Posted on 07/06/2009 5:31:45 AM PDT by Kaslin
The response to Sarah Palin's surprise resignation last Friday clearly reveals the limitations of the American political class, right, left, or what have you.
There's an old academic joke, probably apocryphal, about Count Metternich, Austria's foreign minister during the Napoleonic era. While attending the Congress of Vienna, Metternich is sleeping off a banquet when one of his aides bursts in at three in the morning. "Your excellency! Count Nesselrode, the Russian ambassador, just died."
Metternich jerks awake. "Died, you say? What a terrible thing! I was speaking to him only tonight... Uhh... send a message to the Tsar -- Austria regrets, and so forth..."
The aide leaves. Metternich gets up and paces the floor. After a moment he stops and rubs his chin. "So... Why did Nesselrode decide to do that now..."
We're seeing the same thing today. Obsessive figures confronted with a simple human contingency and, unable to comprehend what's right in front of their eyes, retreating instead into irrelevant speculation about whatever they know best. Simply put, in resigning her governorship and stepping away from active politics, Sarah Palin is not pulling any tricks, carrying out any maneuvers, or putting in motion any long-range plans. She is doing exactly what any normal, rational, un-driven human being would do under the same circumstances.
What are those circumstances? Consider her situation at the moment. By which we mean, her situation. Not the country's situation, not the GOP's situation, not the political situation in any sense at all.
Her eldest son is serving in the military, in the war zone, at a particularly dangerous and violent moment, when the U.S. is transferring responsibility to the new and still untried Iraqi army.
Her eldest daughter is dealing with the twin burdens of a failed marriage and single motherhood, while also serving as a national joke for the same type of people who insisted that Chelsea Clinton and the Obama girls are off limits. This is a state of affairs that undoubtedly requires much in the way of TLC from Palin.
Her youngest daughter has recently come under the gun thanks to that epitome of class, David Letterman. All excuses aside, the A-Rod joke was a transparent attempt at seeing if it was now safe to go after Willow, the rest of the Palin family having been run through the mill one after the other. It occurred at an awkward age for a girl, when events such as this can leave a serious mark. Another instance where mom must be available.
And lastly, Palin has a disabled infant child, one who has already been victimized by the left-wing blogosphere and the mass media. Downs children are very high-functioning. It's easily possible for Trig to have a golden life as long as close attention is paid to his upbringing and education. His mother will be the crucial figure here.
So what does a woman do under such circumstances? A real woman, not a pol in a skirt. A wife and a mother, someone with a clear hierarchy of values. Why, she steps out. She removes herself from the firing line. Returns to what matters. She retreats from the public world for the verities of family and community.
There's nothing difficult to understand here. All the comments we've heard from the mass media, from the political experts, and from the operatives, merely reveal the limitations of the commentators.
But what about her greater obligations? To that of conservatism as a movement, for instance? It happens to have been the movement conservatives -- at least those of the Northeast Corridor, who on the basis of tradition consider themselves to be the core of the movement -- who led the charge against Palin on her selection as vice-presidential candidate. Not the left. Not the mass media. But conservatives (I won't add quotes -- not yet, anyway) such as Frum, Parker, and Brooks, who found her to be just the slightest touch déclassé. She did not understand the Modern Dance. Her taste in claret was undependable. Her reading of the Federalist No. 63 was, shall we say, idiosyncratic? These people have no call on her whatsoever.
And the GOP? Doesn't she owe her party anything? Just a few short days after her youngest daughter was humiliated on one of the most widely-watched late-night shows in the country, an obvious hit piece appeared in that balanced journal of the higher intellect, Vanity Fair, in which certain unnamed GOP officials revealed the true Sarah Palin: Sarah as Michael Jackson, Sarah the narcissist, who lived in a dream world and was overwhelmed by "demons". The fact that GOP figures would cooperate with a rag like Vanity Fair in the first place puts a period to any talk of a party connection. The GOP obviously has an agenda. It is not Sarah Palin's agenda. Nor, more than likely, ours either.
And what about Alaska? Palin is one of the outstanding governors of our time, possibly surpassed only by Rick Perry, infinitely superior to Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jennifer Granholm, or Mitt Romney, to mention only a few members of a large crowd. She went a long way toward cleaning up the Anchorage cesspool, wound up the negotiations for a gas pipeline that had been languishing for decades, and put her state on the national radar screen for the first time since 1958. But her usefulness as governor was probably drawing to an end. If she were to show interest in a 2012 run, she could depend on Obama's crew doing everything possible to drag her down -- and going through her state to do it.
Chicago would put Alaska through the grinder, a very easy thing to accomplish from Washington. In fact, it could be argued that this campaign has already begun, with the slow death-by-cuts action against the National Missile Defense center at Fort Greeley. Even as the ballistic missile threat from North Korea and Iran grows more urgent, Obama is dismantling the sole serious defense against it. (Am I implying that O would jeopardize the country's safety to assure his political career? Well, what do you think?) In a real sense, Palin's resignation at this time can be viewed as yet another service to her state.
