In her recent New York Times piece, Maureen Dowd conjures an interesting take from the latest episode of “Sarah Palin’s Alaska”, an episode which features Palin out caribou hunting with her father:
Sarah’s view of America is primitive. You’re either a pointy-headed graduate of Harvard Law School or you’re eviscerating animals for fun, which she presents as somehow more authentic.
I’m wondering why you can’t be both. I guarantee there are more than a few Harvard Law graduates for whom pumping a .30-06 slug into a caribou would be no problem whatsoever. What is a caribou to them anyway? I’m pretty sure caribou can’t get a 165 on the LSAT so ef ‘em. Caribou aren’t partners in any prestigious law firms. They are largely unnecessary. I’m not afraid to say that, and I guarantee that Harvard Law grads aren’t either.
However, I’ll take an evening out drinking with an animal-eviscerating buddy over a night with Harvard Law grad any time. Sure, the Harvard Law grad could handle your public intoxication case, but could he or she apply a proper rear naked choke or kimura if you get into a fight? I doubt it.
Back to Dowd’s absurd reduction of the ‘Cuda … Palin is out on a hunt with her father and she bags a caribou. After Dowd rails on Palin’s hunting skills and takes several token swipes at the ‘Cuda, we are led down an interesting allegory with President Obama as the caribou and Sarah and her father as the GOP. Not the Gray Lady’s finest moment. In fact, some might say it’s downright embarrassing. I was more impressed when I recently attended a “Schoolhouse Rock is Racist!” symposium at a local college.
Dowd mailing it in this way, the condescension toward Palin palpable, is the gift that keeps giving. Sarah Palin has fans for many reasons, one of them being that she elicits pure hatred from her detractors in the American media, which brings their not-so-awesome sides into full view. Not that Palin necessarily needs this to galvanize her base, but it certainly isn’t hurting things. I won’t lie; I get a kick out of it when I read the caterwauling. In the parlance of our times, she’s in their domes, big time … hella big time.
The hostility toward Sarah Palin seems to be reaching the “What is this, a center for ants?” Derek Zoolander level.
Many esteemed writers/pundits/whatever look at Palin and seem utterly confused. Unrecognized is the fact that Palin is a microcosm of much of this country: self-reliant and appreciative of America. Like it or not, Palin’s libertarian leanings are squarely on the pulse of mainstream America. Her appeal is natural… hard work, family, fishing, hunting… a wholesome, gorgeous environment such as Alaska? Come on… a gift for driveling circumlocutory rhetoric cannot compete with that, at least not for long. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to kick somebody’s ass, and no amount of academic experience is going to help you with that.
As much as we would like to think that the world is an ever-changing, meaningless experiment, some things never change. Sarah Palin, along with many Americans, understands that. Dowd does hit one thing squarely on the head: Palin’s view of America is primitive. That’s a good thing for many, many Americans.
Sarah Palin probably doesn’t know how to apply a proper rear naked choke or kimura, but she’d learn how, no matter how long it took. Heck, who am I kidding… she probably knows how.
This article featured at Breitbart's Big Journalism:
http://bigjournalism.com/mikemetroulas/2010/12/11/palin-reductio-ad-absurdum/
This article featured at Breitbart's Big Journalism:
http://bigjournalism.com/mikemetroulas/2010/12/11/palin-reductio-ad-absurdum/
Great post, it's amazing how they simultaneously try to denigrate her ability to effect the political landscape and then fear her for her ability to control such a large portion of the political mindset. She is indeed in their heads, probably more than mine.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Chris. I'm glad you liked it. This country needs a person like Palin as far as I'm concerned. The office of the president should be about getting things done, not propping a lone individual up there as the biggest celebrity in the world and putting the weight of the free world on his shoulders. In this respect, I feel Obama, like every president lately gets a bad deal. I know that's par for the course, but it's still absurd.
ReplyDeleteAlso, consider this: if President Obama's failures are rationalized as "One man can't really influence that much", which is what I'm hearing lately, then all the hysteria over Palin being president loses its entire premise.
I think the criticisms against her are going in every direction and ending up nowhere. She's got a good track record of being an effective executive and she seems to be able to rub people the right way. I would have no qualms whatsoever voting for her if she decided to run.
I think Sarah Palin once cut open the belly of a recently killed caribou and placed a young Bristol inside to keep her from freezing to death. I'll "snopes" it and check it out. Love the vintage Raquel. I would like to propose a discussion of Steffi v. Martina N. v. Seles pre butter knife stabbing.
ReplyDeleteMetro with his very own blog? Keith forwarded me the link. I hope it wasn't supposed to be a secret, facebook people only blog. Good writing. I hope this becomes a regular thing. Anyway, I agree with you. I'm just over her. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with her exactly, except that she’s not a particularly impressive personality. It’s this “aw, shucks” kinda thing that just drives me nuts, especially as a woman. She just giggles when she should be verbally eviscerating people—screw the animals! I just like more claws on my politicians.
ReplyDeleteShe does serve at least one very important purpose though. She's an ideological pointman. She’s a magnet for every single silly, misguided, hypocritical, illogical, overly personal and totally inappropriate comment that the liberals can sling at conservatives or conservative libertarians or even right-leaning people, and she eats it up. I’ll give her credit for that. She’s happy to put herself and her opinions out there to be attacked and that’s good for everyone, but I just wish she’d do it with a little more...aggression? Assertiveness? Confidence? Bluntness? I’m not sure what the reason is behind her demeanor. Of course, it’s entirely possible that she wouldn’t be in this position at all if she were the type of person I want her to be. Whatever. I give her credit for being a willing target in the good fight.
Well, hell... an appearance from Rachel McCombs... THE Rachel McCombs? I am flattered that you have stumbled into my new blog. How the hell are ya?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think for the reasons you have just expressed that Palin will be a legitimate contender for the throne in 2012. Obama is trying to show more claws and he's failing, badly. It's painful to watch. The truly pissed off politicians don't seem to go anywhere (See, Grayson, Alan) unless they are in a deep blue or red districts (see, Frank, Barney)
The thing about Palin, at least for me, is that she is laughing a lot of stuff off, but you damn well know it is registering in the back of her mind as "oh yeah? we'll just see about that." Turn the other cheek can be extremely effective... she's resisting just enough to keep them melting down but not enough to come across as a bitter crank. What did they used to call that back in the olden days? Oh yeah, moxie.
The thing for me that seems to be Palin's key to success is her positivity. We have enough bullshit in our personal lives that is negative. It's the same mentality why people don't watch the 5 o'clock news... it's just a bummer. I personally don't want the president to be this overly cerebral thinker who is dissecting everything and crafting calculated rhetoric... I just want somebody is going to get in front of a camera and a mic and say, "America, FUCK YEAH."
The office is largely symbolic and if there's anybody right now who has the charisma to be that person, it's Palin... or Christie.
I honestly think a Palin/Rubio ticket could capture the throne.
I also think she could get some things done. A woman with 5 kids does not get to where she is without having something, and it's not some mystery quality... it's just a fierce determination and superior work ethic. I've tried to understand this woman and that's my conclusion. She just works her ass off and she's just an normal gal.
I can't think of a better first woman president than Palin.