Palin (And McCain) Say Little And Fire Up The Faithful In Ohio

LEBANON, Ohio -- If a day can be a year in politics, then Friday, August 29, when John McCain introduced his running mate in Dayton, is one such. The following Wednesday, when Sarah Palin delivered her wowzer of an acceptance speech in St. Paul, is another. It hasn't been a week since that Minnesota evening, and already Denver seems like a political lifetime ago. When I heard Sarah Palin speak in Dayton, I knew from her self-confidence and liveliness that she would go on to do well at the Republican Convention. I thought that Republicans in general, beyond the social conservatives at the invitation-only Dayton audience, would take to her. But I had no idea that Sarah Palin would change the dynamic of the election, to the extent that three thousand Palin enthusiasts wait in the rain here Tuesday to see her (and McCain), and a thousand more crowd the rally barricades of the small town.

Ohioans begin lining up for the McCain-Palin event in Lebanon at 4 A.M. This dedication, more than anything, shows how John McCain's fortunes have shifted. At 6 A.M., as I walk the line, the sun has not yet risen. But it is clear, from the multiples of campaign buttons many people sport, that this is a very pro-Palin crowd. Less than sixty days out from Election Day, opinions and attitudes are crystallizing. It's harder and harder to find an Inquirer, as I've termed the independent voter, or a merely curious supporter from the other side.

These Palin enthusiasts are happy to talk. "What do I like about Sarah Palin?" Jessica, a forty-something, says. "She's a go-getter. She doesn't care who she butts heads with. In Washington, she'll do what makes the most sense. She's not a people-pleaser." Further down the line, Liz, like many in Lebanon this morning, says that she's always been anti-Obama, but until Palin came along, she hadn't had anybody to be for. Jim underlines the implicit lack of enthusiasm for John McCain. "I've always been yes, but as far as McCain is concerned. But I have two daughters. I know what it's like being in a household of women. Of course, they can." Palin "sealed the deal" for thirty year-old Amy. "I was going to vote for McCain only be default," says Stacey, who had driven from Cincinnati at 3 A.M. to see Palin. "It was going to be the lesser of two evils."

Former Ohio congressman Rob Portman came up with the plan to hold a Lebanon street rally in front of The Golden Lamb, Ohio's oldest hotel, not incidentally graced over the years by the presence of twelve American presidents. Despite the rain, or perhaps enhanced by it and the umbrellas, the scene is classic Americana. From the bunting-draped upper porches of the three-story brick hotel, spectators peer over the railings down at the packed crowd below. Lebanon is one of those quaint towns that host an autumn Apple Fest, the better to bring in the weekend shoppers to the Antiques Mall and the soaps and ice cream shoppes along the old main street. Many of the many very nice townsfolk wear white tee shirts printed in red and blue "Welcome John McCain and Sarah Palin to Lebanon, Ohio September 9, 2008."

Lebanon's sudden enthusiasm for the McCain-Palin ticket is bound up with small-town nostalgia, real and imagined. When I look for interest in Obama's education policy address in nearby Riverside, taking place at the same time as the McCain-Palin street rally, people say, "This is southwest Ohio! That's Dayton!"--as if Dayton were a thousand miles and not a half-hour away. Ohio State football somehow weaves into the mix with electioneering when the local politicians speak, when the Lebanon High School band, resplendent in that distinctive shade of maroon, pumps up the volume. Anthony Munoz, the NFL Hall of Famer, calls Sarah Palin "a reformer who shares our heartland values." She hunts! say people who've never cleaned a rifle or bought a deer license. She's a Mom! everybody says, stating the obvious. She's a person of faith!--as if Biden, McCain and Obama weren't.

The speakers--including McCain and Palin--only glance at the deeper heartland values, as if they were delicate woodland trillium easily bruised by scrutiny and contact. Senator Obama comes under fire for his vote against a ban on partial birth abortion--and that's about it. With prospective First Dude Todd Palin, wearing his comfortable smile, at her side, Sarah Palin, wearing her hair in a jaunty ponytail, delivers a condensed version of her St. Paul speech. The crowd doesn't seem to care that they've heard these lines before. It's a thrill, apparently, to hear them on a damp morning in person. And maybe Sarah Palin can put more flavor and texture into verbs than any politician since Winston Churchill. Shake and shake up are a whole new sensory experience Palin-style. To say exactly who, what, why and how McCain and she are going to shake up would spoil the moment, ruin the illusion, however.

