Quotes of the day
posted at 10:40 pm on October 13, 2008 by Allahpundit
“What caused McCain’s surge? It was the choice of Palin. Who’s Palin? She’s a conservative down the line, maybe a couple detours here and there, but she’s a conservative. They’re trying to, by the way, diminish her by saying she’s a populist. The Drive-Bys today have stories, ‘If this woman’s the future of the Republican Party then the Republican Party’s dead.’ That’s what they’re writing today. Well, we can take that to mean just the exact opposite. If she or somebody like her is the future of the Republican Party, the Democrats have a lot to worry about.”
*
“I know, it’s elitist to expect a candidate for president or vice president to speak like an adult… It’s even more elitist to expect a vice president to put together sentences that cohere into a minimally logical progression of thought. There was a time, however, when conservatives upheld adult standards—such as clarity of speech and thought—without apology, even in the face of the relentless downward pull of adolescent culture. But now, when a vice-presidential candidate talks like a teenager, mugs like an American Idol contestant, and traffics in syntactical dead-ends and non sequiturs, we are supposed to find her charming and authentic.”
Blowback
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I want to add that I enjoyed reading your comment, and it gave me a new insight into why people react so viscerally to honest criticism of Palin. It’s sort of the political equivalent of calling insulting someone’s mom or sister. Conservatives identify with her narrative that much. But she’s not running for mom or sister, she’s running to be the next in line for the presidency; and she should be subject to the strictest scrutiny.
RightOFLeft on October 14, 2008 at 2:38 AM
Interesting, I get more straight talk out of Palin than any of the other three candidates. May be time for those hearing aid gadgets. Isn’t it interesting that you can get a better answer out of someone who has not spent a lot of time in politics as a politician or strives to be a politician.
N4646W on October 14, 2008 at 2:41 AM
Like, I am not wasting another moment of my life, man, reading another worthless Heather Mac Donald turd.
The ill will these jerkoffs (Parker, Mac Donald, Noonan, et al) have fomented will long outlast this election. However this election turns out, it’s going to cost them, in readership, goodwill, speaking engagements, etc., and I hope they find it was worth it.
I know that Parker has already begun whining about losing speaking engagements, and I have to confess that makes my heart sing. May there be many, many more cancellations for Kathleen, Heather, and all of them.
Kensington on October 14, 2008 at 3:12 AM
Equality may perhaps be a right, but no power on earth can ever turn it into a fact.
Tav on October 14, 2008 at 3:29 AM
It does not require many words to speak the truth.
Hinmahtooyahlatkek on October 14, 2008 at 3:32 AM
Re: MacDonald
You used the word “conservative” a lot and claimed to speak for us. I do not think that word means what you think it means.
Mostly I explain most female columnists going after Palin centers on two vital factors:
1. That columnist supports abortion
2. That columnist is jealous, catty, and narcissistic.
The first mostly plays into the second. The reason feminists claim women can’t “have it all” is because they spend all of their free time demonizing men, family, and traditional values.
They never figured out that if you have a good man by your side who loves you and cares about your children, the whole career + mom deal isn’t that difficult. Whereas if you are a nasty unbearable shrew who is “sexually liberated,” should you ever be unfortunate to have a child you will find your life balance severely impacted.
And again, it isn’t like Sarah doesn’t have two basically grown children. Bristol is getting married so she’ll have the support of her husband, who seems like a decent guy all things considered, and Willow is 14 and it isn’t as if she has no living memory of taking care of a small child. Granted she was 7 when Piper was born if I have the ages right.
Although being from the east coast, I’m not used to hearing that many Southernisms strung together so closely, I prefer that to the garbled diplospeak used up here, e.g. people speak like they graduated Harvard but communicate like an illegal hombre.
BKennedy on October 14, 2008 at 3:40 AM
Semper Fi.
Johan Klaus on October 14, 2008 at 3:51 AM
Right after Obama gets his.
Jim Treacher on October 14, 2008 at 4:03 AM
Rush’s job is to get numbers on his radio program. He is enormously successful. His success lies in the fact that he represents himself, not the GOP or Bill Kristol.
The upper echelons of the GOP do not need to be dumbed down. They need to be smarted up.
