Here's a very interesting article from The New Republic I found. As I have mulled over the Palin pick in my head over the last few days, I believe the Dems and liberals are falling over themselves into the Rove-ellian political trap:
The Case Against the Case Against Palin
The article ends with this:
"Sarah Palin is a living reminder that the ultimate source of political power in this country is not the Kennedy School or the Davos Summit or an Ariana Huffington salon; even now, power emanates from the electorate itself. More precisely, power in 2008 emanates from the working class electorates of Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Sooner or later, the Obama camp will realize that the beauty pageant queen is an enormously talented populist in a year that is ripe for populism. For their own sake, it had better be sooner."
The McCain camp has managed to re-define the theme of this election once again by re-invigorating the Culture War: Palin reignites culture wars
This is why they picked someone like her. She represents a lightningrod, a liberal flystrip, if you prefer, that will make all those left-wing liberals who attack her look like they're elitists alienating the working-class, heartland 'Mericans. Obama camp had better watch out and step around this political excrement-in-a-flaming-paper-bag that the Rove Sith-apprentices have put down on their doorstep. This is like "Bob Roberts" politics where an assassination (a character assassination in this case) is faked, and liberals are all too easy targets to fall for it.
Palin symbolizes the return to "God, guns and gays" political game at which the Reps are experts. This is a Simpsons' episode where the townfolk chant "Monorail!" in the Music Man cadence; a South Park episode where the townfolk misplace their anger shouting, "Dey took 'r jobs!" The Dems cannot compete in this game because the 'Merican public will never accept liberals as the defenders of their beliefs, values or culture. And don't forget the good ol' conservative whipping boy, the liberal media. McCain camp knows this and knows that this is the only way that the Reps can stranglehold the presidency.
It is truly despicable that they are going down this road again, but will the third time be the charm? I can officially declare that I have zero respect for McCain. Maverick? Hardly, just another opportunistic politician who will do and say anything to be president. Maverick McCain died a quick death prior the 2008 election season. It is also quite sickening to see the Reps pat themselves on the back for putting Palin on the ticket, as if they have accomplished something new and progressive, as if she somehow can even be a torchbearer for the "18 million cracks in the glass ceiling" that Hillary created.
The best course of action for Obama-Biden is to stay away from the culture war trap (as I saw Biden say repeatedly on C-SPAN tonight, "Children are off-limits!"), and let Palin be Palin. Looks like she's got a lot of political loose ends with which to fashion a noose for herself: See Campaign money hurts Palin's outsider image. I realize it'd be highly unlikely and a political suicide, but I'll go out on a limb to say that Palin's VP nominee days may be numbered.
Plus, the latest Gallup poll says Obama has hit the 50% mark. Mere post-convention bump perhaps, but thank the Lord at least half of the country is able to see through the Rove-ellian politics-as-usual smokescreen.
6 comments:
Well, too bad I have to get my news from alternate sources. CBS reported tonight that Palin was a member of another party. Sounds rather innocuous. They failed to mention, however, that the party Palin was a member of, advocated full Independence from the U.S.A. Of course, she denies that she was ever a member of the Alaskan Independence Party. The CBC also reported on a story questioning the legitimacy of her contention that she gave birth to her last child. Apparently, the hospital she claims to have given birth-in has no record of it. Therefore, it is possible, that her daughter has given birth once before, at 14, or 15? I don't know what age that would have made her.
Cheers!
Hey Republicans? Why does this convention seem more like a wake? Will Palin be replaced? Fred's speech was a bit of a surprise, I guess. Is he being groomed, for the VP spot? I know McCain has a VP, already. But bookies in Vegas are at 18, now, and rising. That means, that 18% of the people betting on McCains VP, are betting against Palin, at this late date.
Read this astute breakdown of how the Palin controversy could play out: The Palin Convention and the Culture War Option
It's not just "divide and conquer". It's "divide, distract, disinform, create general chaos in the political discourse and conquer". Ah, the Republicans never fail to deliver the shite!
Still early yet, but so much for garnering the women vote: US women voters turned off by Palin's pick: poll
I still say, though, that she was not picked to get the women vote as the main purpose; it's more insidious than that.
I'm also very annoyed with Steve Schmidt once again. He made a living off trashing McCain in 2000 with all kinds of falsehoods and I got to hear more than I should have about Obama's connections to Rev. Wright (several weeks' worth) and yet somehow, after only about two days of media gossip about Palin, Schmidt starts whining about the personal attacks and the old boys' network.
Hey Steve, if you can't stand the heat get out of the presidential race. I guess you can dish it out, but you can't take it.
Also, I read another comment from one of McCain's spokesmen about how this campaign isn't about issues. Well, that's nice of them to tell us in advance.
McCain appears to be more of a flip-flopper than Kerry ever was (or Bush for that matter). All of his hot air about thinking outside party lines and being a maverick -- and he picks someone who instantly fires up his conservative base. I thought mavericks didn't have bases to fire up.
And as Fred Thompson, I guess he figures Americans are worse on geography than we actually are. He praised Palin during his convention speech by being able to run the largest state in the country.
Yeah, the largest state by area, you dumbass. More like 47th out of 50 by population, though.
I hope this VP choice backfires on McCain and the GOP, but I have my doubts as to whether this country as a whole can actually use their brains for once in the past 12 years.
Bush invoking 9/11 to praise McCain (even though the US was under GOP-majority rule in all three branches and both houses of Congress when the attack happened)
Well, if Bush and Giuliani are any indication, McCain is more likely than Obama to try to make money and/or score political points off 9/11, so maybe that's what he meant.
I'm glad I don't have time to watch the GOP convention. I'd probably have to throw something.
Like Obama said the other day, they can't run on the issues, so they're running away from the issues and hoping Americans will follow them.
C'mon, America! Aren't we smarter than this? Let Sarah Palin dig her own hole. Let McCain cancel interviews when he doesn't get softball questions.
Logically, McCain has no shot to win this thing. If America truly wants to lead the world again -- in something besides ignorance and mistrust -- then we have to elect Obama. The world is waiting to see if we have wised up since 2004.
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