VP Debate. Sarah Palin, Post-Feminist Icon
By Brian Lambert
By virtue of not seizing up during tonight's debate at the sound of a Supreme Court case other than Rove v. Wade, and by laying it on thick about that crazy bastard Ahmadinejad and all the reformin' and maverickin' for the "real" folks on Main Street she's gonna do, Sarah Palin avoided commiting an error so grievous it could be fatal to the reeling McCain campaign. Which means at the bottom line that she "done good", as "real" Americans always say.
Based on the subterranean level of expectations for her, Palin's night has to be viewed as a success by her team, which, face it, needs something to cheer about after the hourly run of blunders of the last couple weeks. How her performance effects the polls, I have no idea. But I suspect it will stop the freefall in her approval numbers. She played well enough to her base -- the one David Brooks of the New York Times says "confuses talk radio with reality" -- and I suspect she surprised and reassured a few "persuadables" by speaking in more or less coherent complete sentences.
I watched the debate in the bubble of a conference room at KMSP-TV with my old radio partner, Sarah Janecek, prior to doing our own talking head post-debate analysis bit. As someone who been listening to Joe Biden for three and a half decades, it's impossible to imagine anyone not being utterly familiar with his act. Personally, I've always liked it. As an old band instructor used to say, "The guy's got schmaltz." Windy and teary in equal measure, I never doubt Biden cares, and cares enough to know what he's talking about. It takes no stretch of imagination to see him as President.
This is a way of saying I was so riveted by Palin I was nearly oblivious of Biden. Unlike others, I expected a much better performance in the debate than with Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric. An ex-TV sportscaster, she understands how to play to a camera, how to burn up a sound bite, how to use gesture and facial expression to convey what words can not. All that winkin' and countryfied twangin'. "Folks" respond to that stuff. At least they do when they've got nothing else to worry about.
The question today is whether that equation has changed dramatically, as retirement plans evaporate and expectations of enjoying the better things in life takes (another) major setback? Do the "folks" out there still care as much that the people they vote for are "like me"? I'm thinking not, and that conventional wisdom among "real" people (which in Republican-speak is anybody who doesn't live in a large city, spends most of their time huntin' and never thinks twice about sending their kid off to fight any war Washington says is a good idea) is now saying, "I just want those guys gone and some new guys in there."
As with Obama-McCain last Friday, I was stunned again that it took until 82 minutes into the debate before Biden essentially said "enough is enough of this 'maverick' bulls**t" and hammered loud and hard on the countless times McCain has pandered to standard Republican group-think and gone along like a good little doggie with the worst judgments of conservative economic orthodoxy and Bush-Cheney war-planning.
Thank you, Joe.
But, come on, what is so hard about owning the "judgment" question?
Not that it mattered all that much, because Palin was the show tonight.
Last night I spent two hours crafting what I still believe was a brilliant blog about Sarah Palin living the dream imagined by the great feminist leaders of my generation, Betty Friedan, Germaine Greer, Gloria Steinhem, etc. It was gold, I tell you, gold. But I managed to hit some button somewhere that evaporated the whole damn thing just as I was trying to save it. (Fortunately I had closed the window so the elderly neighbors weren't awakened to my Paulie Walnuts torrent of profanities.)
The basic notion was that, Geraldine Ferraro withstanding, Sarah Palin -- ex-sportscaster, beauty queen and classic talk radio anti-intellectual -- is the only woman to break through the last and greatest glass ceiling. (Unless, I mean, a woman becomes Commissioner of the NFL.) Sarah Palin. Can't think of any newspaper or magazine she reads. Can't think of any Supreme Court decision other than Roe v. Wade. ( I mean, Dred Scott, for chrissake. Even if you don't know what it means, you've heard of it, right? Someone has to check her high school grades.) Anyway, point being, Sarah Palin ... not exactly what the great old gals had in mind when they sought gender-blind parity with the white, male power structure.
