Friday, October 31, 2008

Sarah Palin on Wednesday Morning

As we coast through the final days before Americans elect their next President, the future of the Republican Party in America – thanks mainly to Gov. Sarah Palin – is very much in question.

The chipper Alaska governor has, in just a few weeks, neatly highlighted a fundamental divide in GOP ranks. On the one hand, there are the small-government, old guard Conservatives who, though perhaps religious, nonetheless appreciate intellectual inquiry and a cohesive sentence. The late William F. Buckley, Jr. was the iconic example of this set. On the other hand, the G.O.P. has lately welcomed a swath of faith-charged heartlanders who cheer Fox News, reject ideas in general and vote with their crucifixes – especially on so-called ‘moral issues’ such as abortion and same sex marriage. (Example? Oh, any Ann Coulter fan should do.)

These complementary yet distinct subsets might not have mingled socially, but as a voting base they were very effective. Together, they placed and kept George W. Bush in office, buoyed the Iraq war, and endorsed the easy-credit, cheap-money economy that has now brought the nation to its knees.

But Gov. Sarah Palin has divided the party.

A few highlights: just this month, the Conservative magazine National Review ran a scathing indictment of Palin; shortly thereafter, Christopher Buckley (son of WFB) endorsed Obama and resigned from the magazine his father founded. Colin Powell, George Bush's former Secretary of State, came out to endorse Obama on Meet the Press with Tom Brokaw.

These high-profile ditchings are endemic of a deeper rift: between voters who tolerated an everyman veneer on their President in order to see pet policies pushed through, and those who would seemingly actually endorse a neophyte for high office.

At the time, Palin’s appointment probably seemed logical. After all, playing to a (low) common denominator has worked wonders for the Republicans in recent years. Bravado beats books. Faith trumps reason. Big words are scary and distancing – so give the people someone who talks like they do, gaffes and all. With universities and the mainstream media increasingly branded as big-L Liberal, Conservative candidates have veered toward outright anti-intellectualism to scoop up votes.

When McCain tapped Palin as his nominee for Vice President, he no doubt sought to mine the same vein of back-to-basics bedrock sentiment that had worked so well for George W. Bush. But anything in excess is a poison, and Sarah Palin has proven to be too much of a bad thing.

We need not revisit here her now-famous interviews, the stunning poetry of her ‘verbiage,’ or the countless op-eds from conservative writers rejecting her as inexperienced, inadequate, and an insult to the electorate. What matters is that a major component of the Republican Party finds Palin difficult to stomach, and the G.O.P. is hemorrhaging moderates at a time when it can least afford to do so.

If Obama wins next week, as the popular polls and the markets suggest (2008.PRES.OBAMA trading above 85), G.O.P. heavies must weigh seriously and carefully the role they want Sarah Palin to play going forward. Her supporters within the party may seek to propel her toward the next presidential nomination (if you think so, you can already invest in 2012.REP.NOM.PALIN).

But that would be a bad move. A candidate who drives staunch, old guard Republicans from the fold isn’t good for business – and with Palin as leader of the Republican Party, the inmates truly will run the asylum. With moderates long gone, the fraction of Americans that remain in Palin’s GOP will look ever more like marginalized extremists.

America is ready for an intellectually respectable leader – and poised, at last, to get one. As the Republican Party retreats to nurse the stunning double axe-wounds delivered by the Bush administration and the coming Obama landslide, they will no doubt think carefully before thrusting Sarah Palin to center stage once more.

42 comments:

Intrade said...

Bob said :

    You suck

Intrade said...

Bob said :

    You rock

Intrade said...

Bob said :

    you rock

Intrade said...

smarterthanyou said :

    Hey Mr. Liberal Pseudo-intellectual with your lame little hat and glasses...Which markets are you betting in right now? I'll gladly take the other side of your trades, you elitist moron.

Intrade said...

BillyC said :

    Very thoughtful article, Mr. Seringhaus. smarterthanyou is so not.

Intrade said...

Kirby said :

    smarterthanyou personifies the problems of the GOP, and why the party is getting lonelier, and lonelier. As the author points out, the party has milked the ignorant extreme, and they now run the asylum. If you dare disagree, you are branded a 'RINO' or, worse, a closet liberal and thrown out of the club. Kathleen Parker, Christopher Buckley, Colin Powell, Scott McClellan, Arne Carlson, Susan Eisenhower, Lincoln Chafee, Matt Dowd. The list could go on endlessly. All now GOP once-weres, or, according to the wing-nuts running the party now, never-weres. The GOP is in for some hard times. I personally dumped it 8 years ago. Good Riddance.

