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News & ArtsMonday, July 6, 2009
Politics Palin: This Ought to Be Awesome
Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Yes, gentlemen, a scandal is clearly in the offing. First of all, the press conference has been described as hastily organized, and the lieutenant governor appears to have been possibly as surprised as anyone. Secondly, the timing seems both intentional and significant: The announcement was made exactly when the U.S. of A. would be too busy assembling grills from Walmart, getting drunk, and blowing its fingers off to pay much attention (whither the sanctity of patriotism, hmm, Sarah?). And if she were leaving to do something definite (say, host a little sompin'-sompin' on Fox) she would've been shouting it from the rooftops, not sounding completely vague and—in my opinion, and weren't you thinking this too?—high on drugs.
1
I see a grainy video involving Ru Paul, Maria from Argentina and the exGov Palin. Todd, naturally is taking the video.
2
A scandal is "clearly" in the offing, Bethany?
NOTHING is "clearly" on Planet Palin, other than the fact she's bat-shit crazy.
NOTHING is "clearly" on Planet Palin, other than the fact she's bat-shit crazy.
3
As a strident old guard feminist, I demand you take this post down or I will be canceling my subscription to your certifiably unsound paper of questionable journalistic merit.
Back in the sixties, we stood behind our sisters in good times and bad, regardless of what they did as long as it was for the strength of womynhood. In fact, I recall rallying in support of Anita Bryant in the face of a androcentric movement that sought to shove womyn into the background.
Please rectify this situation post haste or you will find a cancellation notice and mimeograph of my most recent bill in your femailbox.
Good day.
Back in the sixties, we stood behind our sisters in good times and bad, regardless of what they did as long as it was for the strength of womynhood. In fact, I recall rallying in support of Anita Bryant in the face of a androcentric movement that sought to shove womyn into the background.
Please rectify this situation post haste or you will find a cancellation notice and mimeograph of my most recent bill in your femailbox.
Good day.
4
Speculate more loudly, please.
I'm still intrigued by Palin's legal threat against defamatory remarks.
I'm still intrigued by Palin's legal threat against defamatory remarks.
8
Here in Bocas, Panama, a handful of us expats and travelers watched the video speech thing she gave where she went on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on about nothing in particular with that corn syrup smile on her face like every word she said was SUPER and just made her so HAPPY that should couldn't help but SMILE. Yes, we concluded she is super high on drogas. De acuerdo. Or she has one of those personality disorders that makes her fly high as a kite talking about herself, because she is the BEST and everyone loves her. right.
9
Sweet Jeebus, doesn't anyone at The Stranger have the ability to think strategically?
1) She did this suddenly the day before a holiday because resigning her office is a short-term setback in order to achieve bigger long term plans. She didn't want a lot of press.
2) It doesn't matter what she's doing next. No matter what it is will have a higher profile than Governor of Alaska.
3) Resigning for another job (i.e. to be a Fox news talking head, to write a book, or whatever) would be worse politically than doing it for a "higher calling", family reasons, or whatever the fuck spin she's putting on it. She has been successful playing the martyr card.
1) She did this suddenly the day before a holiday because resigning her office is a short-term setback in order to achieve bigger long term plans. She didn't want a lot of press.
2) It doesn't matter what she's doing next. No matter what it is will have a higher profile than Governor of Alaska.
3) Resigning for another job (i.e. to be a Fox news talking head, to write a book, or whatever) would be worse politically than doing it for a "higher calling", family reasons, or whatever the fuck spin she's putting on it. She has been successful playing the martyr card.
10
I still think she likes being on her high horse. She''ll go around the country advising women not to abort deformaties. "See Trig?" she'll ask. "isn't he wonderful?"
She really did say as much if you listened to her speech. Well, don't expect her to talk about the cost of saving a vegetable from abortion. Or how tax payers will have to pick up the enormous cost. Or what it will be like when he's thirty years old and you still have to change his diapers.
She really did say as much if you listened to her speech. Well, don't expect her to talk about the cost of saving a vegetable from abortion. Or how tax payers will have to pick up the enormous cost. Or what it will be like when he's thirty years old and you still have to change his diapers.
11
I can believe the high on drugs part, but the correlation between crazy things and sex scandals is fairly low for women politicians.
If it had been a male politician, I would have agreed, but this isn't the case.
She can't afford to fly from AK to various places to run for national office. The strategic importance of being a Governor is far outweighed by the practical considerations of the usual 2-3 year continual campaign mode and rubber chicken circuit.
Plus, she still has to take Cheney up on his offer to go hunting with her.
If it had been a male politician, I would have agreed, but this isn't the case.
She can't afford to fly from AK to various places to run for national office. The strategic importance of being a Governor is far outweighed by the practical considerations of the usual 2-3 year continual campaign mode and rubber chicken circuit.
