Sarah Palin...If You Don't Read, You Don't Lead

As many know, in her Oct. 3 "do-over" interview with Carl Cameron of Fox News, Sarah Palin claimed to read the New York Times and the Economist.

Then a few days later we learned what she really reads.

Coffee cups.

Or rather, as observers quickly pointed out, and as Madeleine Albright confirmed on this blog, she misreads coffee cups.

People shook their heads and moved on. But as Kathleen Parker later pointed out in a sit-down with Howard Kurtz, Palin's initial inability or unwillingness to answer Couric's question about reading was perhaps the most disturbing Palin moment that we've seen. (Even scarier than the witch-doctor).

It was unnerving, as Parker noted, because it suggested that perhaps the Governor of Alaska simply doesn't read.

Literacy is important. To bow to the word-fad of recent years: "literacy matters."

While I'm not suggesting that Palin can't read - she reads her teleprompter gamely enough - it's not the first piece of evidence to suggest that she's no great friend of the written word and it all points to an alarming lack of intellectual curiosity. (As does getting her first passport a year ago.) I'm not saying she's stupid, but intelligence without intellectual curiosity is a blind and reckless force at best.

Listen to the profoundly empty "Joe Six-Pack", "Hockey Mom" blather that she's injected into the campaign, as John McCain's designated culture weapon, and it's no wonder that the Republican Party is shedding intellectuals faster than Karl Rove sheds subpoenas.

As conservative columnist David Brooks of the New York Times pointed out, Palin is the latest "cancer" to result from the virulent strain of populist anti-intellectualism that has come to define the modern Right. With Parker, and then Christopher Buckley both being tarred and feathered by their conservative brethren, simply for voicing dissenting opinions and now with Brooks coming as close to a outright endorsement of Obama today as he likely ever will (unless he wants to change his home address) - one has to wonder how we got to such a crazy place; a place so crazy that brains have become a wedge issue.

It didn't start out this way.

Once upon a time we had leaders who were both highly intelligent and intellectually curious. While our current president struggles with English, our Founding Fathers spoke four to five languages. They weren't just politicians but diplomats and inventors, scientists, authors and public intellectuals.

And they were, to a man, extremely well read.

In college, Thomas Jefferson often read fifteen hours a day - and he read important works in the original - as it was a given that, along with mathematics, history and philosophy, an educated person should know Latin, Greek and French. There was a crazy idea at the time that if you wanted to play a role in the affairs of the world, you should learn a thing or two about it first.

There was a time when America's leaders neither aspired to be average nor pretended to be. They weren't Joe Six-Pack (or more aptly - Josiah Six-Ale). They were the best among us. They were the elite. In fact, they were our leaders precisely because they were the best among us. And that kind of made sense.

There are a number of qualities essential to good leadership. Courage is important, to be sure, but a cool head and a firm hand are important as well. Knowledge both wide and deep and the judgment to wield it- wisdom in other words - is perhaps the most essential quality of all.

Plato talked about the "philosopher king" ...well we've had almost 8 years of an idiot-king who flew by the seat of his flightpants and it's nearly ruined us; leaving us mired in two wars abroad with quaking markets and a gaping deficit at home.

Now, in a highly touted "change" election, one party is running a former D student who himself admits to being hot-headed and impulsive, whose low-road campaigning has tarnished both the electoral process and his own reputation and whose political ideas become less credible with every emerging reality. As his running mate this man has, either recklessly or cynically, chosen a woman who believes instead of thinking, who knows little of the world and whose every tortured sentence is an affront to the logic of language itself.

Forget the White House. The only public building these people should be heading for is the library.

At the worst of times we need to turn to our best. So bring on the bookworms, bring on the deep-thinkers, bring on the leaders who make decisions with their minds and not with their guts or their bibles.

It's time to turn the page.

Comments

[Handsome1204]

Palin never reached 50 percent of the vote in Alaska. She received 48.6 percent
of the vote; Democrat Tony Knowles received 40.9 percent and Independent
Andrew Halcro received 9.46 percent of the vote in the 2006 race; which
many say was more of an indictment of the Murkowski administration than
a vote for Palin.

Then, as now, she played the part of the outside, small town mayor
with no connections to the wrongdoing in Juneau. Knowles had
been governor in the 1990s and Halcro was a state
legislator; therefore, they were establishment elites.

Halcro wrote this article for the Christian Science Monitor: http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1001/p09s01-coop.html.

Her only true intelligence upon any issue relates to oil/gas issues and
distribution of the profits thereof. Many legislators in
Alaska complain she has no interest in "unglamorous"
issues such as healthcare, education and infrastructure.

