The article can be undone definitively and decisively in two brief observations:
- Two days after the 1992, where was Dan Quayle? In national terms, gone forever.
- One year after the 2008 election, where is Sarah Palin? Well, put it this way:
Can she be President? Will she be President? Should she be President?
- Greenberg's article is, like, Part 8,495,676 of the media's ongoing series of reports on Why Sarah Palin Is Inconsequential
- Google "Sarah Palin," and you get 22,700,000 hits.
No idea.
But as long as the lefties and the squishes keep ranting and raving, "yes" remains a possibility for all three.
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28 comments:
I agree that she is not going away soon. However, I think she makes it too easy for the Dems to caricature the GOP. Also, I think that if you want to be President you should have to show that you can FINISH at least one term to which you have been elected previously. Finally, do we really want our highest leader in the land popping off at the mouth and "goin' rogue" all over the place?
Right before I came here I was reading this piece by Canadian commentator Rex Murphy.
Even Canadians are still discussing her.
Sandman, I have to agree about quitting her term as governor. Some of her reasons make sense; evil Dems (not meant as a tautology)were causing ridiculous ruin and distraction with frivolous accusations. But if she's even President, that won't stop.
As to your other, I think it's a false premise. She doesn't pop off at the mouth, and "going rogue" meant simply that she campaigned to win, not completely lining up with McCain's idiot advisors' losing plans.
Point taken regarding McCain's advisors. I have to admit that her candor was refreshing early on, but it seemed to degenerate into an arrogance without substance as the campaign progressed. Maybe that was poor strategy by the McCain team, or poor prepping of her by the same, or an unfair spin by the media... she just seemed to be ad libbing all the time, and not too well.
Perhaps that doesn't constitute "popping off at the mouth," and my hyperbole was overstated.
"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated"....Mark Twain.
Reports of the death of Palin's political career - likewise.
Curiously, I thought the Barbara Walters Interview on 20/20 last night was downright congenial. The focus seemed to be mostly on Trig, and Palin's decision to not kill him. Walters, who had a mentally handicapped sister, seemed to soften up to Palin and was almost....respectful.
I cringed when they showed some of the awful pics that had circulated on the internet showing Trig as a space alien, etc., and wondered if they should not have been shown, but in some respects, it's probably good to show just how sick and evil people have been to the Palin's.
All in all, it was a good pro-life piece. From Barbara Walters!
I made a status update about Palin the other day because with her new book out, I've been hearing so much about her from prominent on-air conservatives. Unfortunately, my status was about waiting . . . waiting for some substance from Palin to validate all this big talk. I am eager to look for the good. However, I heard her on Sean Hannity's radio program the other day on health care and heard a lot of stiff talking points.
:-/
If public clumsiness were a one-time incident, I could get behind her all the way, but this is how she often sounds to me.
I am longing for a fresh, articulate candidate who makes decisions systematically based on a deep sense of history and conviction. Why is that so hard to find? I meet people like that in my daily life.
If Michael Medved ran for President, I'd vote for him.
I think Palin is intelligent, of course, but in a street-smart, get-'er-done sort of way. And maybe that is not enough. Maybe that's why she has not been able to transcend in a graceful way the ugly publicity that took place last year. That's why the media storm has been successful in keeping me from understanding what exactly she did accomplish for Alaska.
Anyway, sorry this is too long. I drink coffee on Saturday mornings.
DJP: Can she be President? Will she be President? Should she be President?
I don't know either, we'll certainly find out in the upcoming weeks, months and a couple of years.Certainly she's able to articulate the important ideas. There is no other charismatic leader that I can think of that can right now.
It is kinda amusing that people are writing stuff saying that there is no way she can be President.
Oh, not just that Paula. She took a photo for Running World or something to that effect. She is into fitness. I read an article about that in the WSJ when she was nominated. Anyway, this photo shot is now put on Newsweek. How'd it get there? The photographer breached his contract to not give it to anyone else and gave it to Newsweek so Newsweek is going to use it. Oh, but it's not sexist to put that picture on a political magazine. Noooooo.
DJP: The problem with being being the governor in Alaska is that Palin had to pay for representation herself. In many other states and as the President, you have a government official such as your AG, representing you. I do agree that she isn't Presidential material. Certainly McCain's advisors have substantial blame. But at some point you have to prepare yourself for these interviews. Some people have a natural talent for public speaking. But after years of Toastmasters, I know even the most natural talent needs lots of practice. I'd like to see her in the Senate.
All the same, it is great amusement seeing the liberals go into convulsions at the mere mention of her name.
I'm looking forward to reading her book. I ordered it a while back and it should arrive this Wednesday.
Would she make a good president? I don't know if she is revolutionary enough. Perhaps she is.
I think we need someone like Ron Paul.
@CR:
DJP: Can she be President? Will she be President? Should she be President?
