Sarah Palin Denial Syndrome?

[bpesta22]

Which has more residents, the city of Chicago or the state of Alaska?

 

[Sporanox]

"Intellectual" now is often equated with "academic" in the vernacular. If one takes that definition, the disconnect increases.

 

[MattusMaximus]

Putting all ideology & partisanship aside, there is one overwhelming fact about her that makes it a deal-killer for me. When the going got tough in Alaska, Sarah Palin quit... Yup, that's who I want as president of the United States... a quitter

 

[Thunder]

When the going got tough in Alaska, Sarah Palin quit... Yup, that's who I want as president of the United States... a quitter

she didn't "quit".

she resigned. its much more acceptable when you...resign.

 

[Distracted1]

Bush, Cheney, and Clinton do not recall the stereotypical view of a redneck so clearly as Palin does - what with her shooting elk (I think...and wolves, if you remember that famous controversy), attending the local snowmobile races, having a husband who raced in the Iditarod, being videotaped at a chicken slaughter...

Let's be honest, Bush and Cheney are associated with privilege. In Clinton's case, well, he may have hailed from a rural area, but he can hardly compete against Palin's symbolism. There's a reason one of the most popular nicks for her is Caribou Barbie.

EDIT: I'm not saying her conversational appearances weren't damaging - I've acknowledged that, previously - but the sheer depth of the hatred for her, which MikeMagnum also addressed, is explainable by the confirmation bias of people who just have stereotypical ideas about rednecks.

Reading your arguments, Sporanox, I am struck with the idea that one could use them (with minor tweaking) to assert that the majority of the animus towards the President from both Republicans and Teabaggers can be attributed to their racism.

 

[MattusMaximus]

she didn't "quit".

she resigned. its much more acceptable when you...resign.

Pardon me. Yup, that's who I really want as president... someone who "resigns" when things get a little rough. If Palin couldn't handle some heat from the Alaska legislature, then she isn't ready for any national level public office, much less one as important as POTUS.

 

[quixotecoyote]

Pardon me. Yup, that's who I really want as president... someone who "resigns" when things get a little rough. If Palin couldn't handle some heat from the Alaska legislature, then she isn't ready for any national level public office, much less one as important as POTUS.

While I'd never criticize Palin for resigning from any public office (or private), the rationale that the media was too much for her to handle was a bit much.

 

[MattusMaximus]

While I'd never criticize Palin for resigning from any public office (or private), the rationale that the media was too much for her to handle was a bit much.

Boo hoo. Cry me a frakkin' river, Ms. Palin. If she can't handle a few hard questions from the press because her skin is that damn thin, then I don't trust her for a second to have what it takes to command our military.

 

[Sporanox]

Reading your arguments, Sporanox, I am struck with the idea that one could use them (with minor tweaking) to assert that the majority of the animus towards the President from both Republicans and Teabaggers can be attributed to their racism.

I hope you didn't say that because rednecks are supposed to be racist.

 

[Distracted1]

I say it simply because I observe that your argument boils down to an assertion that the level of disapproval Sarah Palin is subject to (from some) is based more upon her cultural background than her actual flaws.
You point out that the "Caribou Barbie" stereotype is threatening to some due to its' alienness. The hunting, and the "you betcha' " are code for- "not like us" to her detractors.
Could the same not be said about "Barak Hussein Obama" and his "community organising"?
Can I not use the same rationale to link ODS to racism?

 

[Sword_Of_Truth]

Pardon me. Yup, that's who I really want as president... someone who "resigns" when things get a little rough. If Palin couldn't handle some heat from the Alaska legislature, then she isn't ready for any national level public office, much less one as important as POTUS.

I agree completely.

 

[Skeptic]

I like Sarah Palin.

I also like Iron Maiden.

Don't see either of them as President, however.

True, true, but there's a huge difference between "I think Palin isn't a good candidate" or "I think so-and-so would do better" and "Ha ha, dumb knuckle-dragging Republicans like stupid broad, ha ha".

The former is a legitimate political view. The latter is just part of the usual Democratic election cycle.

Right now the democrats are in stage I: "underestimate the opponent".

Stage II is panic: when the other guy gains in the polls despite them clearly saying they're an idiot! We must do something! Let's call him an idiot extremist some more, that'll work!

Stage III is anger and incomprehension: how could this guy win when we clearly said they're idiots? It's REPUBLICAN PROPAGANDA! THE ELECTIONS WERE STOLEN!

Stage IV is depression: liberals writing "Dark Ages America" / "What's the Matter with Kansas" / "The Republican Spin Machine", etc.: in effect saying, "the other guy won -- it's the END OF AMERICA".

Stage V is again underestimation: "OK, they won with this guy, but the new guy they are supporting is even dumber! No way they would win!"

Rinse, repeat.

 

[epeos76]

I am beginning to feel a sort of growing dread that the actual "Palin denial syndrome" will prove to be a liberal denial that Palin is going to be a significant force in national politics for the rest of her life.

 

[roger]

Do you really believe that someone must be an intellectual to do all of those things? Honestly?

Since I said it was not required, I would think the answer would be obvious.

Eisenhower did all of those things, and generally did them well, and he was not an intellectual. Unless by "intellectual", you mean "smart". The truth is, the two of those things are NOT synonymous, nor is one a subset of the other. Derrida and Foucault prove that.

