How to portray Palin

[nxylas]

OK before anyone feels the need to point it out, I know that the Obama campaign doesn't take advice from DUers yadda yadda yadda. The following is just an observation, take it or leave it.

According to conservative pundits and bloggers, McCain's reason for picking Palin was that people in Southern and Western small towns can relate to her. She's one of them. If Democrats attack her, they will appear like out-of-touch, sushi-eating, latte-sipping elitists. An attack on her will come across as an attack on anyone who lives in a small town, owns a gun, hunts, has a large family or homeschools their kids (and the key word there is "or" - anyone familiar with Boolean logic knows the crucial difference between OR and AND).

Howerver, it occurs to me that there is the opportunity for some Rovian political judo there, turning your opponents' strengths against them. The more we read about the Palins, the more it seems that anyone who grew up in a small town probably does know a family like them. They're the ones whose kids your parents warned you not to talk to when you were little. The ones with a big, aggressive dog (a pit bull, perhaps) chained up in their front yard, which is full of rusted hulks of cars on blocks. The ones who bother everybody with loud music at all hours of the day and night, but who everyone is too scared of to ask them to turn it down. If the Palins can be connected to that family in people's minds, I suspect their mythical appeal to Mr. and Mrs. Middle America will disappear down the toilet pretty damn fast.

The best part is that the Obama campaign doesn't really have to do anything. Us Magazine and the National Enquirer - publications widely seen by the demographic that Palin was designed to appeal to - are doing most of the work for them.

[heidler1]

1. It's "All in the family" only worse because the GOP wants to give them power.

[nxylas]

2. Archie Bunker seems positively benign compared to Palin

He may have some reprehensible opinions, but I wouldn't feel unsafe if he moved in next door to me. The Palins, OTOH, would be neighbors from hell.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

3. "The Neighbors From Hell"! I love it!!

The Palins are the reason we have HOAs now.

[flamingdem]

4. Palin is the school yard bully who hits kids who are younger for fun

Someone who knew her reported as much and said she did deserve the name Barracuda. The woman is aggressive.