# Palin's still got it. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 3, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719 "2009-01-03T18:28:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/1 "2009-01-03T18:28:26Z")
On the news last night, we were treated to her speech addressing attendees of the 50 years of statehood gala. First off, doesn’t “gala” sort of imply fancy dress? Sorry, no linky. She looked like she had just picked out her wardrobe from the Salvation Army, wearing pants that looked like shelf liner and some weird fur collar thingy. She also looked like she was on the fourth or fifth day without washing her hair. Okay, so that’s catty stuff that my wife pointed out (“looks like she’s cutting her own bangs now”). The speech was a long, rambling incoherency loaded with buzzwords that she just kept repeating: the future of Alaska is the future with progress to the future and prosperity with progress working together for the future of Alaskans. All delivered in that screechy sandpaper-on-a-raw-nerve voice. That’s not the worst of it, of course. The dumb twat couldn’t resist attempting another shot across the bow of the interview embarassment of the national campaign. While welcoming visiting government officials, she welcomed the Russian Ambassador and then (so fucking help me Og) launched into her meme about how you _really can_ see Russia from Alaska, “no matter what anybody says”. “When you stand on Big Diomede, you really can see it.” I should fucking hope so, since Big Diomede Island belongs to Russia. _Little_ Diomede Island belongs to Alaska. She still doesn’t seem to know that you can actually see the Russian mainland from the Alaska mainland at Tin City. She then proceeded to welcome the representative from “The Seashells”. :rolleyes: I’m sure they were all very impressed. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/2 "2009-01-03T18:45:28Z")
Whenever Palin talks, it just turns into a jumble of random words in my head. She might as well be saying, “Rhubarb cancer face elaborate corvette spindle head” and it would make as much sense to me as whatever she thinks she’s actually saying. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/3 "2009-01-03T18:55:13Z")
Someone should buy the poor woman some nicer clothes. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/4 "2009-01-03T18:57:50Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Someone should buy the poor woman some nicer clothes. Well played, sir. Robin ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/5 "2009-01-03T18:59:55Z")
But wouldn’t that be a pointless ornamentation, like gelding a lily? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/6 "2009-01-03T19:02:40Z")
[Here’s a photo.](http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/v-gallery/story/641138.html?/1521/gallery/640135-a641205-t3.html) Not a very good photo, but the only one I could find. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/7 "2009-01-03T19:04:28Z")
I don’t really care what she does or says at this point **except and to the extent that** it does not in any way encourage anyone in the Republican party to be tempted to think of her as a future standard bearer. Can I officially stop being worried that that’s off the table? I don’t think so . . . . So keep talking, lady. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/8 "2009-01-03T19:05:02Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > But wouldn’t that be a pointless ornamentation, like gelding a lily? Gelding involves the removal of ornamentation. Considering the breeding behavior of the family, however, spaying might be in order. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/9 "2009-01-03T19:05:34Z")
Wait a minute… wasn’t it Tina Fey who said “I can see Alaska from my house”? Sorry, I couldn’t be bothered to actually listen to any of the presidential campaign, this year. All I’ve heard is second-hand. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/10 "2009-01-03T19:23:32Z")
From the Gibson interview: > [@](#): > > PALIN: And, Charlie, you’re in Alaska. We have that very narrow maritime border between the United States, and the 49th state, Alaska, and Russia. They are our next door neighbors.We need to have a good relationship with them. They’re very, very important to us and they are our next door neighbor. > > GIBSON: What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you? > > PALIN: They’re our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska. > > GIBSON: What insight does that give you into what they’re doing in Georgia? > > PALIN: Well, I’m giving you that perspective of how small our world is and how important it is that we work with our allies to keep good relation with all of these countries, especially Russia. From the Couric interview (FTR, Palin thinks she should have done more interviews); > [@](#): > > Couric: You’ve cited Alaska’s proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that? > > Sarah Palin: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and, on our other side, the land-boundary that we have with Canada. It’s funny that a comment like that was kinda made to … I don’t know, you know … reporters. > > Couric: Mocked? > > Palin: Yeah, mocked, I guess that’s the word, yeah. > > Couric: Well, explain to me why that enhances your foreign-policy credentials. > > Palin: Well, it certainly does, because our, our next-door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the executive of. And there… > > Couric: Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians? > > Palin: We have trade missions back and forth, we do. It’s very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/11 "2009-01-03T20:38:24Z")