I believe her 15 minutes are about up. While some believe she may represent the
GOP's future, I believe otherwise; that the GOP, following Tuesday's
defeat, will begin the process of either expelling or at least
minimizing the influence of the neo-cons and evangelicals.

Ronald Reagan's former economic advisor Bruce Bartlett wrote in 2004 that George W. Bush's
election on November 2, 2004 would insure an interparty civil war starting on November 3.
While it did not happen on his timetable, I believe it is coming on November 5, 2008.

[fiorastar]

Thank you. It's exactly what I've been thinking since the very first Obama speech I heard back in 2004. And it is true that Republican intellectuals (yes, many do exist or they wouldn't have so many think tanks or frankly, so much power over the past 8-30 years, depending on how you're calculating) are jumping ship to Obama for exactly that reason.

An example is my father. A PhD who voted for Bush the last two elections and with whom I've had to steer clear of political discussions for that entire time. He reads everything he can get his hands on. He's voting for Obama.

[wolfsvssarah]

i agree with you and the writer, except for one thing. I am a Christian, and I read my Bible everyday. I think and learn everyday, from both God's word and from the world itself. My decisions are based on all the information I can get from any source I can. Christians can and do make good decisions everyday. Our househoid has chosen the only really clear thinking candidate, Barak Obama.

17 days and we will have a person that really thinks in the Whitehouse. Is it ok for me to say Praise The Lord, :)

[fiorastar]

Absolutely. If you truly follow your Lord, then Obama is absolutely the one to vote for, as he more honestly does the work of Christ. It's those who call themselves "Christian" and then spout the kind of greed, hatred and intolerance that would have had Jesus throwing them out of the temple, who I wish would stop taking the Lord's name in vain.

[sloreader]

Having a beer with a hoser is one thing but electing him/her to lead the country is like buying a keg and forgetting the tap! It may look good but it doesn't work.

[tm68]

Thank you for writing this post! I have been so frustrated by this mediocrity, "this candidate is just like me". When did this happen? When did we stop wanting our leaders to be the best we have to offer?

There is no way that I am going to stand if front of my students and say to my most reluctant of learners, and say," You know, you don't have to know a whole lot of stuff to become president, or senator, or mayor. Forget this learning how to speak in standard English. Forget developing an interest in wide reading, not just for enjoyment, but for deep knowledge. Forget learning how to make your point without having to destroy the person you differ in opinion with."

When people like this run for high office, I lose my credibility to teach my students what it means to be a global citizen, to engage in life and be a knowledgeble, participatory member of society. They look at me with that, "Yeah right." look because they see Miss Mediocrity running for VP.

When I show my students that embracing diversity and human dignity should replace discrimination and racism and they come to school telling me about the McPalin rallies and the hate being spewed, again, I feel that my credibility to show my students how to behave with dignity and respect for their fellow man is diminished. "Yeah right." they say ,as they see McHate smear a respectable running mate.

[Renu]

i mean how much of intelligence can you expect from someone who believes global warming is God's warm breath!...The Economist?she reads the economist..even an average person finds it a little hard to completely comprehend the journal...
A person who doesnt make the effort to read(especially in public office) is the people's worst enemy.You fall out of touch with real people and their real problems.Even real hockey moms and real plumbers read their local newspapers.An empty mind reflects a narrow insular personality.The deadliest puck of them all...
Can you imagine the horror if she & her running mate is elected?All libraries other than Christian libraries and withcraft ones would be shut down.Students would be taught to hunt moose.
Oh ye, of lowest capability
Oh ye ,of even lower abilities
Pack thine rifle ,lipstick and bunch of lies
Fold thine fancy skirts ,calm thine crazy hair and even crazier thoughts
March back,no,run back to where you belong..
We as a nation have to move on!

[timmmahhhh]

Good article, and it quotes one of my favorite articles worth a read on its own:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/10/opinion/10brooks.html?_r=1&scp=27&sq=palin%20small%20towns&st=cse&oref=slogin

[wolfsvssarah]

ROFL I'm sorry, but I could not help myself. As I read the article I kept seeing SP holding the article and reading it, and then saying, well by golly isn't that just the truth. I doubt she even knows what a dissident intellectual is? What do you think?

[2faced]

Excellent write-up! Republicans have used this Joe six-pack strategy for the last several election to get their " intellectually challenged­"candidate­s into government. Sarah Palin is the shining example of this dumbing down of America. Back in Alaska or Idaho how much competition did she have in college? Who takes six years and 5 different colleges to get a degree in Journalism? Who wants this McCain/Palin pair to design the american education policy? There is still time for America to be the greatest nation in the world if they recognize the value of education. For the last ten- fifteen years the crowd in America's colleges is hungry for good quality and well rounded educational programs. If the leaders themselves are an example of high literary or higher brain function, they can make policies for the future generations.For Sarah Palin as a starter give her a wooden Chess board as somebody suggested. On her Chess board the King and Queen would be Joe and Jane plumbers. The bishop would be a Gun toting NRA Maverick and the pawns would be little Cindy McCains going out hunting for drugs.John the Maverick you have shown the highest degree of cleverness in the selection of your VP.

