Sep 4, 2008

The Elephant in the Room

That would be what was left unsaid in Sarah Palin's speech last night at the Republican Convention. No, I'm not talking about her family's issues. I really didn't expect her to discuss her family's "issues" at length or really at all. That's not the elephant in the room that I am talking about. I'm talking about the mess that our country has become over the past eight years while George W. Bush has run things along with his misfit band of sycophants. An un-just war, a recession, inflation, corruption...it goes on and on.

Sarah Palin said last night that the job of politics is to "...challenge the status quo, to serve the common good and to leave this nation better than when we found it". The Bush administration has failed on every one of those counts. Miserably. But that is something that never gets mentioned by McCain's camp.

So what did she talk about? She rolled out the greatest hits list just like the rest of the speakers thus far. Keep our country strong, drill now, fiscal responsibility, lower taxes, blah, blah, blah. But basically that we should vote for John McCain because he is a war hero and Obama is not. That's it. Everything else is moot. Oh, and apparently we are now winning the war over in Iraq thanks to men like John McCain. "Victory is in sight." I didn't know that. Cool! When can our troops come home?

The Democrats had a similar list that they droned about, so I'm not giving them a pass either. I just wish, for once, that someone would truly talk about all the issues in play rather than just the ones that sound good to their partisan crowds. I know it ain't gonna happen, but that would be the candidate I would be most excited to vote for. As it is I get to pick the one that makes me the least sick to my stomach.

As I suspected, Palin is a strong, intelligent, confident and passionate public speaker. Like I said yesterday, I don't agree with her politics but that doesn't mean that she is wrong all the time. Just that we disagree most of the time. I especially liked how she, and the rest of the convention speakers that I have seen, have taken the fight to the "liberal" media rather than to the Democrats themselves a good deal of the time. Keith Olberman and his buddies must have loved that.

Her two biggest soundbites of the evening, in my opinion:

  1. Do you know the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull? Lipstick.
  2. Some candidates who use change as a way to promote their career. John McCain uses his career to promote change.
I'm sure I didn't get those quotes exactly right, but you catch her drift. The first one sounds like something that she has been rolling off of her tongue for years. It sounded like her. The second one sounds like something written by an advertising agency. Actually, most of the second half of her speech sounded like something that came right out of McCain's speech writing camp. So we know that she can read other people's words pretty well.

That's politics.

Chris Matthews on CNBC dismissed her as an alternative to Hilary Clinton (as some had speculated), but as an direct alternative to Barack and Michelle Obama themselves. A cultural torpedo, so to speak, aimed at their ship. One that won't dismiss small-town values or religion or national pride. Looks like McCain hired himself a bully to beat on the Obamas. A bully with a sniper rifle pointed at their hearts.

Now I can see why he picked her.

I despise all that she stands for, but for McCain's purposes she just might be the perfect choice for this role.

Random Wiki: I think I've officially become bored with this gimmick. Say goodbye to the Random Wiki. Sniff.

28 comments:

jiggs said...

Palin was chosen because she solidifies the base. It's also ironic that she's one of the folks that clings to religion and guns that Obama is so nuts about.

Knitty Yas said...

hey you. long time. miss me? its okay you can admit it. yeah she kinda freaks me out. reminds me of a soccer mom on meth. too smart for her own good but might just steal your vcr for that republican fix.

Kaye Waller said...

Palin was picked because she has a uterus. Period.

No pun intended.

Avitable said...

If her family is going to be off-limits from attacks, it needs to be off-limits for her use, too. If she trots them out there one more fucking time, I think Obama should take aim and start firing.

Verdant Earl said...

Jiggs - Not ironic. That's why she was picked.

Yas - She's back! Heya. Hockey mom. Remember, she's from Alaska. ;)

Steph - that's what I initially thought, but now I think there is something more to it.

Avitable - Yeah, let's see how often the kids show up on the campaign trail. I can give her a pass for last night because it was her big intro to the nation, but that is it. And her daughter's future husband looked absolutely miserable all night long. That made me smile.

elizabeth said...

OOH. Thank goodness I'm a soccer mom and not a hockey mom... yet...

MommyHeadache said...

I suppose the Republican party picked her because she is what the uninformed, shallow, religious right proportion of the country will vote for. For example, 51% of Americans believe that God created humans ergo put forward Palin and her nutty views on teaching creationism in schools. If 51% believed that aliens existed we would have a little green man for VP. It's tragic that the majority of the people in this country are so ill informed and reactionary..... personally I blame it on the (largely uncritical) mainstream US media.

Slyde said...

i stayed up late to watch it last night too.

she gives a good speech, and she did exactly what she needed to do for mccain.

but every time she chimed in with the "victory is near" crap, i wanted to punch the screen.

how can victory be near when mccain keeps telling us we will need to be there another hundred years..

Verdant Earl said...

Liz - I thought all Canadians played hockey?

Emmak - Heya! And I agree with you about the media. I don't think they are totally to blame (unlike the Republicans at the Convention), but they certainy contribute.

