Sarah Palin Is a Political Force to Be Reckoned with — and Opposed for the Good of the Nation

© 2010 Peter Free

 

23 November 2010

 

 

First, Sarah Palin’s pluses — charm and a genius for connecting with people who yearn for simplicity

 

In 2008, I predicted that Governor Palin was going to be a significant force in American politics long after the election.  She intelligently promotes herself and has an admirable genius for connecting with people who yearn for simple solutions to conflicting and complicated problems.

 

Her public charm is riveting, as is her developing ability to turn criticism on its head.

 

 

An example of Palin’s skill in trumping opponents’ criticisms

 

Being able to turn one’s weaknesses into perceived positives is an admirable skill.

 

Here’s an example of Sarah Palin’s shrewd manipulation of public perceptions in regard to turning her disastrous ignorance-revealing interview with CBS’ Katie Couric in 2008 into a 2010 positive.

 

Her judo-like adroitness frees her to avoid similar defeats in the future:

 

 

Speaking about the prospect of an interview with Katie Couric, Republican Palin told presenter Sean Hannity: 'As for doing an interview, though, with a reporter who already has such a bias against whatever it is that I would come out and say? Why waste my time? No.

 

'So a journalist, a reporter who is so biased and will, no doubt, spin and gin up whatever it is that I have to say to create controversy, I swear to you, I will not waste my time with her. Or him.' . . .

 

'I would have greater respect, though, for the entire profession called mainstream media if we could have great assurance that there's fairness, that there's objectivity throughout the reporting world.

 

'I started out as a journalist. It's that important to me that that cornerstone of our democracy is given the credence and credibility that it deserves.'

 

 

War of words: Sarah Palin refuses to go head-to-head with journalist Katie Couric following 2008 interview humiliation, MailOnline (23 November 2010)

 

In other words, Palin contends that Katie Couric exhibits all the defects that Palin routinely does.

 

Clever.

 

 

Sarah Palin’s negatives — she is surprisingly ignorant and has no humanity-embracing imagination

 

Ex-Governor Palin’s political appeal is based largely on public charm, combined with the ignorance and lack of insightful imagination that many people share with her.  We generally like people who are like us.  Many of us, no matter how incapable, think we could lead the nation.

 

One could argue that the less gifted and more ignorant we are, the more likely we are to think we could do a better job of leadership than those in positions of political authority.  Sometimes that is even true.

 

A charming ignoramus might passably serve as America’s presidential mirror, if her charm embraced the multiplicity that is our country.

 

Unfortunately, Sarah Palin’s charm does not embrace multiplicity.  That’s its appeal.  Without that limitation, she would probably lose more votes than she gained.

 

 

Because ex-Governor Palin is exceptionally narrow, she cannot passably lead the totality that is us

 

As someone who generally finds himself more often in accord with views from thoughtful African American and Hispanic/Latino America, Sarah Palin is politically unpalatable.

 

She is too articulately, yet thoughtlessly middle class white trash.

 

I use the loaded “white trash” term because people sensitive to historical oppression and narrow-mindedness know instantly what I mean.

 

At its core, the white trash term has little to do with skin color or socioeconomic class.  It is fundamentally directed at a “classless” (as in “he has no class”), ignorant and bigoted mindset that is historically associated with people who just happened to be white.

 

 

Here’s what columnist Richard Cohen said today regarding ex-Governor Palin’s criticism of the First Lady

 

 

In her new book, she reportedly takes Michelle Obama to task for her supposedly infamous remark from the 2008 campaign: "For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback." Instantly, Republicans pounced. . . .

It was the government that oppressed blacks, enforcing the laws that imprisoned them and hanged them for crimes grave and trivial, whipped them if they bolted for freedom and, in the Civil War, massacred them if they were captured fighting for the North. And yet if African Americans hesitate in embracing the mythical wonderfulness of America, they are accused of racism - of having the gall to know more about their own experience and history than Palin and others think they should.

Why do politicians such as Palin and commentators such as Glenn Beck insist that African Americans go blank on their own history - as blank as apparently Palin and Beck are themselves? Why must they insist that blacks join them in embracing a repellent history that once caused America to go to war with itself?

 

© 2010 Richard Cohen, Attack on Michelle Obama shows Palin’s ignorance of history, Washington Post (23 November 2010)

 

Ex-Governor Palin’s narcissistic lack of imagination

 

One can only explain Palin’s ignorance regarding the actuality of American history by attributing intellectual laziness, lack of imagination and empathy, or narcissistic self-absorption to her.

 

I can sometimes abide laziness, non-existent imagination, and failed empathy.  Most of us exhibit those traits at one time or another.

 

But Sarah Palin’s thoughtless narcissism excludes the rest of humanity to the detriment of a nation increasingly comprised of multiplicities.

 

Those of us who care about the United States’ future should oppose her political ambitions.

 

With empathy and understanding, of course.