The Quayled Lady: Why You Should Forget Sarah Palin

American Thinker ^ | January 17, 2010 | Selwyn Duke

[St. Louis Conservative]

Really, there's precious little fairness in the world. People tend to be slaves to emotion, and prejudices often reign supreme, even (in fact, especially) in those who rail against prejudice. This is why we'll see millions of Americans reflexively dismiss a politician simply because of the letter following his name. It is why people will often oppose a position they would otherwise support simply because it's being advocated by someone they dislike. Ah, that troublesome human nature.

This brings us to Sarah Palin, the Wasilla woman often billed as the best hope of the GOP. She certainly isn't one of those plain vanilla characters who inspire blasé reactions, that's for sure. It's just so often the case that people either love her or hate her, believe she is the cat's meow or the pig with lipstick, a political sensation or a puerile simpleton. I'm in neither camp.

Scrape away the emotionalism, and one realizes that Palin isn't at either extreme. Underestimated by the left and overestimated by the right, the truth about her lies somewhere in between. Where, exactly? That is secondary, because there is a more important point here relating to Palin's political future.

She doesn't have one.

I know this will raise the hackles of many, but you can forget Sarah Palin. I say this not because of her defects in ideology or lack of competency, but for a very simple reason: She has been Quayled.

Many of you know that I'm referring to what ensued after former Vice President Dan Quayle gave a public appearance at a school spelling bee in Trenton, New Jersey in 1992.

[WVKayaker]

This article is correct in that Sarah doesn't have a future in politics...

Hahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahah hahahahahahaha

Yep, those 1,210,684+ fans on FaceBook are just wasting their time...

From Canada Free Press:

... Sarah Palin may or may not be in the 2012 mix as a candidate, although betting types are wagering heavily that the former Alaska governor will be stomping in Iowa before too long. But before that, the MSM is busy making noise over “Payday Palin”.

Sarah and daughter Bristol will appear on the In Touch Weekly magazine cover, netting close to $100,000 for a days photo shoot. The ex-gov reportedly earns a minimum $100,000 for her speaking engagements, a deal which is allowed under her contract with FNC. She will reportedly earn a whopping $200,000 as the keynote speaker for the National Tea Party Convention next month in Nashville. Is she as the liberal press likes to say ‘dumb as a box of rocks’ or is she ‘sly as a FOX’? Funny how the press makes a huge deal over a conservative’s income while ignoring the boxcars full of money liberals rake in from political favors and back room deals. For all their bellyaching and raised eyebrows over Palin’s political power and paydays, the press needs Sarah Palin. Without a high profile antagonist the left and its willing accomplice (the MSM) would have even less about which to complain. No target, no salvos!

It would seem by now that if Sarah were going to be ruined by the riches of her recent rise to fame we would have experienced a melt down already. But with each new speaking deal, each new magazine cover, and with mile high book sales, she remains the simple plain spoken conservative the Right embraces and the Left defaces. ...

[Wonder Warthog]

"She needs to earn her spurs and, I for one, believe she knows it and can do it!"

Correction......"can do it"---->"IS doing it".

By the time campaign season rolls around, the left and "moderates" of the "power elite" will have shot off all their ammunition, and Palin will be bulletproof.

The simple fact is that unless they have read her book, NOBODY of the "effete elite" will understand (and will thus continue to underestimate) Palin.

But make no mistake about it, the folks in "flyover country" and the members of the "silent majority" will understand her instinctively.

The "power elite" of BOTH parties haven't begun to grasp the fact that "the natives are REALLY, REALLY restless."

[RichInOC]

Not to belabor the obvious, but it ain’t 1988 to 1992 anymore, and Sarah Palin is no Dan Quayle. Come to think of it, Dan Quayle was no Dan Quayle, but I digress.

[mupcat]

“Quayled” huh....today, you idiot that’s a compliment...because QUAYLE WAS RIGHT

Doesn't make any difference whether he was right or not, the majority of the great unwashed say he was a buffoon. I'm afraid this might also be what has happened to her. Hope not, but it's likely. Unfortunately there are more of "them" then there are of "us".

