Why Palin Still Matters: Why Some People Won't "Drop It Already"

[Bluebear]

Andrew Sullivan

Some readers think my continuing attempt to expose all the lies and flim-flam and bizarre behavior of Sarah Palin is now moot. She's history - they argue. Move on. I think she probably is history. Even Bill Kristol and his minions in the McCain-Palin campaign may not be able to resuscitate her political viability now. But even if she is history, she is history that matters.

Let's be real in a way the national media seems incapable of: this person should never have been placed on a national ticket in a mature democracy. She was incapable of running a town in Alaska competently. The impulsive, unvetted selection of a total unknown, with no knowledge of or interest in the wider world, as a replacement president remains one of the most disturbing events in modern American history. That the press felt required to maintain a facade of normalcy for two months - and not to declare the whole thing a farce from start to finish - is a sign of their total loss of nerve. That the Palin absurdity should follow the two-term presidency of another individual utterly out of his depth in national government is particularly troubling. 46 percent of Americans voted for the possibility of this blank slate as president because she somehow echoed their own sense of religious or cultural "identity". Until we figure out how this happened, we will not be able to prevent it from happening again. And we have to find a way to prevent this from recurring.

It happened because John McCain is an incompetent and a cynic and reckless beyond measure. To have picked someone he'd only met once before, without any serious vetting procedure, revealed McCain as an utterly unserious character, a man whose devotion to the shallowest form of political gamesmanship trumped concern for his country's or his party's interest. We need a full accounting of the vetting process: who was responsible for this act of political malpractice? How could a veep not be vetted in any serious way? Why was she not asked to withdraw as soon as the facts of her massive ignorance and delusional psyche were revealed?...

This deluded and delusional woman still doesn't understand what happened to her; still has no self-awareness; and has never been forced to accept her obvious limitations. She cannot keep even the most trivial story straight; she repeats untruths with a ferocity and calm that is reserved only to the clinically unhinged; she has the educational level of a high school drop-out; and regards ignorance as some kind of achievement. It is excruciating to watch her - but more excruciating to watch those who feel obliged to defend her.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/11/why-palin-still.html

[HowHasItComeToThis]

1. REPUBLICAN MASTERMINDS WILL USE ANYTHING OR ANYONE TO WIN

MADISON AVENUE AND K STREET

[roguevalley]

27. she doesn't answer questions, she fillibusters or changes the subject. she

won't be able to do that again. she also cannot learn. she's ignorant. let her whine. she will impale herself on her own ignorance,.

[Winnipegosis]

2. In other words

she's a train wreck, and a fun one at that.

Ask Tina Fey.

[Bluebear]

3. By the way - completely related to nothing:

The best sushi I ever had was at Edohei. Man, what a meal. Also, welcome to DU!

[Winnipegosis]

4. Strange

Never heard of Edohei.

Anyway, thanks for the welcome.

[SammyWinstonJack]

23. Don't happen to think train wrecks are fun and certainly I find no humor in

anyone taking Palin seriously. She is dangerous. Probably would make the poo flinging chimp's reign of terror look mild in comparison, if ever she were elected president. :scared:

[Winnipegosis]

34. Don't worry, it'll never happen

Palin is toast, burnt toast.

[calimary]

25. Agreed - Welcome to DU! She did generate a lot of material, didn't she?

Wish we were done with her, though. Unfortunately, this little attention-hog seems determined to continue jamming herself down our throats indefinitely. ENOUGH ALREADY! You LOST, sarah dear. GET OVER IT!!! (That's certainly what you'd be the first to tell everyone and anyone on our side if the situation were reversed.)

:puke:

[Winnipegosis]

35. She may be an attn dog

but as long as she gets ratings, the media will be all over her.

Media pimps and attn. dogs do very well by each other.

[SoCalNative]

5. She's still approx 65% of Rethugs choice

for the 2012 candidate. We need to be on top of this.

[depakid]

11. Lieberman was the "front runner" for the 2004 nomination

Palin will work out like that as well. Republicans aren't THAT stupid- they know she's a loser.

[14thColony]

22. Yes

And we need to encourage her every step of the way. With even a tiny bit of luck I would hope that Palin 2012 = Obama's second inagural address 2013.

[Farmall]

6. Why Won't Palin Go Away?

She's an easy target, that's why. For the same reason that fools like Paris Hilton are on the TV every night-easy laughs.

Why would anyone let her slink away, when they can continue to poke fun at her?

[Lochloosa]

20. Welcome to DU Farmall

:toast:

[JeanGrey]

7. Probably because DU won't stop talking about her.

[Hubert Flottz]

9. What do you think we should talk about?

And if you don't want to talk about Sarah Palin why did you click on this thread?

[Bluebear]

10. Obama's puppy or his tuna salad recipe.

[Lochloosa]

21. MMMMMM. Love tuna salad.

You got the recipe?

