The Palin Phenomenon

[lester1/2jr]

I don't think her political acumen is her appeal. As with modern art it's "what's not there". Her message is rough hewn but in general it's mroe in touch with what is going on than most politicains, namely less government, decentralization, more local control etc.

My only real problem with her is her foreign policy which is the opposite, very pro empire, ideological and so forth (and expensive)

[Flick James]

Well, I was being somewhat parodic, and remarking on the phenomenon, not so much the politics of it, but I understand people are going to take it to a political place. I'm just trying to make fun of it.

[Umaril The Unfeathered]

If the country elects this nit wit then the country deserves everything she will do to it.   It wont matter to me because I'll be living in Canada.   

As a somewhat right-leaner myself, it may suprise you but I myself am not very happy about Palin.  First off, I don't like her hunting wolves, I have a deep love for those georgeous creatures, and a deep hatred for those who hunt them.

Second, a person who dosen't know that there are 2 Koreas, (and that Africa is a continent) shows some measure of lack of intelligence.  Her constant bright and bubbly attitude comes off as someone who is ADHD ready and user-friendly to the same.

I will however, laud her as a strong, independent woman not afraid of guns (or defending America's 2nd Amendment rights) or as woman who is rough and ready in the outdoors. She's equally happy with a rod and reel, a gun, or in the kitchen.  

She also took everything the media threw at her and hammered right back at them, including her SNL appearance and Family Guys utterly cheap and depsicable cheap shot at her Downs-Syndrome riddled child.  

Aside from politics, she's no pushover, and I think her strong declaration of independence scares a lot of lefties and people in general who are turned off by strong women.

You either love her, or hate her.

[Umaril The Unfeathered]

You may think my Dancing With the Stars point is silly, but I'm telling you, the fact that Bristol Palin, who can't dance, has no personality, and has no identity other than being the daughter of Sarah Palin, was able to advance to the finals of a show that has surpassed even American Idol in popularity, well, do I even need to explain it further?

No, I think you're onto something here...look at The View.

We get treated to an hour of condescension, misquotes, and out-of-context takes by a bunch of old, no -talent hippie b*tches who bait their questions and treat Elizabeth Hasselbeck as their fair-haired stepchild whenever she disagress with them, or tries to make a general point (not that she's any brighter, mind you.)  Oh and to say nothing of the paranoid lunacy of Rosie O' Donnell.

And much like Dancing With The Stars, the losers of The View got their show from their association with their media peer, Barbara Walters. It's the same at almost every level of society. From the spoiled brat who gets the manager position from his daddy, to the politicians who avoid paying their taxes..its all about who you know and who has your back.  When will that ever be any different?

[vanlutz]

If Obama bankrupted the US, went on a shooting spree, and declared it was okay for African Americans to own white people, he would still beat Sarah Palin in 2012.

She's a reality star with no substance. BTW: I like her, she's amusing in a train wreck kind of way. I would have sex with her. She wouldn't come near me with a ten foot pole though.

[Flick James]

Umaril, your words are sagely. You make some very valid points in both of your posts.

My wife can't stand Sarah Palin. I myself am indifferent to her, which seems to be at odds with the majority of the populace who either love or hate her. People who have polarized a nation as she hold a great deal of power. Further, she knows it. So hate away, silly Americans, she's running all the way to the bank or even the White House.

As indifferent as I am, I simply marvel at how much clout she has achieved. Can't take that away from her.

What I do find amazing is that I have yet to speak to a woman who likes her. Seriously. And I work in an environment that is very predominantly conservative Republican. Men like Sarah Palin. Which is what fascinates me the most. You brought up a point that people who hate her are turned off by strong women. If that's the case, why is she hated by so many women? Is it because she is loved by so many men? Is it fuel for the stereotype that women are competitive over men?

I'm serious. I'm not fascinated by Sarah Palin, I'm fascinated by the phenomenon.

[Mofo Rising]

At times like these, it is important to remember that Sarah Palin is, above all else, a quitter. When the going gets tough, and Palin is called to account for her decisions as a political leader, you can count on her to buckle-down, take her ball, and go home before anything else bad can happen to her.

Luckily, when you're President of the United States you can rest assured that no will ever think to criticize your decisions ever again.