"I don't know either, we'll certainly find out in the upcoming weeks, months and a couple of years.Certainly she's able to articulate the important ideas. There is no other charismatic leader that I can think of that can right now."
What important ideas has she articulated (besides on Facebook--I'm skeptical that she wrote those posts herself)? She strikes me as someone who gets her supporters rah-rah excited, but about what? It seems to be about image of her party vs. the other party. It's about crafting emotional language that is appealing only to her side. I'm tired of this stuff. I honestly hope she rallies with more than pep rally material in the coming weeks, months, and years. Otherwise, she would be another candidate for whom I would merely settle.
I heard her on Rush, when Limbaugh asked her thoughts on the economy. She said she didn't know why the administration wouldn't learn from Reagan, who had a worse recession and came out of it by lowering taxes and encouraging an environment in which businesses grew and produced jobs.
For instance.
Okay, that's a good start. :-)
Yeah, what Dan said, Angie. Also, just to clarify, she definitely has the conservative values and she can articulate them and we'll learn more in the upcoming months.
She'd make a better President than the last four we've had.
The fact that she annoys the left is a bonus.
She'd make a better President than the last four we've had.
Hmmm. I believe Guy Kawasaki from Apple defines that as the "We [stink] less" marketing strategy. Not exactly a winning one...
I'm with Angie B. I find it interesting that she is at her most articulate (and I'm thinking more and more that that's pretty relative) when she's communicating through print, when she can hide behind ghost writers.
She seems to have a beauty queen's knack of saying nice things nicely, but there's no deep, cohesive vision, and no seeming ability to find ways to articulate it, whether in hostile or friendly territories (if she's actually got one). The book isn't a policy book - it's a tell-all about her life and the campaign. Which is all well and good. Even if it was a deep policy book, the media would ignore it and try and stay shallow with the Trig/Levi drama and the wardrobe receipt soap opera. If she's a serious politician, her job is to not let them get away with that - to look for opportunities to go deep, and in the process, call them out on their surprising lack of interest in her ideas, rather than the campaign gossip.
She also seems to be Bush-grade stubborn about toning down any element of her Annie Oakley persona to reach out to independents or others who want to be open-minded about her, but can't get past her "gee-whillikers" speaking style, and all the talk about hockey moms. Bush was the same way - wearing cowboy boots to summit meetings and talking in Wild West terms, as if to do otherwise was to deny the faith. A president is president of the entire country, not just one subculture within the country.
If she really has the depth of insight that her fans think, these are actually pretty simple weaknesses to fix. But she's already squandered so many opportunities to fix them, I'm thinking she's got a substance problem, not a style one.
That she's still the most popular voice in the Republican choir says a whole lot more about the utterly tragic state of the Repulican party than it does about her. Blech.
Whether it's that she doesn't get asked about policy enough or whether her personal life and effervescent personality overshadow the issues, or whether she truly doesn't not have a strong grasp of them, the fact remains that most of what we hear from her is not serious policy discussion. Can she overcome her personality to become a serious leader? She told Barbara Walters her life has become a reality show. Will she become a victim of that?
Personally, I think Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) has the potential to have the "Sarah Palin effect" but with more national experience thrown in. She has a flair for the dramatic, movie star good looks, and, as Rachael said of Palin, "a beauty queen's knack of saying nice things nicely."
When she called for a march on DC to protest the health care bill, not only did thousands show up (I think there were 40 busloads from Ohio alone!), but the ENTIRE Republican leadership showed up! No small feat and it says (to me) that her colleagues were afraid NOT to show up.
Angie B said, I am longing for a fresh, articulate candidate who makes decisions systematically based on a deep sense of history and conviction. Why is that so hard to find?
Sign...we need another Reagan
"The triumph of free markets and democracy over totalitarianism is the great political story of the 20th century, and Ronald Reagan was one of its most visible authors.
There is no doubt that he was the Great Communicator; and the words with which he so adeptly communicated live on. Not only his spoken words, but his written words, too — which survive in his own hand, in numerous speeches and letters he drafted on yellow pads.
What a person writes reflects his thinking and his values, and gives us greater insight into his soul than a ghosted speech, a press conference, or even a private conversation. Reagan's writings may, therefore, be his most important gift to us — because they explain the man behind the accomplishments. They reveal the thinking that drove his policies and strategies as president (and, earlier, as governor of California). And they reveal the knowledge, intelligence, determination, and discipline with which he pursued both public office and the goals he set for himself, once there....Between 1975 and 1979, Reagan delivered 1,025 three-minute radio commentaries, of which he wrote at least 673 himself. About 70 percent were on domestic policy, 30 percent were on foreign policy and national defense — and all laid out his views on a wide range of issues."
If Palin calls me, that's what I'll tell her to do...maybe I'll tweet her : )
Right on, Rachael. I enjoyed your razor-sharp analysis.