Or maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Betty and Gloria and rest would look at incurious dilettantes like Warren G. Harding and George W. Bush and say, "There's no reason an intellectually incurious woman shouldn't be president, too!"
If Biden's challenge tonight was to avoid any accusations of "condescension" or "sexism", he pulled that off just fine. But that concern, expressed by other talking heads, struck me as highly ironic in the context of the long march of feminism. After 35 years -- almost exactly as long as Biden has been in D.C. -- I think the majority of Americans are well passed the point of subjecting women seeking power and influence to a different, softer, more cushioned set of rules than their male counterparts. After 35 years we've all worked with and for big girls -- who for better and worse -- are every bit the equal of the men who used to hold those jobs exclusively.
Sarah Palin as President of the United States is still inconceivable, and a majority of the public have come to that realization what with her unpracticed give and take with Gibson and Couric and the precarious state of economic and international affairs. My point now is that there's no reason why the McCain campaign should continue keeping her in her protective bubble. She handled the debate well enough. Go get her a slot with Tom Brokaw and George Stephanopoulos this Sunday. Let her take questions at a real, routine press conference.
That's the kind of equality the old warriors were fighting for.
© 2008 MSP Communications, Inc. All rights reserved
So as to neutralize all the TV atmospherics and focus on their message, I recommend people actually read the transcript today.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/02/debate.transcript/index.html
And what's this defying the moderator and refusing to answer questions?
LAMBERT: In the best of times I seriously doubt the average viewer is tracking the, uh, "nuances" of policy points. But in this thing, i know I was fixated on Palin just the nouns and verbs in some coherent order.
Posted by: Digger on October 3, 2008 at 7:08 AM
I think both candidates did well last night, for different reasons. Palin's the Republican Stepford Candidate; win or lose in November, she'll give the GOP base hope for the future that they can continue their Rockwellian portraits of how "getting government out of the way" can lead to an American resurgence. She was short on details and substance, and at least in this political cycle, reality. The way Peggy Noonan on NBC was positively orgasmic in the immediate post-debate analysis, you'd think those Palin winks were meant just for her. (As an aside, I think NBC is overcompensating for the GOP/FOX/MSNBC dust-up earlier in this campaign)
Biden didn't ramble, and according to the fact checkers I looked at, had much more command of what few details were offered. His two best moments were the poignant accounting of his "single dad" experience, and at the end the "maverick" rebuttal.
What's still infuriating to me is Obama and Biden's refusal to respectfully, but forcefully push back on events of the last eight years. From Iraq, the economy, security, privacy, you name it, there's a wealth of opportunity to drive home facts and outcomes in dramatic and debate winning ways that would properly frame their arguments and make the case for their candidacy.
Seems to me they're not playing to win, but waiting for the other team to lose. Given these times, I'd like to see someone actually lead for a change.
LAMBERT: I'm with you. Pretty obviously the Obama team has decided to go the "statesman-like" route, and avoid "pointing fingers into the past" (or whatever Palin said last night). Biden's "maverick" rebuttal was his best moment. But that's me. The "persuadables" are persuadable at all because they haven't decided who is responsible for the mess ... or hell, even if there really is a mess.
Posted by: Peter Weinhold on October 3, 2008 at 7:26 AM
Well said, Perfessor. I thought Palin's performance confirmed the dumbing-down of our culture and politics, where this event surely intersected. Palin is telegenic as hell, aw shucks, and watching her is only one step removed from watching American Idol. The common man or woman can do anything, don't ya know.
I've concluded, as it appears you have, that neither speechifying nor spewing rehearsed tripe at debates demonstrates much about a candidate other than prowess with a teleprompter or a set of talking points. I still believe the real Sarah Palin, incurious and ignorant but wildly ambitious, has been best revealed by the so-called filtered one-on-ones with Gibson and Couric.
As for the equality issue, I had a dream in which I envisioned the shark-like Governor reprising the Alec Baldwin role in an all-female version of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross. The woman can smile sweetly while going for one's balls better than anyone since my ex-wife.