The upper crust of the GOP ignored Rush, and manipulated the primaries to install their favorite son McCain who was the least favorite of a majority of GOP voters. They loaded the field with cooperative candidates to cherry pick the other voting blocks, and protected Huckabee who thought he was running for President when he was simply being allowed to reserve his evangelical block for McCain who had been carefully staged by Fred and Giuliani.
At the moment, Kristol and his not so smart co-horts have made Rush’s job easier as the conservative base turns to Rush, not the GOP to find conservative fellowship. Palin is very alluring to the base and completely disgusting to the Noonies at the top of the GOP
So far Palin is being used to rally the hard core GOP crowd and she is being kept from the general public where she needs to be. The GOP upper Crusties figure the base is a stupid and crass as Palin so they are a safe venue.
Of course, McCain messed them up by picking Palin. Obviously the elites staged the wrong candidate. They should have run Kristol/Noonan for President. Then they would have gotten long vowels and someone who understood the pain of having to invest offshore
entagor on October 14, 2008 at 4:14 AM
“Gets his”? Oh, like getting lynched, maybe? Is that what you mean?
Racist!
Kensington on October 14, 2008 at 4:23 AM
40 acres and a mule, of course.
Jim Treacher on October 14, 2008 at 4:25 AM
Unhinged
1. having no hinge or hinges, or with the hinges removed: an unhinged gate.
2. unsettled, disordered, or distraught: He became unhinged when McCain won.
3. to upset; unbalance; disorient; throw into confusion or turmoil: to unhinge the mind.
4. to dislocate or disrupt the normal operation of; unsettle: to unhinge plans.
5. to detach or separate from something.
6. to cause to waver or vacillate: to unhinge supporters of conservative policies.
Obama would call this…. a typical distraction.
Kini on October 14, 2008 at 4:27 AM
Ooooh! Link?
Jim Treacher on October 14, 2008 at 4:30 AM
It seems that the gentleman was referring to “his” media scrutiny.
Johan Klaus on October 14, 2008 at 4:52 AM
These “squishy conservatives” like Kristol and his ilk believe that they are the Republican conservatives of the modern age. But only if conservatism is redefined to mean “gutless cowards standing in the middle of the road and perfectly fine with being steamrolled by liberals”. This way, they keep getting invited to the important parties. What could be more important than that?
SKYFOX on October 14, 2008 at 5:04 AM
There should be a retract button for comments like this. I’ve made ‘em. Sucks when it happens to you. I feel bad for you.
Do-over granted.
The Race Card on October 14, 2008 at 5:46 AM
Agreed.
I’m just sayin he’s as good at stoking his finances as he is the political fires.
The Race Card on October 14, 2008 at 5:54 AM
Kristol, Brooks et al figured that the Republicans were going to lose this time around. They looked at the generic ballot numbers and the popularity rating of President Bush, and figured out early on that it was a Democrat Year, and the best thing the Republicans could do about it was to lose quietly.
So John McCain, 2000 Edition, was their ideal candidate. He could be counted on to be upright and positive, to not make any waves, and to lose with class. This was the country-club, blue-blood prescription for 2008 from the git-go. McCain was supposed to run a nice, quiet, centrist campaign, and move the center of the Republican Party over to the Left. In doing so, he would get pasted by whomever the Democrats ran, of course, but to the Centrist Wing of the Republican Party, moving their own party to the Center was the only thing they thought they were likely to achieve this time around.
But nobody told John McCain that he was supposed to lose. John McCain is out there trying to win this thing, and John McCain is no fool. McCain realized that the Center means defeat, and that the only way to win this thing was to give people a reason to vote Republican by promoting Conservative principles of thrift, strength and family values. So he skipped over all of the boring Centrist get-along types, and for his biggest decision, he tapped Sarah Palin.
Now, McCain is being soundly criticized for this choice. But when you hear this criticism, you should apply this simple test. Would John McCain be anywhere near competitive in this race if he had picked Tim Pawlenty for a running mate? Or Olympia Snowe? Or Mitt Romney? These picks would have signaled to one and all that McCain was happy to lose with class to Barack Obama, and would have been broadly acceptable for that very reason. But when McCain picked Palin, he signaled that he was not ready to lose with class, and that he was, in fact, not ready to lose at all. That is the real reason people got enthusiastic about the Republican ticket for the first time. Because with the choice of Palin, McCain signaled for the first time that he would not be happy to lose.
