# Is Sarah Palin dumber than Ronald Reagan? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 21, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453 "2010-11-21T17:10:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/161 "2010-11-22T19:36:37Z")
> [@IdahoMauleMan](#): > > [Obama] truly believes government creates wealth and jobs. One of the main arguments in support of Reagan’s military buildup was that this massive big governent spending program would stimulate the economy and create jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/162 "2010-11-22T20:03:21Z")
> [@xenophon41](#): > > Right. Which is the natural rebuttal to **Susanann** ’s argument that Palin’s press attention, book sales, etc. illustrate her exceptional charismatic qualities. > > People get the limelight through hard work, talent, importance or happenstance. Palin became nationally important when McCain took a gamble, otherwise I can’t see any route she could’ve taken through her own efforts that would’ve gained her such prominence. > . No. Not even close. Sarah Palin was quite prominent long before the liberal press/media, who was deathly afraid of Palin, began to try to slander her and make fun of her. Palin was not only my favorite, Palin was the only VP nominee that McCain could choose that would make me vote Republican/McCain. Many of us, back in the Spring of 2008, strongly urged McCain to choose Palin. McCain chose Sarah Palin because Sarah Palin was, outstandingly, the most popular, most liked, the most successful politician in the entire country in the summer of 2008. \*Sarah Palin " for most of her term was very popular with Alaska voters. Polls taken in 2007 showed her with **93% and 89% popularity among all voters** , ,[92] which led some media outlets to call her “ **the most popular governor in America.** ”[84][92]" \* > **[Sarah Palin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin)** > > Sarah Louise Palin (PAY-lin; née Heath; born February 11, 1964) is an American politician, commentator, and author who served as the ninth governor of Alaska from 2006 until her resignation in 2009. She was the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee under U.S. senator John McCain. > Palin was elected to the Wasilla city council in 1992 and became mayor of Wasilla in 1996. In 2003, after an unsuccessful run for lieutenant governor, she was appointed chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conserva... Beginning with her TLC series, and her Fox commentary, Sarah Palin has now started to begin to counteract the lamestream/liberal media attacks/lies/slander that were made against her, and soon Sarah will once again regain her old popularity. Just wait and see. Never underestimate Sarah Palin. ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/163 "2010-11-22T20:16:58Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Sarah Palin has now started to begin to counteract the lamestream/liberal media attacks/lies/slander that were made against her, and soon Sarah will once again regain her old popularity. Just wait and see. > > Never underestimate Sarah Palin. The Palin family has taken over your television, between “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” on TLC, Sarah Palin’s political commentaries on the Fox News channel, and Bristol Palin dancing up a storm on “Dancing With the Stars.” You’re also seeing Palin on the cover of People and other non-political magazines. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/164 "2010-11-22T20:17:14Z")
What “lies” and “slander” was made against her? ETA: The premiere of Sarah Palin’s Alaska drew about a 1.8 share, meaning that while popular as TLC shows go, it’s a little less interesting to the viewing public than WWE _Monday Night Raw_. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/165 "2010-11-22T20:36:19Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > It’s not clear from your post who exactly mocked Palin for the 1773 comment. [http://perfunction.typepad.com/perfunction/2010/10/historic-illiteracy-idiot-sarah-palin-party-like-its-1773-after-the-election.html](http://perfunction.typepad.com/perfunction/2010/10/historic-illiteracy-idiot-sarah-palin-party-like-its-1773-after-the-election.html) [http://www.trcommons.org/2010/10/sarah-palin-party-like-its-1773/](http://www.trcommons.org/2010/10/sarah-palin-party-like-its-1773/) > [@VinylTurnip](#): > > For the “fair use” thing, yes, Gawker’s sneering comment obviously backfired, but I thought Palin was mostly being criticized for her tendency to bemoan her alleged exploitation by the the Mean Old Press all the while promoting \*herself \*via a prolonged, calculated blitz across every medium she can manipulate. Perhaps, but then she should be criticized for THAT, and not for correctly speculating that Gawker’s conduct was illegal. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/166 "2010-11-22T20:40:23Z")