Charitably, one might say that Lebanon's unquestioning adoration of Sarah Palin is the way this group of Americans has found to deal with the reality that our country has serious problems that are going to be difficult, perhaps impossible, for any president to solve. This instinct, like the urge some people have to shop when they are faced with the monthly bills, feeds the Palin popularity surge. What's revealing, if less open to a charitable view, is Palin's continuing to deliver lines that have been partly discredited by the press since her debut, when it would be so easy for her to re-shape them gracefully. Take her assertion about the gubernatorial airplane: "I put it on Ebay." It would be simple for Palin to amend or expand: "Ebay's a great American success story, you know--even though my plane listing didn't work out, and we had to dispose of the jet another way."

The possible and worrying significances of her using the same lines a week after St. Paul are many. She appears on initial inspection to harbor a stubborn incuriousness that makes George Bush look like Marcus Aurelius. Her lack of adaptation to circumstance may be a neophyte's stiffness, for back in Alaska she adapted often if not always well; she may just need time to roll with the stump speech. However, her Lebanon remarks, which repeat not only the Ebay assertion but also the "bridge to nowhere" meme, display contempt both for her audience and herself. What do we care, in the end, for the facts? It's enough that I'm here with you.

McCain calls Palin and himself "a team of mavericks," as if he were reliving the glorious days of yesteryear in Tucson. The Lebanon crowd chants USA! USA! USA! Often McCain is cogent and vigorous on the stump, but Tuesday he can barely string the usual sentences together. Perhaps he is succumbing to the temptation to kick back and let Palin do the heavy lifting. When McCain utters one of his favorite accusations against Obama--"he has never reached across the aisle"--the crowd roars Sarah! Sarah! Sarah! In Sarah worship, any sentence from the book of old chestnuts will do.

At this moment, Lebanon, like many towns, is McCainalin, both a geography and a state of mind. McCainalin is like a proud city in Eastern Europe a hundred years ago, aware of its connection to history and culture dating back to the Middle Ages but oblivious of the forces beyond its borders coalescing to bring great change. In McCainalin, almost everybody is white and Christian. Looking out at the distant countryside, McCainalin sees the problems on the horizon through the lens of a century past, through the prisms of stale debates, waning controversies, spent wars. The very nice people who gather in McCainalin, whether in St. Paul or Lebanon, do not notice how the old geography has shrunk. McCainalin does not seem to see the new expansive landscape, more and more vibrantly multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, attuned to a new set of tasks for a new century. Ironically, Lebanon is not only McCainalin but also the Hollywood idea of an American small town, a place where the windows bloom with red geraniums but the downtown looks staged and airless, where the pretend inhabitants work in middle class jobs but live in the pristine, decorated playhouses only the wealthy can afford. Of course, the real Lebanon is not some Hollywood version, even as the McCainalin state of mind yearns for its deceptions and so just for a morning, while the Republicans speak, the town seems to be so.

Before dawn, I know, despite the dark country roads, that I am headed in the right direction for Lebanon because every couple of miles two sheriff's cars wait like sleeping cats in the hedgerows. All summer, and now into fall, the Ohio countryside is dotted with nineteenth-century farmhouses draped in red, white and blue bunting. Is this a state tradition, or will the custom end in November? I've never had time to stop and ask. Even in the dark, I spot the bunting, as well as several farmhouses with every window to the road set with a single burning taper. Are these candles in honor of McCain and Palin? Likely, I will never know. After the street rally in Lebanon, driving back to Columbus, I pass a barn painted with a Confederate flag, the flag itself flying from a nearby flagpole. Across the highway is another of those Victorian farmhouses wearing the bunting. Here in miniature is the historical and geographical complexity that makes Ohio a presidential battleground state. Today in Lebanon, hearing many very nice people say that until Sarah Palin they had been thinking "it's as much about keeping someone out as anything," I see for the first time since I've been writing about Ohio the small-minded meanness of race consciousness here. Getting a coffee in the motel lobby before setting out for Lebanon, I gape at the TV ad, paid for by a Black Republicans PAC, in which an unseen narrator intones that Obama, looking like a tin pot despot, is the only presidential candidate to endorse infanticide. The baby in the picture is, of course, very white. Nastiness is rising to the surface in the beautiful battleground state of Ohio.

Comments

[w8aminute]

Mayhill should give up following the McCain campaign. He's getting away with the most outrageous lies and no one cares. Mayhill may have helped swing the election back with 'bitter/guns' debate, but it's too late to do anything now to bring about any fairness at this point. Nastiness isn't just in Ohio...

