In Which Your Correspondent Gives Up, Again
That the media is in the tank for John McCain is not news. But this morning’s Associated Press lead story on Sarah Palin’s speech last night makes it even more painfully clear. Written by Tom Raum and Liz Sidoti (who famously brought McCain his favorite kind of donuts aboard the Straight Talk Express last April), it elevates Palin into the American political firmament. The headline: “Palin delivers star-turning performance at RNC.” Choice phrases: “Wielding a stiletto and a smile,” “calm, TV-friendly tones reminiscent of Ronald Reagan,” “firm, cheerful voice,” “like the beauty queen she once was.” There’s a term for all that—nauseating hackery. Or maybe “reach-around.”
I have a hard time writing about Palin, talking about Palin, and even thinking about Palin, mostly because the only thing human beings can reliably trust is their own reason, and Palin’s meteoric rise (a phrase Raum and Sidoti managed not to use, at least not today), and the general willingness to ignore her obvious unfitness for the position in which she’s been installed, is evidence that reason no longer functions reliably. And it’s not just Palin. You’ve got Mitt Romney giving fiery speeches against “liberal Washington” as if the most conservative president in American history hadn’t spent the last eight years in office.
But most of all, what reduces me to spluttering incoherence is the way the Democrats are being played—again. The Palin choice obliterated Obama’s acceptance speech from the news cycle, but that was going to happen in a day or so with Hurricane Gustav anyhow. What’s worse is the way the choice is being used—criticize Palin for anything in her record and you’re a sexist—never mind the content of your criticism. Ask legitimate questions about her positions as they relate to her own life and you’re violating her family’s privacy—never mind that the Christers who got her on the ticket want her there so they can continue to violate yours. I predict that what will be most reminiscent of Reagan about her will not be her “TV-friendly tones,” it’ll be her Teflon coating.
The Democrats haven’t found an effective way to push back, and given the historic risk-aversion of their consultant class, I doubt they will. (”They’ve only had a few days” is no excuse—Repugs start their pushbacks in minutes.) Obama and Biden are treading lightly around Palin already; Biden’s task in debating her on October 2 is going to be the most delicate political operation in American history, and one he’s destined to lose. Remember, Al Gore eviscerated George W. Bush on the issues in their first debate, but the story for days after was his supposedly disrespectful demeanor during the debate. No matter what Biden says, he faces the same likely fate.
I said it two years ago, I’ve said it repeatedly here, and I’ll say it again this morning: On November 4, we’re losing. I’d bet my house on it. As bad as that prospect seemed before last Friday, today it’s even worse.
Posted: September 4th, 2008 under Obama, Palin.
Comments: 12
Comments
Comment from John McCreery
Time: September 4, 2008, 7:24 am
This “Democrats don’t know how to push back” meme is getting long in the tooth, sounding more and more like what the old farts say when they hark back to the days when we took to the streets. Check out the current electoral vote projections at FiveThirtyEight.com, read Nate Silver’s comments on the probable non-impact of Palin’s speech, check out the Salon Interview with Kos. Don’t panic. Don’t demoralize. Just keep on giving and working. Yes, we can.
Comment from Josh Hammond
Time: September 4, 2008, 7:48 am
The only consolation, JAB, is that you also picked New England to win the Super Bowl. And in our case, I don’t care if it takes the kind of last minute play the Giants pulled off to win.
I do agree with John. By the way, I can’t even look at Palin, let alone think about her.
Comment from suzanne
Time: September 4, 2008, 7:55 am
The Democrats played themselves. No one would know Sarah Palin existed today if Hillary had been on the democratic ticket. It’s Hillary hating blogs like this one and Obama himself that created the current situation. Karma’s a bitch folks. Leftcoast wrote that this election would be a referendum on race. In my view, this election is wholly about gender, misogyny and sexism. For my two daughters, though they know it not, today is a very sad day.
