xiggi

Pizzagirl, assuming I should be considered a member of the other (and darker) side, I'll answer by giving my own interpretation and reaction to the Palin situation through a few points. To put things in perspective, I'll share that I did not vote for the Palin ticket but gave a chance to the "change" candidate. Call it a youthful and naive mistake, if you will! I can, however, blame the brainwashing that took place in our places of higher education!

My conclusion is that some of the other side did react to the treatment in the media (such as the hatchet job by the "reporters" of the New York Times) but also mostly by the vicious and repetitive personal attacks hurled by PEOPLE, including many on this forum.

1. I was shocked by McCain choice but realized that the choice of VP is NOT that important. After all don't we have a IRL version of Gaston LaGaffe "assisting" Obama.

2. As a potential conservative vote, I was dismayed by McCain's choice because it seemed nothing more than an attempt to reach to a constituency that was not rallying around him. In other words, a calculated move that displayed despair.

3. Despite the "Who's Palin" I also tried to give her the benefit of the doubt and see if she had ideas worth pursuing. Since issues such as school choice (and other choices) are high on my list, I could find elements that could make me nod in agreement during her presentation and unveiling to the world. However, many other elements backfired. Pitbull or not, Mrs. Palin was way over her head.

4. I lamented that again our country did not have a WORTHY choice for a female POTUS (or VPotus), including anyone in the field who ran against Obama. Obviously, my views of Clinton III are well known.

5. I found the SNL sketches about Palin hilarious, and enjoyed watching SNL returning to be a bunch of comedians instead of wannabe political hacks.

6. I found the media's behavior and reporting of Palin questionable. Obviously, throwing red meat and the Palin bones to a mass of rabid liberals was the ... ticket. However, that comes with the territory as long as there is a campaign. However, the foaming at the mouth does not seem to abate ... much.

7. In conclusion, I am wondering why people who viewed her as an insignificant twit continue to place her on a pedestal, unless it is to help throwing the rotten tomatoes and stones at her. This forces someone (such as me) who doesn't even like her to ... like and respect the "observers" who cannot let go of their fascination even less.

8. And, fwiw, this fascination with the small town mayor and Alaska governor illustrates how incredibly poor our choices are and have been in politics. None of our choices were much better than plain horrible. While there has been an obvious change in the directtion of our government, we are still far from moving in the right direction. Actually the only change is the rate at which we are now crippling our future.

Indeed, the continuing and orchestrated deterioration of our country makes discussions about Palin quite trivial. The United States on July 4, 2009 is, alas, not the United States it could and should be.

marite

Mark McKinnon has a very interesting piece on The Daily Beast. He is both clear-eyed about SP's limitations and her strengths. She emerges as a more sympathetic figure even though still not convincing as a VP candidate.

menloparkmom

re post 218
Hear! hear! Pizzagirl nailed it!
And regarding the sport complex- just WOW! The chutzpah of those in power continues to amaze me. If an indictment ISN'T imminent it just shows how out of touch those in the judicial system in Alaska are. Seems like shades of the old wild wild west to me.

marite

Xiggi's post includes many thoughtful points. I should note, however, that Mark McKinnon discusses her unmatched ability to attract publicity. He calls her "The thriller from Wassila." But she attracts publicity from both supporters and detractors. When was the last time she was mentioned on CC before this?

menloparkmom

Palin A "Shooting Star Crashing To Earth"? - The Early Show - CBS News

I think that Ed Rollins did a succinct job summing up that the Palin phenomena is over with this quote:

"Rollins pooh-poohed political pros warning that people shouldn't underestimate Palin's ability to come back from any position of relative obscurity into which she risks falling.

"You have to remember, everybody else climbed the mountain; she got put on top of it by John McCain," he said. "We would not be talking about Sarah Palin if John McCain hadn't picked her (as his running mater).

"So, at the end of the day, she's still gotta earn her stripes."

By resigning she has lost any chance be considered ready to lead this country in the future. I say thank God and good riddance! She was a joke and embarrassment to intelligent Republicans [ and all women who think it is more important to be valued by what they accomplish in life, than by how they look!].

CelticClan07

I see Gov. Palin has everyone still wrapped around her finger. Looks like Sarah has won, she's got the entire country talking about her.

mini

Same could be said of Mark Sanford (or Bernie Madoff).

hayden

Yes, she has won, if that's her only goal. Is it?

menloparkmom

Those who hold press conferences deserve to be talked about. It will be over by Mon.

Hindoo

CC07--That's an interesting definition of victory.

jym626

Good point, Hindoo. And people are talking about Michael Jackson too. Sadly, that doesn't make them victorious.

poetgrl

I haven't read this whole thread, so excuse me if this point has already been made, but I don't think she has any intention of staying in politics as a politician. I think she intends to go out there and do what she does best and get involved in the media. She is very attractive, very funny and very every day, and she will be like a likable Ann Coulter, but without the intellect.

jazzymom

The word I heard Rollins use to describe Palin was "kook" on CNN last night and I think he nailed it. She is a small-town politician who got elevated to a position way, way over her head and beyond her capabilities. Now it appears that even governor of Alaska is too much for her to handle, much less VP or POTUS.

It seems to me that it's not her critics that keep placing her on a pedestal within rotten-tomato range --- it's desperate Republicans like Kristol who cling to the idea that name recognition will someday count for something and that there surely must be a potential party leader lurking somewhere in the depths of Palin's compelling but confused persona.

From Daily Beast columnist Michelle Goldberg: To which the majority of Americans say: Heavin forbid.

Attacks on Palin as a potential national leader are entirely righteous, imo. The verbal and written rotten tomatoes thrown at her serve the purpose of driving her away from a place she has no business occupying, as she has demonstrated time and time again.

poetgrl

She's not going to run. She's on her way out of politics and into punditry.

jym626

poetgrl-

I think you are onto something. Come to think of it, now that The infomercial king Billy Mays has died, who better to be the spokesperson for products like Kaboom and Oxyclean?