I think Palin appeals to a very particular segment of the population, and they don't have a lot of crossover appeal. Palin's nomination as VP in the McCain campaign was a bit of bald-faced hackery that effectively doomed his campaign.

My prediction for Palin in 2012:
She will run for the Republican nomination, but fail to a more moderate (but still rabidly anti-Obama) and fresh-faced young Senator from one of the states where no important decisions are ever really made (like Alaska). Failing to gain the nomination, Palin will regroup and form her own political party, running again for President. (I like to think she will resurrect the Know-Nothing Party.) Banking on her peculiar appeal, Palin will run for President and gain the support of a substantial chunk of the Republican party.

However, as with Ross Perot and Ralph Nader before her, her legitimacy as a third-party candidate will only truly serve to undermine any majority the candidate for the parent-party could hope for. Barack Obama, despite widespread Republican anger and widespread disillusionment from his previous supporters, will regain the White House.

"All of this has happened before, and it will all happen again."

That's just my guess. If I'm wrong I'll watch "Slapstick (of Another Kind)" again. (No, I won't.)

[Newt]

What I do find amazing is that I have yet to speak to a woman who likes her. Seriously. And I work in an environment that is very predominantly conservative Republican. Men like Sarah Palin. Which is what fascinates me the most. You brought up a point that people who hate her are turned off by strong women. If that's the case, why is she hated by so many women? Is it because she is loved by so many men? Is it fuel for the stereotype that women are competitive over men?

I'm serious. I'm not fascinated by Sarah Palin, I'm fascinated by the phenomenon.

I am female.  I don't consider Sarah Palin a good example of a strong woman.  I dislike her because she plays to a stereotype that does real strong women a disservice: she combines bold assertiveness with an air of bimbohood - which may be effective (it is: many women use it), but she does not have the smarts to follow through after that 'toe in the door'.  The combination appeals to men because she seems spunky while harmless/controllable.  They can allow her to run with it - put on her show - and laugh at her while she does because any power she has comes from their allowing it.  She's like a sassy stripper or a little kid: Isn't she cute?  Hahaha.  She makes us look bad (manipulative and empty-headed and good for one thing only   ) and easy to dismiss.   If she wasn't so visually appealing, she'd have been labelled a twit and a shrew long ago and we'd be done with her.  Yish.

Elvira...now there is a strong woman who plays that game far better than Sarah Palin!

(I have friends in Alaska who adore her; they are female and fairly strong women themselves.  They say she has been good for Alaska and that is what they like).

Mofo Rising: I think you are onto something: the "Palin phenomenon" presents an opportunity and will be taken advantage of/used to influence the outcome of the next election.  

[Doggett]

Elvira...now there is a strong woman who plays that game far better than Sarah Palin!

 

'Nuff said.

I'm back to looking at cosplay girls now....

[Newt]

She's a reality star with no substance. BTW: I like her, she's amusing in a train wreck kind of way. I would have sex with her. She wouldn't come near me with a ten foot pole though.

[Flick James]

What I do find amazing is that I have yet to speak to a woman who likes her. Seriously. And I work in an environment that is very predominantly conservative Republican. Men like Sarah Palin. Which is what fascinates me the most. You brought up a point that people who hate her are turned off by strong women. If that's the case, why is she hated by so many women? Is it because she is loved by so many men? Is it fuel for the stereotype that women are competitive over men?

I'm serious. I'm not fascinated by Sarah Palin, I'm fascinated by the phenomenon.

I am female.  I don't consider Sarah Palin a good example of a strong woman.  I dislike her because she plays to a stereotype that does real strong women a disservice: she combines bold assertiveness with an air of bimbohood - which may be effective (it is: many women use it), but she does not have the smarts to follow through after that 'toe in the door'.  The combination appeals to men because she seems spunky while harmless/controllable.  They can allow her to run with it - put on her show - and laugh at her while she does because any power she has comes from their allowing it.  She's like a sassy stripper or a little kid: Isn't she cute?  Hahaha.  She makes us look bad (manipulative and empty-headed and good for one thing only   ) and easy to dismiss.   If she wasn't so visually appealing, she'd have been labelled a twit and a shrew long ago and we'd be done with her.  Yish.

