It is not like me to write negative rants about individuals, so I will stop at the title and do what the whole world should do: "Move along, people, there's nothing to see here." Wait, wait, I actually have to say something about this phenomenon called Sarah Palin.
Governor Palin rose to the national stage shortly after then-Senator Clinton lost the nomination of the Democratic Party: two big mistakes for which Americans would pay for for years to come. While I mourned the loss of my candidate, the Republican Party thought we were looking for breasts over leadership. Let's be honest, the Governor of Alaska had no qualifications to run for Vice President of the United States, even if she could really see Russia from her backyard.
Within months of a disastrous loss for the Republican Party, Mrs. Palin was reaching star-power. She would publish a book, star in a reality show, grandmother an illegitimate child and tour the country in a jet. She managed to keep the news media engaged. They followed her wherever she went, and they insisted to be part of her circus experience.
Truth be told, she did no wrong. Honestly! She is not alone in going around in a traveling circus. Both the conservative and liberal media have their own clowns who speak through their political makeup and attempt to appear knowledgeable. I mean, who ever thought I'd be writing political articles as a grown-up? People and elections are made by the media. Why else would candidates air TV ads and go on interviews? Oftentimes, candidates may not need to spend that much of their campaign funds in order to gain some recognition. All they have to do is say something that may be considered controversial, and the media is all over it.
When was the first time you heard of about Jimmy McMillan? "Jimmy who?" you may ask. Exactly, you have even forgotten about him. But does a party by the name of "The Rent Is Too Damn High" ring a bell? He drew our attention because the media wanted us to know him, and it didn't matter whether he had a valuable message to share. As it happens with all things, good or bad, his pulse would die after living long enough to make us laugh.
Mrs. Palin is not a different story. I never took interest in whether she read The Economist or the Sunday comics. Her knowledge, or lack thereof, of world affairs is irrelevant. Her understanding of the Constitution or the history that led us to become a republic is of no consequence. I always saw her as filler. She was the duct-tape that you expect will cover the noisy hole in a muffler until you reach the mechanic. She was the masking tape you use to crisscross your windows when a hurricane is imminent -- the glass will break, but it may not shatter all over your leather furniture.
The difference between Mr. McMillan and Mrs. Palin is that her spotlight has lasted longer than it should have. Unwilling to sink into the comforts of oblivion, she's now the focus of a documentary called "The Undefeated." I would have accepted "Refusing Defeat" as a title. You may experience temporary defeat -- you know, the lost-the-battle-but-won-the-war analogy. She lost an election; her family went through the challenge of teen pregnancy; and her reality show was cancelled. What else needs to happen before she accepts defeat?
Governor Palin has lost much, and she will not recover. Refusing to give up the ghost, she has now become the undead. I don't believe she will ever be elected to any office. The pulse has faded, and the Republican Party has better and truer candidates to offer. Let's hope she does not seek to feed off their flesh and ruin it for Republicans all over again.