PeaceBang
The manic mind of the minister -- Auntie Mame Meets Cotton Mather. Blogging about Unitarian Universalism, UU Christian spiritual practice, occasional cultural and political ravings, and the inner life of ministry. PeaceBang is the alter ego of a small town pastor serving an historic New England Unitarian Universalist congregation.
Why Sarah Palin?
August 30, 2008 on 5:36 pm | In Cultural Commentary |Um, because he’s trying to WIN.
Which is what my candidate is trying to do, too.
Sure, McCain picked a mooseburger-chomping former beauty queen with no legislative experience — but she’s hot, she’ll undoubtedly impress some people as being ____________________ (fill in positive adjective here), and by choosing her, he’s hoping to look with-it and forward-thinking and feminist. Sure, I think she’s scary, but a lot of people will just see “pretty, young and female, mom of five” and think this is a genius team for America.
It’s not a nefarious Republican plot. I don’t even think it’s egregiously or insultingly political, as some have sneeringly suggested. Because this is politics, where everything is, actually, political. What else should we expect from a presidential campaign?
Here, George Carlin alludes to what I’m trying to say,
Bush calls the al Queda people cowards and says, “They like to hide.” Well, isn’t that what the American Continental Army did during the American Revolution? Our beloved patriots? They hid. They hid behind trees. Then they came out, killed some British soldiers, and ran away. Just like al Qaeda. That’s what you do when you’re outnumbered and have less firepower than the enemy. It’s called “trying to win.” It’s not cowardly.
- in When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?
I mean, right? Why bother being offended? And as the old union folks used to say, “Don’t mourn, organize!”
12 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Leave a comment
Powered by WordPress with Pool theme design by Borja Fernandez.
Entries and comments feeds.
Valid XHTML and CSS. ^Top^
Well, yes that is definitely a choice aimed at winning, but I don’t think it is a choice that will help in governing. I thought Biden was a good choice not because he would help the ticket, although I hope he will, but because he would be helpful to Obama in governing and would be very qualified to step in if some nutcase hurts Obama. I don’t see how Palin would be likely to add wisdom to a McCain administration nor that she would be ready to step in if the health problems that so often hurt a man in his 70’s make McCain unable to continue. [Right — that’s what you and I think, but what I’m saying is that McCain’s camp is just trying to WIN. Hence the bad but superficially appealing VP nom. What I’m pointing out here is the futility of decrying the thoughtlessness of his choice, the obvious pandering to the disappointed Hillary supporters (what an insult to their intelligence, btw), and the blatant pissing contest feeling of it all. - PB]
Comment by KJR — August 30, 2008 #
The real question I have is why in heaven’s name did McCain pick her after meeting her once for 15 minutes and talking with her on the phone for five. And it appears that she wasn’t vetted.
Say what? She wasn’t vetted? Check out this link and scroll down to “This can’t be happening.” From this it seems clear that no one in Alaska GOP circles was aware of a McCain advance team traveling around asking about Palin.
I don’t know what to think about Palin — she seems like a nice enough person who may or may not be ready to assume a position of high leadership. But I believe John McCain has shown he’s a reckless gambler who’s unfit to be President.
[Wow, that’s a hell of an article, Paul, thanks for the link. I hope everybody reads it — how disturbing to hear that the Alaska guv is already “under a cloud of suspicion” for abuse of power. Gee, just what we need more of in the White House! I did a bit of snooping around and found her name rumored as a possible running mate for Guliani back in late 2007, so she hasn’t come TOTALLY out of nowhere — just MOSTLY out of nowhere. - PB]
Comment by paul — August 30, 2008 #
PB, did you hear the scandal that twenty-four hours before McCain announced her as his running mate, someone had gone into her wickipedia entry and modified it to reflect more “positively”? I heard this on NPR yesterday and actually sat in my car to finish listening to the story. I havent any links for it, but you could probably google it or check NPR’s site. They don’t know who it was because, of course, it was under a psuedonym… But when I heard that, it smacked of Big Brother and kind of creeped me out. The internet is a powerful tool, but, gee, if you can change your personal history in a heartbeat via the internet… um, what next?
Comment by Mars Girl — August 30, 2008 #
Yeah, I don’t get calling it “political.”
Ummm…duh?
I do think it shows a certain cynicism about the American people.
CC
Comment by Chalicechick — August 31, 2008 #
I’m an Obama supporter (if not voter, being English and living in Italy) but despite the certainty of my liberal friends in NYC, I would be surprised if he wins.
I hope I’m wrong, but would definitely put my money on McCain. Sorry. Meanwhile, you might find this interesting -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_general_election,_1992
Comment by Unitalian — August 31, 2008 #
Sara Palin a beauty queen??? What is that thing piled top of her head? A dead animal?
Comment by Nurseholistic — August 31, 2008 #
The pick is being completely lampooned in the mainstream media. She runs a risk of being a gaffe-machine if you take into account the last couple days—particularly if there is more to follow about the investigation pending back home in Alaska or her supposed support for Pat Buchanan back in the day.
Comment by Comrade Kevin — August 31, 2008 #
Note: Sarah Palin’s hair is being discussed at http://www.beautytipsforministers.com. Please stop by.
Comment by PeaceBang — August 31, 2008 #
Here’s another tidbit from a Republican in Alaska who ran for Governor against Palin as an Independent in 2006:
Vetting after the fact is truly a “Mavericky” thing to do — we may be moving into Eagleton territory here…
Comment by paul — August 31, 2008 #
I get that it gets lots of news coverage and all, and that he wants to win, but it seems to me that for every person that wasn’t already going to go out and vote for McCain, there are two people who maybe were going to vote for him and are like, “Whoa, why did he pick that hockey mom woman from Alaska without much experience to be his VP? I think I’ll vote for Obama.” I just don’t think it will help him get votes. But then again, I didn’t think HRC would be a viable presidential candidate (back before she, you know, was a wildly popular one) so what do I know about political strategy, ehh?
Comment by Elizabeth — September 1, 2008 #
I know lots of hockey moms who would never support the anti woman, homophobic, hypocrytical stance that Palin is representing. She gives hockey moms a very bad name.
How frightening is it as liberal religious people to be faced with the possibility of having people who are fundamentalist and exclusive Christians in power.
Unitarians have been very organized in past in banding together and fighting thing like scripture in school, racism, and homophobia.
Imagine what could happen to things like the progressive Unitarian Sex Education Classes and anti-war efforts.
Palin has clearly stated who she is and what she supports. she supports the N.R.A. and oil drilling on the West Coast of Alaska. She won her brownie points like many other Pro-life members by being rewarded by a pregnant daughter.
I really hope people look into her “works” as deeply as they can.
I think that people need to spend as much time challenging this kind of agenda as possible. Isn’t questioning what we are about?
Comment by Patricia — September 12, 2008 #
Oh and who would Jesus bomb?
Comment by materialwitness — September 13, 2008 #