Ahmadinejad Is a Long Word

The NBC poll showing that 55% of Americans do not believe that Sarah Palin is qualified to be president is notable to me for one reason: 40% of Americans DO think she's qualified. That's a lot of people! Like if America were a baseball team then you could say that the outfielders, the pitcher and the catcher don't think she's qualified but the entire infield does.

And what does it mean to "Love America"? Or more to the point what are "Un-American views"? Is it un-American to be self-critical? If so, then we should still have slavery and women shouldn't be allowed to vote. Or by that logic then I guess it's un-American to oppose Roe v. Wade? It's in the Constitution after all. Still, the implications that Barack Obama holds un-American views persist. What's the idea there? That he's going to become president so that he can bomb... himself?

If you've been watching her interviews you'll notice that Sarah Palin's favorite word is "Ahmadinejad". She just loves saying that word. And I mean let's face it: it is a very hard word to pronounce. It reminds me of a story about James Ellroy's LA Confidential. It involves the word "valediction". The gist of the story is that using big words like "valediction" (or "Ahmadinejad") can sometimes con an audience into thinking things make sense when in fact they don't. "Boy, that's a long word, she must know what she's talking about."

With the latest revelation that Sarah Palin has spent more than four times what Joe the Plumber makes in a year, $175,000 to be exact, on her wardrobe so far, I couldn't help but thinking of another book: The Bonfire Of The Vanities. I also thought of the movie, or to be more exact, the making of the movie. The making of the movie version of Bonfire of the Vanities as detailed in the book The Devil's Candy by Julie Salamon is the story of a pretty good idea that became a really, really bad idea really fast. I think that the publisher's comments sum it up well: "When Brian De Palma agreed to allow Julie Salamon unlimited access to the film production of Tom Wolfe's best-selling The Bonfire of the Vanities, both director and journalist must have felt like they were on to something big. How could it lose? But instead Salamon got a front-row seat at the Hollywood disaster of the decade...This riveting insider's portrait provides a timeless account of an industry where art, talent, ego, and money combine and clash on a monumental scale."

If only John McCain's presidential bid were just a movie. Then again who thought really thought that the movie about the chihuahua would do so well?

Comments

[tcwillis27]

I was waiting for someone else to bring up the Ahmadinejad thing. Every time she says that name I laugh, picturing her repeating it over and over in the mirror or with marbles in her mouth...

It doesn't surprise me that she has a 40% fan club. Next time you commute, take a look at the bumper stickers on 40% of the trucks with gun racks. I'm just sayin'....

[justoverit333]

She practiced at McCain's ranch in AZ
on how to pronounce it right before her
debate. That was the first time she
ever said it.

[ecsiwingo]

Lets not forget the $400.00 hair cuts for John Edwards.

[HerePhysically]

Exactly. After that story broke, people no longer believed John Edwards cared about the common man. And now, it's impossible to see Sarah as the hockey mom, with a $175,000 wardrobe.

[ecsiwingo]

At least Sara Palin has paid for her cloths. The suits that Hillary wears are given to her and valued at $6,000.00 a suit.

[HerePhysically]

Actually, Sarah's clothes were purchased by the Republican National Committee.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/23/us/politics/23palin.html?th&emc=th

And not to call you a liar, but can you give your source about Hillary's suits? I can believe it, actually. I can imagine designers giving her suits, because she would be free advertising for them. "You can be powerful, too, if you wear our suits."

[tcwillis27]

Her annual tax return showed her income around 150K. Do you really think she paid for her own 150K wardrobe? Think, think, think...

[ecsiwingo]

There is also a poll that says40% of American think that the Repulcians control the Congress. Did you ever read the book "How to Lie With Satistics"?

[kold]

to mandy mi: well, as for the stupid and gullible, that's what europeans usually refer to americans as being. i didn't let this get me, i am also european and spent long time in u.s., but as you said it now, i think it's right, and more gullible than stupid. that's why i wouldn't be surprised if mccain and palin truly believed that the world is gonna eat their s**t as it did bush's due to america's riches. nobody wants that anymore, and i hope you people there realise it before it's too late.

[Democrab]

Beauty queen intellect will replace law school logic in right winged candidates.

[democratsneedtowin]

Palin's ethics and core values are what bother me.

[ecsiwingo]

That would mean that you don't have any ethics or values!

[HerePhysically]

Of course, it could mean you value different things than she. Perhaps 'lack of ethics...' would have been clearer?

