Sarah Palin and Her Discontents (Sneering power-women and the foul whiff of aristocratic disdain)

National Review ^ | September 5, 2008 | Victor Davis Hanson

[nickcarraway]

There is something ignoble about these elite, affluent, and well-connected observers in smug fashion savaging Palin, when — especially in the case of the sneering power-women — we should all at least grant that Palin is intrinsically bright, energetic, savvy, and independent to have come this far at all, given the slanted and insider rules of the game she’s in.

So pause to consider: If we wished to ensure that a bright, ambitious, and capable woman would not make it in contemporary national politics, as practiced by most successful contemporary office-holders and adjudicated by the New York-Washington media, then we would insist on the following ten requisites:

1. Ensure that she grew up in small-town America away from the centers of power and media influence;

2. Trump that by ensuring it was in rural Alaska;

3. Make sure she didn’t go to the Ivy League — and especially an Ivy-League law school in the paired Obama/Clinton tradition;

4. Require that she marry a non-metrosexual, one without money or influence or a fast-track job;

5. Trump that by assurance that her own family lacked capital, a brand name, or easy inside entry into regional politics;

6. Encourage her to have not one, but five, children;

7. Ensure that she was a conservative, pro-choice, pro-gun, pro-religion, pro-drilling Republican;

8. Have her start a political career amid a hostile, entrenched ole-boy, all-male, “you rub my back, I’ll rub yours” corrupt Republican cloister like Alaska’s;

9. If she did reach state or national attention, be sure it was during a downside cycle in times of an unpopular Republican administration;

10. Get her on video with a bloody moose, or on a loud snowmobile as proof of her savage affinity with guns and her gratuitously large carbon footprint.

When we consider, in contrast, the latticed background of careers of successful contemporary female role-model politicians, such as a Diane Feinstein, Nancy Pelosi, Mary Landrieu, or Hillary Clinton — or pundits like Sally Quinn, Eleanor Clift, Andrea Mitchell, Campbell Brown, Gail Collins (the list is depressingly endless, in which marriage or lineage provides either the necessary capital, contacts, or insider influence — or sometimes all three) — then surely, whatever one’s politics, there should be some concession that what outsider Palin has accomplished, given where she began, is nothing short of remarkable.

In short, Sarah Palin is the emblem of what feminism was supposed to be all about: an unafraid, independent, audacious woman, who soared on her own merits without the aid of a patriarchal jumpstart, high-brow matrimonial tutelage and capital, and old-boy liaisons and networking.

Instead this entire sorry episode of personal invective against, and jealousy toward, Sarah Palin is surreal. Given the rising backlash, Palin Derangement Syndrome may prove to be the one thing, fairly or not, that sinks Barack Obama.

[PGalt]

WOW! OUTSTANDING article by Victor Davis Hanson! Thanks very much for posting.

[irishjuggler]

7. Ensure that she was a conservative, pro-choice

Typo by VDH? She's pro-life.

[Daffynition]

And least we forget the wonderful Gloria Steinem and her message: “Wrong Woman, Wrong Message.” Pass the barf bag.

[R. Scott]

The lady has impressed me as being “real”. Of course I agree with her conservative values, but I wouldn’t mind getting to know her. I’d probably welcome her as neighbor and friend.
I can’t say the same for Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama. They seem to me the archetypal “Power Woman.” These two have tried hard to look like ordinary wives and mothers. In my opinion they failed miserably. When Michelle tried to show how connected she was with the middle class by telling how hard it was to scrape up $10,000 for their kids summer camp I lost it.
I’d shudder at the thought of Clinton, Obama, Feinstein or Pelosi living any where near me.

[nickcarraway]

Gloria Steinem’s message: the patriarchy I promote sent me to take out this woman.

[jazzlite]

Yes, this article really nailed it!

[Snurple]

Excellent article! So true.

Palin is intrinsically bright, energetic, savvy, and independent to have come this far at all, given the slanted and insider rules of the game she’s in.

[ClearCase_guy]

VDH is the best!

[AmericanInTokyo]

their SKIN IS CRAWLING.

"I'm loving it" (but not having a Macudonarudo burger over here)

[Daffynition]

Let these feminazis eat their own, like the MSN of late ... Palin shines as a feminist .... but the Left cannot be ‘allowed’ to look up to her. Hypocrites.

[normy]

proof of her savage affinity with guns and her gratuitously large carbon footprint.

love that line.

Hanson hits on something I have argued in family circles for some time now and that is that most politically powerful women have used their husbands success in politics or business to make their name. Many had husbands who encouraged their political career because they had nothing better to to but sit around the house ordering the help around.

