The Lyin', the Witch and the Wardrobe

Watching the fruit fly speech, I wasn't sure if I was seeing the real Sarah Palin, Tina Fey as Sarah Palin, or Sarah Palin as Tina Fey as Sarah Palin. It's all starting to blur. She was so absurd, so off-the-rails embarrassing, so staggeringly dumb, that it left me thinking that maybe Sarah Palin is a special needs child.

If you missed it, this candidate for vice president of the United States of America made a so-called "policy speech" on special needs children. In that speech she took on earmarks (naturally), and said that money "goes to projects having little or nothing to do with the public good -- things like fruit fly research in Paris, France. I kid you not."

Sorry, but everyone knows -- and I mean EVERYONE -- that fruit fly research is not about fruit flies! What I didn't know specifically, but I love knowing now, is that fruit fly research has led to the discovery of a protein that is apparently critical in treatment of autism in children, the very kind of "special needs child" the candidate was speaking about. Just when you think she couldn't get any more embarrassing.

Palin's supporters are outraged, wondering how we could expect her to know that. Um, when the candidate for vice president of the United States chooses to give a policy speech on a topic that she claims to be an expert on, shouldn't we expect her to actually be an expert? She claims in her speech that she is the one in the McCain/Palin administration who will "lead the reforms" necessary in the area of special needs children. She's not asking us to put her in charge of the church bake sale. She wants us to put her in charge of our most vulnerable children. And, no, it doesn't matter that she is the mother of such a child. Just like it doesn't make her a foreign policy expert because she can see Russia from her house, it doesn't make her an energy expert because she lives near an oil pipeline, and it doesn't make her knowledgeable on the job of vice president because she plays one on TV (she thinks the VP is in charge of the senate!).

For the few people left who continue to stubbornly love this woman, I know it feels great to see someone on the national stage who reminds you of yourself and your own $150,000 wardrobe. I know you felt the same kind of familiarity with George W. Bush, when his brush clearing reminded you of your own 1500 acre estate, er, ranch. I get it. We all suffer from a touch of the narcissist from time to time. But how about we all stop looking in the mirror and start looking out the window? The world is big, complicated, messy, and very dangerous. The problems are deep and the problem solvers need to be deeper. We don't need more superficially familiar, intellectually vacuous, and insecurely arrogant people running the country into oblivion.

What we desperately need are smart, educated, curious, intellectually honest, and genuinely confident leaders. We can't afford to keep voting for ordinary because yet another snake oil salesman (or saleswoman) sold us on the idea that we should somehow be terrified of the extraordinary.

Comments

[sociocanuck]

Best. Title. EVER!

[TakLoufer]

There would be fewer special-needs children if people over 40 -- such as Todd & Sarah Palin -- would stop trying to prove that they can still make babies. The older men get*, the more likely that their resulting children will have some kind of disability, ala Trig Palin. Unless of course Todd's not the father and in such a provably "moral" family like theirs, that could never happen.

*"Children whose fathers were over 33 were 1.8 times more likely to have autism than those fathers were under 29. Men who fathered children between the age of 29 and 32 were 30 per cent more likely to have an autistic child.

The research is published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

This is the first study to explore the effect of paternal age on the risk of high-functioning autistic spectrum disorder. Its findings correspond with previous studies which have shown a link between older fathers and a low IQ in children."
(source: Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor - Telegraph.co.uk, October 1, 2008)

[access2narnia]

It is tragic that more parents, especially the older and/or already experienced ones, do not consider ADOPTION of children instead of further reproduction. We have nearly 150,000 adoptable foster children in our nation at any given time ---in addition to all the babies whose birthparents choose not to personally parent for whatever reasons. Age is NO LONGER an obstacle either, we have numerous parents in their 40s and 50s, even 60s, taking in children---particularly children with special needs--in our GAARP yahoo group for mutual support.

[cre8ive]

"We can't afford to keep voting for ordinary because yet another snake oil salesman (or saleswoman) sold us on the idea that we should somehow be terrified of the extraordinary."

I wish I had that on a t-shirt. Great piece. Perfect title.

[metivo]

Also, this wasn't just 'a' policy speech. This was her first and only policy speech ten days before the election. Kind'a important to get 'cher facts straight doncha think?

