Thursday, January 14, 2010

A Condign Thought For Today's America

As you watch Sarah Palin sit down at her new Fox assignment, and listen to her all-too-eager claque of news anchors unquestioningly echo and broadcast every assertion, every jeremiad, and every pithy half-truth designed to ratchet up the heat on this country's simmering animus... as you watch, remember this:
It is only sensible to be concerned about — yes, even to fear — what may come of the alliance between this shrewd, driven, narcissistic woman and the massive propaganda apparatus that has embraced her. We have an obligation to remember what can happen when charismatic leaders seize the imaginations of frightened people and feed them a steady diet of rage and self-pity, embellished by creepy visions of the divine and of national destiny.
(From a commenter on Andrew Sullivan's blog.)

4 comments:

Kyle Stanley said...

"As you watch Sarah Palin" well to tell the truth, their is no way that I would ever watch her. What a joke she is, but think back to your school days and how many kids in your class probably are dumb enough to believe in this drivel that she spills.

Jil Wrinkle said...

Here is an e-mail that I wrote to Andrew Sullivan (which will otherwise never be published, hence I'll copy it here):

Regarding the dissenter from Texas, who said that lots of Republicans didn't vote for Palin because they "see through her facade and understand while she is attractive and charismatic that's all there is." Just remember this: It will have been almost 4 years that Sarah will have to prepare for her next run at the White House (should there be one).

Given the motivation (and you know she has it), Palin could stuff into her head the equivalent of a Bachelor Degree's worth of political studies during that period, and (with regular shadow boxing exercises on Fox to prepare) the next time she steps onto the hustings, the one complaint that the now-dubious people of a Neocon mindset possess — Palin's ignorance — will no longer be a factor.

Do you really think that Palin will show up to the 2012 Republican Primaries not having a detailed knowledge of Sunni v. Shi'ite, or even lacking a solid overview of Cyprus or Sri Lanka or Mindanao or Belfast (let alone Pyonyang)? Do you think her arguments and reasoning will remain weak, crazy, or instantly dismissable? Do you think her mistruths and misdirections will be as flagrant? Do you think she won't learn how to dial down The Crazy?

I am going to bet the next time that Sarah Palin stands at a lectern with 5 or 6 other Republican presidential hopefuls, she'll be just as knowledgeable as the rest of them (if not moreso) and 10 times as popular... and yes, still good-looking and still female.

She will be the Republican candidate for President in 2012. That's certain.

Chetumaire said...

the Kool Aide party is tearing down the house and yet you lefties still find time to get spun up over another inconsequential Con... FAF !

Mike said...

The amerikan people able to see through someone ? LOL thats Rich. If they could see through anyone we'd have some better presidents get elected.