The mass media hype over the release of Sarah Palin's book last month sent chills up my spine. I can't exactly say they were 100 percent positive feelings.
Watching an ABC News story reported by Kate Snow, seeing fans waiting in line outside a bookstore in Grand Rapids, Michigan to meet Palin, who was there to sign copies of her new biography, "Going Rogue: An American Life," reminded me of the mass-marketed hysteria last January when Barack Obama was sworn in as president.
"My ambition if you will, my desire, is to help our country in whatever role that may be, and I cannot predict what that will be, what doors would be open in the year 2012," she said. "If people will have me, I will."
Apparently, the people waiting at that mall in Grand Rapids have already made up their minds. Some had buttons that say, "Palin 2012." "Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!" was the chant yelled by some as they waited in line.
"She is very down to earth," said one woman waiting in line. "She can handle all the politics, all the media, all the press, and still be able to raise her family of five kids. Awesome. Strong woman."
"If the news media leaves her alone, she can win," said another woman when asked if Palin could be the next president of the United States.
I am all for an African American or a female president running the country. So long as they are the right person for the job, and they aren't voted in on the sole basis of their good looks.
Granted, I have no love for CBS' Katie Couric, whom I don't consider a real journalist but, instead, see her as an attractive talking head. The fact is Palin screwed up the Couric interview late last year when she was asked what newspapers and magazines she reads regularly and failed to give a straight answer.
"It wasn't my best interview," she said.
All right. At least Palin admits she messed up.
But what about her sudden decision to leave office as Alaskan governor last summer saying it was in the best interest of the state?
"I was heading into a lame duck session, that final year in office, and most normal politicians, what they do, knowing that they're not going to run again, they're in that lame duck ... that, that situation, they milk it. They collect the paycheck. My administration was inundated and paralyzed by those who were filing these frivolous lawsuits, and, and, um, ethics violation charges. And it was unfair to Alaskans. So, I knew that what we were doing was right," Palin said.
Don't misunderstand me. Palin is close to winning me over. I like a lot of the stuff she has said so far, especially when it comes to her criticism of Obama's track record in office so far. If the Obama administration isn't scared of her, why then do they keep spouting off negative comments about her?
I have no love, for example, for any of Palin's critics. I think the only reason McCain staffers are speaking out against her is more out of jealousy that she actually helped boost voter turnout for McCain.
Then there is that recent eye-opening picture on the cover of Newsweek showing Palin in a sexy shot that was already used in The Runner's World magazine. Don't tell me that ploy wasn't used to get people to buy their magazine. Kudos to the Newsweek staff. Thanks to that photo, I am not renewing my subscription and have high hopes their lousy revamped publication that now consists of essays meets a quick, well-deserved death.
You hear that, Newsweek?
As much as I would like 2012 to get here quicker so we conservative and independent Americans can choose a better leader than the one we have now, three years is still a long time.
For now, I'll stick to what one woman said as she waited in line to meet Palin at the book signing.
"I am not sure she is qualified to be president quite yet, but she is a heck of a lot more qualified than Barack Obama."
©12/8/09
Watching an ABC News story reported by Kate Snow, seeing fans waiting in line outside a bookstore in Grand Rapids, Michigan to meet Palin, who was there to sign copies of her new biography, "Going Rogue: An American Life," reminded me of the mass-marketed hysteria last January when Barack Obama was sworn in as president.
The same mass media/mass marketed hype that surrounded Obama that is now focused on Sarah Palin worries me. Palin, a former Alaskan governor, rose to prominence as John McCain's vice-presidential running mate. She doesn't know if a 2012 run for the presidency is in the cards for her."That certainly isn't on my radar screen right now," Palin told Barbara Walters in a Nightline interview. "[But] when you consider some of the ordinary turning into extraordinary events that have happened in my life, I am not one to predict what will happen in a few years."
"My ambition if you will, my desire, is to help our country in whatever role that may be, and I cannot predict what that will be, what doors would be open in the year 2012," she said. "If people will have me, I will."