Intrade said...

erik1976 said :

    smarterthanyou,
I would start thinking about checking your false pride at the door these days or your going to even more lonely and angry. But that of course is your choice. Grow up or keep watching Fox news, again your choice.

Intrade said...

Solidcitizen said :

    It's pretty clear Obama will win. If Democrats get the 60 seat majority, I hope they will finally change the electoral process and eliminate the electoral college. One man on vote.....then, we'll have a real democracy.

Intrade said...

just a regular guy said :

    Mr. Seringhaus, I think you really nailed this issue. I tend to be a moderate and find I cannot support the strident and demeaning views of either end of the spectrum.
With the nomination of Palin for Vice President, the RNC may have bitten down on a 'poison pill' and doomed the party. If the Democrats 'win' and screw up this opportunity, to me, it looks entirely possible to see some credible and incredible alternate political parties emerge during the next decade. It may be that Palin's deconstruction of the Republican Party is just the beginning.
Also, you are the first writer to compare Palin's rhetoric to poetry - and it is. When you read the text of her speeches, over 60% of the time, they are incomprehensible and filled with contradictory meanings, but people listening to her hear something wonderful and meaningful on a deeply personal level. It is pure poetry.

Intrade said...

str8_talk said :

    Sarah Palin is a joke, an absolute embarrassment who thinks she can wink and flirt and wise crack her way to the White House. Your article nails it.

Intrade said...

RobJL said :

    Anyone who derides their opponent as a "redistributionist" (word?) while governing a state whose residents stick their hands out twice a year for federal taxpayer-funded handouts as Alaskans do - well, she might just get elected.

Intrade said...

str8_talk said :

    Sarah Palin is an insult, an embarrassment and a joke. You nailed it.

Intrade said...

TheFatman said :

    Great article!! To SolidCitizen: No matter the majority, no Congress can change the electoral college. It would take a constitutional amendment.

Intrade said...

Solidcitizen said :

    To TheFatman, That is what I said...The only missing for a change in the constitution is the filluster-buster proof majority. The presidency and the congressional majority is already a done deal.

Intrade said...

educator said :

    Not only did you hit the current troubles in the Republican Party on the head, but smarterthanyou presented such a stunning demonstration of the truth of your thesis.

Intrade said...

play2k said :

    Rediculous! You make light of Palin, by sighting Verbiage stammered in a few gotcha style interviews? Edited for maximum effect. Obama is a stuttering, stammering idiot who cannot articulate a simple idea without evaluating the political affect of his words, WHILE Sarah Palin has executed under the microscope of Mayor and Governor. I'm not saying that she knocked the World off it's axis with mindbending Decisions of Global life and death Decisions, but she did Govern and acquired an 85% approval rating from her constituency. Where is a single Obama acheivement other than Spending record money as a show to the Democratic Forefront that he can Play Ball with a loose wallet? McCain should be at 85 in the Intrade market because he is a LOCK. Wed 11-o5-08 we will all look back scratching our heads that we missed it!

Intrade said...

doctorrisk said :

    While it is clear that Mrs. Palin is intellectually lacking, and she has hurt the McCain campaign, it is not her who has split the GOP. THe split was already there. She only was the latest example. Indeed, President Bush is not that much different from Mrs. Palin. There is a wing of the GOP who ignore reality and claim she has experience because she was mayor of a small town. Clearly, that does not pass the laugh test and had Mrs. Palin been a democrat, they would be able to see this reality. But this mindless, data free section of the GOP has had a lot of power in the GOP and for the party to be sucessful going forward, they will need to stop hating people just because they are smart and move a bit closer to the center. The "Base" has been controlling the party far too long and the country is about to reject that version of the GOP. Only time will tell if they GOP can do what they need to do to regain any semblance of power.

Intrade said...

4intelligence said :

    I'm really going to listen to play2k, master of syntax, spelling, and capitalization. But then, maybe those who feel the need to display stupidity in public, need someone to represent them in high office. I can't wait to have another moron who glorifies ignorance to have a finger on the button!

Intrade said...

Gella said :

    I find this article rather shallow. I get that this is not a an opinion column, but I thought that a good argument should be substantiated on both sides of the story should be acknowledged . And the comments to the article just bland harassment, not a constrictive criticism. Lack of respect for mother of 5 and governor of the state really bothers me. Democrats and their supporters did a really good job converting me republican in this Election.