Comment from Josh Hammond
Time: September 4, 2008, 8:51 am
Suzanne, nothing is about just one thing, especially elections, and if a frog had wings it wouldn’t bump its ass so much..
Comment from Leftcoast
Time: September 4, 2008, 8:52 am
JAB: AP counterbalanced that report with this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/04/ap-attacks-praise-stretch_n_123771.html
Suzanne, this is not only a referendum on race (that’s coming as this campaign’s 3rd act in October) but a celebration of the kind of hatred that has divided us since Agnew’s nattering nabob speech. Palin is hate radio incarnate and yes, the door was opened to her when Hilary didn’t make the cut. As you know, I was this site’s only Hilla blogger and while I remain convinced she’d have been a much better choice, baggage and all than Obama, she screwed the pooch all by herself. She ran a shitty, tone-deaf campaign. That’s a fact.
We can’t look back. This election is about whether or not this country is once again going to be blinded by a concocted “culture war” while the thieves that run the Pugs continue looting this place and our rights. Or, as Obama says, does America have the common sense and vision to add up the past 8 years and say “enough.” My hope is that they do. My belief is that they don’t and we have McCain/Palin at the helm Jan 20.
Comment from Sasha
Time: September 4, 2008, 9:59 am
I was with you until the last paragraph but doom-saying, imo, only makes it worse. And I have seen Mr. Biden on the morning talk circuit. Tonight Mr. Obama does O’Reilly at around the time of Mr. McCain’s speech.
That said, I think they are handling the snotty Governor Palin very well. They shouldn’t try to out-snotty her. They are being nice and amused. Good tone.
I’m sorry this stuff strikes so much concern in you Lefty, but with polls in the neighborhood of 53-40, I don’t think they should be looking concerned.
Comment from Leftcoast
Time: September 4, 2008, 4:55 pm
Not real sure how they’re handling her, if at all. It’s Pug Week and there isn’t a lot of coverage on the Dems on this, yet. I’m more optimistic than you think, but past is prelude and I’m ultimately concerned about the racism meme that has been the undertow of this election since Obama took Iowa. It’s a big mistake to underestimate the efficacy of the Pug playbook. It’s worked for nearly 30 years. That said, in playing back Palin’s speech, I’m not so sure that it’s not going to boomerang right back on her. It was not so much the specific lies and distortions (there were plenty of those), but the overall dismissive tone with which she said them. Her resume is too light for that kind of approach–more on that in an eventual post.
Comment from Mark
Time: September 4, 2008, 7:15 pm
I always love to read Bartlett. I wish we could go back to the string you had going in your Daily Aneurysm days.
Palin’s speech covered two policy points that I noticed: Drill in Alaska, Kill in Iraq and obfuscate everything in between. I would have liked to hear more substance from the incumbent party.
Comment from KNichols
Time: September 5, 2008, 1:09 pm
Right now, here’s the electoral vote count, based on the polls:
Obama 301; McCain 224; tie 13
Comment from Les
Time: September 9, 2008, 11:40 am
Here is great video aboat obama!
http://www.eyeblast.tv/public/video.aspx?RsrcID=2036
Comment from Dan S.
Time: September 10, 2008, 5:48 am
If only Obama and his campaign managers can keep their cool they shouldn’t be too worried about the end result of November 4. They must not deviate from their strategy of fighting the McCain/ Palin (better known as McBush/Payme: the latter references her per diem payments while living at home) with the issues and with the truth.
Comment from kimberly
Time: September 15, 2008, 7:30 pm
I believe that if Obama & Biden take the high road and strictly talk about the ecomonical issues that the public is concerned with and discuss possible resolutions. Also be more willing to give media interviews and take questions from the public, They will win out.. Mccain & Palin to this point have been running from both the media & the public.. Times are very tough and American’s are very worried, Running or hiding from the Challenge is the wrong way to go and it is NOT what the public wants.. We want and need to hear the plan but more so the public needs to be hear and not lectured..
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