Rachael:
She definately needs to ditch the accent. Bush had the same problem. It doesn't matter what comes out, with that accent some people just associate it with ignorant backwoods.
As far as the ideas are concerned, none of the conservative ideas are particularly complicated. Lower taxes, lower regulation, lower spending. The problem comes back to the people. They want Rolls Royce programs on Volkswagon taxes. After Phil gets done talking about the sin of gambling, he should address the sin of the current tax system. In my opinion, the greed is exactly the same in that people want other people's money.
Sir Aaron said,
She definately needs to ditch the accent. Bush had the same problem. It doesn't matter what comes out, with that accent some people just associate it with ignorant backwoods.
With all due respect, that's the same elitist attitude that comes from the MSM. I'm from Ohio and Sarah Palin's "accent" is pretty much the "accent" of the Midwest. Are you really suggesting that a person has to change his/her "accent" if he/she wants to be taken seriously as a candidate by those with the favored, more intelligent-sounding "accents"? Kind of offensive.
Rachael,
I disagree that she needs to change her "speaking" style. She needs to be who she is and speak in her own plain language. She doesn't need to pedigree herself and become a Washingtonian. There was nothing wrong with her speaking style when she debated with Joe Biden. She used the same accent and plain speaking style. There was also a lot of substance in her debate with Biden. It had liberals foaming from the mouth. So, nothing wrong with her speaking style if that's who she is. Also, nothing wrong with W wearing a cowboy hunt. When the media hanged out at Bush's ranch during vacations he was working and living at this ranch - media hated that because they couldn't find Starsucks and get their lattes. (Reagan also wore cowboy hats by the way at his ranch). But yes, when he had summit meetings at his ranch with world leaders, yes, he wore a cowboy hat at this ranch, because, it was a ranch. He didn't wear cowboy hats in the Rose Garden.
Sarah Palin has a warm and engaging personality and speaks in a commonsense language that resonates with most Americans. No, she doesn't have the Washingtonian pedigree but neither did Ronald Reagan.
If she chooses to run for office and I have no idea if that's what she wants to do right now and nor does she, she'll have to connect the conservative principles to suburbanite concerns that have practical applications. She'll have more opportunities to do that.
By the way, I think she gave a good interview with Bill O'Reilly this week.
Paula, were those quotes from the intro to the book Reagan in His Own Hand? We have that, but I've never gotten far in it. Lately I've been thinking that I should read it.
Paula: Whether it's that she doesn't get asked about policy enough or whether her personal life and effervescent personality overshadow the issues, or whether she truly doesn't not have a strong grasp of them, the fact remains that most of what we hear from her is not serious policy discussion.
And we're not going to get serious policy discussions from Oprah or Barbara Walter interviews. They're interviewing her about her memoirs book not public policy.
She did give a good policy speech at the CLSA. It was closed to the media with very few exceptions but media outlets that got to go reported on it.Al-NYT> got to go and actually reported fairly on it. They even asked a person who said he would never vote for Palin said she acquitted herself well.
But this is kept under rap to put people in doubt that she can do anything on public policy.
If you bother to read her book you'll find mostly policy. The media focused on this little bit that wasn't ... big surprise. A shame some people who should know better bit.
Angie said, Paula, were those quotes from the intro to the book Reagan in His Own Hand? We have that, but I've never gotten far in it. Lately I've been thinking that I should read it.
Yes! I'm waiting for it from Amazon.
I shall use it as a warning to my kids, especially DS (18) who wants to major in political science. The book contains a short story Reagan wrote when he was 14!!! (he received a B+).
I also own a slim volume Reagan wrote while president, called Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation. He was more than just a pretty face. (Not meant as a commentary on Palin, just a commentary on Reagan).
Paula,
Yes, If I were her advisor I'd definately tell her to work on accent and avoid certain words that are prevalent among certain parts of the country. For example, my daughter, a native Texan, now says y'all. Myself, being a native Californian, cannot stand to hear it. It grates on me like nails on a chalk board. When you're public speaking you have to avoid certain speech characteristics.
And FYI, I've been to almost every state in the Union. Palin's accent is definately northern midwest not all of the midwest.
If that's offensive, oh well.
I understand that you like her politics, but here are the reasons she should not be POTUS:
* She is a wife and mother whose primary duties are in the home
* She is the mother of a very small child - a developmentally disabled child - again, she should be at home
* Sorry ladies... she is a woman. You may disagree, but I have worked with women all my life. I don't think a woman should be the POTUS
Sir Aaron,
I had my VP of Internal Audit come talk to a class that I taught as Sac State. He was as Texan as you could be with all the accent. The students LOVED him. Sorry you can't stand your daughter's native Texan accent. I have no problem with accents and neither do many other Americans.
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