Elvira...now there is a strong woman who plays that game far better than Sarah Palin!

(I have friends in Alaska who adore her; they are female and fairly strong women themselves.  They say she has been good for Alaska and that is what they like).

Mofo Rising: I think you are onto something: the "Palin phenomenon" presents an opportunity and will be taken advantage of/used to influence the outcome of the next election.  

Thanks for that Newt. That was more the input I was interested in, not political posturing (although I do a fair bit of it myself). You bring up some factors that seem to carry some weight.

[Allhallowsday]

Regardless of what anyone may think of the Palins, I am making my call now. Sarah Palin is our next president. You can laugh, you can call me a kook, you can say whatever you want, but mark my words, and mark them well, Sarah Palin will be taking the presidential oath in January 2013 (assuming the world didn't end the previous month).

All the pieces are being put into place. She is playing the popularity game very, very well. She must have a brilliant publicist, because I don't believe for a moment that the brilliance is all hers. And everyone loves her. So much so that her talentless and utterly boring daughter was somehow able to garner the votes to move her to the finals of Dancing With the Stars (doesn't the name of that show imply that you have to be a star or at least a former star to be a contestant?). Sarah Palin also has managed to introduce a new word to the English language (refudiate) much quicker than it takes most. Her ghost-written book sold a gazillion copies and I swear you can buy it a Circle K (I'm joking about that last bit). Her new reality show is enjoying very strong ratings.
The USA has come full circle and seriously become the reality show nation. We make our decisions in life based on popular votes. You think I'm exaggerating? There is a news story running now about someone who is going to make the decision whether or not to abort their child based on Internet votes. Now, this turned out to be a hoax, but the writing on the wall is pretty obvious. Sarah Palin, her publicist, or a combination of the two, have read the writing. They know that the American people, if they had their way, would have the race for presidency be a reality show with panel judges and we text our votes in until the everyone is eliminated but our next president. You may think my Dancing With the Stars point is silly, but I'm telling you, the fact that Bristol Palin, who can't dance, has no personality, and has no identity other than being the daughter of Sarah Palin, was able to advance to the finals of a show that has surpassed even American Idol in popularity, well, do I even need to explain it further?
Anyway, I'm making my call. Anyone care to wager?

Yes, SARAH PALIN may amuse the masses, but she'll never be president.  The reason BRISTOL PALIN road the show to the very end was because of the cynical and the contrived (y'know, right next to the naked and the dead...  )  

Au contraire!  I like her a great deal and have said so in this forum.  If she runs, I'm going to get a skintight TShirt with her picture on it, write a song about how I have a crush on her, and do a sexy dance to it and become an internet sensation!!!!!
(and maybe get a Cabinet post out of the deal!)  

Seriously, I see so many lefties who just absolutely foam at the mouth when you mention her name, I can't HELP but like her!

You need therapy.  

[Trevor]

and that Africa is a continent

I seriously didn't know that either. 

[lester1/2jr]

Interviewer: How would you handle a situation like the one that just developed in North Korea?

Palin: Well, North Korea, this is stemming from a greater problem, when we're all sitting around asking, 'Oh no, what are we going to do,' and we're not having a lot of faith that the White House is going to come out with a strong enough policy to sanction what it is that North Korea is going to do. So this speaks to a bigger picture that certainly scares me in terms of our national security policy. But obviously, we've got to stand with our North Korean allies – we're bound to by treaty....

That's right, we're bound by treaty 

[the ghoul]

Interviewer: How would you handle a situation like the one that just developed in North Korea?

Palin: Well, North Korea, this is stemming from a greater problem, when we're all sitting around asking, 'Oh no, what are we going to do,' and we're not having a lot of faith that the White House is going to come out with a strong enough policy to sanction what it is that North Korea is going to do. So this speaks to a bigger picture that certainly scares me in terms of our national security policy. But obviously, we've got to stand with our North Korean allies – we're bound to by treaty....

That's right, we're bound by treaty  

Wow.  Other than the funny gaffe at the end, that statement is just utterly and completely meaningless rhetoric with no substance.  She could have gotten her point across much more succinctly by just simply saying "I am an idiot."