Intrade said...

yeswecan said :

    smarterthanyou - you are clearly smarter than not-that-many. And despite your anti-intellectualism, I'd say that a person with a PhD in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale qualifies as pretty damned smart. Even if that person isn't ALSO pursuing a law degree at -- Yale. Which Mr. Serringhaus is. And by the way, I hope we Liberals soon take back that word, and all the proud traditions of applied learning that it implies. Invest in a therapist - you clearly have anger and inadequacy issues.

Intrade said...

Intellectual Inquiry? said :

    A spirit of intellectual inquiry should have encouraged the author to explore more deeply the record of Sarah Palin in Alaska. Nada, no mention of any of that. Instead, we have here a recycling of what others have said. Does that commentary have any worth? Kathleen Parker is saying that McCain chose Palin because she is good looking. If this is a measure of intellectual capability, then it is clear that Joe the Plumber is doing better. Then you have these guys from Stanford University going and registering in Ohio and then confessing that they were not aware of the technicalities of the law. Give me a break. The Universities have clearly been corroded by the politically correct. Intellectual inquiry is at a discount. The intellectually curious like me are not convinced by this.

Intrade said...

Doverite06 said :

    Hey Seringhaus. Go on back to your ivy league school and continue your liberal education so you can become even dumber than you already are. You haven't even begun to live yet and already think you're smarter than the rest of the people in this country. That's what elitest liberal colleges do...they make you believe you are smarter than you really are. Grow up!

Intrade said...

Alencon said :

    I'm more concerned about what happens if McCain wins. Face it, McCain trying to get anything accomplished with a staunchly Democratic Congress smarting from three consecutive painful Presidential losses doesn't strike me as a formula for getting much done. Does that become evidence to the right that moderate Republicanism is dead and a full blown conservative like Palin, against everything from abortion to polar bears, is just what the GOP and the country needs even if it means usurping a sitting President? I'll take Obama. At least if he screws the pooch as President we'll still have the moderate Republican option open to us.

Intrade said...

markc said :

    Why should anyone care what a balding, overweight Canadian thinks about Governor Palin? Or the GOP? Why is INTRADE providing a forum for this nonsense?

Intrade said...

Damon said :

    markc, the reason: Michael kind of looks like a cross between Paul Kinsey from "Mad Men" and George Costanza which qualifies him to write a blog.

And apparently you care markc since you took the time to both read and comment.

BTW, I get the sense that had Sarah Palin been give three months of study prep that she would not appear so incompetent. I do feel for her because she was governor of Alaska, a place that bears little resemblance to the rest of America, then McCain impetuously picked her without giving her the time to get up to speed. If McCain really wanted her, he should've tipped her off sooner and allowed her to prepare for the national spotlight.

In short, let's not judge Palin too quickly. She has time to come back stronger in 2012. As someone who has suffered through Bush's 2nd term, FOUR YEARS IS A LONG TIME!!!

Intrade said...

AlaskaBob said :

    Damon, as an Alaskan having lived through the 'Palin years', and the even more deplorable 'Murkowski years' before her, I can assure you that it will take more than "3 months of study prep" to come up to speed on our pressing national issues.

Sure, she won't seem quite such a deer in the headlights when asked what the Bush Doctrine is, but she still will lack the intellectual rigor and curiosity necessary to seek out the solutions that we need.

She's a professional politician through and through...and that's it. All lipstick, no pitbull. George Bush in a Valentino jacket.

Intrade said...

printthis said :

    Despite all their "experience," including Palin's supposed executive talent learned in the hallowed halls of Alaskan government, McCain and Palin have been defeated by a "community organizer" who has demonstrated the ability to put together and execute a highly-disciplined, issue-oriented, fiscally-solvent, focused campaign. Where is the real leadership here?

Intrade said...

tmore3 said :

    Mr. Seringhaus only real contribution to a serious election appears to be......sorry, I can't see anything he contributed other being a life-long student and blowhard. If he really sees no value in Fox News, or just admires NBC, MSNBC, CNN, CBS, etc. and all the other mostly "elitist" (superficial) media, then I actually feel sorry for him. Good Luck and Good Night.

Intrade said...

ellenta said :

    What the entire McCain/Bush/Palin/Kristol/Cheney gang has proved is the proverbial "give somebody enough rope and they will hang themselves" axiom. Running toward the ultra right faction, just to get easy votes, ran their bus right off the cliff. To bad they didn't want to DO the job of running the government as much as they wanted to HAVE the job. If they had behaved like real, grown up, conservatives they could have ruled the world. They blew it, the entire globe now knows. Obama is cautious, intelligent, educated and careful and hopefully, this country will get to benefit from a few years of intelligent policy and decisions.