So Sarah Palin has left the stage, for perfectly justifiable reasons, and taken her family with her. The mob still waits, unfamiliar with normal behavior from a public figure, eager for more cheap laughs. But there will be no encore. Not right away.
She will be back. Not for 2012. The GOP has its plans already worked out. Very clever ones, too. The Republicans will do what they always do when they're up against it: grab an empty suit and run around shaking it in people's faces while shouting, "Here's the man!" By 2012, after his policies really hit home, as gas and home fuel prices triple and quadruple, as medical rationing begins, as the renewed Axis of Evil runs wild across Eurasia, Obama will be ready to drop. At that point he could be defeated by a ticket consisting of Charley Manson and Jojo the Dogface Boy. But the GOP will blow it all the same. Exactly as the party did in '96, following the same script to the letter. They will, to coin a phrase, Mitt it up.
That moment will mark the start of a new phase for Sarah Palin. The exquisite branch of conservatism will drift away, assuring each other that "It's still possible to live well in a dying civilization." The GOP operatives will, as always, be blaming the "legacy of Reagan" and looking for a RINO who can somehow fool the backwoods rubes. Obama will spend his entire second term racing back and forth trying to put out forest fires using buckets with holes in them. Palin's enemies will have destroyed themselves, and her moment will come at last.
Democracies never stop halfway, no matter what it is: good or bad, intelligent or stupid, harmful or beneficial, they have to go the whole route before at last changing course. The U.S. could not abandon Great Society liberalism in 1976, it had to wait until 1980. The UK could not put aside postwar Labour policies until they were ground down to the last (the Brits went so far as to elect Harold Wilson to two nonconsecutive terms -- something similar to re-electing Jimmy Carter in 1984. Talk about desperation moves!)
While that process unfolded, Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan served long apprenticeships, learning all they had to know. Sarah Palin is embarking on the same course now.
Sarah Palin is not ready, they insist. It's just as apt to say that we -- the GOP, the conservative establishment, the country -- are not ready for her. An electorate will always fall for the professional pol, slick, convincing, and empty, before turning in desperation to the truly human candidate. But the time will come.
In a few years her children will be settled, she will no longer have hostages to fortune, and the laughter will have long died away. That is when the lady will start shuffling the cards. We will all have further opportunity to wonder what Sarah Palin is up to.
Sheeesh, another elitist pundit.
America needs Sarah NOW - for help in 2010 and finally to stop chairman obeyme's communism. If we wait for 2016, it will be too late to save our republic.
"I’m confused by all the confusion among the chattering classes about Palin. I thought her press conference explained it very clearly – though she couldn’t put it precisely this way without sounding vain, but it’s obvious.
Even though she’s just a state governor, she’s a HUGE national star who is both sought after and attacked as if she is already a president (a Bush, not an Obama). But she basically can’t participate because she’s tethered to the governor’s office up in Alaska. Consequently, she has to fight with one hand tied behind her back and she also can’t go around the country campaigning for candidates and principles she believes in – because she’s governor and would be accused of neglecting the state.
Meanwhile, the Lt. Gov. is a great guy, so she’s leaving the state in good hands and now she can go on to be an even bigger star.
It’s a weird Washington insider perspective to be perplexed by what she’s doing. Contrary to Mark Sanford’s e-mails to his mistress, no one was really impressed with him; 99.99999999999999999% of Americans didn’t know who he was. Who is more influential: Rush Limbaugh, Matt Drudge and Bill O’Reilly, or Tim Pawlenty, Bobby Jindal and Mark Sanford (before the fall)? As Palin said, God bless people who run for political office, but – and she didn’t say this part – she’s too big to be a lame-duck governor stuck dealing with fishing licenses in Anchorage right now.
She’ll be much bigger now and can play on the national stage without constantly setting off state ethics investigations by loons, parasites and liberals. None of this applied to McCain or Kerry – both of whom went back to the Senate – because their national campaigns diminished them. Palin’s national campaign made her a major star. As she said, she’s not retreating, she’s advancing in another direction."
Very interesting comment.
I’m not ready to say that Sarah should wait until 2016 or after. It depends where we are 2012. If Obama has thoroughly wrecked this country and Americans are disgusted enough by Marxism, 2012 may be the time.
Whether 2012 or 2016, she has to network and extend her influence as early as possible. She needs to make $$$ and position herself as the Conservative leader. Traveling the world should also be on the agenda.
Resigning from the Governor’s office was the smartest (in not only reasonable) thing to do.
P.S.: A correction though: Piper is the youngest daughter, not Willow.
If we wait for August and Cap and Trade it will be too late.
My fanstasy, first speach, Here is my birth certificate that I need for a driver's license, WHERE THE HELL IS YOURS?
