Frum: The Palin piano dangles over Republican future (Country Clubber Flop Sweat Alert)

Why does Sarah Palin command so much media attention? By most measures, she currently stands about equal in the Republican field alongside Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, and only a little ahead of Newt Gingrich. Yet the cable shows do not erupt when Mitt Romney makes a speech. Newt Gingrich is on Twitter almost every day, but his messages don’t make news. So why Palin? Five guesses.

Modern media culture favors contrast and conflict. Sarah Palin serves both up by the bucketful. Most presidential candidates present themselves as gracious and good-natured. Even fierce Hillary Clinton worked hard always to be seen smiling and nodding. Palin is a ferocious hater, and she doesn’t care who knows it. It’s like the meanest girl on the cheerleading squad running for student council president. Who wouldn’t be mesmerized by that?

Media people have certain beliefs and expectations about how politics works. Palin regularly confounds those expectations. From the Katie Couric interview through her resignation as governor of Alaska to the reality show: actions that the pundit class expected would ruin her career in fact seem to have somehow enhanced it. They call it “news” for a reason, and Palin is new.

We live in a confessional culture these days. Most politicians shy away from confession. They want to talk about economics or foreign policy or abortion or some other impersonal concern. Not Palin! Her topic is herself: her grievances, her complaints, her family. People find compulsive self-revelation riveting in Hollywood stars – why wouldn’t they find it equally fascinating in a politician?

Frum and his RINO (incl W) friends brought America Democrat control of the House, Senate, and Presidency and allowed the Bammer to slant 2 seats on SCOTUS.

I know what you're saying and I sympathize with that view but I wouldn't quite put Bush in the same camp with the rest of those RINO's. A lot of what he did was a disaster, but I don't think he's nearly as cynical or self-serving as they are.

Definitely not a Frum fan here and I agree with your evaluation of his point #4. I would, however, award partial credit for the other points for just their headings. Frum draws the wrong conclusions when explaining his headings, thus helping us understand when he throws his lot in with the RINO wing. I am not saying Palin is the solution for the GOP (registered Independent here) but she does serve a great purpose as a lightning rod that causes those that would prefer to act as finely nuanced politicians to actually take a position.

That said I take serious issue with the “ferocious hater” comment.

What's wrong with being a "ferocious hater" if the things you hate are bad things? The Bible says you have to hate what is evil. I'd take about 300% more ferocity from Congressional R's when they're on the right side of an issue. They always puss out. Dem's have no problem ferociously hating stuff THEY disapprove of.

The real reason the media covers Palin is shown in the Nate silver piece. she brings ratings, eyeballs, sells newsprint and advertisement dollars. If Palin had no supporters the media would never cover her.

Frum forgets the 800lb ape in the room. the media covers Palin because her supporters demand they cover her.

the elites think Palin is a media creation. she sold 3 million books when they didn't cover her. she got 2 million FB friends without the media covering her. when she appeared on shows the ratings spiked. the media was forced to cover her and they don't like it.

Palin is a ferocious hater, and she doesn’t care who knows it. It’s like the meanest girl on the cheerleading squad running for student council president.

This is just a steaming pile of horseshit envy served up by a classic 'hater' himself. David, STFU and FU and the horse you rode in on pardner.

[. . .we, the conservative right, should have set up a legal defense fund for her.]

A fund was set up but Palin seemed uncomfortable with soliciting for it. With the 2010 elections imminent it would be difficult for her to push conservative candidates and tin cup for her legal fees at the same time.

What Sarah Palin is a threat to, is the monopoly elitists, whether they be RINO, Democrat or Communist have enjoyed for far too long. This, at the controls of a parasitic government behemoth far larger and more dangerous than anything the Founders could have envisioned.

Sarah Palin is an enabler, a motivator and an empowerment of the common citizen. They despise and FEAR her for that more than any other aspect of her blossoming power.

Frump believes in his bones that he is MUCH smarter than the average American. Sarah Palin will mobilize the average American in ways that will provide palpable evidence of just how utterly wrong he, and others like him, are.

Frum: ’5) The thrill of impending disaster.
Imagine you’re at the circus.
On the ground is Romney’s dog --- dead with diarrhea.”

These stories will herald the GOP if it takes Crazy Mitt.

"But the details of the event are more than unseemly — they may, in fact, be illegal.
Massachusetts's animal cruelty laws specifically prohibit anyone
from carrying an animal "in or upon a vehicle, or otherwise, in an unnecessarily cruel
or inhuman manner or in a way and manner which might endanger the
animal carried thereon." An officer for the Massachusetts Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals responded to a description of the situation
saying "it's definitely something I'd want to check out." The officer,
Nadia Branca, declined to give a definitive opinion on whether Romney broke the law
but did note that it's against state law to have a dog in an open bed of a pick-up truck,
and "if the dog was being carried in a way that endangers it, that would be illegal."

"Dog on Roof? What Was It Like for Romney's Pooch?
Scientists Say Dog Likely Experienced Wind-Whipped, Uncomfortable Trip
"Before beginning the drive, Mitt Romney put Seamus, the family's hulking Irish setter,
in a dog carrier and attached it to the station wagon's roof rack.
e'd built a windshield for the carrier, to make the ride more comfortable for the dog," read the article.
Jordan Kaplan, the owner of Petaholics, a dog walking service in New York City,
and a lifelong dog owner and dog lover, said Romney's actions were uncalled for.
....What Happens to a Dog on a Roof Traveling 50 MPH?"

"Romney's dog - This is a distinction Mitt Romney probably could do without, but he is surely
the first presidential candidate to be attacked for putting a dog with diarrhea
in a carrier and tying it to the top of a station wagon.
Romney's defense: Seamus liked it. "He scrambled up there every time we went on trips,"
the Republican said during a campaign stop in Pittsburgh. "He got in all by himself and enjoyed it."

"As the oldest son, Tagg Romney commandeered the way-back of the wagon,
keeping his eyes fixed out the rear window, where he glimpsed the first sign of trouble.
''Dad!'' he yelled. ''Gross!'' A brown liquid was dripping down the back window,
payback from an Irish setter who'd been riding on the roof in the wind for hours.
As the rest of the boys joined in the howls of disgust,
Romney coolly pulled off the highway and into a service station.
There, he borrowed a hose, washed down Seamus and the car,
then hopped back onto the highway."

"Story about dog on car roof comes back to bite Romney
Critics, jokesters make issue of tale
TIME.com's Swampland blog has been flooded with more than 200 comments
from readers complaining of animal cruelty"

Romney's bad behavior Exposed by Seamus

"Romney Loses Nomination Over Dog Abuse?
Romney was traveling that summer with his wife, five sons, and Seamus to his parent's cottage on Lake Huron.
But hours into the ride, Seamus apparently suffered diarrhea,
which ran down the back window of the car. Romney's sons, all under 13, howled in disgust.
Romney pulled off the road into a service station.
There, he borrowed a hose, washed down Seamus and the car, and they drove on to Ontario.
.....David Kravitz wrote on BlueMassGroup, a liberal blog.
"It also strikes me as classic Romney: it solves a problem efficiently,
in a business-like manner, and with no regard whatsoever
for the suffering that the solution may cause."

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