Chefguy, on behalf of all of us in the other forty-nine states, I want to thank you and your fellow Alaskans for taking this bullet for America. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/12 "2009-01-03T21:09:36Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > The speech was a long, rambling incoherency loaded with buzzwords that she just kept repeating: the future of Alaska is the future with progress to the future and prosperity with progress working together for the future of Alaskans. And also Ronald Reagan. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/13 "2009-01-03T21:19:22Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > From the Gibson interview: > > From the Couric interview (FTR, Palin thinks she should have done more interviews); I’ve already read those, but… still, it’s astounding. I can’t help but wonder if something like that could happen over here. Is there a possibility that a presidential candidate could say something as incredibly stupid and still, for some reason, have a chance to get elected. I’m wondering what it would take for this to happen. At the risk of engaging in American bashing, I must say that this reflects extremely poorly on the USA. Possibly more poorly than anything else. A ruthless politician running and having a chance of being elected is hardly a novelty. But a complete idiot? It seems astounding. More astounding even is the fact that she has been picked as a running mate when there was no particular reason to choose her. I sure hope our politicians won’t fall that low in my lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/14 "2009-01-03T21:19:49Z")
Watching the interviews was bad enough but to see them in print is just amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/15 "2009-01-03T21:26:19Z")
Dude, don’t you know missing clue one about her own bloody State makes her all mavericky and shit ? \*Do \*try to follow the plot. She don’t play by nobody’s rules, not even geography can get in her way, onwards to the future ! ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/16 "2009-01-03T21:27:32Z")
By the way… There has been a debate between the candidates for vice-presidency. Why didn’t Biden call her on stuff like that, and contrarily to journalists, _insist_ on getting a straight answer about her foreign policy credentials and stances and the relevance of being able to see Russia from Alaska? Or did he? ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/17 "2009-01-03T21:28:26Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > At the risk of engaging in American bashing, I must say that this reflects extremely poorly on the USA. Possibly more poorly than anything else. A ruthless politician running and having a chance of being elected is hardly a novelty. But a complete idiot? It seems astounding. Well, there is a precedent. Twice 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/18 "2009-01-03T21:34:24Z")
> [@Cuckoorex](#): > > Whenever Palin talks, it just turns into a jumble of random words in my head. She might as well be saying, “Rhubarb cancer face elaborate corvette spindle head” and it would make as much sense to me as whatever she thinks she’s actually saying. My God, you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/19 "2009-01-03T21:36:56Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > By the way… There has been a debate between the candidates for vice-presidency. Why didn’t Biden call her on stuff like that, and contrarily to journalists, _insist_ on getting a straight answer about her foreign policy credentials and stances and the relevance of being able to see Russia from Alaska? Or did he? I think at the time, along with Obama and Biden being comfortable enough with their internal poll data concerning where they stood, Biden and the campaign didn’t want to play into the pre-fabricated and pre-sold notion put out there by the Republicans that they’d simply be picking on her (_\_ because she was a woman). ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719/20 "2009-01-03T21:37:38Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Why didn’t Biden call her on stuff like that, He didn’t because it wouldn’t have helped his ticket. The narrative about Palin’s unpreparedness, and McCain’s recklessness in picking her, was well-established already, and nothing Biden could have said would have changed any more minds. If he’d laid into her himself, he not only could not have done the job as well as the late-night comedians (who play a major role here in steering opinions), he would have appeared meanspirited. That would have hardened Rep-leaning voters into defending her. Biden’s task was to show his own, and Obama’s, seriousness and grasp of the issues, making the contrast obvious and convincing as many potential McCain voters as possible that the Dem ticket was superior in character as well as preparedness. He did it just right. Speaking of France’s superior politicians, which you were, what’s Jean-Marie Le Pen doing these days? :dubious: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palins-still-got-it/479719.md?page=2)