if US doesn’t elect the candidate it wants. Oh *yawn* noes!
So you can understand my pessimism. But it’s now combined with a rising frustration. I watch as the Democrats stumble, uncertain how to take on Sarah Palin. Fight too hard, and the Republican machine, echoed by the ditto-heads in the conservative commentariat on talk radio and cable TV, will brand Democrats sexist, elitist snobs, patronising a small-town woman. Do nothing, and Palin’s rise will continue unchecked, her novelty making even Obama look stale, her star power energising and motivating the Republican base.
So somehow Palin slips out of reach, no revelation – no matter how jaw-dropping or career-ending were it applied to a normal candidate – doing sufficient damage to slow her apparent march to power, dragging the charisma-deprived McCain behind her.
We know one of Palin’s first acts as mayor of tiny Wasilla, Alaska was to ask the librarian the procedure for banning books. Oh, but that was a “rhetorical” question, says the McCain-Palin campaign. We know Palin is not telling the truth when she says she was against the notorious $400m “Bridge to Nowhere” project in Alaska – in fact, she campaigned for it – but she keeps repeating the claim anyway. She denounces the dipping of snouts in the Washington trough – but hired costly lobbyists to make sure Alaska got a bigger helping of federal dollars than any other state.
She claims to be a fiscal conservative, but left Wasilla saddled with debts it had never had before. She even seems to have claimed “per diem” allowances – taxpayers’ money meant for out-of-town travel – when she was staying in her own house.
Yet somehow none of this is yet leaving a dent. The result is that a politician who conservative blogger Andrew Sullivan calls a “Christianist” – seeking to politicise Christianity the way Islamists politicise Islam – could soon be a heartbeat away from the presidency. Remember, this is a woman who once addressed a church congregation, saying of her work as governor – transport, policing and education – “really all of that stuff doesn’t do any good if the people of Alaska’s heart isn’t right with God”.
If Sarah Palin defies the conventional wisdom that says elections are determined by the top of the ticket, and somehow wins this for McCain, what will be the reaction? Yes, blue-state America will go into mourning once again, feeling estranged in its own country. A generation of young Americans – who back Obama in big numbers – will turn cynical, concluding that politics doesn’t work after all. And, most depressing, many African-Americans will decide that if even Barack Obama – with all his conspicuous gifts – could not win, then no black man can ever be elected president.
Regarding the book-banning claim; and here (h/t Insty). Regarding the per diem. Regarding the Bridge to Nowhere, for which Obama and Biden voted yes as part of a budget bill; and here.  Regarding Christianism. Regarding Andrew. Regarding World. Regarding Charlie Rangel. Regarding Obama and Fannie Mae (h/t Insty).
h/t Memeorandum
More: Middle Finger of the Apocalypse ; Clarice on the CAC documents.
Comment by Spies, Brigands, and Pirates on 9/10 @ 1:11 pm #
World can go fuck itself with a rusty crowbar.
Comment by Obstreperous Infidel on 9/10 @ 1:40 pm #
I’m with ya, sbp. This just goes to show that the US is the greatest country in the world. And, no lurking morons, that doesn’t mean that all other countries suck. These little shits are so invested in us it isn’t funny. Obviously, we are the model.
Comment by DoDoGuRu on 9/10 @ 2:09 pm #
The world’s reaction will be… what exactly? Of what practical use is world opinion? What are they going to do, return the billions in financial and military aid we send them every year?
Have fun with that, “World”. Kinda hard to complain with your mouth full of America’s golden teet.
Comment by BJTexs on 9/10 @ 2:18 pm #
There is so much in that heap of manure statement that is distorted, ignorant or downright wrong but I am simply unable to get past the seizure inducing observation of “conservative blogger” as applied to Sullivan once a friggin’ again! Don’t reporters/columnists check their facts at all? Obviously not, especially when The Narrative™ is being sliced, diced and force fed to the continental politically obese.
I’ll be lying in the corner with my wallet jammed between my teeth.
Comment by daveinboca on 9/10 @ 2:26 pm #
If the world wants Obama, it can have him & elect him king/president while McCain/Palin represents US interests & keeps us from being overrun by EU-nuchs.
Andrew Sullivan has gone into occultation/sequestration with his “husband,” getting his fudge packed between his liquid lunches.
Comment by sdferr on 9/10 @ 3:00 pm #
Little Georgia squeaks, “We don’t”. Ukraine shuffles nervously on it’s feet, back and forth, “Ummmm, we…”.
Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland all stride forward and offer: “Hey, can we give you any help with those groceries? That’s looking kinda heavy there.”
Comment by Jake on 9/10 @ 3:01 pm #
“blue-state America will go into mourning once again, feeling estranged in its own country… African-Americans will decide that if even Barack Obama could not win, then no black man can ever be elected president.”
Lord, this just brought a tear to my eye… You know, guys, in all fairness, I dont think we should go forward with this election thing.. I mean these poor people are already victims… victims of a racist society, victims The Man, victims of The Rich, victims of The Bible clinging Rethuglian haters… They’ve already been victimized enough.. we dont need to perpetuate the unfairness..
I say right now to all the Republicans out there, just concede the election and let the healing begin… Maybe after a few terms.. a few more billion in entitlement dollars .. a few more Congressional ‘official’ apologies.. and a few more ginormous government programs and bureaucracies we’ll be even steven and can go back to competing for the hearts and minds of Americans… Maybe by then America will be strong enough (emotionally) to consider a Republican president.
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