Just in the last week or so, I mean. I’ve been shocked at seeing such ideological dickweeds as George F. (for “For Chrissake no one with a middle initial ‘F’ should ever use use his middle initial!”) Will and that Parker woman at the National Review and other such right-wing apologists essentially endorse Obama by declaring Palin patently unqualified to be VPOTUS. I realize this could be confusing cause and effect (that Palin’s lack of qualifications is so egregious that even a right-wing ideologue is open-minded enough to recognize it) but I still doubt that, if Palin was still polling well with Mr and Mrs. Joe Six-pack Muddle 'Mercan John Q. Moron for some inexplicable but historically precedented reason (see, “Bush, George W.”), they wouldn’t be out there defending the same bullshit they’re now disparaging.
IOW, I think these right-wingers now so harshly critical of McCain’s judgment are mostly looking for some political cover for themselves. “This election’s toast,” I think they’ve cannily realized, “and I might as well take the opportunity to show how smart I am in recognizing that in public sooner rather than later, and bank some ‘I’m not a kneejerk tighty-righty–see, I dissed Palin a month before Election Day’ points,” and so preserve whatever cred they still have, and maybe earn some new cred.
I’m not sure what sort of atmosphere you live in that causes this view- that conservatives can’t be thoughtful, honest or well considered; that they suffer the see-saw effects of public opinion tides.
J. McCain never really represented these folk. Consider 2000. He appealed to independents for straight talk and ability to work across the aisle, qualities currently submerged or expunged to pander to base voters. The Palin pick is a brilliant, strategic example of the old adage “win the battle but lose the war”.
I don’t think it’s covering one’s ass to point out that Gov. Palin appears unqualified in accordance with the metric perceived by many Americans, especially those born without the “Right” or “Left” stamp on their forehead.
But there are certain ideologues who would rather the party go down in defeat with principles intact than have a McCain presidency create a ground zero that takes years to recover from.
I have followed this race about as closely as your average New Guinea tribesman in a loincloth would. I didn’t read the text described by the OP but I’d believe it.
The problem I’ve noticed—with both parties—is that too many people are in a lockstep. A staunch partisan will vote for anybody in his party, assuming that person will further the general party principles. Then along comes Ms. Palin…well, you can’t polish a turd. When those who really are entrenched in party politics can’t or won’t spin it favorably, I have to think the average American will have none of it.
My question is how the GOP, with its money and power, managed to pick her. It sounds like she never got out of the gate. Were they throwing the election so that the Dems would have to pick up the pieces of the bailout, the wars, etc.?
President Obama…sounds about right.
I’m not saying that they can’t–I’m saying that, for the most part, ideology trumps thoughtfulness, honesty, or good judgment. George F. Will being a case in point–he’s made a career out of defending stupid partisan shit in convoluted, obscurantist language that I’m pretty sure even he has a hard time buying into. He’s spoken bluntly from time to time, though, and what I’m asking is whether this could happen despite the purely political landscape.
At the risk of repeating myself, I’m asking what if Palin were pulling the same stuff, but getting better support? Same interviews, same questions, but the public in its collective wisdom, was mostly ranting “Damn that Communist Katie Couric and her biased Gotcha questions! Goddamn that known Librul Charlie Gibson! Even Sean Hannity was too darned tough on her–it’s all the media’s fault, not our Sarah’s!” etc. If Palin’s support was holding steady from her bounce phase, do you think that Will and company would be taking the same (admirably harsh) position, or is this the result of their seeing almost no electoral advantage in supporting them anymore, so what the hell, they might as well speak the truth for once? It’s an honest question, and I’d be interested in the response of the full political spectrum.