Catherine wrote:
Oh, KF...Bob Cesca, a journalist I highly respect, is telling us to be careful what we wish for in this report:
The Perfect Storm That Could Elect Sarah PalinQuote:
I don't believe we fully grasp the likelihood of Sarah Palin actually winning the presidency. Despite the giddy snickering at the notion, she could seriously do it. It's happened before, and we underestimate the frivolity of the American voter at our own risk.
Admittedly, I've been guilty of laughing off her odds -- wishing for her to win the Republican nomination and therefore exponentially boosting the president's chances for reelection. The political calculus is that Palin is hilariously unelectable, especially given the outstanding contrast between the president's seriousness and legislative accomplishments and Palin's awkwardly-cadenced screeching, her dissonant incomprehensible populist word salads and unserious, airheaded public flailings.
And so we hubristically snark about how voters will never elect such a national punchline to the highest office in the land. The White House is reportedly relishing a Palin nomination.
But there are several X-factors that we're not considering here, t-minus two years from Election Day. The perfect storm is composed of 1) pop culture gawking, 2) backwards Fox News Republican propaganda and how it plays to kneejerk swing voters and, 3) progressive apathy/complacency
Remember that we have voters who have elected two movie stars to their states' governor's mansion, with one of them actually becoming POTUS for 8 long years...
Minnesota elected a professional wrestler to be governor and keeps electing Michelle Bachman
...AND then there was the two time (well, sort of) elected president W! Thanks to the recent midterms, there are far too many tea baggers who will be taking their seats in the Senate and in the House in 2011. I'm quite concerned that if Obama's popularity doesn't improve in the next year or so, Palin could have a very good chance. Now that's scary!
Bob Cesca goes on to say:
"We're not breaking any news by suggesting that American culture is dominated by a "famous for being famous" mindset. Some of the most well-known media figures are ordinary hoopleheads who stowed their dignity and their self-respect and stumbled their way onto reality television.
Why are these people famous? Well, because they're, you know, famous. They don't really do anything and they don't really possess any particular talent beyond self-promotion and an uncanny ability to embarrass themselves with enough frequency so as to perpetually nail the timing of multiple news cycles. The bigger the freak show, the bigger the ratings, the higher the Q-score. Three basic steps: blurt out crazy shit, act wounded and victimized by the reaction, repeat.
This is Sarah Palin's public strategy. Much like George W. Bush before her, she just stubbornly marches forward like a white trash T-1000 Terminator as though entirely botching something like the meaning of the First Amendment to the Constitution never happened -- repeatedly. (The First Amendment doesn't protect Dr. Laura from being fired nor does it protect you from press criticism, Sarah. Sorry. Read a book. Oh, and if she's elected, her lack of grade school awareness of the First Amendment could be a dangerous problem.)
She just grins on Hannity and plows forward -- and it's subsequently spun as "strength and influence" even though she's fully and completely wrong in every way. Suddenly her stupid "pit bull" persona is ballyhooed by embarrassingly horny Baby Boomer men even though the original reason for the criticism would normally disqualify even the most popular national figures from being considered as a serious contender for elected office.
Speaking of Hannity, the FNC-GOP-Industrial Complex will obviously be instrumental in getting Palin elected. As we've witnessed since the 2008 election, the trifecta's collective ability to completely obfuscate reality and guide the debate around those terms is uncanny and more than a little frightening.
If Palin is going to win, her grotesquely obvious negatives will have to be spun as "presidential." That's a long road to travel, but it's entirely possible. Just look at the ever-lengthening roster of zombie opposite-day lies floating around. "
***Ya know, I've been entertaining this scenerio as well, from time to time. First of all, this is only a wild shot speculation here folks. I wonder if the media, or the filthy right, had any knowledge that O'bama would turn yellow on us lefties. The reason being, that McCaine was so far off the radar screen politically, with most american people. Could it be possible, that some voters "on the fence," decided to vote for O'bama, because he was the lesser of two evils? Could the media, have had a hand in this? Remember, comparing one person to another, ( especially in this era) never moves this country forward politically. And our corporate media, would find this scenerio, very easy to cover. Surely, and at some level, they would be less challenged, by a politically educated public or politician. THE PERFECT CONDITION FOR PROPAGANDA!! Remember, the media is more of a complainer, than a trail blazer. For example, a green energy manufacturing base. This doesn't get near the attention, as the wars in the Middle East, or the skyrocketing deficit.
Secondly, the same with Sarah Palin. I'm sure Faux would separate McCaine from Palin, rather quickly. She's a woman, and she's much younger than McCaine. Her gender could be an advantage for her. The simple fact, that we have elected our first black president, may condition the people to vote for their first woman president. Unfortunately for us, McCaine already broke this barrier, when choosing Sarah as his running mate. The "shoot everything in site," is still looked upon favorably, by a lot of wackos in this country. Especially the "bible belt." Connecting guns with religion, is easy to do via propaganda. Another thing, she is fairly attractive. (or at least I think she is) Lastly, her utter "stupidity," leaves her looking like a babysitter, instead of a politician, at local right wing pep rallies. Just listen to her sometimes. She sounds like she is playing with a cat. Her voice changes upwards and downwards, several times in her speeches. Just like you'd do with your pet. The american sheeple, loves their little pets. Pets are loyal to. If Sarah, or the corporate media can connect the two, then we DO have some serious problems. Quite simply, people who act like this at the podium, usually are non threatening. If she doesn't come off looking like an intiminator, she could generate popularity real quick. Granted, her website got several people shot in Tuscon, but we have close to two years left, until we elect a new president. Time heals all wounds, and stupidity as well.The american sheeple, are not at her pep rallies to be educated politically. They are there to be entertained, (hence, Palin's lies or her daughter in "dancing with the stars") With an entertainment value, along with a sense of no responsibility/intimination, she COULD, very well, make a decent run for the White House)
I may be talking out of my ass here, but I've seen much crazier shit happen in the past.
And Palin in the White House would be much worse...much worse. I've always said that the 9/11 attacks happened as a result of W getting into the White House...imagine what could happen with Palin at the helm! 