Monday, July 27, 2009

Is that a pea under my mattress?

(I'm writing a lot about Palin, but bear with me, it's a big day for her, and thusly, For America!) So, really, this was the money shot from Sarah's parting speech, "Democracy depends on you, and that is why... that is why our troops are willing to die for you. So, how about, in honor of the American Soldier, you quit making things up."

Ahhh.. media bashing, self-pitying, jingoistic, and divisively patriotic; Sarah at her best! 

But this is really the sort of thing that has always driven me nuts about Sarah. Nobody flings red meat as naturally and unselfconsciously as Sarah Palin, and yet she's amazed when people take shots at her. (I love it, the woman on Hardball just called it a Defensive Speech, does she give any Other kind?)

www.conservatives4palin.com is doing Sarah's complaining for her. Recently Sarah wrote an Editorial slamming cap & trade in the Washington Post. Media Matters made a video slamming her for putting forth idiotic environmental policies in a public forum. This is apparently beyond the pale as Sarah is now a 'private citizen,' Media Matters is encouraged to 'stay classy'. So, a public figure makes a public statement and is publicly criticized and this is beyond the pale? And this is right after they call David Axelrod an idiot (see post below) for ignoring the most 'popular Republican' out there. So which is it? Why wouldn't you attack her if she's a threat? Or is she not a threat? Or she's a threat, but she's a private citizen who does public stuff, but you can't criticize her. Jeez. My head hurts.

You know, back during the election, and Hillary pissed me off more than once, but she did put up with Way more shit than I recall Sarah ever subjected to, before or since (and yes, I'm taking into account the Letterman flap).  Just one memorable example, a group was formed to combat Hillary's nomination, they were called Citizen's United, Not Timid. I'll leave it to you to work out the acronym. Stay classy, indeed.

Anyway...

Living on a Prayer

So, I've been dropping by www.conservatives4palin.com on occasion these days. It's awesome, the comments particularly are deliciously delusional.

Now, I know you should never say never, and I'm not exactly saying Never, but I do think Sarah has permanently screwed herself here, at least if she's thinking she'd look good in the Oval Office. I know that nothing will shake the belief of her ardent supporters (see the aforementioned comments), but the fact is Sarah came off looking like an idiot in the campaign and it wasn't because of the 'liberal' media. The fact is the entire Republican Machine was blocking for her during the campaign. I have to say anyone that thinks she could make it through a Republican Primary is, well, not delusional, but they are certainly thinking wishfully. Remember, these are people (cough, cough, Rove) who suggested that McCain's adopted African child was really a bi-racial love child he had with... one of his slaves?

The point being that during a national campaign, you can list something as stupid as being able to see Russia from Alaska as a foreign policy credential and no one but SNL will call you out on it. You say something like that on stage at a Republican Primary, well, forget it. You're done. Those guys are sharks, and Sarah, despite the furor of her followers, just does not pull that much water. And Sarah doesn't even have to say anything More, the Katie Couric interviews (again, I'm sorry, very soft) would give any political spinmeister worth a goddamn more than enough material.

The other day David Axelrod stated that he doesn't think about Palin and her future. I suspect because he knows she's done, whether she wants to be or not. Of course, her followers would never accept that, they think she's still going to hand Obama his ass in 2012, but that's what followers are for.

Anyway...

Quitters never... Oh, whatever.

Holy snot! I have not blogged in forever, even by my standards. Well, let me ease back into the groove slowly and easily, and that means only one topic.

Yes, folks, Sarah Palin has resigned. You may have heard. She is giving up her elected post in order to fight for the people of Alaska in a way that can only be done by giving up a post which would help her fight for the people of Alaska, but she needs the free time to... umm.. better help her constituents? Yes, it doesn't make a goddamned bit of sense, but that's our girl!

So, tonight on Countdown they ran a montage of Sarah's greatest hits. I started writing a whole essay on my feelings of Sarah, but I'll try to keep this short, as nothing I was saying was particularly insightful or unique. But, Jesus, what a train wreck.

Let me just say, I am still overcome with relief that this woman was not one Feeble Old Man Heartbeat away from the Presidency. And I am also still, slightly, Angry at that old man for putting her in that position. 

I understand Sarah's appeal to certain people in this country. She is charismatic, and, I believe, fairly obviously a devout Christian. If that's what you care about, if that's All you care about, and there are plenty of people that vote their faith, then Sarah is your girl. 

But she was also clearly over her head. Some people out there think Barack is over his head, which is fine, but believing that doesn't all the sudden make Sarah qualified in any way. Sarah Palin was George W. Bush in a dress with a tendency to wink inappropriately. She clearly did not understand governing, and how no desire to learn; she clearly does not understand the limits of her own power, even as Governor she clearly didn't get it, imagine her in the Cheney Chair; and she was clearly willing to alienate Half the fucking country to get the others whipped up like the home team at a fucking football game. 

Thanks for the entertainment, Sarah, I'm glad we collectively sent your ass back to the tundra.

Anyway...