Sarah Palin’s speech at the 2008 Republican National Convention was a masterpiece. Since then, it’s been all down hill. I’ve been trying to find a charitable, non-negative way to interpret her verbal awkwardness. At this point, the overwhelming impression is “incoherence”.
Judging from Palin’s resignation speech, I have to agree with her that Alaska will be much better off with just about anyone other than Palin as governor. For Alaska, a very good move. Her heart may be in the right place but who can locate her mind? I shudder to think what she would be like in the Oval Office. Think this is too harsh? Watch the speech for yourself:
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I’d agree this resignation speech was incoherent. But I suspect after the treatment she and her family have received over the last year, any of us would have trouble being coherent. No one should be expected to endure such outrageous treatment. I have never seen anything like it in my lifetime.
Gov. Sanford turns up missing while he plays around with his South American mistress, but he pretty much gets a pass — while Sarah Palin is investigated repeatedly on phony ethics charges–all of which have thus far proved false but have cost her and her husband over $500,000 in legal expenses, her children are savaged by a stupid “comedian,” and she is described as dressing like a slutty flight attendant. All to destroy a woman who is a serious threat to liberal politicians — both Republican and Democrat.
That would be enough to make most of us incoherent.
If that’s all it takes to make Palin incoherent, she has no business thinking of the presidency. Way, way too much pressure for a nutcase like this woman.
i guess i’m a nut case too. i see nothing incoherent in palin’s statement. she obviously was not reading from a teleprompter, as many are wont to do. considering all of the circumstances, i feel she has shown remarkable restraint, and coherence. seems to me that the kill palin syndrome is clouding the judgment of even the very elect. anyway, she got her message across, more coherently than most politicians.
On Palin’s resignation — Mark Davis column is worth reading. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/07/08/palin_could_prove_the_haters_wrong_97354.html.
Kurt, I have suspected that your absence from blogging has been due to taking the time to do some pretty serious reflection on the way things really are. This post on Palin reinforces my theory.
It must have been difficult for you to write and post this entry, which comes very close to a mea culpa. Particularly in light of your previous posts on Palin. Such as:
“I sense that Sarah Palin has the same commitment [as Ronald Reagan] and a similar capacity to communicate and persuade.” 9/4/08
Palin’s speech as the Republican Convention “…was a brilliant, true rhetorical art work…an impressive candidate….” 9/4/08
And another post on 9/4/08 in which you crowed and tooted your horn about recognizing Ronald Reagan in Sarah Palin.
And your harsh criticism of Gloria Steinem’s opposition to Palin on 9/5/08.
And your 10/2/08 exhultation of “Super Sarah!”
Kurt, I have to hand it to you. You deserve praise for having the cojones [Tex-Mex for intellectual honesty] to recognize Sarah Palin for what she is and to say so.
For what it is worth, congratulations. I agree with you in large part about the similarities between Sarah Palin and Ronald Reagan: They are both frauds who had the ability to deliver lines written for them by other people. And they were and are looney tunes.
Oh, my. How did I forget to include this one from August 29, 08?
“Sarah Palin is truly a game-changer. A very impressive choice, signalling John McCain’s ability to find good people to help him govern and his political flexibility. She’s smart, articulate, a brilliant orator and has an all American political pedigree. My congrats to John McCain and Sarah Palin. This is a powerhouse duo.”
No mea culpa. Just an acknowledgment that Palin’s performance since her nomination acceptance speech has been disappointing. Again, I think her heart is in the right place but — like Barack Obama — she suffers from a disconnect between her mind and her mouth.