[Cowtippin]

Wow you have to love all those GOP supporters in Ohio. God bless you people. Now we have to be nice to these folks because most of them are missing a chromosome or two. So I understand why you people would support McCain/Palin. I think it's because they simple lack the mental capacity to weigh the issues in a fair and reasonable manner. Remember not ever one is smart and the world needs ditch diggers too. And yet we still have a large section of America where they vote on non-issues like abortion and religious affiliatio­n....becau­se those things seem to matter. So be nice to your fellow bible thumper.

[cart 25]

anyone who thinks biden stepping down or leaving the ticket would be anything other than a disaster is a silly billy.

[theblueAmerican]

Ohio is an interesting state. Definately a lot of social conservatives. My guess is that McCain/Palin wins Ohio will still have 4 more years of economic hell. Don't get me wrong. I believe Obama will win the election because of a lot of people under the radar but just in case he doesn't the next 4 years will be interesting as will the Presidential election in 2012. But hey let's see what the debates bring and what the state of the economy is.

[donkat]

Considering these people were less than enthusiastic (that's an understatement) it's not surprising. Let's see if Mc alone can get a crowd.

[Zia]

Mayhill, WHO ARE YOU SUPPORTING NOW?

[MrGiggles]

Plain has definitely fired people up BUT they are almost enttirely Repuplican or Conservative leaning Independents who would have voted for McCain anyhow. Palin, now, just has them doing so with more enthusiasm.
The question is how many people are still truly undecided and how will the McCain/ Palin ticket register with them over the coming weeks.

[VenusMuse]

Great article!

Go McCain Palin - they run their campaign and the media does not!

[jupitor]

Are you saying the people of Ohio are stupid, and will blindly wear the skirt without knkowing where it came from, or what it's been through or if it smells or not? You don't think much of Ohio!

[TakingBackTheUSA]

"rally in front of The Golden Lamb, Ohio's oldest hotel"

The proverbial golden calf in front of the Golden Lamb. How appropriate.

You're right venus, the media doesn't run their campaign. 7 lobbyist and now Karl Rove do. I think I'd prefer the media. At least the media seeks truth when there isn't sensationalism. Can't say that about the GOP, who manufacture and sell their version of truth as necessary.

[mert]

We are still waiting for Obama to answer questions. The only thing that he has done that was even remotely tough was O'Reilly. Gov. Palin will answer questions with skill and grace.

[BVictor1]

Of course she will, because they will be scripted. If I had the answers to questions given to me before hand, I'd do well too.

[lincheryl]

Obama has been on Fox and the Saddleback forum. Let's see Palin go on Keith Olberman and Rachel Maddox. Then we'll talk.

[MyGoodMojo]

...skill and grace?

we're talking about the same Sarah Palin, right?

[BravoMP]

mert, What alternate universe are you from? All Palin does is lie about her record and hide from the press, When the political machine that backs her, allows her to do an interview. Its with someone who will throw her softballs. O'Reilly is an ass and conducted himself like the ass he is, when he interviewed Obama, I thought it was pretty brave of Obama to do the interview knowing the type of one sided interview O'Reilly is.

[leiatcolo]

But not with knowledge. Obama has been answering question for what 18-19 months now? You just haven't heard the answers or refuse to hear the answers. Without knowledge she will be able to lie, she does do that real well. Another Bush, you think, or were you listening then?

[Martee]

STOP PLAYING THE BARBIE CARD!!! STEP UP AND ANSWER THE HARD QUESTIONS!!! (Heck, answer ANY questions!)

Can you imagine the media (and everyone else) tripping all over themselves to open doors and pull our chairs and not offend real women like Hillary and Pelosi???

[dadw5boys]

IT APPEARS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY THE USA WILL FAIL TO MAKE THE INTERST PAYMENT ON IT'S NATIONAL DEBT !!!!!!

DUE OCTOBER 1st ----- $ 511,000,000.000.OO BILLION DOLLAR INTERST PAYMENT !!!!!

GOVERNOR PALIN WHAT IS YOUR SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM ???
Governor?
YOO HOO GOVERNOR ?? WHERE ARE YOU ? COME OUT COME OUT WHERE EVER YOU ARE!

[JackWOrf]

Here is one way that the Democrats could still win: Get Joe Biden to QUIT. Joe Biden should simply say, as he partly said yesterday: "I do not want to be responsible for the Democratic Party losing this election. I think that there are other people better suited to be Vice President. I therefore withdraw from this election."

Then, Obama would have 3 choices to replace him: Hillary, Hillary, or Hillary. Period. This is his last opportunity to compensate for what could be a FATAL ERROR.