Apparently, the people waiting at that mall in Grand Rapids have already made up their minds. Some had buttons that say, "Palin 2012." "Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!" was the chant yelled by some as they waited in line.
"She is very down to earth," said one woman waiting in line. "She can handle all the politics, all the media, all the press, and still be able to raise her family of five kids. Awesome. Strong woman."
"If the news media leaves her alone, she can win," said another woman when asked if Palin could be the next president of the United States.
I am not about to jump on the Palin bandwagon just yet. All Americans did, when they voted for Obama, was moronically judge a book by its cover and toss aside all the questionable issues. They thought of him as a new African American version of JFK with socialist stances.Some people voted for him because he has a great personality, a beautiful wife and two wonderful children. Obama is, however, definitely no JFK. By comparison, Palin is no Ronald Reagan. I am beginning to think the only reason people want Palin for president is simply because she is a woman and they think it's time for a woman to run the White House.
I am all for an African American or a female president running the country. So long as they are the right person for the job, and they aren't voted in on the sole basis of their good looks.
Granted, I have no love for CBS' Katie Couric, whom I don't consider a real journalist but, instead, see her as an attractive talking head. The fact is Palin screwed up the Couric interview late last year when she was asked what newspapers and magazines she reads regularly and failed to give a straight answer.
"It wasn't my best interview," she said.
All right. At least Palin admits she messed up.
But what about her sudden decision to leave office as Alaskan governor last summer saying it was in the best interest of the state?
"I was heading into a lame duck session, that final year in office, and most normal politicians, what they do, knowing that they're not going to run again, they're in that lame duck ... that, that situation, they milk it. They collect the paycheck. My administration was inundated and paralyzed by those who were filing these frivolous lawsuits, and, and, um, ethics violation charges. And it was unfair to Alaskans. So, I knew that what we were doing was right," Palin said.
So here are my questions for Palin: Let's assume you are elected president of the United States in 2012 and upon your fourth year in office in 2016, you decide not to run a second term. Am I to assume you might do what you did in Alaska - decide to call it quits and let your vice president take over? Can you take the huge media scrutiny you are going to get if you decide to run in 2012?The media coverage Palin would draw in 2012 would be nothing like what she got when she was chosen as McCain's running mate.
Don't misunderstand me. Palin is close to winning me over. I like a lot of the stuff she has said so far, especially when it comes to her criticism of Obama's track record in office so far. If the Obama administration isn't scared of her, why then do they keep spouting off negative comments about her?
I have no love, for example, for any of Palin's critics. I think the only reason McCain staffers are speaking out against her is more out of jealousy that she actually helped boost voter turnout for McCain.
Some of her critics are getting their comeuppance. I never liked David Letterman and that was before the late-night talk show host made tasteless remarks earlier this year about Palin's daughter. For years, I could never pin down why I never liked Letterman. Then the talk show host's sex scandal broke out and I finally got my answer.As for Bristol Palin's ex-boyfriend and father Levi Johnson's claims against the former governor that she called their son, Trigg, who has Down Syndrome, "retarded," I am not going to listen to someone who reduces himself to doing nude spreads in Playgirl magazine for money.
Then there is that recent eye-opening picture on the cover of Newsweek showing Palin in a sexy shot that was already used in The Runner's World magazine. Don't tell me that ploy wasn't used to get people to buy their magazine. Kudos to the Newsweek staff. Thanks to that photo, I am not renewing my subscription and have high hopes their lousy revamped publication that now consists of essays meets a quick, well-deserved death.
You hear that, Newsweek?
As much as I would like 2012 to get here quicker so we conservative and independent Americans can choose a better leader than the one we have now, three years is still a long time.
For now, I'll stick to what one woman said as she waited in line to meet Palin at the book signing.
"I am not sure she is qualified to be president quite yet, but she is a heck of a lot more qualified than Barack Obama."
©12/8/09
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