There we go with that tired old “liberal (mass) media” shit again. :rolleyes: People who say the media is liberal wouldn’t know a real liberal if one bit them on the behind. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/167 "2010-11-22T20:51:58Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > There we go with that tired old “liberal (mass) media” shit again. :rolleyes: > People who say the media is liberal wouldn’t know a real liberal if one bit them on the behind. Actually, real liberals are easy to recognize - they are the ones who deny that the MSM is largely biased in their favor. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/168 "2010-11-22T20:52:01Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Palin was not only my favorite, Palin was the only VP nominee that McCain could choose that would make me vote Republican/McCain. Many of us, back in the Spring of 2008, strongly urged McCain to choose Palin. Cite? I mean, since you were one of the people so urging, surely you can provide us with a cite, eh? > [@Susanann](#): > > McCain chose Sarah Palin because Sarah Palin was, outstandingly, the most popular, most liked, the most successful politician in the entire country in the summer of 2008. Cite? Because that’s not how I remember it happening. Also, please provide a cite that Palin was “the most popular” politician, the “most liked” politician, and another cite that shows she was the “most successful politician in the entire country in the summer of 2008”. I mean, you wouldn’t just go around making shit up, right? You wouldn’t state your own opinion as if it was an objective fact, would you? So show us some cites to back up those claims. And no, your wiki cite from 2007 doesn’t qualify. You specifically said 2008. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/169 "2010-11-22T20:52:06Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > No. Not even close. > > Sarah Palin was quite prominent long before the liberal press/media, who was deathly afraid of Palin, began to try to slander her and make fun of her. > > Palin was not only my favorite, Palin was the only VP nominee that McCain could choose that would make me vote Republican/McCain. Many of us, back in the Spring of 2008, strongly urged McCain to choose Palin. _How_ many of you? And who is “us”? And you urged that choice using what method of communication? I ask, because, since you weren’t in McCain’s camp prior to his VP selection, I assume you didn’t have the candidate’s ear directly. > [@](#): > > McCain chose Sarah Palin because Sarah Palin was, outstandingly, the most popular, most liked, the most successful politician in the entire country in the summer of 2008. > > \*Sarah Palin " for most of her term was very popular with Alaska voters. Polls taken in 2007 showed her with **93% and 89% popularity among all voters** , ,[92] which led some media outlets to call her “ **the most popular governor in America.** ”[84][92]" \* > > [Sarah Palin - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin) The entire state of Alaska has a smaller population than the city of Detroit. High initial approval ratings inside Alaska just does not translate to “most approved in the nation”, or to national political prominence. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/170 "2010-11-22T20:52:14Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Sarah Palin was quite prominent long before the liberal press/media, who was deathly afraid of Palin, began to try to slander her and make fun of her. Exactly what do you mean? Prominent in Alaskan politics? Or Prominent in the national scene? > [@Susanann](#): > > Palin was not only my favorite, Palin was the only VP nominee that McCain could choose that would make me vote Republican/McCain. Many of us, back in the Spring of 2008, strongly urged McCain to choose Palin. Whoa, seriously? I guess I’m the polar opposite, I was thinking about voting for McCain (I was heavily supportive of him in 2000) and when he picked Palin, a creationist among other things, I simply could not vote for that ticket. > [@Susanann](#): > > Beginning with her TLC series, and her Fox commentary, Sarah Palin has now started to begin to counteract the lamestream/liberal media attacks/lies/slander that were made against her, and soon Sarah will once again regain her old popularity. Just wait and see. I’m curious, can she do no wrong in your eyes? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/171 "2010-11-22T20:53:07Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Actually, real liberals are easy to recognize - they are the ones who deny that the MSM is largely biased in their favor. > > Regards, > Shodan How could that be? It’s a known fact that liberals eschew big business, and therefor don’t have the cash to create and maintain huge media outlets. Or are you saying that Rupert Murdoch is a liberal? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/172 "2010-11-22T20:54:45Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > The Palin family has taken over your television, between “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” on TLC, Sarah Palin’s political commentaries on the Fox News channel, and Bristol Palin dancing up a storm on “Dancing With the Stars.” Sarah controls the vertical. Sarah controls the horizontal. She can change the focus to a soft blur, or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next two years, sit quietly and Sarah will control all that you see and hear. ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/173 "2010-11-22T21:03:16Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > There we go with that tired old “liberal (mass) media” shit again. :rolleyes: > People who say the media is liberal wouldn’t know a real liberal if one bit them on the behind. I dont know what planet you have been living on, but it is no secret that every personality on every network and cable show, except Fox, and except Pat Buchanna, is openly **liberal**. Ed (The Ed Show), Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, RAchel Madow, etc. etc. et al, openly self identify, and say themselves that they are **liberals**. Chris Matthews says it is obama who gives him **“a tingle up his leg”** …NOT Sarah. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/174 "2010-11-22T21:05:25Z")
I love that etc. etc. As if three people are a sufficient representative of EVERYONE BUT FOX NEWS. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/175 "2010-11-22T21:06:16Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > I dont know what planet you have been living on, but it is no secret that every personality on every network and cable show, except Fox, and except Pat Buchanna, is openly **liberal**. Ed (The Ed Show), Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, RAchel Madow, etc. etc. et al, openly self identify, and say themselves that they are **liberals**. > > Chris Matthews says it is obama who gives him **“a tingle up his leg”** …NOT Sarah. Um, aren’t all of those people MSNBC personas? Are you suggesting there are only two cable networks? A liberal one and a conservative one? ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/176 "2010-11-22T21:07:23Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Chris Matthews says it is obama who gives him **“a tingle up his leg”** …NOT Sarah. Is this a suggestion that Chris Matthew’s is gay? Should all heterosexuals get a tingle up their legs from Sarah? ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/177 "2010-11-22T21:09:22Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > **Shayna** , you should come around here more often (again). That was brilliant. Why thank you, my old friend. I’m blushing a little bit now. > [@IdahoMauleMan](#): > > That’s a nice post. > > But I’ve read a lot about Obama’s past, and watch him live, and still don’t understand why everybody thinks he’s “brilliant”. It’s almost like if they repeat it enough times, they will convince themselves and everyone else it’s true. And I still don’t understand how someone could read a post wherein the word ‘brilliant’ doesn’t even appear, and then go on to rail against “everybody” thinking he’s brilliant. It’s almost like if they post it, they will convince themselves and everyone else that that’s what was actually said, even though it wasn’t. > [@IdahoMauleMan](#): > > His resume above reads like a typical, middle of the road political hack. “Political hack?” You see, this is where I should utterly dismiss you, because clearly you have an agenda. > [@IdahoMauleMan](#): > > I hate to burst anyone’s bubble, but being a non-tenure track lecturer is not evidence of brilliance. Go click on some of the bio’s of the non-tenure track lecturers at any major university. They aren’t that impressive. **“Several times during his 12 years as a professor in the Law School, Obama was invited to join the faculty in a full-time tenure-track position, but he declined.”** So you’re suggesting that because he turned down the opportunity to be tenure-tracked, that he must not have the chops to be tenure-tracked, even though he was repeatedly invited to become tenure-tracked by the people who know talent that is tenure-track material in the first place? Hmmm. > [@IdahoMauleMan](#): > > If Obama wanted to use the HLR or his position at the UofC as a platform for his brilliance, it was certainly there. The facts are that his contributions were fairly humdrum and minor over many years. And there is that little detail of him not releasing his grades, when every other President has. ::Yawn:: I guess he doesn’t have a birth certificate, either, huh? The rest is just biased, baseless and unsupported opinion with which I clearly disagree, and I’ll just leave it at that. > [@Bricker](#): > > So if the OP is still defending his theme, which is that liberals attack Palin’s intellectual chops because of basic policy deisagreements they cannot otherwise refute… > > …then why do I do it? > > I mean, surely you can’t believe I’ve spent eleven years on this board honing a phony conservative reputation so I am perfectly positioned to attack Sarah Palin, right? > > I am a conservative, and I believe Palin would be a disastrous choice for President, because her intellect isn’t up to snuff. > > What’s my ulterior motive? Duh! You’re a turncoat who voted for Barack Obama. Of _course_ you have an ulterior motive to diminish her intelligence. Otherwise, you look like a fool for electing the other guy. 