Now, I have a lot of Democrat friends, who have picked the name next to the (D) in every election all their adult lives, who are complaining that John McCain is not the John McCain of 2000. They say that they might have actually voted for McCain if he had run a Centrist, dignified campaign. This is complete nonsense, of course. In November, they are going to pick the (D) just as they have for the past 30 years, and just like their parents did the 40 years before that. Gaining their vote was always a mirage, and John McCain is smart enough to know that.
gridlock2 on October 14, 2008 at 6:00 AM
I’m just sayin he’s as good at stoking his finances as he is the political fires.
The Race Card on October 14, 2008
Are you damning with faint praise or just damning? When did Rush’s finances become your business? God bless him for using his talents to do well for himself by educating us. His acquisition of wealth does not diminish your opportunity for the same. Remember, the pie keeps getting bigger…until Obama takes over. Then the pie will get stinky and overrun with bugs.
SKYFOX on October 14, 2008 at 6:07 AM
RushBaby on October 14, 2008 at 2:09 AM
Don’t you think your concern over Palin’s scrutiny seems quite silly when you think of the level of Scrutiny that has not taken place in almost 21 months of Obama’s campaigning? Here we are a mere few weeks before the Presidential election and there remains a cloud of mystery as to who he is, what he is and where he came from. Does that not bother you?
1. Occidental College records — Not released
2. Columbia College records — Not released
3. Columbia Thesis paper — ‘not available’
4. Harvard College records — Not released
5. Selective Service Registration — Not released
6. Medical records — Not released
7. Illinois State Senate schedule — ‘not available’
8. Law practice client list — Not released
9. Certified Copy of original Birth certificate — Not released to courts
10. Embossed, signed paper Certification of Live Birth — Not released
11. Harvard Law Review articles published — None
12. University of Chicago scholarly articles — None
13. Record of baptism– Not released or ‘not available’
14. Illinois State Senate records–’not available’
Syd B. on October 14, 2008 at 6:23 AM
I think the use of an analogy to a classic TV series best describes many of the East Coast “blue blood” conservative reaction to McCain-Palin in general and Sarah Palin in particular. Think of East Coast conservatives such as Kristol, Will, Noonan, and Parker as being Mrs. Drysdale and Sarah Palin as being the Clampetts from “Beverley Hillbillies.” The blue bloods look down their noses at Sarah Palin because she doesn’t talk like them, doesn’t read the same books they do, doesn’t laugh at the same jokes, doesn’t shop in their boutiques, she hunts with real “shootin’ irons”, is a mother and is proud of that, actually believes in and makes a determined effort to live up to her faith, and possesses a great deal of that rare commodity in Washington D.C.–common sense. They’re scared to death of her. The East Coast blue blood conservatives have far more in common with Barack Obama than they do with her–and McCain for that matter–hence the open sabotaging of their campaign.
If Barack Obama wins this election, a fair part of the blame should rest with the East Coast glitterati conservatives who did practically everything in their power to derail Sarah Palin and practically nothing to help her. I would say, if anyone deserves an Obama administration, it would be them.
Matt Helm on October 14, 2008 at 6:25 AM
So just because Obama got a free pass from his supporters, that means Palin should get one from us? I don’t quite grasp this logic.
CherokeeJack on October 14, 2008 at 6:41 AM
The difference is that we know what Palin is or isn’t and we choose to support her or not. That’s a big difference from the cult following on the other side, which has evovled on the strength of a number of factors, including a MSM that is part of the lie machine.
Syd B. on October 14, 2008 at 6:47 AM
Listen to this on Palin.
She’s running for 2nd in charge, but hello, she’s a Governer already. She’s successfully running a large state comparable to the size of Texas. In the case of Obama, he’s running for THE Presidential seat, not 2nd, he’s Governer of nothing, considered a Junior Senator at best and has little good to say of our military’s duties and is not fit to be running it. So 2nd in charge is being compared to IN charge. Its McCain running to be IN charge and he IS fit to do it and served his duty abroad and at home for a very long time. The choices suck to a degree, but MCcain is the wiser choice. Palin is even a wiser choice than Hillary would have been.
johnnyU on October 14, 2008 at 6:51 AM
gridlock:
Kristol is a big Palin supporter. In fact he was pushing Palin back when most Americans had never heard of her.