LAMBERT: But come on, man, at some point you fell for the ex-wife, didn't you? Therefore, you could, in a weak moment, fall for Palin.
Posted by: A Son of Mississippi on October 3, 2008 at 7:59 AM
Am I the only one who thinks she is making fun of Minnesotans with her imitation of our accent? I'd be offended if I wasn't so mortified.
LAMBERT: Just like FoxNews tried to copyright "fair and balanced", we should copyright, "you betcha!". Maybe winking, too.
Posted by: blh on October 3, 2008 at 9:32 AM
More like:
Sarah Palin - Our next Vice President.
Bri, you're truly grasping at straws here.
She's in.
She nailed it, and even Biden is enthralled.
That much is obvious.
Compare her to these little gems, from the PRESIDENTIAL candidate only a nutjob could embrace:
Why is all of this going "unnoticed" by the media? They send 100's of reporters to Alaska to dig up something on Sarah Palin and they have this right in front of their eyes:
From Dreams of My Father:'I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites.'
From Dreams of My Father : 'I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother's race.'
From Dreams of My Father:'There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white.'
From Dreams of My Father: 'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.'
From Dreams of My Father:'I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa , that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself , the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela.'
And FINALLY the Most Damning one of ALL of them:
From Audacity of Hope:'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.'
I don't care whether you a Democrat or a Conservative. We CANNOT turn ourselves over to this type of character in a President. PLEASE help spread the word.
Hey, Bri, what YOUR explanation?
LAMBERT: My explanation is that you keep a loaded gun under your pillow out of a paralyzing fear that a non-Aryan will breach the security perimeter, break in and force you to watch the NBA.
If your prescription calls for three pills four times a day, double it.
Posted by: bertram jr on October 3, 2008 at 9:52 AM
Does Anne Hutchinson have a future in politics? Maybe charmin' Norm could "take her under his wing" (wink-wink) and get her setup to run for Ellison's seat.
Judi Dutcher must be wondering why the talk radio types abused her like they did, but fawn all over a dumber version of her.
LAMBERT: Hey, Dutcher was running for lieutenant governor, Sarah Palin is only pretending she could be ... president.
Posted by: Pierce County Politician on October 3, 2008 at 10:02 AM
I can already see the opening of this week's Saturday Night Live. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin winking and failing to respond to a Gwen Ifill (played by Kenan Thompson)question. Thompson/Ifill looks up at Fey/Palin and says, "Answer the damn question, woman."
Palin was well coached while roughing it at McCain's ranch. Her handlers probably enjoyed checking off their list as she hit each talking point during the debate.
Biden blew an opportunity to question the appointments that she made to her cabinet.
Palin mentioned the qualified people she had surrounding her. Biden should have asked about her high school buddies who were so well qualified for their appointments.
I have to wonder if Palin will be allowed to hit the Sunday morning circuit or have a press conference. As your good buddy Gov. Jesse tabbed the press, the media jackals would eat her up and spit her out. Neither Charlie Gibson or Katie Couric were trying to embarrass her. She did that all by herself.
LAMBERT: You've got a future in sketch comedy. I was waiting for her to do the blowin' smoke off her six shooters thing after one of her winks. You are also right that she still has yet to be subjected to anything remotely resembling "hostile" questioning. Gibson and Couric treated her like solicitous therapists.
Posted by: Mr. Monster on October 3, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Palin is the nation's most popular Governor.
I wonder why?
Bri? Bri?
I offered some direct quotes from the guy your people think should be PRESIDENT.
I asked why you have not examined this type of statement previously, preferring instead to cast aspersions on Palin, a woman who has actually succeeded "in the arena"....
The continuously flailing elitist blather and ad hominem attack when faced with irrefutable facts is so....tiresome.
Posted by: bertram jr on October 3, 2008 at 10:50 AM
What does it take for you nabobs of negativism to admit that she's an undeniable star? That straight talk is what has propelled her to VP?