[Tremonius]

I've noticed the guise, and so did Lenny Bruce. The hoods he knew would take one word and use it all the time for a cheap semblance of sophistication; "It's so facetious ... how can he? ... so facetious ... oh, don't get facetious with me!" I've heard it plenty of times. Ludicrous is another. The simp crook Agnew, from before anybody here was born, had lots of them shovel fed into his yap. Nattering nabobs of negativity. Eleemosynary. Then he became the only veep in history caught with his hand in the till while in office. Even Nixon was smarter than that.

[rb99]

ARGH! It may be her favorite word but she does not know how to pronounce it! She is always saying "AKmadinajad"...there is no hard "K" sound there dummy! Granted, most Americans cannot pronounce the sound of the first syllable of his name (and it is too hard to describe in words what it should sound like) but really, at least saying "Ahm" instead of "AK" would be closer to how it is supposed to sound.

[zanzig]

Maybe she needs lessons from Jeff Dunham?

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=MugQDD2FcKQ

[zanzig]

Sadly Georgia fell out of the news because Palin had nailed the pronounciation of Sakaashvili perfectly and I'm sure would have welcomed more opportunites to show that.

[MandyMi]

First let me say that I have been deeply disturbed by the Palin pick since her nomination. I thought McCain was crazy. Then he bounced in the polls. I have since come to the conclusion that a goodly chunk of our American citizenry is either not so smart (stupid?) or unbelievably gullible. She has not proven herself in any way whatsoever. From everything that has been revealed (not much), she is perhaps qualified to be an armed forces recruiter, a B movie star, or a salesperson. Being the governor of Alaska for less than two years is not proof of capability. That is not enough time to determine whether anything she has done in office was the right thing or not. Not to mention it must be really tough being the governor of a state overflowing with oil that was over $100 a barrel most of her term. Her schooling was not exceptional. She did not run a successful enterprise. All that she has proven as that she has an ability to win an election.

The Republicans chose her for her ability to manipulate the idiot masses. Use a few big words with the right attitude (arrogance) and a copious amount of sarcasm and you can convince people of anything. "Straight Talk" Unbelievable! I seriously can't fully wrap my mind around this.

Her problem with Couric is that she tried to do the interview without the attitude and sarcasm. She's nothing without it.

[Old-Surveyor]

MindyMe, Obamas IQ is 124. Sara Palins is 120. Not much difference. Mine is 136, due to my understanding of math. What is yours. Is it as big as your hate or as low as your uninformed ego.

[shawhan]

Please, let's keep the discussion civil! It is not Governor Palin's fault that the McCain people chose her. I can only suppose that she was stunned and flattered by the offer and--being a good soldier of the Right--she stepped forward to take the job. Sadly, she is a poster child for the Peter Principle (remember that old theory?); namely, that people often rise to the level of incompetence. I do not blame her for this, I blame John McCain. He used her physical attractiveness, religious conservatism, and feisty personal magnetism to stir up the base. It is as cynical an exercise in political gamesmanship as I have ever seen.

For those of us on the Left, we should thank him for making the campaign easier to win. For the nation, however, his cynicism is about as dangerous as you can get. Can you imagine if, by chance, the Republicans win, John McCain dies, and Sarah Palin becomes the President of the United States?!? Lord forbid! She is simply in over her head--and who would suffer if she stepped into the presidency? Not just the citizens of the United States but the entire world! Can you imagine in your wildest nightmare having Sarah Palin in charge of the nuclear codes? Or having to face down Putin? Or handling issues of civil rights and a woman's right to choose?

[Tags]

She should take a tip from Jet Screamer

eep op ork ah-ah!

Keep It Simple, Sarah

[Barackaroo]

Wonder how many days of coachin' it took to pronounce Ahmedinajhad? I'll bet she wishes she spent more time on the US (not AIP) Constitution so she could answer the question " What does the V P do?" Is she that stupidly stubborn? Bad combination.

[levibatgirl]

LOL!

She throws it in proudly wherever she possibly can.

I'm sure she can almost hear Professor Higgins going, "By jove she's got it!"

[jennytaylia]

Aww... she's just so proud that she mastered saying it, donchaknow?

BTW, my sweetie calls him "Ahmed-got-a-Dennys-job"......

[Hufferton]

Funny!

Ms. Palin is juss tryin' hard to be pretentious; a word which she most likely does not know the meaning.