Some of Palin’s rhetoric in regards to the big oil companies and Wall Street does sound populist to some degree. But that is only because conservatives assume that any criticism of big business is populist. It does not have to be that way. It seems to me that Palin represents average people, or tries to.
Terrye on October 14, 2008 at 6:51 AM
Rush-
It’s not often we get some unique commentary like that. I think you explain those sentiments very well, and I thank you for it, and for most everything that you write. I would like to add something.
Having to eschew our country’s top institutions (Harvard, as just one ex.) in search of our future leaders is not the same as wanting to. Another part of the shame here is that under better circumstances, a Sarah Palin could be even better if she had had access to brilliant minds that were untainted by liberalism. Her story is repeated throughout America these days. I’ve read that Teddy Roosevelt never went to a traditional school, until he went to Harvard. Today, Teddy would not be able to cap off his personal education with such a step. I think there’s something missing in Sarah that I’d like to see there–a meeting with untainted intellect. But that’s largely unavailable in America today, and is one of the important things we need to fix if we’re to have a bright future.
JiangxiDad on October 14, 2008 at 6:59 AM
Just for the record, Texas is the 2nd most populated state, and Alaska is the 48th. Not really that comparable.
CherokeeJack on October 14, 2008 at 7:02 AM
What I find funny is the idea that Sarah Palin is stupid because her structural syntax sounds different. One only has to look at where this woman has achieved through out her Career to understand this ain’t no dummy. The woman is not quite verse in national politics but I promise U with in a year they will be eating her words.
Dritanian on October 14, 2008 at 7:08 AM
The central question is whether or not one can govern from one’s values (Palin) or govern from one’s education (Obama).
That’s the question that’s driving the MSM crazy.
I do think that she has alot of room for improvement in communicating, not in speeches, where she’s great, but in these gotcha interviews, which is all about learning to pivot and block. Already, she’s made big improvements in this area already, and she’s only in her 40′s, folks.
hippie_chucker on October 14, 2008 at 7:10 AM
I’d rather have a politician that struggles but says what she means than one that is slick and smooth and trying to pull something over on me.
ctmom on October 14, 2008 at 7:16 AM
That and a buck and half will get you a cup of coffee as far as I’m concerned. Alaska has its own unique problems of governance just as Texas or Rhode Island or California. To say that a low population state is easier to govern than a high population one is a weak argument. Alaska has several very unique problems–a spread out population, not the best transportation infrastructure, management of natural resources, and a host of other issues that present challenges to a governor. She also doesn’t have the staff or bureaucratic resources (and that can often be a good thing) that say Ahnold has in California or the governor of New York would have, so, I would venture to say that she does quite a bit more “hands on” governance than those individuals do as well as coming into contact with quite a bit more of her constituents in more than just a simple handshake and smile manner.
As pointed out earlier, Governor Palin is young–she’s got a bright career ahead of her–provided she doesn’t get absorbed into the Beltway morass that is. As long as she stays true to herself and her values, she’ll continue to resonate with the population outside the cocktail parties and academic conference rooms.
Matt Helm on October 14, 2008 at 7:33 AM
It’s not HOW she says it. It’s WHAT she says. The crooked losers in the media just don’t get it.
marklmail on October 14, 2008 at 7:40 AM
I concede the point. Thanks for the explanation.
CherokeeJack on October 14, 2008 at 7:47 AM
Rush represents true conservatism. Because he IS a true conservative.
Queen0fCups on October 14, 2008 at 7:48 AM
This Palin bashing is outrageous. She’s had a meteoric rise in Alaska and by all accounts has governed Alaska effectively (and conservatively). She’s probably a little light on “serious” executive experience, and I agree she would have been a much stronger VP candidate if the year were 2012 and she had 6 years of experience as governor rather than 2. But you go to war with the army you have, not the army you want. Who were we going to put in there? Romney?
Her poor interview performances, I think, can be attributed to her being over-handled and probably at least some knowledge gaps on issues. Her later appearances and her stumping is much more cogent. Further, her political instincts (don’t concede Michigan, “palling around with terrorists,” going on the attack, etc.) are on-point.