Then walks off the stage with the liberal media speachless, the Executive Branch laughing in fear, and the uneducated masses ENERGIZED! They aren't going to pay attention to us until they think we're mad enough to start HANGING THEM (after the trials of course for treason).
If she waits until 2016,
she may have to choose WHICH
“America” she wants to be president of.
I predict she will go on a speaking tour, and do events for 2010 congressional candidates.
This will keep her name in the public eye, without ‘running’ for the GOP nomination. Sort of a more subtle version of Hillary’s listening tour.
I think what she will discover is that most of the GOP money comes from the left and right coast, and she will not be well funded enough to pull the trigger on a 2012 bid.
Presently, I have no idea who the GOP might field against the Messiah....but I don’t think it will be Palin.
Palin will win the GOP primaries if she runs 2012.
While the money may come from the coast elitists, the votes come from the people (Mr Steele close the primaries and stop the caucuses!!!)
If the GOP runs another RINO, they can stuff it.
We all should write in Palin then.
I would not say elitist pundit, since Dunn describes how the northeast elitists running the GOP can blow the opportunity in 2012 - snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Excellent idea. McCain wouldn't have been our candidate if only republicans would have been able to vote in the primaries.
F&F’s Gretchen was bemoaning how Sarah let down her ability to keep reminding her daughter of female role models in politics who don’t quit...one, Hillary the Democrat and two, Sarah the Republican. Now Sarah went and ruined the balance.
Gretchen is factually wrong. Hillary quit being Senator to run for President then quit running to endorse Barack and accept an embarassingly nothing role in HIS government. Compared to Hillary, Sarah is a rock of consistency.
Gretchen is wrong as well to personalize Sarah’s decision in terms of herself and her daughter. Sarah isn’t there so Gretchen can use her. She’s there for real, substantive reasons in her own right.
Gretchen is ridiculous.
But ohhhhhhh so seriously somehow involved in what Sarah is up to.
How dare Sarah disappoint Gretchen!
To the article, I wonder why the writer referred to Bristol as facing single motherhood and “a failed marriage”?
Failure to marry is not quite the same as a failed marriage. Strange.
To the article’s take on Sarah’s decision, who knows?
I’ve read that Sarah knows this country is done unless we the American people grab these statist clowns by the throat (figure of speech) right now, and THAT is why she’s leaving the governorship to lead the movement.
As horrible as things are, I see the latter as being more the case.
We are about to see Sarah’s view unfold.
If she stays home with family and lets the catastrophe play out, or if she leads the movement to arrest it in progress...
The GOP has another think coming if they think they can push Romney or some RINO on the base in 2012! It won't work!
The National Republican Party is losing $ donations daily and will continue to do so. Why would any conservative donate hard earned cash to a party who keeps RINOS in good standing?
I received a call just yesterday from the GOP asking for a donation. I kindly told them that I will only be making donations to individual candidates who I know to be constitutional conservatives. I said I just can't let even one penny of my money go to the likes of the 8 RINOS who voted for Cap&Trade along with the DEMS! I was then given the little talk about how Chairman Steele is working so hard to bring back the "conservative Republican Party". I told the caller I just have not heard Mr. Steele call out the 8 RINOS who voted with the DEMS. I suggested that Mr. Steele needs to try to become more "conservative" himself!
I enjoyed the call, and I also asked the caller to remove me from the calling list as I have received several calls for donations and will not be donating anything to the GOP, just individual candidates of my choosing. :)
Can you make me one using:
ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW I am swimming with Sarahcudah!
using this picture
Sarah hasnt left the stage, she is going to pop back up in a much better position soon, that is my prediction. Be prepared for a surprise.
Good points. I don’t think it will be anyone involved in the 2008 race. I look for someone new and fresh.
Bobby Mahat Jindal...
She’s resigned from a position before when she realized she couldn’t do the job the way she wanted to. That led to her eventually being elected governor.
Way too soon to write her off, IMO.
If new and fresh, your words, it would be the first time. The GOP is known for putting out there the next-in-line candidate that everybody knows.
JMO, it won’t matter if they are “new and fresh” if they are run by the establishment GOP shoving them in the face of the grass roots who don’t want them.
For example if the GOP for once decides to annoint a “new and fresh” candidate and tries to shove Tim Pawlenty or his ilk in the face of grass roots who want Sarah Palin or Jim DeMint or whoever is standing strongest for saving this imperiled nation from the statists, they can kiss goodby their precious pick.
Ahhhh... they, including Noonan, may have led the charge against Palin, but in no way are those elitists "the movement conservatives".
Ronald Reagan, himself, threw the conservative leadership mantle on Rush Limbaugh to carry on in his stead - in writing. Rush has that letter framed and hanging on his wall.
Reagan would never throw his mantle on any of the pretenders to "conservativism" who have been going after Palin. RINOS always show their true colors, and we _WILL_ take the Republican Party back from them.
And I say it will happen in 2012, too!
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