[aicon]

Great posting. I knew about the role of fruit flies in genetic reserach at the same time we learned about peas. This woman is dumb, and it says more about the media than about Americans, if this woman hater of a witch, is not shut down by the approprtiate criticism.

As a woman I don't care what word you use on her. There is no words that describes accurately her lack of integrity, her narcism, her false celebrity allure when she stands on a podium preaching to the lowest IQs in the nation.

I so find myself not represented by her and if ever the "evil C" word comes to mind, is quite accurate for Palin.

[suemcf]

Well done article, Michael. Perhaps you ought to share your intelligent thoughts with Campbell Brown who thinks it is double standard that we are upset with 150K spent on clothes. I loved your line about "stop looking IN the mirror and start looking OUT the windows."

EXACTLY...the Country Club set has NO clue what is going on in the REAL America where people are working 2 jobs to just keep up. It is scary out there and the McCain/Palins of the world don't have a clue. Thanks for writing about the little guy and gal.

[Michael Seitzman - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks. I have to say that Campbell is a good friend of mine and I think she's been remarkably fair. I understand what she was saying about this, I do think there is a double standard. And I've been a perpetrator of it too at times. Where I disagree is in the hypocrisy of a campaign shouting "elitist" at their opponent while spending an impossible amount of money on clothing for their "hockey mom of the people."

[jennyjen]

Ms Brown gets credit from me as one of the women who helped bring down Palin. In one week she ran into Katie Couric, Tina Fey and Campbell Brown when she called the campaign sexist for keeping Palin from the press. That week was the beginning of the end.

I just think that she missed the point by failing to point out the hypocrisy that is so obvious to most of us. Thank goodness.

[Cloball]

I think we owe a great deal to Katie Couric for her series of interviews with Sara Palin. I don't think it was an accident that she kept it real simple and fair, since Charlie Gibson had gotten criticized by the Right, for asking Sarah about the Bush Doctrine and other "gotcha" questions.

By doing this, Katie affirmed what we had already learned about Sara from Charlie's interviews, but more importantly, they proved it to some on the Right and Independents.

The campaign has never been the same. Support dropped off immediately.

[anachoret]

Hearing that fruit fly speech does help to inform how someone might not believe in evolution. As John Kerry would say; "Stunning."

(I love your title, too)

[imfedup]

BRILLIANT title!

[terragazelle60]

It depends what you call a Witch..the words Wit and Wisdom has the same root as Witch...its a anglo saxon word of 5th century Pagan origin, from that root comes Witcha...Englishized (if that is a word) to Witch, in modern times comes the word Wicca. I am Wiccan, while I know the stereotype is of a hag in pointy hat with green skin and warty nose is popular..it is not truth. I know Witches..and Sarah Palin is no Witch. She is a Fundamentalist Born Again No Nothing Ignorant Creationist. We believe in science, we believe in evolution. So please, while the title is cute, it is misinformed.

[funnypaysoff]

When will Sarah ever learn?....say nothing like Joe Biden and you will much better off...

What is more embarassing..not knowing that FDR wasn't President in 1929 or the exact value of the fruit fly?....

[OutragedMom]

nice try.....but Joe wasn't giving a policy speech.

[EvasDaddy]

Actually, the fruit fly blunder is far more serious than the simple misstatement about FDR.

Rest assured, Joe Biden knows full well when Roosevelt served. As do most of us, he misspoke. I call my children by every one of their names until I hit the right one. None of them doubt that I actually know who is who

The point you seem to have missed is exactly the point Palin missed. She railed against fruit fly research in a speech about helping special needs children; fruit fly research has yielded valuable information that will help special needs children.

Hers was not a misstatement, it was a blunder born of ignorance.

Any other questions?

[terragazelle60]

While the market crashed in 1929 the Depression was not in full force until 1932/33. And in 1933 FDR was in office. The depression took a long time to settle in...there were many causes for the Depressiom and it became so bad because Hoover believed that the market would right itself...so he did nothing. By the time FDR was elected it was 25% unemployment...and it was the WPA that got us out of it. In other words Infrastructure and putting people to work...and the government stepping in and doing something. So Joe was right...