Outlander on October 14, 2008 at 7:50 AM
Also remember that Alaska technically owns most of those oil fields and the pipeline trust up there “leases” the oil fields to the oil companies. Thus, when Palin “takes it to” the big oil companies, she’s acting as a market participant and not as a government regulator. Very different situation.
Outlander on October 14, 2008 at 7:53 AM
Hmmmm… just don’t see a word about a Senator that seems to drop some vowels when speaking on the stump (country changes to countrah) using his “Baptist Preacher” voice.
From the link on the front page indicating the RNC is looking at spending on Senators instead of on McCain may result in no increase in advertising as I was anticipating. Who would have thunk it! Cut and run Replublicans. One look at the RNC page to see the geezers running that and you can see why they connected with McCain.
Rush’s conservatism has remained virtually unchanged over the years. His ability to see through all the BS and explain it seems to get better over time.
In the mean time, we have the “insiders” failing miserably. Insiders would be those generally from DC and NY that work harder to appease those around them while ignoring the general population…. thinking more about their next book than the makeup of the next congress… thinking more about their gig on some news channel or their chance to snag a guest spot than what legislation is pending.
TV pundits are also insiders. Consider that Rush and some others in talk radio appeared to be the only ones in opposition to the bailout… you know… the principled conservative position. Others are busy checking their business model and different revenue streams. Rush remains true to conservatism and signs a mega contract. Some 60%+ of the population consider themselves conservative or somewhat conservative. Some 85% seem to have opposed the bailout. In the mean time, our elected officials ignore that at their peril. The bailout passed for one reason only… big money is attached at the hip to big politics (regardless of party).
At the end of the day, I’m left with an image of a man running for President that has “shape shifted” nearly every position he’s held. A man that is clearly “so smart” and such a great speaker that he makes a reference on national TV to “My muslim faith”, only to be corrected by the host. How exactly do you do that as a practicing Christian of 20 years? Really. I’m not a religious person… I go to church every couple of years. I can’t imagine “My muslim faith” springing from any part of my brain… now matter how much I’ve had to drink.
Three weeks until we walk in the booth.
CC
CapedConservative on October 14, 2008 at 8:00 AM
With MSM shilling for the Dem Party, we have two choices. Either we change MSM or we choose candidates who can speak over MSM’s head. Sarah seems to have more of this talent than anyone since Ronald Reagan. How much slang, and how many “likes” are used, is an inoperative preference.
I’m certain Sarah’s a fast learner at doing interviews. She’ll be a real pro soon, and well before 2012.
Meanwhile, I’m vowing to support only candidates who come from outside the DC beltway bubble and outside the northeast liberal elite.
petefrt on October 14, 2008 at 8:02 AM
We need to do a bit of both. Sarah Palin most definitely possesses the capability to speak over and around the heads of the MSM, but we also need to continue to develop a conservative alternative to the MSM narrative–which will probably be a much harder proposition if Obama gets office and the upcoming Congress passes a Fairness Doctrine targeting talk radio and quite possibly conservative blogs such as this one. Conservatives have to develop the means to get our message out to the general public through the noise of the MSM.
Matt Helm on October 14, 2008 at 8:11 AM
Yes, Rush has gotten much better in the last few years. Much better.
Pelosi-Reid-Obama will try to shut him down by shutting down his genre of talk radio. Hopefully Rush has ammassed a big war chest for lawyers, PR, and such. Should be an interesting fight, to say the least.
petefrt on October 14, 2008 at 8:11 AM
Sarah is not the problem. You start at the top and McCain is NO conservative. McCain cannot explain basic Economics and never will because he simply does not understand.
When he mentioned Adam Smith in the 60 minutes interview and two minutes later named Andrew Cuomo as someone he would pick for SEC, I fell out of my seat and knew at that point the GOP would loose the election.
luckybogey on October 14, 2008 at 8:21 AM
I agree completely, Matt. But I’m having trouble figuring out how to do it, how to gain parity of influence in MSM.
I’d like to see someone like Rush put together a privately funded conservative media venture capital fund and development bank. In one of his shows, he said he’d given it some thought, but had decided that media ownership was not the best way to approach the problem.
I’d also like to see more conservative journalism and media schools, and more scholarship funds to support them. I’d like to see done for media something like what the Federalist Society does for the judicial system.
