We should have been wearing our secret decorder rings when she gave her "speech."

[indy girl]

What an excellent article. My favorite line: "I'm humiliated for other women politicians who have this trainwreck of a template to live down."

[seattlejanet]

Ditto...BEST line in this excellent article....thank you for just simply stating the truth about this---

EXACTLY how I feel---

[Alvin Perry]

Sure... many think that Sarah Palin is very attractive and even more so considering that she is one of 50 or so governors of U.S. states and territories. But that never was the total of Palin's attraction.. just as Bill Kristol and Rich Lowry were tantalized by the thought of the most popular girl in school finally giving them a wink, those of us on the other side of the aisle were utterly fascinated to see the most popular girl in school sidle up to us and start speaking the sort of burbling gibberish that would make one think she'd barely passed the third grade. I was horrified when I saw and heard Palin's convention speech as she seemed so perfectly Sue Ann Niven nasty... but after seeing her make a few of those incoherent statements I fell in LOVE with this woman. I abhor her as a political figure and disagree with her politics.. but just hearing words tumble out of her mouth.. that certainty in her voice when she's structuring phrases that add up to nothing... or the way she pauses just a bit and then just pops out a single word that doesn't belong at all in the sentence. Then that look in her eyes like she's watching you closely to see if you're going to figure out that she just said nothing. Sort of owlishly observant OR malevolently dangerous... you can never tell which. Meanwhile Bristol speaks perfectly.. go figure!

[chendri887]

"I wish she'd shut up and go away."

Me too!

[sabredance]

Even if she did, the Repugs will just get behind Michele Bachmann, another purportedly 'good-looking' pol with fractured thought patterns...

[chendri887]

Putting "good-looking" in quotes is appropriate. I really don't get that, even Lyon's reference to Palin as being "good looking."

[DianeInAustin]

My sentiments exactly!

[samp426]

Here's a scary factoid: there are a lot of people who would love to vote for her. The real battles are coming, believe it.
She's got the potential to be a real national nightmare.

[abbienormal]

Now she is threatening Shannyn Moore for her disclosure that Palin may be in further ethics trouble. Palin thinks that she has seen the wrath of bloggers. She has not seen anything yet if she really goes after Shannyn.

[MAragon]

I wish she would just go back into small town obscurity too, but I know she'll be around for A LONG TIME. She's had a taste of the big time and she wants all she can grab. She won't be Alaska's problem anymore, but she sure is going to be a headache to the rest of us in the Lower 48.

[indy girl]

Sarah is sure she's brilliant and destined for "greatness", even as her clearly mediocre education and disjointed, manic statements set off cringemeters around the country.

The train wreck is far from over. She's just not that self-aware.

[LMPE]

Maybe we'll be free of her if she joins the Alaskan Independence Party. Then she could be independent of the US!

[Klatu68]

Who do we think her trusted political advisers are? Johnny Mac? Rush? Sanford? Cantor? Putin? Jerry Lee Lewis?

[Jamchinadian]

Bachman, Hasselbeck, Steele, Jindal.

[trisha08]

Even today she comes out attacking the media on her facebook page. Will she ever stop? Will she still be tweeting or posting angry messages on facebook every time she feels she is being attacked?

Something seems to be......er­rrrrr.....­not right with her head. When will the media and those inside the GOP recognize this. Now, John McCain is saying positive things about her? Does he really want to further associate himself with this trainwreck?

[Boadicea]

"The Babbling Bailout"

lol

This is a delightful piece, thanks for posting.

[trisha08]

Thank you for this. I am so sick of this woman and now it seems she is planning on invading the lower 48 (and if you read into her message) she plans on starting a new world order.

After that rambling mess yesterday and quitting her job---how can anyone still think she is qualified to run for POTUS. If she is planning to hit the speaking circuit, why would anyone pay to listen to that garbled mess. It's just beyond me and I too, am embararrsed for women everywhere who have worked so hard to be respected.

[kaib57]

You ask who would pay to listen to her. Unfortunately I think there's a deluded audience out there for her (which doesn't say much for our country). I live in Texas, whose politics are appalling enough, but you wouldn't believe some of the things I've overheard at Little League games, PTO meetings, etc. It's like these people live in a complete state of ignorance right along with their beloved Sarah Palin. It's actually pretty scary.

[bdaved]

Leslie McCloud gave a better resignation speech in '64. And they called it corny even then.

[Taiyo]

Who?

[cjc2078]

Wasn't she supposed to return ALL of her campaign clothes? I'm pretty sure I've seen this red top before....on the campaign trail!