Palin is not one of those woman and that must truly piss them off.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Only problem is, he slipped and said “pro-choice” when I think he should have said “pro-life”, (unless he was talking about schooling).......

[AmericanInTokyo]

I think the phenomenon here at work with the liberal feminists is almost the same by so-called “plantation blacks” who go ballistic when an African American becomes a Republican or worse yet (for them) moves up the ladder. They can not STAND it!! Their heads are going to explode over all this. (liberally speaking of course here)

[ottbmare]

I think saying that she was “pro-choice” was a slip caused by late hours and a need to churn out a lot of commentary fast this week.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

When we consider, in contrast, the latticed background of careers of successful contemporary female role-model politicians, such as a Diane Feinstein, Nancy Pelosi, Mary Landrieu, or Hillary Clinton — or pundits like Sally Quinn, Eleanor Clift, Andrea Mitchell, Campbell Brown, Gail Collins (the list is depressingly endless, in which marriage or lineage provides either the necessary capital, contacts, or insider influence — or sometimes all three) — then surely, whatever one’s politics, there should be some concession that what outsider Palin has accomplished, given where she began, is nothing short of remarkable.

That just about says it all. Gov. Palin didn't have a rich daddy, or rich sugar daddy, writing the checks to send her to the 'right' schools; have 'work' done to correct any physical flaws (real or imagined); have the means to have a stylist, a head hunter, maid service, nutritionist, therapist and all the other 'needed' services the beautiful peeps have. They love Obama because he is the male version of themselves...propped up on appearances and status (Ivy League anyone? I mean really, who goes to the University of Idaho?). Their classism shows with each additional rant...

[rlmorel]

What VDH obliquely points out, but is lost completely on liberals, is that EVERYTHING in his list is something conservatives see as a VERY positive thing.

1. Ensure that she grew up in small-town America away from the centers of power and media influence; Small town America horrifies, baffles and disgusts liberals. They see it as something to run away from to go to the "big city". Conservatives understand that small town America is the real HEART of America, and what makes it great.

2. Trump that by ensuring it was in rural Alaska;Big ditto on point one. Liberals like Obama think that Alaska isn't even one of the 57 states, but is still a territory. 3. Make sure she didn’t go to the Ivy League — and especially an Ivy-League law school in the paired Obama/Clinton tradition; "Oh my. I guess she must not have been able to afford it." Usually spoken in a tone of faux sympathy but with a great deal of underlying snootery.

4. Require that she marry a non-metrosexual, one without money or influence or a fast-track job; Like most American men. Honorable men who do the heavy lifting in this country, where 95% of all the on the job fatalities are male.

5. Trump that by assurance that her own family lacked capital, a brand name, or easy inside entry into regional politics; "Oh. She is one of the proletariat."

6. Encourage her to have not one, but five, children; They ask "Why on earth would a woman have five children...and she should have aborted the Down Syndrome child. Such a crime. That child will be sentenced to a life of misery. Tsk."

7. Ensure that she was a conservative, pro-choice, pro-gun, pro-religion, pro-drilling Republican; Us conservatives look with grim humor at liberals on these points. They have no idea whatsoever.

8. Have her start a political career amid a hostile, entrenched ole-boy, all-male, “you rub my back, I’ll rub yours” corrupt Republican cloister like Alaska’s; We don't view this as good or bad, it is just reality and she handled it well.

9. If she did reach state or national attention, be sure it was during a downside cycle in times of an unpopular Republican administration; An unpopular Republican administration? Wouldn't that be all of them to the media?

10. Get her on video with a bloody moose, or on a loud snowmobile as proof of her savage affinity with guns and her gratuitously large carbon footprint. Best of all...:) In your faces, you snooty, effeminate wusses. I want to be there on the day when you have to beg someone else for food they had to kill and dress.

[HerrBlucher]

In short, Sarah Palin is the emblem of what feminism was supposed to be all about: an unafraid, independent, audacious woman, who soared on her own merits without the aid of a patriarchal jumpstart, high-brow matrimonial tutelage and capital, and old-boy liaisons and networking.

Perfect summary of Palin v hags. Hansen has done it again!

[elli1]

In short, Sarah Palin is the emblem of what feminism was supposed to be all about: an unafraid, independent, audacious woman, who soared on her own merits without the aid of a patriarchal jumpstart, high-brow matrimonial tutelage and capital, and old-boy liaisons and networking.

Yeh--that's the problem. Palin is the Real Deal and the snivelers are poseurs who know they're poseurs and who know, deep down inside, that they could not have pulled off what Palin has done purely on their own merits.

[Tarpon]

This is exceptionally on point. You should put it on a sticky on the computer screen ... :-)