[JeanGrey]

29. I second that!

[JeanGrey]

28. We should talk about Barack and the new country we are

going to be living in!!!

I clicked on it because it seems every day there are ten threads on her. I wish we could just forget it already. WE WON

[Arctic Dave]

8. I am not a fan of AS but I have to admit he has been a

tiredless opponent of the stupid that the repug machine has been throwing our way for a while.


AS, I hope to see your positive input in the future.

[nichomachus]

12. We laugh at her -- but she is already being groomed for future use

The corporate media can create any reality they want. If they decide to pursue the Palin Strategy, by 2012, 65 percent of the country will see her as a viable candidate, instead of the truly scary, shallow, corrupt creature she is.

Why in the world has a losing VP candidate with no respectable credentials gotten so much air time since the election. She's been on TV more than either Barack, Joe Biden, or John McCain. Believe me, they have plans for her.

[Hubert Flottz]

13. Yes but...

When we take over the DOJ and we make it our political tool, like Bush and Rove did, we can go after people like Sarah and put her in jail and throw away the key. The GOP collected all this new sweeping power and now we can use it too. They shouldn't mind at all...

[nichomachus]

18. We shall see

It's possible, but so was impeaching Bush and Cheney -- and that got taken off the table.

Remember, Republicans and Democrats may argue about a lot of things, but they work for the same people.

[JeanGrey]

30. She is already a viable candidate to millions and millions of

people. Spending four years trashing her isn't going to help. It fact it might backfire.

As far as I am concerned, we have a great President and we're going to have him for at least eight years.

[guruoo]

31. I agree. Bush proved that even the most scary, shallow, and corrupt can become President

[tblue37]

32. And the interviews have been suck-up jobs, intended to make her look good. nt

[Shallah Kali]

36. She is the chosen one of the theocratic set & spews lie after lie without flinching

Darned right they want to keep her around and run her again. Mangled verbage and ignorance of simple governmental facts didn't stop bush from getting elected.

While I don't think they will win with her they certainly will keep using her to stir up hate, fear and donations.

I don't blame people for wanting to forget how dreadful she is but if we ignore her and the people backing her we risk letting her or someone just like her to gain national office. Just look at the damage she managed to make in a few months stiring up the racists. Think what the next four years might be - probably a stealthier version hiding her rabid nature behind code phrases that few but true believers will know what they really mean.

[leftchick]

14. say what you want about andrew

but he has a way with words and makes excellent points...

<snip>

My point is not to persecute or hound some random person. I wish I had never heard of Sarah Palin. I wish this nightmare had never happened. I wish totally innocent by-standers, like Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston and Heather Bruce and Trig Palin, had not had their lives disrupted by this circus. It's distressing to everyone, which is why most journalists left many aspects of this charade alone. But Palin is claiming vindication, is on every cable show, is at the National Governors Association Conference, and is touted as a future leader of the GOP. There comes a point at which you have to simply call a time out and insist that this farce cease and some basic accountability and transparency be restored to the process. Since no one else seems willing to do so, the Dish will stay on the case. So where are those medical records anyway?

[OneGrassRoot]

15. AB-SO-LUTE-LY. He has been spot on the last couple of years. n/t

[malaise]

16. I'll go with Lawrence O'Donnell

who said yesterday that given the odds of VP picks who lose ever showing up on national tickets, he's betting a Cadillac that she will not show up again on a ticket. He could only remember one in decades and he did not win.

[ProfessorGAC]

17. OK, This I Buy

Sullivan is right and i was wrong. It isn't Palin that matters anymore. It's how this happened that still does.

He's right.
The Professor

[KharmaTrain]

19. She's A Moth To A Light...And Visa Versa

The attempts to "rehabilitate" or turn the Barracuda into a martyr is a fun game to watch. Most of these interviews are the usual corporate media gadflies...all getting their "exclusives" now that they couldn't get before. It's like trying real hard to get the date with the real cool chick, she ends up with the captain of the football team, he dumps her and they're all ready to get sloppy seconds.

I keep hearing how she's such a "compelling story"...so are watching disaster shows. The fact is she remains a novelty, nothing more. Those who see her as their savior are the same ones who lost the last two elections and is further ripping the party apart. Her problem is she needs to stay "relevant"...visible...cause once her star fades, she becomes nothing but a curiosity feature.

Right now she's working her way through the "B" list...the Katie Couric's are done with her and she's rapidly headed to Inside Edition then onto the 700 Club.

[mondo joe]

24. It always rubs me the wrong way a bit when Andrew Sullivan is right.

But right he is.

[skypilot]

26. kick...

...kick, kickety kick.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[GreenTea]

37. Cuz people won't drop it, "aleady".....Palin is puposely in our faces....the idiot

republicans have nothing else to motivate their sick dupes.. Keith Olbermann displayed the republicans and (Palin's) duplicity perfectly last night. Man, is she stupid, a republican robot.... Hhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/