This was disturbing, as the pundits, writers, and others that I trusted seemed to be much more perceptive than I, as they had her spotted as a fraud before she got off the plane, or that there seemed to be another agenda playing out before my eyes.
What we now call The Establishment seemed to have their poor opinion of her in very solid terms, very quickly. The evidence cited to bolster this opinion wandered from lines from a SNL skit, to 'a woman's place is in the home, caring for her family'. When they said she was uninformed, they did not offer, nor could I find evidence that this was true. When they said she was naive to the ways the real world worked, Both her words and her actions in Alaska belied that. So that brings me to the belief that I was being lied to. Why? Are these people all privy to what goes on 'behind the curtain?' A view that we commoners must be protected from? A view that Sarah doesn't have?
Like Reagan?
There have only been two ‘watershed’ situations in my lifetime that have truly contributed to my political/ideological direction. The first was with Reagan’s triumph over the Carter years, and the whole return to patriotism and common-sense conservatism, which totally solidified me as a Republican voter all these decades. The second was this ‘establishment-GOP’ backstabbing of Palin, who was the first figure in ages to come along and fully represent my views ideologically, politically, and culturally. And as a result, I basically now have a deep, intense distrust of the GOP. I’m nowhere near as willing to give my vote to some “R” candidate unless I’m entirely convinced of their conservatism. And, to be honest, I could bolt to a 3rd-party at the drop of a hat.