Sarah Palin shoots from the not only the hip but also the lip. The other day, when asked about Palin, Mrs. Barbara Bush, that grand matriarch, replied that she thought she should stay in Alaska. That was pretty kind for Mrs. Bush, who also has had a reputation for decades for calling things as she sees them, albeit with a certain amount of style. Mrs. Bush has been a first lady and the mother of 2 governors, and a president.
Palin couldn’t let it slide, and she should have. She responded with an ‘with all due respect’ and an ‘I love the Bushes’ but still managed to zing them by referencing them as blue bloods:
I say that in all due respect,” Palin told talk radio host Laura Ingrahm on November 24, who said the Bushes are an example of the “Blue Blood who want to pick and choose their winners, instead of allowing competition to pick and choose the winners.”
“They kinda do some of this with some of the economic policies that were in place that got us in to some of these economic woeful times, too,” Palin added.
Tacky, Sarah, Tacky! Why does she have to engage every slight she sees or hears? How many times did those blue bloods, the Bushes, ignore events and things said and just not comment? Remember the Bush girls? One got in serious trouble for sticking her naughty tongue out at the press early in W’s presidency. No one made up excuses for her. No one said ‘well she was just tired of people saying bad things about her family.’ Remember the underage drinking incident? No one in the Bush family or administration made up excuses that time either.
Yet Palin engages over literally everything. One of her kids talks about flipping the bird to someone, Sarah cheers her on. Bristol actually was showing doing exactly that on some TV shoot they did. Another kid in involved in name calling and ends up saying someone is a ‘fag.’ Again, Palin pours forth with the excuses. Ms. P is going to have to listen to Harry Truman and learn that if she can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.
Palin had a temporary slip of the tongue and indicated that our ally is North Korea on the Glenn Beck radio show. Ok. Life goes on. The assistant host caught it, corrected the gaffe, and no one missed a beat. That happens. Not in Palin bizarro world. She must have gotten home and decided to blame Obama. That’s when the list of all of his tongue stumbles was released. For a woman who purportedly despises the ‘gotcha’ of journalism, she sure knows how to play it. According to the Washington Post:
Palin made the mistake on conservative host Glenn Beck’s radio program. Beck corrected Palin’s mistake moments later and Palin went on to identify South Korea correctly. But the gaffe fueled a wave of criticism from Palin’s detractors. In response, Palin took to her Facebook page and cited a number of President Obama’s gaffes.
In the post titled “A Thanksgiving Message to All 57 states,” Palin lines up Obama’s misspeaks in paragraph form — including one in which the president mistakenly said there were 57 states. Each gaffe is linked to a YouTube video.
“Of course, the paragraph above is based on a series of misstatements and verbal gaffes made by Barack Obama (I didn’t have enough time to do one for Joe Biden),” writes Palin. “Obviously, I would have been…impressed if the media showed some consistency on this issue.”
Palin goes on to say that the Beck interview was one of “seven back-to-back interviews,” and that her past remarks on South and North Korea had been accurate to date
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Palin also misses the point that we have a small flotilla sitting in the Yellow Sea. The USS George Washington, a carrier, creates an imposing military force in the area. . Our navy will take part in exercises with South Korea. To me, this presence of a a carrier and escort ships makes a fairly decisive statement. Perhaps Palin just doesn’t get it. When asked what she would do, she doesn’t give an answer. She just babbles with no conclusion:
Regardless of the small band of Sarah die-hards, this woman is going to have to rein in her urge to comment on everything that happens regarding her or her children. She needs to sit back and watch how the blue bloods do it. The American people secretly want their president and family to have just a little class.
Yeah, that worked so well for the “blue bloods.” Remember, Mrs. Bush also has a stake in future political races…..Jeb.
So, perhaps SHE should have not opened HER mouth about Sarah Palin needing to stay in Alaska. What has Mrs. Bush done lately to energize the Republican base lately? How is her comment different than any other snarky comment. Its all politics. The Bushes are nice people. But, its THEIR kind of politics that have brought us to this point.
As for the gaffes…well, everybody is playing gotcha on those. It really started with Bushisms. Then Obama’s supporters made a point of saying how articulate and smart he is and then Obama keeps “gaffeing.” (Yes, I made up a word.) Biden…. too easy and no one really cares.
Mrs. Bush doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone. She has been to the mountain, as it were.
The point is, one of Palin’s biggest problems has been the old guard dissing her. Does she think she is going to change things by talking back to the Republican matriarch?
