Taking Palin Seriously (Gov. Palin and VP Cheney "...stand for white America")

The Atlantic ^ | November 30, 2009 | Andrew Sullivan

[2ndDivisionVet]

Yglesias opines:

"I know some liberals who are excited about the prospect of a joke candidate like Sarah Palin or Dick Cheney getting the GOP nomination in 2012. Not me. The basic fact of the matter is that power tends to alternate between the two political parties. Ultimately, the nation’s interests require both parties to nominate the best people possible. So I hope the Republicans find someone who’s very smart and compelling and does an excellent job of identifying and explaining the flaws in Barack Obama’s approach. Cheney couldn’t possibly win a presidential election...unless somehow he could, in which case the country would be set for a world of pain."

Palin, as Sam Tanenhaus ably demonstrates in his review of "Going Rogue," is not a joke candidate. Neither is Cheney.

They represent a real populist and authoritarian option for a declining power. In the face of a bewilderingly changing world, they stand for white America, the extension of its power across the globe, the elevation of torture as a core American value, the permanent Israeli occupation of the West Bank, and American occupation of client states like Iraq and Afghanistan. They represent a contempt for addressing climate change, and an indifference to debt - both Palin and Cheney have records of appalling fiscal profligacy. They also represent religious fundamentalism as the core Republican political philosophy. Cheney supports a party that would strip his own daughter - and has stripped his own daughter - of basic civil rights. Palin would criminalize all abortion.

The appeal of populist simplicity in complicated, demoralizing times is real and eternal. Obama has not in office been able to muster a scintilla of popular energy the way this rump right has.(continued)

[2ndDivisionVet]

How many lies can he load into one short column? But he is correct that either individual is perfectly capable of being elected to our highest office. Thank goodness.

[freekitty]

Excuse me. They stand for America.

[Jim Robinson]

Drill, baby, drill!

[Texas Eagle]

They represent a real populist and authoritarian option for a declining power.

Authoritarian?

Authoratarian!?

Authoritarian!!!???

You flaming anus! What the hell do you call sending people to jail for not buying health insurance is!?!?

Son of a....don't make me come up there!

[pissant]

Andrew just likes to talk about “rump”

[6SJ7]

Sullivan has a terminal case of PDS.

[mainepatsfan]

You can smell the fear.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Hahahaha! You always cut right to the chase! LOL

[Texas Eagle]

They represent a contempt for addressing climate change...

They represent a contempt for hoaxes you Limey bass turd!

[Texas Eagle]

Obama has not in office been able to muster a scintilla of popular energy the way this rump right has.

Awright! That's enough! Let me at 'im!

[rockinqsranch]

Too funny. They pay this guy to write this crap.

[Texas Eagle]

They represent an indifference to debt

You *(#@(@ing, (#*&#(er, *(*#(@@)ofa(**#(, @##(*ole!

[madprof98]

. . . the elevation of torture as a core American value . . .

Crap like this dribbles from the pens of those who have already elevated abortion into THE core American value.

[GVnana]

Andrew Sullivan. Yuck.

[dila813]

This guy thinks he is so smart while he debases himself in public.

[FrdmLvr]

When all else fails....play the race card!

[hinckley buzzard]

Just another diseased, pedophiliac faggot lashing out at a healthy and robust culture he can neither reach nor understand. Pay him no mind.

[Venturer]

He doesnt sound like he likes white America very much either. Did some white guy pull his chain?

[SoCalPol]

Atlantic Mag, Liberal rag.

Andrew Sullivan, wishes he looked like Sarah.

[gargoyle]

...Tons...

...Agreed to that. But, there are a lot of statespersons out in regional, local, state level, that could make the list...