With Hillary on board as VP, the Republicans are TRUMPED. Palin gets a one-way bus ticket back to Wasilla.

This would also be a BRILLIANT move for Joe Biden. If Obama/Biden loses, he is going to be political dead meat. He is going to be blamed because he was obviously the wrong VP pick. Further, Obama will throw him under the bus to try to less his own responsibility for stealing the nomination from Hillary.

I Biden quits, he becomes an instant SUPER-HERO to much of the Democratic Party. Smart Democrats know that it was a DISASTER to not pick Hillary for VP (not to mention not picking her for Pres).

That's the only solution. Otherwise, the Democrats are probably going to lose. The Democrats currently have about a 20% probability of winning the election.

[Vern58]

What sort of fantasy world are you currently inhabiting? You have 2 choices now and you had better get used to it. Your predictions, while well thought out in a sort of pretzelized way are like the little old incontinent lady- neither one can hold any water. Wake up and start your comparison of the 2 candidates. Your "scenario" doesn't even make it to the level of bad science fiction.

[mert]

Not selecting Hillary for VP really calls in to question Obama's judgement. He is not and probably never will be ready to be President. Of cousre I cann't blame him for not picking Hillary. Who would want to play second fiddle to the VP's husband and the VP. I guess that that would make Obama the third fiddle. However, I expect that Bidden will get "sick" and withdraw from the ticket to make way for Hillary after Obama gets desperate. I just hope that the American voters are smart enough to see through such a ploy, but I doubt it.

[EvSmith]

Troll off

[theblueAmerican]

You are a GOP troll!

[EvSmith]

For sho.

[eddiebly]

What a load of moose squeeze.

[lincheryl]

Really. Seriously. Find something else to think about. That ship sailed.

[rgersmrk]

Good piece yet again. It really speaks to how sad this country really is when it comes to race..Obama has been in the national spotlight for 4 years, has 2 best selling books and has run arguably one of the most sucessful presidential campaigns since the Clintons in the 90's and there are people who say they still don't know enough about him (i.e he's black).

On the other hand we have a real unknown who has been in the national spotlight for a total of 2 whole weeks and you have this same segment questioning Obama embrace Palin and her skin color without question. It shows really how slow we have moved in some states on race.

In the end I think people are a fickle lot. If the Republicans continue their shielding of Palin it's going to backfire on them sooner rather than later. MSM is reporting on her because she is drawing ratings but are starting to become vocally frustrated with the access they have to her and in the end if they can't speak with her directly they will go to Alaska and run with the controversies she is currently embroiled in be her biography.

[dadw5boys]

Will they have to take OHIO VOTES to Tennessee to COUNT them like the did in 2004 ????

[TakingBackTheUSA]

See the article about 600,000 possible caged votes in Ohio for your answer.

Also read up on the Michigan GOP removing people from the voter register if they've had a foreclosure.

The deck is already being stacked.

[KC333]

I am disappointed at how many people are starting to doubt, that Obama has competition. I am so enthusiastic and so convinved Obama is going to win. I used to get discouraged and thought we are going to have four more years of the same, but then I read two quotes by a very famous President and I have not doubted anything every since.
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." AND "We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution." Abraham Lincoln
To all you McCain fans out there, "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time. "-Abraham Lincoln

Just keep telling yourself Obama WILL win.

[Pupadup4oBama]

He will...we all know it...but the right just has to make us think they are the ones in charge. They are not...they are losing and they are scared. What does one do when they are scared? They try to make themselves look bigger by attacking first.

[BenMajor]

I had a dream last night that there were massive street protests in major cities across the U.S. to assail the gutter politics of McCain as an insult to the American people and unpatriotic in ignoring the real needs of this ailing country. I am thinking about actually starting such a protest. There are just too many lives and livelihoods, not to mention the health of this country and the word, at stake for me to sit back and watch the corrupted money-driven and manipulative Republicans drag this country down the sewer. I love this country. Enough! Enough with the Lies! Do we want such blatant and manipulative politicians running our country?!? You wonder what could be worse than a Bush presidency, and want to find out?

[leiatcolo]

You dream about this election too, huh, Obama has just got to win!!!!!

[WAstateliberal]

First, excellent piece. Truly excellent. Second, we are again reminded that getting rid of the electoral college is not just a good idea, but it is becoming imperative to our survival. My fate hangs on the racist state of Ohio? That is such bullsh*t. He who gets the most NATIONAL votes, in this NATIONAL election, should win.