The one the point is that Sarah Palin basically needs to act like she has some class instead of screeching and defending her kids when they flick people off or call them fags. She also needs to put some substance in her speeches. There is none. She ignores all efforts from whoever interviews her to give her opinion on what needs to be done. Obviously she just sounds stupid going after Obama over North Korea when he has been quite decisive. Furthermore, he isn’t going to tip his hand to her or the NOrth Koreans.
I agree with the Squid. The Barbara Bush comment was impolite and unwarranted and should never have been uttered. I recall not too long ago hearing how Bush Sr. had actually started to tear up when he heard some of the more strident things those in the political opposition and the media were saying about his son. Maybe that elder Bush couple ought to get better coordinated.
As for Palin striking back so often, I think there has to be a realisation that a new day is dawning. to It used to be that many on the conservative side just swallowed the insults. Today, however, there are more people who are inclined to hit back and hit back hard. That old bit about “Don’t mess with Texas” has started to spread real fast.
I am actually wondering why some conservatives have victim mentality. I don’t ever recall conservatives or liberals just ‘taking it.’ I do remember a day when our politicians just had more class than some of the johnny come latelies are who running. now.
Mrs. Bush’s comment could have been a whole lot more impolite. She and Mrs. Reagan are both the Grand Matriarchs of the Republican Party. They can say what they want. (And have been known to do so.) Criticizing someone for being a blue blood is never a good thing. Criticizing the money end of the party that one is already struggling for acceptance into is just plain stupid.
If Palin is to be considered presidential material, she needs to stop wearing her heart on her sleeve. She needs to communicate her own ideas rather than just tearing down others.
She has gone from someone I wouldn’t vote for because of ideological differences to being someone I just find repugnant.
Wolverine, I don’t think that new of a day is coming. Americans still expect their candidates to show some class. That isn’t being done.
I wonder – if Palin is elected President would she quit halfway through?
I think we had better wait awhile before praising Obama for his reaction to the most recent incident in Korea. I predict the following: (1) the joint US-South Korean military exercises will take place as planned; (2) the US carrier battle group will strut around for a bit and then quietly leave; (3) the US will enter “consultations” with the Chinese about North Korean misbehavior and ask the Chinese to put more pressure on Pyongyang; (4) the Chinese will ostensibly agree to do so; (5) we will somehow attempt to bribe the North Koreans short-term with food aid or whatever; and (5) we will all become interested in something else and the whole thing will drop off the front pages — until the next incident. I’ve seen this play before. The script never changes and probably will not unless there is actually a large-scale North Korean crossing of the 38th Parallel.
I have not praised Obama. I said he was decisive. The jury is out so far as to the best course of action. Perhaps Obama should call Palin and see if she will tell him. [sarcasm button on]
Strictly my opinion, but Palin is not a conservative. Alaska has a GDP of 45.7 billion, and the state government spends 14.3 of that (slightly over 31%). This is more than any state in the union save West Virginia. The federal government doesn’t even spend that much expressed as percentage of GDP.
Didn’t Matthew say something to the effect of “ye shall know them by their fruits?”
I don’t have much to add to this other than I agree with #1 and #3.
To Wolverine’s comment. Friendly fire, ain’t. 🙂
Marin,I understand you like Ms. Palin. Help me understand why. She doesn’t have ideas. She just attacks. What would she do about North Korea?
I don’t care that she misspoke and said North Korea. That could happen to anyone, especially on a mathathon speech-making tour. And yea, that person will make SNL and the other monologues, but Palin needs to learn to laugh it off. To do otherwise just makes her appear small and petty.
Obama is “decisive”? Heck, Moon, he just got the recipe book out of the White House library and followed the usual instructions. Let’s see now: two parts joint military exercises; one tablespoon of showing the naval ensign, three pinches of bitching to the Chinese, three glugs of vague promises of aid to the starving North Koreans. Blend it all together so it looks to Americans like you may be serious. Add just a pinch of “gravitas.” Put it in the oven until your audience forgets about it and you can change the subject. I think that dish is called the “Hey, North Koreans, I Really Mean It This Time Goulash.” It’s been standard fare at the White House for several decades now.
In all seriousness, there does not seem to be much else the Prez can do beyond the standard recipe unless he wants to have another war right now. The arrival of a carrier battle group and the conducting of joint exercises to demonstrate to the North Koreans that they had better not have any ideas about invading the South is not exactly, in my opinion, telling the NK’s something they don’t already know. I am wondering if the last couple of incidents have not been the result of some macho puffery going on in Pyongyang at a time when it looks like the communist king may stand down and he wants to ensure that all those generals with Hero of the Revolution medals hanging from their coats and proletarian undies will support the young heir to the throne. Strange goings-on have not been uncommon in that hereditary Marxist monarchy for a long, long time now.
