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Palin: Rogue or Rouge?
The Nation ^ | 10/24/2009 | Betsy Reed

Posted on 10/24/2009 2:20:04 PM PDT by presidio9

Failed GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, whose new memoir, set to be released on Nov. 17, emphasizes her supposedly "maverick" tendencies with its title Going Rogue, has just dipped her toe into New York State politics. By endorsing a right-wing third party candidate, Doug Hoffman of the Conservative Party, in the Nov. 3 special election for the state's 23rd Congressional district seat, she has indeed bucked the party establishment--in order to advance a hard-line social conservative agenda. In the nonsensical Palin universe, that's what "rogue" means: walking in lockstep with the Christian right.

The Republican Party's candidate in the race, Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, is pro-choice, pro-gay marriage and has pledged to support the pro-union Employee Free Choice Act. While Scozzafava has been depicted as a radical leftist in the right-wing blogosphere, in fact she is a centrist with conservative leanings. The net effect of Palin's "rogue" intervention may be to split the conservative vote and help elect the Democrat in the race, Bill Owens, who maintains an edge over the other two candidates in the polls. Still, Hoffman has been gaining momentum, and--in a testament to Palin's enduring appeal to her devoted base--he's been raking in the campaign cash in the wake of her endorsement.

In her Facebook posting announcing her support for Hoffman this past Thursday evening, Palin wrote, "Our nation is at a crossroads, and this is once again a ‘time for choosing.'"

I might not have put it exactly like that, but I agree.

When Palin's book Going Rogue comes out on Nov. 17, we're launching Going Rouge: Sarah Palin--An American Nightmare, a collection of pieces on Palin that I co-edited with Nation senior editor Richard Kim. Despite internet chatter suggesting that we might be trying to dupe unsuspecting hockey moms into buying our anti-Palin book, I think it's pretty clear from the thunderclouds and the subtitle that the cover's a satire. But the book is not a parody: it's a serious look at Palin's record, her policy positions, the meaning of her candidacy for feminism and her future in American politics.

It's also fair to ask who has been practicing the politics of deception here. Palin's entry onto the national stage was a Hollywood-style production, replete with a ready-made storyline, a speech carefully crafted by others and a brand new wardrobe. Many remarked at the time that she seemed more like an actress playing a candidate running for Vice President in a romantic comedy (albeit one who sometimes had trouble remembering her lines) than an actual candidate. And the image, more often than not, contradicted the reality. Given the misleading use of "rogue" in the title of her new book, it seems likely that it will merely offer more of the same.

Our book, by contrast, is reality-based. No ghostwriters or pricey political consultants were employed in its production, just hardworking journalists. Our purpose is to not to deceive but to clarify--to show Palin beneath the gloss. And to give people a choice on Nov. 17.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: meow
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner

Betsy Reed, like all libs, never grew up.


21 posted on 10/24/2009 2:51:05 PM PDT by darkangel82 (I don't have a superiority complex, I'm just better than you.)
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To: presidio9
In her Facebook posting announcing her support for Hoffman this past Thursday evening, Palin wrote, "Our nation is at a crossroads, and this is once again a ‘time for choosing.'"

author of article..I might not have put it exactly like that, but I agree.

The wording of Sarah is right on! Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live
22 posted on 10/24/2009 2:52:49 PM PDT by presently no screen name
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To: backwoods-engineer
" She truly is "rogue", in the best sense, standing athwart statism, yelling "Stop". Ronald Reagan would be proud of her."---backwoods engineer


23 posted on 10/24/2009 2:52:56 PM PDT by jla
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner

Listen, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but you really need get to know the term RTFT before posting. At the very least you ought to get in the hait of scanning the article before posting.


24 posted on 10/24/2009 2:53:49 PM PDT by presidio9 ("All right then. I'll go to hell." =Huckleberry Finn)
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To: presidio9
The more Betsy Reed, and assorted liberals/communists/democRATs hate Sarah Palin, the more I like her.

5.56mm

25 posted on 10/24/2009 2:55:36 PM PDT by M Kehoe
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To: presidio9

Betsy Reed, I’d tell ya to bite me but I’m afraid like Monica Lewinsky, you’d probably take me up on it.


