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Posted on 11/14/2008 2:24:46 PM PST by Wegotsarah.com
U.S. Virgin Islands -- I suspect that when Time magazine chooses their Person of the Year for 2008, there will be little internal debate. They've probably long picked The One -- Barack Obama. After all, more than half the country went and elected him the next president of the United States.
And, come to think about it, the ink-stained pundits at Time have already vaulted the former senator from Illinois to top-dog status. When, last December, they declared the 2007 champion "You," they hit on one of the key ingredients to Obama's successful strategy: he was so disciplined, so likable, so broad in his way of speaking that Americans were able to project their hopes and dreams for their country onto him, regardless of what he actually had to offer.
But Time shouldn't diss the not insignificant portion of the country that voted for Republican John McCain. And, specifically, they shouldn't ignore the people who were energized by the addition of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to his ticket. She offered something new on the right, something new from a woman and something new for Republicans. Mind you, Palin was far from the first pro-life conservative woman to appear in the Republican Party -- there are plenty of them in the House of Representatives. (With the defeat of Elizabeth Dole in North Carolina, though, there are no pro-life women in the Senate.)
Whatever you thought of her, it seemed everyone in the country had an opinion of Palin -- at the very start, throughout, and after the Republicans' failed national campaign. And like Obama, all you had to do was look at her to see that she offered something different on a national ticket. In neither case did I think that novelty alone was a sufficient qualification for executive office, but the sheer innovative force of each was blindingly obvious, and the first things you noticed.
Here at National Review's post-election cruise, a group gathered for a weeklong post-mortem on the high seas has Palin on the brain. Palin's not on ship, but neither her absence nor the McCain loss has dampened enthusiasm for her here.
On the lighter side, one foreign policy expert showed up for a panel in a towel (but fully clothed underneath) in an act of solidarity with Palin (referencing the now debunked post-election story that she once appeared to top campaign officials in a towel). What is it about Sarah?
For many folks on the right, she represented an influx of social conservatism in the campaign. All she had to do was arrive at the scene with her son Trig to demonstrate her pro-life bona fides. Some estimated 90 percent of Americans faced with the knowledge that they might give birth to a child with Down Syndrome wouldn't have made the choice she and her husband, Todd, did to let the child live.
For other conservatives, she simply represented anybody but McCain, a stubborn gadfly they had bumped up against more than once on issues of immigration, free speech and even judges. And for some it was the pride she exuded in "this great country" that made her so appealing. Some will to this day compare her to Ronald Reagan. Why is this? It's about her simple and clear patriotism, and, frankly, her forthright belief system compared to a now president-elect who was comfortable being friends with a domestic terrorist. I don't question Obama's patriotism, but to ignore the contrast would be a lie.
Like the "change" from the Obama campaign slogan embraced by so many, Palin offered something different. For some it was an anti-Washington feel. Many consider her a refreshing citizen-politician in the old mold, one that Thomas Jefferson would be proud to meet. Does that make her just like Obama? I do wonder what the campaign would have been like had they both been at the helm: He wouldn't have had a monopoly on change, and she would have had her own staff and freedom to follow her instincts, and perhaps better advice than she was given as she ran for vice president.
We'll never know what could have been in a straight-on Obama vs. Palin contest. But what we do know is this: Palin, like Obama, energized people. And she did it in a heckuva lot less time than he had to do it, only coming onto the national scene and the GOP ticket Labor Day weekend. It's still a free country. Media outlets still can do as they please (save for those who choose to hand over their editorial direction to one party or another). But Time would make a mistake if it ignored the Palin phenom this year just because the ticket didn't win in the end.
Obama would be wise to agree.
Sailin’ with Palin!
Whalin’ with Palin!
No Failin’ with Palin!
Regalin’ with Palin!
Hailin’ Palin!
No Jailin’ of Palin!
Nailin’ Palin! (Reserved for Todd)
I’d be Tailin’ Palin!
The U.S. should be Availin’ of Palin!
No Wailin’, Vote Palin!
As for Palin, we'll see. We're going to have some excellent candidates in 2012. Whatever betide, she's a great litmus test: those who've dismissed her already (most within a few hours or moments of her nomination) deserve our undying scorn. For separating the wheat from the chaff we owe her -- big.
The MSM had better stop Quayle-in’ Palin!
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True. She also needs to build allies through her ability to draw crowds and fundraising. She would Be wise to start her own PAC and think tank to give her agenda credibility and voice.
We're Shaolins for Palin!
I agree. She can only benefit from increased exposure of the real her, not Tina Fey, and not the "You betcha (wink) I'm just like regular (wink) Joe Sixpack" twitching fit we got in first 20 or so minutes of her debate with Biden. Some advisor really did her a disservice by having her play up the folksy bit.
It wasn't until the second half of the debate when she started getting drawn into engaging Biden instead of the camera did we see the sharp Governor that could be a winning candidate in '12.
Look, on a moments notice Mrs. Palin emerged and electrified the party like I’ve not seen in a heck of a long time.
She was green but learned on the fly and by golly she did a heck of a lot better job of campaign than the old RINO fool McLame.
She’ll put in her time and campaign for others that need her help and those will be redeemable I.O.U.s.
Hopefully she becomes a U.S. Senator here real soon to help her resume.
2012? Maybe or 2016. Either way you haven’t seen the last of the Cuda.
“When, last December, they declared the 2007 champion ‘You,’”
That was absolutely the worst of the worst of men of the year choices. And I’m not saying that because I weep, along with Jose Ortega y Gasset, that we live in sickeningly demotic times, though I do. All I’m saying is that if you want to stomp all over the idea of picking just one person, scrap the charade altogether. Tell us you refuse to name a person of the year. As it was, it was like they weren’t even trying.
We’ll never know what a straight up race between Obama and Sarah would be like? Nice enough words, but K-Lo..she is very much in the running for ‘12.
I noted she shows kind of a "passive resistance"- When she doesn't like a question, she answers it, without really answering it- to show her annoyance. She would do better to just say, that's a stupid question.
For instance, I saw that in the Couric interview about newspapers. Instead of just saying, "you're interviewing me here on location in the middle of a campaign rally, and the most pressing question you can ask is what newspaper I read"---the Governor showed her displeasure by dancing around the answer. To your point, Reagan likely would have just flipped it off: "Oh, Superman comics".
I saw it again with Larry King, when he asked her if she had gotten upset when Bristol first told her about the pregnancy. She danced around that answer. But, then when he came back and said, "No. Were you upset?" She channeled her anger properly, "Come'on, Larry. What do you think?!"
Don't sell Sara Palin short. What we mostly got was the MSM view of Sarah, unless folks took the time to actually watch a good number of her stump speeches. She wasn't expected to expound on all subjects, like the Presidential candidates, so the MSM did her a disservice and SURPRISE, exacted a double standard by not treating her exactly like they treated Smilin Joe Biden.
She's a smart woman, and she doesn't have an 80% approval rate in Alaska for no reason.
Exactly! That would of been the perfect response!
The 'oh' and 'well' before his light hearted response just had to make you laugh.
Hey there. You know I’m the Governor’s biggest fan. -:)
Apparently Sarah’s got a LOT of fans, now. I’m glad McCain introduced her to all those conservatives who don’t populate FR, and who had never heard of her.
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