😉 😛 > [@pravnik](#): > > Hold on, I said I’d bet she can _name_ them, not state the holdings correctly! 😉 Well, that is certainly true. You said you bet that she could name decisions she both agreed with and disagreed with, without the caveat that those agreements or disagreements be either correct or consistent. I still bet she can’t name one. 😉 😃 > [@Susanann](#): > > Yeah, how much media/press attention is given to what the Governor of North Dakota happens to say?.. about anything? > > How many thousands of people in other states turn out for rallies and speaking engagements given by the Governor of Vermont? > > Who pays any attention about what candidates all over the nation that the Governor of Montana gives an endorsement to? > > How many books has the Governor of Hawaii written, and how many books were sold? > > How many people watch TLC television series featuring the family of the Governor of Rhode Island? > > Bottom line: Sarah Palin is a very real and a very charismatic person. Both friend, and foe, fall over themselves to see and hear her her every word. Alaska is not big enough for Sarah Palin. I also cannot think of any other politician who would so fearlessly put themselves out there and say “This is who I am, this is my family, this is where I live.” I find it incredibly refreshing. How much press/media attention was former Governor Palin given **prior** to her being chosen as John McCain’s Vice Presidential running mate? I won’t even make you guess, I’ll just give you the answer: None. Outside of Alaska, Sarah Palin was a virtual unknown. Your premise is flawed, and therefore so is your conclusion. > [@Bricker](#): > > Now, having agreed that Palin is not tops in the brains department, I should also mention that I find irritating the tendency to criticize her for things she’s correct about. > > Remember “Party like it’s 1773!” Ha, ha, what an idiot; the Declaration of Independence was **1776**! > > Yes. But the Boston Tea Party was in 1773. > > This came to mind when Gawker published excerpts from Palin’s unreleased book. She tweeted angrily, asking if that was illegal. Gawker sneeringly replied: > > Of course, the party that got “walked through it” was Gawker, who learned that an author has a strong right to control her _unpublished_ material and that it’s NOT fair use to publish it ahead of the first authorized publication. Had Gawker actually read their own link and clicked through on it, they might have gotten a hint of this truth: > > And [sure enough](http://online.wsj.com/article/AP6b85991d039f4f5bb9aa63f7e63fde89.html), the judge that was asked that question immediately ordered Gawker to take down their offending publications. > > Ha! Ha! That Palin. What a moron. No one here is saying that Sarah Palin is the _only_ moron on the planet, or even that she’s the _biggest_ moron on the planet. Clearly there are worse. Thankfully none of them are gearing up to run for President in 2012 at the moment (time will tell, though). ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/178 "2010-11-22T21:09:48Z")
> [@Meatros](#): > > I’m curious, can she do no wrong in your eyes? Yeah! It was just last night that I saw her miss a couple of clay pigeons at the gun range. We finally got to see her fail at something. Whatyaknow? What a coincidence that the very next day!!! you ask such a question! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/179 "2010-11-22T21:11:21Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > The Palin family has taken over your television, between “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” on TLC, Sarah Palin’s political commentaries on the Fox News channel, and Bristol Palin dancing up a storm on “Dancing With the Stars.” You’re also seeing Palin on the cover of People and other non-political magazines. I agree. Her agent would make an excellent president. Palin, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/180 "2010-11-22T21:13:53Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Yeah! It was just last night that I saw her miss a couple of clay pigeons at the gun range. We finally got to see her fail at something. Whatyaknow? > > What a coincidence that the very next day!!! you ask such a question! I’m having a hard time taking you seriously. I find it discouraging that the public wants to vote for someone who is ‘just like them’. I don’t want to vote for someone just like me, I want to vote for someone more intelligent then me, someone who will make better choices, etc. Sarah seems to appeal to the lowest common denominator. I find that sad and it’s one of the reasons I hate politics - because it relies on rhetoric above substance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453.md?page=10)