[Jaded1]

Exactly. The only "error" Joe made was referencing tv. I'm sure what he meant was to reference FDR's fireside chats that were indeed broadcast to the nation to calm their fears, albeit via radio. Meanwhile, Palin says in her smug way, while thinking she's actually making a point, "I kid you not." How dumb is this woman? McCain and Palin are both such liars. Once the news broke about the "wardrobe" then it became "campaign costumes" that would later be donated to charity. How fiscally irresponsible is that? Why spend that type of money whether she was to keep them or donate them? Who donates brand new haute couture clothes to the Salvation Army anyway? You may as well throw the money out of the window of the plane. What does she wear to offical functions in Alaska? And, if she was in need of new clothes, why designer suits? I wouldn't trust either of them with my tax dollars.

[peacegurl48]

Biden made an error and was not giving a policy paper on FDR.

Palin was giving a much-touted policy paper on a subject that she "knows more about than almost anyone else" (per McCain). She was dimissive and sarcastic about the research based on misinformation. Her error was much worse because she did not care enough to do her homework on the subject. Just as her repeated errors about the VP's position reflect on some ill-founded arrogance regarding the need to know what you are talking about.

I taught special needs children for years and certainly don't think that I know more than anyone on the subject.

[Likipedia]

Yeah all those interviews she's done on "Face The Nation" and "Meet The Press" sure set the record straight.

[rinpochet]

I worked in a university but even before then, I had read articles on research using fruit flies (actually commonly used for many different research activities) so I thought it bizarre that of ALL things, she would hold up fruit fly research to ridicule!!! What an uneducated twit!

[terragazelle60]

Its no different then McCain knocking Obama earmarking $3,000,000.00 for a Planatarium projector. As if it was for old home movies instead od needed for teaching about the solar system. They are both ignorant. McCain might be 72 but that does not mean he can think further then the tip of his nose.

[bembem08]

Birds of the same feather flock together...

[suemcf]

I loved the title. It caught my attention b/c I use to be a teacher and would read this book to my students. And it perfectly describes the Witch from Alaska. I just don't understand how anyone could possibly want a total airhead for VP. This is not Dancing with the Stars or PTA prez...I mean VP of the most important country in the world. What bothers me the most about Palin is that she is INCURIOUS. This means she knows she is dumb and doesn't even care. It doesn't even register w/her. She has no intention to try to learn things or read anything...including the Constitution. She is the scariest kind of politician.
You are right that if someone is going to make a policy statement that they should know the material inside and out. And please, just b/c she has a child w/special needs does NOT make her an expert. She is a STAY AT WORK mom who was back at work two days later.
And you are also right: why aren't we SCREAMING our lungs out over this ridiculous choice of a candidate. It is a joke. But it is too scary w/our global economy for these Tricks and Treats.
EVERYONE...please go vote Obama today!!!

[UrbanRube]

'Incurious" goes hand in hand with willful ignorance. Exactly right.

[IsyFleur]

God created the Earth 4,000 years ago with humans hunting moose on dinosaur back. Fruit flies were already a pain in the neck back then when they would suddenly appear flying around the fruit bowl on your kitchen counter. So how the hell could studying fruit flies help us understand autism, which was a gift from God to help us love our children? And of all places in Paris, France, this rogue nation that would try to impose croissants and cafe au lait for breakfast?

[Barticus]

BTW, fruit flies are billion dollar pests in California. A lot of fruit fly research is about fruit flies. I kid you not.

[KarlaElisa]

I think your title and article are everything I look for in a piece here on Huff Po.

I love that I have learned the benefits of the fruit fly study.

I walk away from this entertained, enlightened and full of righteous indignation that this woman has had the privilege of so much air time in my life.

[knowBuddhaU]

Winner! We have a winner, folks: in the category of Best Title of this Entire Surreal Campaign, the award goes to Michael Seltzman.

Thanks a million for a very fun read.

And I agree wholeheartedly: Palin's actions are monstrous. We need to be calling them on every outrage as it's made. McCain and/or his neocon advisers opened this Pandora's box, you're right. His present advisers are the same people who have dragged us into war after war after war. They have a clear pattern and practice of fear-mongering in service to war-mongering.

Palin is knowingly spreading fear and hate. Kudos to you, Michael, for calling her on it.

[betheliza]

calling them on every outrage they have perpetrated....the campaign is nonstop, 24/7. who has that kind of time to actually point out every lie and dimwitted thing they do/say?

i agree with you...they do need to be called on it, but there is just so much to say, the task is overwhelming.

[knowBuddhaU]

Many hands make light work, eh? :->