[Kingbreaker]

Dear Senator McCain,

I am an independent voter with strong North Carolina connections. A few days ago, your running mate, Sarah Palin, suggested that "some parts of the country are more American than others," to paraphrase.

I was considering voting for your ticket until I heard this. I recently moved to Vermont. Am I somehow, not "American" enough to matter, based on where I live?

Your running mate's comments are divisive and insulting. Please take this opportunity to show real leadership by denouncing this hateful language.

Thank you,

_____.

[planetyoho]

That 'freth of bresh air' Palin is just another hapless pawn (prettier than GW, however, they made sure of that) mouthing a bunch of gibberish to confound those who actually try to comprehend, while major game pieces like Rove can carry on the behind-the-scene strategy to build an Empire of Evil. I mean, what's a woman to do? It probably pays more than a Pirelli calendar cover.

But, because she's a Fundamental Dominionist, that is a religious extremist, she is part of the squeaky wheel of rabid fanatics who shout their fear and self-righteousness in the name of God and all that is good.

And THAT'S just the religious piece of pie that's going on with this particular Republican ticket. There's also the military POW piece of pie that shouts slogans such as America, Patriot, Honor. We could go on with this very limited and narrow-minded pie.

IMO, the Republican party appeals to the three R's: Religious extremists, Racists, and the very Rich.

One short step away from (or to) fascism.

[oldugly]

Todays action page…

Simple things to exercise your political voice without leaving your computer, have a laugh and maybe actually contribute something to a better America…

You will feel better and sleep soundly.

1) [phone] this is the phone number for the RNC. You have to be firm ask for someone you can leave a comment with.

2) Contribute or write to the man running against Michelle Bachmann (small electorate every $5 or $10 really means something, please!
http://www.tinklenberg08.com/news_9-22.html

3) Sign this petition on line and lets let people like Michelle Bachmann know what America, our America, thinks about her and her kind.
http://www.censurebachmann.com/

4) http://womenagainstsarahpalin.blogspot.com/ Are you female? Add your voice to the 170K plus here. Warning: if you haven’t been here and read any of these bring a big box of tissues, it is very, very moving and I am a straight male saying that.

5) http://www.johnmccain.com/Contact/ Write John McCain’s campaign directly and give them a bit of your advice on what America means and should do, how we should treat our politics or what you think of Palin maybe?

[chf2go]

That is unfair. I'm sure she must read Field and Stream.

[peacegurl48]

Wonderful post! Palin celebrates the dumbing down of America as a mark of our "exceptionalism".
She clearly does not value ideas nor possess intellectual curiosity. Because of this she cleary has no world view and no context for her limited answers to open-ended questions (aka gotcha questions).

To exacerbate matters she has that narrow closed mindedness of the far right...scary mix.

[ploverinn]

What good fortune for those in power that the people do not think."
~Adolf Hitler, 1926

[oldugly]

heh, history, ain't it a beech...

[sgrl]

And please stop with the sound bytes on the stump. Ms. Palin, you have made the case that Obama is so very dangerous for this country. Therefore, as a VP nominee, it is your patriotic duty to have an intelligent discussion on, say, Meet the Press, so you can make your case to this great nation that shares land borders with Canada and Mexico, also.

[MrKINOKO]

Thomas Jefferson was so intellectually advanced, he read the Qu'ran IN ARABIC, and was able to impress a majority of the leaders of the Barbary pirates to cease hostilities against our shipping because they respected his ability to speak Arabic. And now we have a President who reads books with lines like "I caught a fish!" and will probably stock his presidential library with every book Ann Coulter and Newt Gingrich wrote, and a couple of copies of "Horton hears a who!". America has more than just "dumbed down", we've started the slow and sad process of devolving...we are headed straight back into being cavemen again. Palinites are yelling "Kill Him!" about a sitting US Senator...and getting away with it. Public libraries are closing in cities like Detroit and New York. BET and MTV are the major source of news for 17 year olds. Old people in Brooklyn read nothing but the Bible...and the NY Post. We, as a race, are becoming victims to our own leaps of technology and mass media. And falling behind in the world. When Obama said we should be embarrassed because we only bother to learn English, he was just touching on the problem. Instead of me having to "Press 1" to hear my call in English, how about someone newly arrived in America presses 2 instead? Times are hard...buy your kids some books, and a wooden chess set, for xmas/Chaun­nakah/Rama­dan/Diwali­.