By Katie Kieffer
Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/yle7ape
I’ve decided to give a fresh perspective on the energetic wave called Sarah Palin that’s sweeping our country by showcasing the opinions of her loudest bashers, haters and tomato-tossers. I think letting elite liberals speak for themselves has two benefits:
1.) Their criticisms are quite humorous and often do more harm than good to their own agendas.
2.) Hidden within their emotional, bitter criticisms are occasional “gems.” These are points that are worthy of consideration and debate.
Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/yh2pvsk
So, let me throw on my Everlast track suit and boxing gloves. Ding-ding-ding! Here are two of the best left jabs on Sarah Palin and my right hook responses:
Left Jab #1:
“Her career has become a vehicle through which the right-wing evangelical movement feels it can express its deepest identity … Palin is perceived by its leaders – and followers – not as another cynical politician or self-promoting celebrity, but as a kind of magical helper, the God-fearing glamour girl who parachuted into their backwater towns to lift them from the drudgery of daily life, assuring them that they represented the ‘real America.’” –Max Blumenthal in the Los Angeles Times on Nov. 15, 2009
Katie’s Right Hook:
This quote is elitist. You could essentially take the name “Palin” out of Blumenthal’s statement and replace it with the last name of a well-known minister – or an influential executive director of a non-profit. Blumenthal implies that anyone who relates to every-day Americans at their level is crazy.
Plus, Palin is clearly promoting herself by using the same language as ordinary people. Instead, she should subscribe to “liberal humility” and:
- Speak the language of an elitist. Don’t lie to the people and pretend to be one of them. That is a vice! Palin should be up-front and honest about her “obvious” ambitions for power and control.
- Never – under any circumstance – should Palin align herself with silly notions like God or Christianity. Those are pillars of sand. Instead, Palin should wrap herself and her followers in the protective mantels of Scientology and cosmetology. Those worked well for Tom Cruise and the late Michael Jackson, right? Ideally, Cruise would run for President in 2012 and Palin could be his Whitehouse maid – in charge of dusting his couches following sporadic jumping episodes.
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I know America is tired of elitist liberals like Blumenthal who express their hatred for Sarah Palin’s ability to relate to Joe Lunchbucket. 71 percent of Americans are angry with the Federal Government (currently run by liberals), reports the latest Rasmussen poll.
Still, elite liberals like Blumenthal think that politicians should be detached from and above the people – not one of them. Liberal elitists want power. The Palins of the world want to lead without forming a kingdom of serfs beneath them. Call it “magical” if you’d like, Max, but I think this sounds more like the “free” and “equal” America we signed up for under the Constitution.
Left Jab #2:
“It’s wonderful, I went looking for her book and I found it in the fantasy aisle. With Sarah you get the feeling that in high school she was voted least likely to write a book and most likely to burn one. You look at her and wonder ‘Where did they find her, Project Running Mate?’” – Robin Williams on the David Letterman Show, Nov. 23, 2009
Katie’s Right Hook:
Fantasy aisle? It sounds like Robin Williams shops at the “Hollywood Hills Disheveled Used Book Swap.” Was he wearing his favorite Star Wars mask to protect himself from any Palin-droids that might jump out an attack him as he read her book? And, what high school holds a contest for “Most Likely to Burn a Book” unless it’s Troll High?
The facts speak for themselves. Not only did Palin write (not burn) a Number One New York Times Bestseller, but now she will star in a children’s book by Katharine DeBrecht showcasing the value of capitalism and entrepreneurship.
One word sums up this little spoof by Williams: Disturbing – like many of the characters he plays. Aristotle – considered one of the greatest thinkers of all time – says: “Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting a particular way… you become just by performing just actions, temperate by performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave actions.” Thus, it’s no surprise that Williams is capable of eloquently painting Palin as a fruitcake – disturbia is near and dear to his heart as an actor.
I’ve taken out enough elite psychosis for one day. Undoubtedly there will be more challenges to come. For now, my protein shake is calling.
has based her career on her personality rather than any knowledge of policy whatsoever.
Replace “her” with “his” and you’ve got a spot-on description of the vacuous bobblehead who currently occupies the White House.
Obama rarely had much to say about issues during the campaign. Yes it was little more than vapid talking points and platitudes throughout his ’08 run. I’ll take someone who was actually in an executive position in government with a better grasp of the issues (Palin) than a cult-of-personality community organizer whose statements rarely remain operative beyond fading of audience applause.
Brad, no one talks about issues because Palin has based her career on her personality rather than any knowledge of policy whatsoever. She’s crazy-successful at doing that; but that doesn’t mean people have to take her seriously.
Her personality is the epitome of the right’s politics of resentment — anything that makes a strawman-liberal mad must therefore be good (see above, where they actually duke it out). Yes, many of her detractors poke fun at her because of her supposedly folksy ways. That is bad. Many criticisms are blatantly sexist. That is also bad.
But I think a lot of it is that most just see her as disingenuous: I mean, it never fails to amaze me the lengths the GOP will go to put itself in the “common man’s” shoes. Again, those supposedly in “flyover country” vote Democrat. Those who are rich vote Republican. Using a few “you betchas” and claiming constant victimhood — not from money or power — but from Robin Williams, does nothing to make this faux populism at all convincing to anyone other than her fans.
To be honest, I want George H.W. Bush back. He had command of the issues and he was honest about where he came from. Like Reagan, he raised taxes when we needed it, not because of ideology. He was ready for prime time. His supporters didn’t support him because of the newest “slam” he made on this or that group. And, he didn’t go on cross-country book and speaking tours instead of governing his state. I want a moderately sane Republican Party, not one is flirting with secession. I think many serious conservatives<a href="do too, especially given the fact that Palin essentially lost the McCain ticket for him.
How about her energy policy?
Alaska is basically a socialist republic due to its energy policy. You got a state reaping huge money from a natural resource, and then passing around the profits to citizens. I’m not sure that can or should be done elsewhere. Besides that, it’s not even clear she understands her state’s industry in the first place, so discussing the “issues” is a lost cause.
Bottom line: she was a constant embarrassment and a demonstrable failure as a politician, who fractured her party and quickly alienated independents. She’ll have a long, successful career as a Coulter-style entertainer, though.
The one thing I notice is there is rarely an intellectual discussion regarding Palin’s stances on ISSUES. Any opinion on her record as a fiscal conservative? How about her energy policy? Nope, ad homina attacks is all one hears.
Great stuff, Katie!