26 posted on 10/24/2009 2:56:42 PM PDT by CARTOUCHE (Sunspots are so passe.)
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To: presidio9
In the nonsensical Palin universe, that's what "rogue" means: walking in lockstep with the Christian right.

I'm Christian. I'm a classic liberal constitutionalist. I've about had it with the marxists on the left and the gutless opportunists among the Repubs.

I'm not interested in anything the GOP "leadership" is selling until they find their principles and find the courage of the convictions they seem not to have.

Who thought a pro-abortion pro-degeneracy Republican was the way to go? What does it gain you to "win" by electing your enemies and enacting your enemy's agenda and calling it your own?

The foxes are in the henhouse dressed in feathers and they want me to vote for them.

27 posted on 10/24/2009 2:58:32 PM PDT by marron
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To: Kandy Atz

They also showed that cover on Fox News. Geez, if The North Face can sue the college kid for inventing The South Butt, one would think there might be a case here.


28 posted on 10/24/2009 3:00:46 PM PDT by GnuHere
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To: presidio9

I don’t know who I’m going to support in 2012, its early yet. But if its Palin, if she decides to go for it, I’ll be proud to pull the lever for her.

She’s not perfect, she’s human, but she has guts and she has principles, and the GOP is short of both these days.


29 posted on 10/24/2009 3:01:25 PM PDT by marron
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To: GnuHere

the South Butt? Is that popular in the White House? lmao


30 posted on 10/24/2009 3:02:33 PM PDT by darkangel82 (I don't have a superiority complex, I'm just better than you.)
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To: presidio9

Psalm 2:4

The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.


31 posted on 10/24/2009 3:09:03 PM PDT by rae4palin (Palin-Shakleton 2012)
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To: presidio9

WTF are you talking out?


32 posted on 10/24/2009 3:10:56 PM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner (Sarah Palin has crossed the Rubicon!)
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To: presidio9
What’s your point in posting this tripe?
33 posted on 10/24/2009 3:13:40 PM PDT by McGruff (We're Going Rogue Baby!)
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To: presidio9

Right-wing Christians love Trig Palin. Who does Betsy Reed and her comrades love? Anybody?

As for Palin’s effect on feminism: well, she’s a free, educated, grown-up who attends to family, faith, and other interests on her terms. What more could she have that a feminist would want? Ok, an abortion and an ex-husband, but other than that?

I think she has come across as light-weight sometimes, so I will be interested in whether she grows into some gravitas. But I think she’s a great person and I hope that there are a lot of other women just like her out there, who are coming up in the political process. Political selection committees should be ferreting them out.


34 posted on 10/24/2009 3:14:20 PM PDT by married21
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To: presidio9

I actually like the picture on the right. Sarah can throw lightning bolts.


35 posted on 10/24/2009 3:17:20 PM PDT by RobbyS (ECCE HOMO!)
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To: Kandy Atz

Even conservative Democrats belong to the “right-wing.”


36 posted on 10/24/2009 3:19:49 PM PDT by RobbyS (ECCE HOMO!)
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To: presidio9
Amazing that the Nation would stoop to this. Well, maybe not.

Ya think it's all those record-breaking presales that motivated their poison pens?

37 posted on 10/24/2009 3:29:08 PM PDT by GVnana ("Obama is incredibly naive and grossly egotistical." Sarkozy)
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To: RobbyS

If they tried to make her ugly, they wouldn’t fool anyone.


38 posted on 10/24/2009 3:31:06 PM PDT by GVnana ("Obama is incredibly naive and grossly egotistical." Sarkozy)
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To: presidio9
"In the nonsensical Palin universe, that's what "rogue" means: walking in lockstep with the Christian right."

What's the matter, Bitsy? Are you upset because 'Cuda refuses to walk in lockstep with you?

Suffer.

39 posted on 10/24/2009 3:36:24 PM PDT by YHAOS
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To: presidio9

She’ll get more readers on this snippy little piece from FR than she’ll get readers for her screed. I’m betting the public is sick and tired of snark.


40 posted on 10/24/2009 3:49:15 PM PDT by Mamzelle (Who is Kenneth Gladney? (Don't forget to bring your cameras))
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