One thing for sure, our guys better be thinking about how to turn the Dem’s ‘Fairness Doctrine’ against NBC, CNN radio news, public broadcasting, CBS, and ABC. If they shove another ‘Fairness Doctrine’ down our throats, we would need to use it to shut down the news function (and politically loaded entertainment shows) of broadcast MSM.
petefrt on October 14, 2008 at 8:29 AM
Not even close, Eric. Rand was an atheist who, most likely, would have aborted Trig. Sarah Palin is the political love child of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher.
ManlyRash on October 14, 2008 at 8:35 AM
What resonates with those who support Governor Palin is that her convictions are grounded and solid. Her beliefs in the blessings and responsibilities of liberty and in the individual’s right to pursue happiness and success are demonstrated in her life, her family, and her governance.
Like Harry Truman, she is plain-spoken, and Americans instinctively recognize that with both, “The buck stops here.” The electorate value a politician whose rhetoric and actions do not collide and do not obfuscate a hidden or deceitful message. Palin does not incorporate movie scripts and “just words” and coded language and slick Marxist appeals to the perpetually aggrieved. She has not surrounded herself with surrogates pulling her strings and disguising or shaping her intent.
In spite of the best (and maliciously superficial) efforts of the media and opponents to smear or detract her, she has a remarkable record of achievements in executive positions and in business. The snake-oil salesman Obama, not at all; he has been given a pass because the gatekeepers prefer to be dazzled with bullsh*t. Fortunately, discerning voters have built-in bullsh*t detectors and prefer the genuine straight talk of Governor Palin.
Unless they have been pampered into passivity through government nannyism, Americans intuitively champion people like Palin, who have clear goals, a solid work ethic, a resume of walking the talk, a spirit of independence, and optimism.
Sarah Palin is not a machine politician, shaped by handlers and an overweeing ambition. She says that her task has been to serve the people. In that statement alone, she understands the role that our forefathers envisioned in the formation of our representative republic.
onlineanalyst on October 14, 2008 at 8:39 AM
Yes! (Good work, Mr. Rash!)
petefrt on October 14, 2008 at 8:40 AM
Someone set me straight. From what I understand about libertarians (mostly from listening to Boortz) they align with fiscal conservatism and social liberalism (govenmant out of our bedrooms, decriminalize drugs, and all that).
Palin, on the other hand is 100% social conservative, and something less that 100% fiscal conservative. Am I wrong? (I usually am)
neuquenguy on October 14, 2008 at 8:57 AM
Unlike the talking heads and pundit class and the leftist echo-chamber, Sarah Palin has produced more than just words and opinions. She has cleaned up corruption, opened doors of energy independence and productivity for her constituents, built infrastructure, and served as a responsible steward, returning to the citizens of Alaska the tax dollars that they have entrusted to her governorship.
onlineanalyst on October 14, 2008 at 9:02 AM
What the east coast elitist pundits can’t seem to grasp is that people want a politician who says what she means and means what she says — not someone who can dazzle us with verbal bull$hit.
And if Heather wants to criticize someone for their speech, she has to look no further than obama who can’t string two words together without an ah, eh, uh. He always stalls before speaking because he is a deer in the headlights. And since he has no original thoughts, he will state a position and have to back pedal from it the next day. Heather is just another partisan hack. And I am going to write all the producers and hosts of the radio stations I listen to and ask them not to have her as a guest.
Blake on October 14, 2008 at 9:03 AM
And she has done her very best with a “Sarah Smile”.
Only the most helplessly, hopelessly soured could resist that ability.
onlineanalyst on October 14, 2008 at 9:04 AM
No, we are saying that if you want higher taxes, increased spending, our enemies to view as weak (every terrorist nation and murdering thug endorses him), a socialist, a person who does not respect the First Amendment and seeks to silence his critics anyway he can including by intimidation and illegally, then vote for obama.
Blake on October 14, 2008 at 9:07 AM
This isn’t a question of whether anyone should vote for Obama. Everyone with a functional brain has already figured out that he’s bad for the country. This is a question of whether conservatives are treating Palin as if she can do no wrong and anyone who criticizes her is an elitist and/or a liberal, and I think some are.
CherokeeJack on October 14, 2008 at 9:26 AM
csdeven, Miss E, 7%…
sorry about the silence. Right after posting I was the victim of a random act of violence by a liquor bottle. It had me pinned to deck.
