Reading and watching the slowly-emerging Sarah Palin via rare, much-coveted interviews, I’m growing very sad for her. It’s been too much, too fast.
She’s been a small town mayor and the governor of a state with unique needs; she hasn’t spent much time thinking about national or international policy. And it shows.
There’s a reason she’s been bubble-wrapped.
I keep thinking of the lyrics from Janis Ian’s song, “At Seventeen”:
A brown eyed girl in hand me downs
whose name I never could pronounce
said – Pity please the ones who serve
They only get what they deserve
But did she “deserve” this embarrassment on the national stage? I don’t know that she’s been anything more than starry-eyed and idealistic.
Should she have known her limitations and declined McCain’s offer? I think so, yes. But for her, I have some pity.
On the other hand… the more confused she sounds, the angrier I am at John McCain who, looking for a mavericky game-changer, set Palin up for failure.
On the other hand… the more confused she sounds, the angrier I am at John McCain who, looking for a mavericky game-changer, set Palin up for failure.
My question is, what do you consider failure? She may very well be our next vice-president; and if something happens to McCain, she may be president.
The only recent comparison I can see is the Harriet Meirs debacle. At least there, the selection process could focus on her competence. Our presidential election seems to put more emphasis on image, and when many voters seem to make their decisions based on political ads and sound bites, she still may very well be a “success”.
Glenn, she’s so far over her head, it’s downright amazing. It’s also beyond obvious.
I’m not hostile at all toward Sarah Palin. I never have been. In fact, the hostility that greeted her announcement is part of why I decided to put myself back “on the fence” re: the election. I wanted to wait and give her a chance.
She’s not going to be vice-president. Not this time. McCain really made an error in judgment.
I don’t think picking Miss Teen South Carolina as your running mate is all that “Mavericky”.
Your musical post reminded me also of an old tune by Harry Chapin called Mr. Tanner. Mr. Tanner was a (fictional) cleaner from Dayton who liked to sing beautiful songs to himself as he worked. He had a fine voice and appeared in local shows and people loved hearing him sing. Eventually people goad him into trying music out as a career so he rents a recital hall in NYC, but the critics savage him for not being up to internationally-known standards. He returns home and never sings in public again.
All evidence is that Palin was a fine governor of Alaska, at least judged by her enormous approval ratings there. I hope this national spotlight doesn’t destroy that.
Polimom,
I totally agree with you about Palin being over her head, but my job has me interacting with a lot of blue collar males. With this crowd there are 3 things I’ve noticed: those Republicans who were reluctantly voting for McCain are even more likely to vote for him now – and it has nothing to do with her abilities – it’s because she is a gun owner and a hunter. I’ve had Democrats tell me that they have voted Democratic all their lives, but there is no way they are voting for Obama and I think nothing said about Palin will change that.. Of those that have watched any of Sarah Palin’s interviews, it’s mainly Hannity’s they’ve watched; I’ve yet to find someone who has watched Couric’s.
I wish I could be as confident as you are that she won’t be vice president, but I have talked to too many people that love her image, abilities be damned.
Paca, I haven’t thought of Harry Chapin in such a long time. What a talent he was.
I hadn’t heard this song before, but now that I have, I can see why you thought of it. Sad.
Here’s a YouTube of a live Harry Chapin performance of the song to which pacatrue refers.
I’m glad I could spread the word on Chapin again!
I don’t mean to belittle Gov. Palin. The parallel was just supposed to be a good and competent person who wasn’t quite ready for another task yet. Like others have said. she needs practice on the national stage, but she’s been forced to learn in mere weeks.