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]

Why not include the rest of my sentence! ...

I addressed the negative. It is ridiculous at best, and funny as it stands. I don't read the same tea leaves, I guess. I met Dan Quayle in NC back in the 80's, and would vote for him, but he's not a leader, now. She could be the real "annointed one". She has acknowledged it's ALL in God's hands. I pray to Him about her all the time. We both have direct access to His ear.

I have been a Sarah Supporter since last year. I voted for her and that old Vet. I had hoped for their election, and him to suddenly have to "retire". Now, I am sending $$$ to SarahPAC for them to distribute to other candidates in this cycle, and for her possible Pres run in 2012. I've also sent $$$ to NY, NJ, and MA. She is a conservative I can easily follow.

We are in the battle for the future of our Country. I don't see anyone I'd rather lead the way! Sarah 2012 is just a rumor now, but Iowa is likely already on her GPS.

Click for SarahPAC...

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

There are a lot of good candidates besides Sarah Palin that fit that bill.

Name one who's even remotely comparable.

[SmokingJoe]

“and as sad as the present article is I fear he is correct”

He is right like Saddam was right.

[wagglebee]

All good candidates, but none of them have any real name recognition and that will make it difficult for them to raise the money they need.

[St. Louis Conservative]

Nobody rivals Palin in terms of celebrity status within conservative circles, except maybe Rush Limbaugh, but that is not a reason to want them to be national political candidates.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

LOL.

You “forgot” to mention Mitt Romney.

This is all so obvious.

[missnry]

The author gets it right about the voters:

They are generally quite susceptible to media manipulation and emotional appeals, which is why they can vote right in one election and hard left in another. For the most part, all they see is image.

Palin has been "branded" by the media. The major difference between Quayle and Palin is that she is not sitting back and taking the beating. The unfortunate thing that has happened and exists to date is the media and talking heads have branded her as "Not having the qualifications" to be President. I hear that from people all the time when her name is brought up. The only thing that makes her "unqualified" is that she is a pro-life conservative! Anyone with those qualities will be destroyed in the media.

[caveat emptor]

WTF? Who are you to presume to advise FReepers on the 2012 election.

[Wingy]

Actually, going by history, the author is right. That said, the public perception of the press (read MSM) took quite a hit this year and last. The press, you know, those guys that told us:

that Obama was the smartest guy in the room,

the guys that have told us that Bush was a cowboy with not too much on the ball,

that Gore was erudite and lofty in his thinking,

that Quayle couldn't spell potato,

that Reagan was just a dumb actor,

that Ford couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time,

and Kennedy was, once again, the smartest guy, with the quickest wit, in the room.

We the people, who hardly pay any attention to politics at all, swallowed it all. But that has changed now. With the MSM's biases striped bare for all to see last year, we the great unwashed masses are looking at the reporting with a much more jaundiced eye these days. The evidence is there for all too see. Don't believe me, check the situation in Boston this Tuesday. Brown is NOT the choice of the MSM.

Palin, with the right venue (Thanks Roger Ailes) could turn the perception that she is some kind of airhead, around in a hurry.

The future looks brighter, if only we can get through the present.

[St. Louis Conservative]

That doesn’t matter. In this day and age, you don’t need to be a nationally known public figure to be successful or raise money. The nature of the media and social networking these days ensures that this can be accomplished in very short order. Look at Scott Brown.....hell, for that matter, look at Barry Obama.

[theanchoragedailyruse]

The question if Palin has a political chance will be answered in Arizona.

If she backs McCain and if J.D. Hayworth enters the race then it gets interesting.

Since the Arizona Tea Party has their backing behind Hayworth and we see the Tea Party’s stance on anti-illegal immigration, then Palin will have some explaining to do.

History was unkind to the “Loyalists”... When you had patriots fighting for their cause.

And those ardent (to a fault) supporters of Palin seem to think Palin’s loyalty to McCain is okay...

We shall see....

[Candor7]

or else Palin supporters might vote 3rd party to teach RINOs a lesson>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Nah! Palin supprters won't need to be voting 3rd party, The Republican party is OURS!There is a resurgeant social movemet which now is a big surprise to everyone because it hasn't been reported in the MSM.( You know, the same ones who ignored the 2009 labor Day 700, 000 to 1 million conservatives in Washington, "Tea Party.") You see so many think that just because the conservative movement is unreported that it does not exist. WRONGO. If you were watching you saw it in Worcester MA today.And now you will see a lot more of it. No need for Palin supporters to vote 3rd party. We will be taking our party back for the people, thank you very much!

[techno]

Selwyn must have been incommunicado for the last two months. He must not be aware of how the interviews accompanying and the Going Rogue tour has gone a long way to rehabilitate Palin’s image and to get her back to square one.

This won’t fly any longer.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

That’s my short list right now.

And none of those men can draw even a quarter of the crowd that Sarah Palin typically draws.

DOA.

[SmokingJoe]

All good men, but umm..how many people in this country have even heard any of those 3 guys?

[Kickass Conservative]

We let Liberals like Colin Powell pick McCain and that turned out wonderful.

Saturday Night Live lampooned Sarah once again last night, calling her Stupid. I guess that is what a Conservative gets for being on their show and boosting their ratings.

If we let the Left continue with their lies, we contribute to the bad PR we get. That is why I remind every Libtard I talk to that I'm still waiting for them prove how smart Nobama is.

I remind them that nobody has seen his College Records, Grades, Transcripts, Harvard Application showing he was NOT an Honors Graduate from Columbia and last but not least his Birth Certificate.

I also tell them how interesting it is that we know more about Bristol Palin than we know about _resident Nobama. As I recall, Bristol Palin hasn't published two books about herself, written by a Domestic Terrorist released on a technicality.

[Norseman]

Hence, her decision to use Fox as a platform. She has plenty of time to make her case. The key to her political future is her belief structure, not her intellect. Will she appoint a bunch of left-wing America-apologists to key positions in government? Not likely. Would Obama? He already has. It’s no contest.

[MBB1984]

Duke nails it. Very good analysis and article.

[wagglebee]

The major difference between Quayle and Palin is that she is not sitting back and taking the beating.

An even bigger difference is that there was no internet/alternate media twenty years ago.

Quayle was branded by the mainstream media and that was the end of it.

Today, when the media tries to smear Palin it just makes them look more desperate.

[Nachoman]

For someone who is such a non-factor, the left can’t seem to stop talking about Palin.