Slyde - I love the chants during the speeches. USA, USA, USA!!! HERO, HERO, HERO!!! DRILL NOW!!! It was crazy.

Mrs. Hall said...

I try my best in these matters not to get all emotional. I try to evaluate based on what I see and hear.

I can't say I don't like the woman, sort of. I don't want to do a post on this and risk the ire of others. But, I feel all discombobulated about it.

Alright, fire away if you must.

:)

Mrs. Hall

limpy99 said...

What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull?

I'd fuck the pitbull.




Not really, but it sounded like a good line. Now I feel vaguely nauseous.

Verdant Earl said...

Mrs. Hall - s'okay if you like her. Your right. Never feel ashamed of that.

Limpy - That would be some ride, eh?

Michelle said...

b.e. I'm thinking here that woman will like her because of the womanly thing??? I'm not really sure. Of course, that should not have 1 iota to do with it right?? Or should it??

It has to be because of her accomplishments and beliefs and what she can do as our commander in chief!!! It simply has to be!! BUT, she has no accomplishments does she??? Beliefs, on the other hand well did you read this:http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13098.html

don't know why, but this bothers the heck out of me!!!

Michelle

Mermaid Melanie said...

bad choice with palin. for sure.. but hey whatever keeps mccain out of office. I am all for that!

;)

Kevin McKeever said...

If I need a moose killed, she's at the top of my list for the job.

white rabbit said...

I have a nasty feeling that Thatcher may have been reincarnated without taking the trouble to die first.

Typical of the old bat...

Bruce Johnson said...

I agree whole-heartedly....this blog did not suck.

(I thought it was telling that in her speech last night, Mrs. Palin basically called herself a Pit Bull. Gee, just what I want, one seat to the left of the man with his finger on the button.)

Verdant Earl said...

Michelle - I've been reading politico.com for a while now. Saw that one. Yikes.

Mel - that's just it. She might not.

Always Home - There is this one moose that has been bothering the crap outta me...

WR - ACK!

Lotus - thanks for all the lovely comments. This one did not suck. Some of the other ones, like the Superman comment sucked, but this one did not.

pure evyl said...

On the up side, I bet that Tina Fey could do a spot on imitation of Palin.

Verdant Earl said...

Evyl - no doubt that will be some storyline on 30 Rock this Fall, or she will show up on SNL one week.

Anonymous said...

I just want her to take her glasses off, that's all. :0)
~m

white rabbit said...

It is my unpleasant duty to report an outbreak of serious disrespect being shown to Ms Palin.

Now our heroine has brown hair and a hairstyle eerily reminiscent as regards the fringe thingy of the late Adolf Hitler (another floppy forelocked brown haired person).

Imagine my shock when I saw a pic of the would be veep with a Hitler moustache added! :-O

One can only hope that there are no repetitions of this tasteless type of thing...

;)

Verdant Earl said...

MichaelM - so you can do naughty things to her, eh? I prefer the glasses on.

WR - It was only a matter of time. Only a matter of time.

whall said...

I thought she did a great job, and I enjoyed her speech, both content and delivery.

re: the trotting out of her family - I don't think she "used" her family any more than Obama did with his kids and the satellite 'goodnight' or Biden did with his lost wife and kid in the car crash so long ago. Part of the convention is for people to get to know the candidates and famly is a big part of it. I know I wanted to know more about her family, just as Obama supporters want to know more about his.

I just think there's not enough fairness. There are those who wouldn't do anything but laugh if they saw a photoshopped conservative in a despicable act or hurtful photo, but would punch the TV and demand censership if they did it to Oprah or Michelle Obama

If one complains about coverage of Palin's family at the Republican convention, they should first review/comapre what the Democrats did.

Verdant Earl said...

Whall - thanks for the comment! Sure every candidate uses their family as a prop, at times. I happen to think Palin went a little overboard with Trig, but I could be wrong. She had Bristol hold her when she first got the VP nomination, and the cynic in me thinks its because she was trying to hide Bristol's baby bump. Then having Cindy McCain hold the baby during Rudy's speech...that was a little much for me. It was both a way to draw attention to Trig and to soften the somewhat harsh spotlight that has been on Cindy McCain. I don't believe the Democrats have stooped that low, then again they don't have a 4-month old to trapse around.

All that being said, I can understand those who are choosing to defend her. She speaks, eloquently I might add, to the hearts and minds of many many Americans.

Its gonna be a close race.

Angie said...

Not sure how to vote yet, but one thing did bother me when Palin said in her speech she understands with the Special needs moms, and would be an advocate for special needs. Her journey has yet to begin with her child who has special needs, she has no idea what it is and what it takes to nurture a child with special needs. How can she manage both the VP position and her special needs child? Also an advocate for special needs? What will she advocate? How? For what? You cannot promise something or make a statement without the background and like I said her journey has yet to begin with her son.. wish her the best...

Barlinnie said...

Pure class! I fucking love it.

Verdant Earl said...

Sunshine - good points, but I don't want to hear anyone in Obama's camp say that she should stay home to take care of her kid. That would just feed more fire into the Republican's current non-existant argument.

NMTB - Knew you would. ;)