[CASchack]

Quayle was right, and so is Palin. The point of the article is that Quayle’s political career was finished after he was pegged as a dunce. It was unfair, but it is what it is. The same thing has happened with Palin. She is a great conservative cultural figure, but she isn’t going to be a politician outside of Alaska.

I agree. Public perception is such that she has already been branded, just as Quayle was.

[SonOfDarkSkies]

You cheated!

Why not include the rest of my sentence!

[dalereed]

Total garbage just like the source!

[goodnesswins]

Well...I’ll say the same thing to you I said to an Obama voter after the election who bashed Palin...”We shall see.”

[SmokingJoe]

“The point of the article is that Quayle’s political career was finished after he was pegged as a dunce. It was unfair, but it is what it is. The same thing has happened with Palin”

Say..tell me...when did any TV program get record ratings(like Oprah did when Sarah Palin appeared on her program) when Dan Quayle appeared on it?
And when was Dan Qualye ever voted the “most admired man” by Americans, like Sarah Palin was just voted the joint most admired woman by Americans?
And when did Dan Quayle ever sell 2 million books in just 2 months?
And when did thousands of folks line up in freezing cold just to see Dan Qualye in town after town?
And when did Republican voters ever vote Dan Quayle as the one that “represents their values most”?
Still waiting...

[St. Louis Conservative]

I hope she does change the party in the manner you describe, I really do. I just don’t want her to be a presidential candidates.

[yongin]

If Palin isn’t running, the Tea Party Conservatives will no let DC GOP insiders to select the candidate for 2012.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

“I just don’t want her to be a presidential candidates.”

-

You admit your agenda posting this smear article then...

So truth in advertising please. Who do you support?

“too early to decide”, perhaps?

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

“...she isn’t going to be a politician outside of Alaska...”

You wish? She already is, and much more. Keep your head down, you are about to lose it...as she wins :)

[SmokingJoe]

“I think you need to be prepared to support a different candidate besides Sarah Palin in 2012”

I need you to get ya head out of the sand.

[thecodont]

This is a very strange article. It has no bearing on what I’ve been reading about Sarah Palin and her groundswell of support.

The timing of this article is very odd, and its placement in American Thinker even more odd. What is the reason for this piece?

[St. Louis Conservative]

I don’t want a DC insider politician either. There are a lot of good candidates besides Sarah Palin that fit that bill.

[Pox]

It was noted during the 08 campaign that this is exactly what the MSM and the left were pushing for, a direct comparison and link to Dan Quayle.

Many believe that they succeeded, but considering her continued popularity and looking at the massive turnout she gets at any event, it seems obvious that the Quayle tactic failed miserably. There is no apt comparison outside of the wishful thinking of lefty's and moderate RINO’s.

[Col Freeper]

First he/she says this:

That is secondary, because there is a more important point here relating to Palin's political future.

She doesn't have one.

I know this will raise the hackles of many, but you can forget Sarah Palin.

Then at the end, he/she says this:

Don't get me wrong -- if she is somehow the nominee in 2012, I'll still editorialize against Obama. And I'll give her just due.

So, according to this pundit, he/she KNOWS positively and absolutely that Gov. Palin has no political future, BUT if she does have a political future, well then .....

Pffft, just another hack trying to make some money and get some attention by pontificating about Gov. Palin's future, as if he/she really knew any more about it than the guy/gal next door.

American Thinker indeed.

[wagglebee]

I just don’t want her to be a presidential candidates.

So, who do you want to be the nominee. Give us a name.

[Tax-chick]

I don’t believe any self-proclaimed prophets. Remember when it was absolutely certain the 2008 election would be Rudy Giuliani vs. Hillary Clinton? I do ...

I believe candidates should decide whether to run, and voters should decide whom to elect, and a “thinker” who wants to exclude anyone ahead of time deserves a second Obama term.