Plus, she still has to take Cheney up on his offer to go hunting with her.
13
I expect that there is a scandal brewing - but that it is more likely to be of a financial nature.
We'll see.
We'll see.
14
Uh. You do realize that Palin's two most high profile political positions are 1) less government regulation across the board and 2) unchecked cruelty to animals, right?
There's only one person I know who has those exact same political views...
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
Her schadenfreude towards Sarah Palin can only mean one thing: Bethany Jean Clement is running for governor of Alaska under the Alaska Independence Party.
There's only one person I know who has those exact same political views...
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
Her schadenfreude towards Sarah Palin can only mean one thing: Bethany Jean Clement is running for governor of Alaska under the Alaska Independence Party.
15
Or maybe she's just someone who was unexpectedly thrust into the national spotlight from an out of the way state, didn't know how to handle it, tried (awkwardly) to make the best of it, and is tired of the price she's been paying (and her family too) for her actions and for being a prominent conservative in a leftward shifting country? Maybe?
But that wouldn't be useful fodder for completely speculative copy would it?
But that wouldn't be useful fodder for completely speculative copy would it?
18
1) it's not the fact that she's leaving office that's suspicious, it's the way she decided to hold a rambling press conference seemingly at the last minute with no press secretary, in her back yard, with no national press on a day when all politicians make the kind of statements they don't want voters to remember. Also her tone was uber defensive and her stated logic behind this decision was flawed even by her own standards: visiting wounded soldiers who never give up inspired her to quit? "America is all about choice" (really Srah even in the bedroom?).
2) High as a kite on the 4th of July. Methinks she's been doing some of that there good ole "Real America" Meth Wasilla is known for. She sounded like every cokehead who's ever cornered you at a party to talk ur ear off.
2) High as a kite on the 4th of July. Methinks she's been doing some of that there good ole "Real America" Meth Wasilla is known for. She sounded like every cokehead who's ever cornered you at a party to talk ur ear off.
19
far be it from me to defend this nut job, but it is possible that she just quit. i mean, she clearly is not up to any level of high profile political activity. she couldn't even have a fucking conversation with katie couric without getting panicked and defensive. maybe she really just got sick of the bullshit.
20
@9, the flaw in your argument is that she HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. She single-handedly scuppered McCain's presidential chances -- polls made it extremely clear that every time she opened her mouth or appeared in public his support plummeted. Her approval rating in AK is doing likewise. The myth of Palin's "genius for politics" is just that, a myth. She is not a popular figure, even among Republicans, however much noise her supporters make.
21
She was obviously a bit altered during that speech, but not due to drugs. I think it's pretty obvious that she has a serious personality disorder, probably narcissistic personality disorder. I don't see enough evidence of up and down cycles to say it could be bipolar disorder, too, but it's always possible (the incoherence of her language, which she obviously thought was as brilliant and inspired as the Gettysburg Address, points to a manic episode in any case).
22
Burning her as a witch is the obvious choice, but I support it. I'll bring my pink pitchfork.
I can easily see her becoming a Phyllis Schafly-style scold, haranguing all and sundry and making very little sense from a lovely leather wing chair somewhere, but I'm still crossing my fingers for a juicy scandal, sex, ethics, both, I don't care as long as she keeps the crazy coming.
More entertaining than the morbid mess that's the Michael Jackson Death-O-Spectaculum.
I can easily see her becoming a Phyllis Schafly-style scold, haranguing all and sundry and making very little sense from a lovely leather wing chair somewhere, but I'm still crossing my fingers for a juicy scandal, sex, ethics, both, I don't care as long as she keeps the crazy coming.
More entertaining than the morbid mess that's the Michael Jackson Death-O-Spectaculum.
24
@20 - By successful, I meant that she made David Letterman apologize.
I hope you're right that her supporters are just a vocal minority (and that they stay that way). However, I suspect she hurt McCain because they did not play well together, not because she's a twit.
Palin generates buzz, which is something that McCain, Romney, Huckabee, and Giuliani could not do. For that alone, she is dangerous, and she's not going to sound any dumber on TV the next time around.
I hope you're right that her supporters are just a vocal minority (and that they stay that way). However, I suspect she hurt McCain because they did not play well together, not because she's a twit.
Palin generates buzz, which is something that McCain, Romney, Huckabee, and Giuliani could not do. For that alone, she is dangerous, and she's not going to sound any dumber on TV the next time around.
25
@20 -
PS - Next to Palin, McCain looked stodgy and old ... Hardly the "maverick" image that he cultivated for all those years. The contrast worked against him.
PS - Next to Palin, McCain looked stodgy and old ... Hardly the "maverick" image that he cultivated for all those years. The contrast worked against him.
26
first we need to test if she floats before we burn her as a witch.
after all, let's be practical out there.
after all, let's be practical out there.
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