Is choking on your own elitist spittle actually enjoyable?
I looks pretty silly from where I sit.
Posted by: bertram jr on October 3, 2008 at 10:54 AM
My only "prescription" calls for roasting bloated elitist pundits daily....
Posted by: bertram jr on October 3, 2008 at 10:56 AM
B Jr., Glad to see you laid down the money to buy Obama's books. If you checked them out from the library, please check the due date.
Take a look at this site to see how popular Guv. Palin is in Alaska. http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/09/14/alaska-women-reject-palin-rally-is-huge/
BTW, what time does the mother ship pick you up to return you to your planet? I have never seen a UFO.
Posted by: Mr. Monster on October 3, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Watch for it on November 4....
It'll have US Navy markings....and alaska plates.
Ahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Posted by: bertram jr on October 3, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Hmmm, the Bertram Needle draws blood. Worth nothing.
History is rife with shattered ceilings caused not by those who plumped for them for a century or two, but from the other suasion stepping in to give the act some credence for the power brokers.
Shall we name a few - all conservatives?
Golda Meir, Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher, Angela Merkel abroad. Most of the women Congressional/legislative shatterers were Republicans, paving the way for others. Same with corporate ceilings.
History's leesons have progressive movements moved by conservatives when the time is ripe.
An interesting human condition I'd like to explore.
LAMBERT: Interesting.
Posted by: Andy Driscoll on October 3, 2008 at 2:05 PM
BL on Biden:
"It takes no stretch of imagination to see him as President".
Um, except for the fact that he has been on the wrong side of every foreign policy decision in the past 20 years.
The mind reels.
I just love how , suddenly, for the libs the "VP as president" speculation is THE primary factor, never mind vetting the bona fides of the PRESIDENTIAL candidate!
May I provide a long list of former VP's and candidates who never got even nearly that "unique" scrutiny?
C'mon, man, you have to face the fact that Obama is completely unqualified SOMETIME!
LAMBERT: The fact I have to face is that you need a doctor's care and prolonged bed rest.
Posted by: bertram jr on October 3, 2008 at 3:06 PM
Gosh darn, she did a heck of a job. I was so impressed I nearly peed my pants. With that hockey mom holding a nuclear weapon you can betcha, by golly, her son is gonna make first line.
Posted by: RIch on October 3, 2008 at 8:20 PM
I have it on good authority that Sarah Palin is actually Tina Fey. Think about it, have you ever seen both of them at the same time?
Mr Lambert, have you been following these create your own news websites sponsored by the news organizations? Such as CNN iReport, MSNBC FirstReport, and Fox uReport? Curious your take on these and why news organizations would tie themselves to these. (Hint, hint, great blog post for the future on the media).
LAMBERT: Hmmmmm ...
Posted by: Dave on October 5, 2008 at 9:46 PM
Maybe Obama can let Bill Ayers hold it instead?
My, but many of us have lost touch.
Posted by: bertram jr on October 6, 2008 at 8:56 AM
Say, this campaign is getting totally CRAZY. Now everyone's talking about some guy named Keating and the SNL scandal. I don't even remember anybody by that name ever being on the show.
LAMBERT: Dear Roseanne ... never mind.
Posted by: Frogman of Grant on October 6, 2008 at 9:29 AM
If Mrs. Palin ends up by some cruel hoax President, then maybe the "end of days" narrative she and her peeps hang onto will come to fruition, because it will surely be a sign of catastrophic times for this country. Just as Bush surrounded himself with the real decision-makers over 8 years and in his run up, her "advisors" must be in holy shizzle meltdown trying to plan for the any unforeseen cancer reoccurence, aschemic stroke or other malady for her cohort.
LAMBERT: I don't think "Worst Case Scenario" thinking is at all inappropriate. It's kind of like what they say about "paranoia".
Posted by: Stephanie on October 7, 2008 at 9:52 AM