I'm sure you agree with the futility of a semantic argument here. We are talking about the qualifications of Palin for office. She has no training in any kind of public policy or law. She has shown no inclination in later life to receive the training. She is quite ignorant of very basic issues. Etc. That's the point that was being made.

Eisenhower went to West point, graduated in the top half of his class, went on to study military history and theory, and received on the job training (so to speak) from General Conner. His entire military career was a sort of training ground. After the military he ended up president of Columbia University. These are not accomplishments of an disinterested or small mind.

From his presidential library:

His Panama service (1922-24) introduced him to General Fox Conner who took him under his wing and encouraged him to read widely in history, military science, and philosophy and was instrumental in Eisenhower's acceptance by the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Eisenhower graduated first in the 1926 class of 245 officers.

If you want to quibble about the definition of 'intellectual', you'll have to find somebody else to engage you. I'll happily accept a different term if you would like to proffer one. I will leave you with the phrase "read widely in history, military science, and philosophy" as a quality I would like any president to share, and suggest that "graduated first in [a] class of 245" is not a bad quality to have either, call it what you will. It's the kind of thing we (of this thread) are looking for in our future leaders, and we are not seeing it in Palin. My offer to show me these qualities still stands, of course - I'm not the best judge of people. To be honest, though, given all she was asked what newpapers she reads and couldn't name one, I'm not really holding out hope that she has read even narrowly in military theory, philosophy, law, or public policy - the knowledge on which a President makes her decisions.

 

[MikeMangum]

I say it simply because I observe that your argument boils down to an assertion that the level of disapproval Sarah Palin is subject to (from some) is based more upon her cultural background than her actual flaws.
You point out that the "Caribou Barbie" stereotype is threatening to some due to its' alienness. The hunting, and the "you betcha' " are code for- "not like us" to her detractors.
Could the same not be said about "Barak Hussein Obama" and his "community organising"?
Can I not use the same rationale to link ODS to racism?

There's one serious flaw in your argument. Race is not culture.

But yes, a fair amount of the initial opposition to Obama was based on emotional, cultural reactions. Although, I think I'm guilty of overusing the word culture in this thread; I think the term "group identification" is better.

 

[Skeptic]

I am beginning to feel a sort of growing dread that the actual "Palin denial syndrome" will prove to be a liberal denial that Palin is going to be a significant force in national politics for the rest of her life.

Well, certainly the "how can the moronic knuckle-draggers deny their candidate is evil and stupid? They must be in denial!" Democratic standard-issue policy -- which had failed completely to stop the election of Nixon (twice), Reagan (twice), Bush Sr., or Bush Jr. (twice) -- isn't working.

And yet the Democrats keep unleashing this strategy, codenamed "Operation Foot Bazooka", every election, since the previous defeat merely convinced them the electorate is even dumber than they thought, and that if they patiently explain to the skeptical voters in even more detail exactly how stupid they and their candidates are, they'll win in a landslide next time.

(Sigh)

Ah well. Somebody's being a moron here, all right.

But it isn't Palin.

 

[fishbob]

But if the job is the POTUS, the ex-business owner, ex-mayor, and ex-governor, all of which she did quite well in, Palin, got the ex-law professor, ex-community organizer, and ex-congressman beat in terms of qualifications, no doubt about it.

What alternate reality are you living in? Your statement is factually challenged, no matter how hard you wish it were true.
She has almost no business experience, left Wasilla worse for her tenure, and quit her job as governor leaving all kinds of crap for others to clean up.

 

[Tricky]

Whether Palin will run, or whether she will win (both unlikely, in my view), is another issue. And, no, I don't think she should be president -- there are better qualified people. But one thing is certain: if she does run, "ha ha, she's soooooooooo stupid" attacks by the Democrats will have no appreciable effect, or, if anything, will alienate potential voters and make more of them vote for, not against, her.

I seriously doubt that the Dems would (officially) do such a thing. Leave it to the media. You remember, I suspect, that Dan Quayle ran for president in the 2000 primaries and got his ass handed to him in a saucer. And the Dems didn't have anything to do with that. Quayles reputation did that.

Republicans are not stupid. They would not nominate a candidate who openly supports a split party, embarassed them in 2008, quit her last elected job, and is the constant subject of public ridicule. At least I don't think they're that stupid. I'd be very suprised if I'm wrong.

 

[fishbob]

This is it in a nutshell, right here. It has little to do with her qualifications or lack thereof; it has little to do with her intelligence or lack thereof, even her policy positions are secondary. For those people who just can't stand Palin, it is because, as far as they are concerned, she comes from a different culture...she isn't one of them. The jokes about Palin, and many of the derogatory comments (aside from those that sexualize her or otherwise attack her for being a woman) are about cultural traits associated with "being country folk": her hunting, the way she talks, her family, the small town she lives in, the multiple (non-Ivy league) colleges she went to, being a past beauty queen, past sportscaster, etc. She did get a journalism degree, which would normally buy her a pass, but it wasn't from Columbia, it was from the University of Idaho. IDAHO! That's just icky. Idaho is full of hicks, just like Alaska!

Ya know, some of us hick country folk from small towns who talk funny and hunt or fish might simply not like her because she has demonstrated how really really terrible she is at governing a town or a state. Didja ever think of that?

 

[fishbob]

From all accounts, she was a reasonably effective executive as mayor and governor.

If, by "all accounts" you mean "in her book, but nowhere else", then I certainly agree with you.