Limerick on October 14, 2008 at 9:28 AM
MacDonald carps about the quality of Palin’s declarations, but I understood what she was saying. Isn’t that the point of communication?
I guess Governor Palin couldn’t get a job at a think tank.
pmm on October 14, 2008 at 9:42 AM
God Tav. you’re like the Debbie Downer version of fortune cookies.
hawkdriver on October 14, 2008 at 9:48 AM
Just as in any other political ideology, there are different strokes of libertarian. I would actually put Sarah Palin more in the category of “Western or Rural Conservatism” which puts a great emphasis on individual liberty and responsibility as well as strong moral values. In her life, she is very much a social conservative, but at the same time, she governs within the laws and does not attempt to circumvent the legislative process.
Matt Helm on October 14, 2008 at 10:09 AM
Palin’s a phony and a blithering idiot. She’s certainly no conservative. A religious fundamentalist and an authoritarian populist, but by no means a conservative. Buckley, Hitchens, Allison, Brooks, etc. are all spot on. As a true Goldwater/Reagan conservative, I’m embarrassed by Palin and the current state of the Republican party and the conservative movement.
dakine on October 14, 2008 at 10:35 AM
You can go back to your cave now, David Brooks.
BKennedy on October 14, 2008 at 10:59 AM
You don’t understand what equality means. I don’t blame you, we’re a more materialistic society.
But equality is one of the mind. All men have the ability to think, to reason. That’s Jefferson’s equality. We all are born equal and we are endowed by the Creator to make what of it we will.
Spirit of 1776 on October 14, 2008 at 11:01 AM
BKennedy, try addressing the substance of my take rather than posting inane and childish taunts. It makes for more interesting dialogue.
dakine on October 14, 2008 at 11:03 AM
Try posting more than ridiculous hyperbole. There is no reasoned response to “Religious fundamentalist! Authoritarian populist!”
She is neither. Although with an 80+% approval rating, I guess you could say she has a cult following in Alaska. If actually, you know, supporting life in all its stages and using all of America’s energy resources is populist, sign me up please.
The religious fundamentalist in this race is Barack Obama. His religion is Black Liberation Theology, and he’s funded millions of taxpayer dollars to that end, both at the Chicago Annenburg Challenge and as the Jr. Senator from Illinois.
The authoritarian in this race is Barack Obama, though he’s Marxist moreso than populist. Between his Truth Squads, Obama Youth, and community organizer associates, he’s the authoritarian you should worry about.
BKennedy on October 14, 2008 at 11:30 AM
She’s running for 2nd in charge, but hello, she’s a Governer already. She’s successfully running a large state comparable to the size of Texas.
Just for the record, Texas is the 2nd most populated state, and Alaska is the 48th. Not really that comparable.
CherokeeJack on October 14, 2008 at 7:02 AM
This argument keeps coming up. All states no matter their land mass or population face the same problems. She seems to be doing a good job of steward-ship for Alaska.
N4646W on October 14, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Thanks (mostly) everybody for the good reading!!
I enjoyed it.
Mcguyver on October 14, 2008 at 1:01 PM
I agree. Regarding the MacDonald piece, I would prefer to see Palin eliminate what I expect would seem like “teen-speak” to everyone here if it were coming from anyone else. This isn’t a matter of authenticity–Palin would connect with crowds if she polished her speaking a bit, because sound ideas, particularly that of getting government off our backs, will resonate with most Americans. It’s just not an either-or proposition–she can rid herself of language habits that do not show her to her best advantage (and really, does anyone here think that “like, this” serves her well?) and she can be genuine and charming and connect with an audience.
DrMagnolias on October 14, 2008 at 1:22 PM
Your take had no substance, Mr. Astroturfer.
thirteen28 on October 14, 2008 at 1:29 PM
“Violence” much needed these days. We need you sober, shortly.
Entelechy on October 14, 2008 at 1:50 PM
Your response would be great if the comment to which you replied was the only one I made. You are responding to a response, not my initial statement.
The Race Card on October 14, 2008 at 3:37 PM
eh, I wasn’t using population as my comparator on states, but dammit Palin is a successful Governer looking for a promotion and I aim to help her out. :)
johnnyU on October 14, 2008 at 6:26 PM
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