For the rest of the knuckle dragging, education hating, insight impaired, morons out there- go ahead and consult a witch doctor the next time you need a kidney transplant- I bet Sarah Palins witch doctor will be looking for work.

Intrade said...

stopsmearing said :

    look, those going for the personal insults here: pretty much no pundit is more qualified than others to opine. so asking "what makes this person somebody i should listen to" is a really go-nowhere question, unless you're talking about the very few who've actually worked in government. and even then, limiting getting your opinions from somebody with "experience" means you're in for permanent bias based on past involvement. so: don't ask questions about "what makes this person somebody i should listen to." just address the argument. drop the ad hominem, or stop reading punditry.

Intrade said...

jim said :

    Why is it that the discussion in these posts and others is usually sane and civil until an angry McCain or Palin supporter shows up with their vitriol, hate, and barely literate sentences. Now I understand Palin love. She's just like them. I still laugh when somone rants about the fairness of Fox News and paints the rest of the media as biased. I predict the Fox market share to shrink as the Republican base becomes a more extreme and isolated faction. The Republican moderates who have endorsed Obama would rather vote for a Democrat than be tied to those expressing hate, ignorance and racism. Maybe the "base" can move to Alaska and work to start their own country. Todd Palin knows a thing or two about secession. And then Sarah Palin could be your queen.

Intrade said...

erlindagrubino@yahoo.com said :

    Republican party is a total embarassment,insulting to any reasonable human being. Look at Bush/Cheney for 8 yrs., and now
McCain/Palin,What a drip. .

Intrade said...

tom said :

    I saw a couple references to "if Sarah palin" had some time to prepare she would have done better. I have heard from reputable sources that she actively sought the Veep spot for several months. That means she DID have the time to prepare herself and clearly she didn't think she needed any prep. Even within the past couple weeks she has stated that she wants to be Veep because the Veep is "in charge" of the Senate. Where was she when High School Civics was being taught? Out behind the bleachers stroking Todd?

Intrade said...

Rich said :

     I think all good Americans should contribute to Palin 2012 immediately!!

Unfortunately for this far right "BS narrative" as Peggy Noonan (said when she thought her TV mike was off) post election books by repub election insiders should take care of convincing everyone to the left of Coulter what a complete fraud this woman is.

But if not...PALIN/COULTER 2012!! Tag team whackos!


Rich

Intrade said...

Rich8 said :

    If Republicans and Independents had a candidate, they would vote. Ron Paul marginalized by the insiders some time ago. Pity. The only Republican still supporting Republican principles.

Intrade said...

HandleBar said :

    What really makes me ponder is this push towards divisiveness that we're witnessing. So much acrimony, so much slander, so much bitterness expressed by the man in the street, so much verbal violence in a country that is sadly famous for the number of firearms ready to be used at any time of the day.
a) let's hope this kind of "culture" does not get exported to EU
b) 2012 elections - know what? Palin gets elected and so on Dec 21st The Comet comes a-calling and smashes Planet Earth to bits. Food for thought...!
HB

Intrade said...

jhr00000 said :

    GOP - narrow tent, wide stance

Intrade said...

pjwal said :

    Is this guy serious? Does he really think not supporting changing the definition of marriage is extreme? Even California voted 62% to affirm the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman.

Get your head out of your ass.

Intrade said...

mattsca said :

    Solidcitizen, check the Constitution please. Congress cannot change the electoral process. That requires a Constitutional amendment.

Intrade said...

Numetec said :

    This article is obviously written by a man that has absolutely no idea what the political mood is in America. What’s wrong Intrade, couldn’t you hire a person with a brain?

Intrade said...

DerekW said :

    Numetec said :

"This article is obviously written by a man that has absolutely no idea what the political mood is in America. What’s wrong Intrade, couldn’t you hire a person with a brain?"

I think it is you who has no idea about the political mood in the US. I do hope that you have a brain though. See, it's the 5th of Nov and Palin is going back to Alaska to shoot a moose... She is indeed a divisive figure and should have no Major place in America these days. We just can't afford the GOP's so called "anti-intellectualism"

Intrade said...

lolz said :

    Numetec: No idea of the political mood? And where were you last night, that rare solitary day -- as frequent as Feb 29 -- where the political mood was sampled and broadcast to the nation on every network?

What a bad, sorry day to post such nonsense on here. Dead wrong, obviously so. What a moron. Article is true where it needs to be, prescient elsewhere.