As for Palin “just tearing down others.” It has looked to me like the tearing down shoe is usually on the other foot. The poor girl cannot so much as show her face without some of the blogs and commentators going ballistic. Of course, I’ve opined before that such just might be her real goal. Like Limbaugh, she probably gets a kick out of saying “Boo!!” and hearing the opposition respond. The girl seems to know how to collect sympathy votes by putting that old “They’re Picking on Sarah Again” trick back into play. Reminds me about the time some media guy asked the late Liberace whether the mocking criticism of him by some did not make him feel bad; His reply: “Yes, I cry all the way to the bank.”
I don’t know, the victim mentality just isn’t very presidential to me. It sounds like a middle school student.
Wolverine, why did she have to start out her conversation on the Beck radio show jabbing how the president is ‘handling’ North Korea? If she is serious about the White House then she needs to put herself in a better light. Yes, she has some supporters who will stand behind her regardless of what she does. However, its going to take a lot more than that to accomplish her goals.
I am calling it ….she has darn near over exposed and it is only 2010.
It sounds like you and Marin are die hard supporters regardless of what she does.
I would LOVE to her Sarah Palin expand on EXACLTY what she means by economic policies! Having an indepth explanation from her would be like seeing the sun turn purple!
Hahahaha! Only if people were really mean and she was sued by her “enemies”. Geez, she oughtta take a lesson from Bill Clinton! He never quit, no matter how nasty it got.
Yeah, I’m with Karl Rove and the Bushes on Palin. I am convinced she lost McCain the election. I was in a room full democrats who went with Obama simply because they thought McCain had bailed and opened the door to the religious right….. Goldwater saw them as a danger to America.
Any parent that drags their pregnant 17 year old into the global limelight for personal gain……. I’ll never get over that one. Never!! Mrs. Palin and I have very different values regarding children. Can you just imagine the response in this country had that been Obama’s teen daugher? Agree, people could be more like Rush. She’s lucky.
Here’s Goldwater fromthe 80’s….
“I’m frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C,’ and ‘D.’ Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of ‘conservatism.’ ” (1909-1998) US Senator (R-Arizona) Source: Congressional Record, September 16, 1981
@Juturna, AuH20 wasn ‘t perfect but he sure had the right idea on the religious right and their brand of conservatism.
After watching videos of DWTS, I don’t think Ms. P is a member of the religous right. Miss Bristol did a little too much public bumping, grinding and shimmying to be able to fit into that mold–unless of course modest behavior is no longer a part of the RR.
Seriously, conservatives who think Palin should be the nominee need to examine her record of governance while in elected office before hopping aboard the bandwagon:
http://spectator.org/blog/2010/10/25/pawlenty-the-mirror-image-of-s
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/palin-uninspiring-tax-policy-record/
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/gov-sarah-palins-record-on-taxes-and-spending/
http://www.cnbc.com/id/40382949
http://www.statepolicyindex.com/?page_id=143#data
If this looks like friendly fire, it is. I reserve my fiercest barrages for those on my side of the aisle who say one thing and do another.
But that is the MO of the loudest and most visible ‘supporters’ of the religious right(eous) – do as I say not as I do. Or once they finish doing, they can save themselves, throw out the first couple of decades and begin again. Moral bankruptcy.
Those that use the religious right are an insult to the true believers….and I think there is a growing movement from within that group as there should be. I hope so.
And yes, MH – I’m not ready to become a Goldwater Democrat!!
@Juturna, on this issue, you and I are in total agreement.
And allow me to throw in that one’s personal beliefs should not be public policy unless it is something as universal as the 10 Commandments.
Does posting too many links in a comment land one in moderation?
@cato,
Yes. 3 seems to be the magic number although it happens at less. I will go rescue you.
Palin could have redeemed herself a little bit by addressing the ill behavior of her children rather than defending them. She is old enough to have been raised on the idea that when you misbehave publically you bring shame on your family.
Had she said to her fans that she was going to have a talk with Miss Willow about name calling and said that the behavior was not acceptable, I would not be commenting. She made up excuses for the kid by saying it was because she thought people were saying mean things about her family.
That is something that every kid in political life has to be prepared for. If you can’t prepare your kids for that, stay out of public life. Her response was similar to that crap where you hear kids say they fought because ‘he was talking about my momma.’ How stupid. Again. Heat//kitchen.
Most kids who have been brought up in the big house, rather than the barn, are told that they are to consider the source, rise above it, and not to embarrass their parents. If the little Palins haven’t been, then they need to be.
@Juturna
“I was in a room full democrats who went with Obama simply because they thought McCain had bailed and opened the door to the religious right”
THAT right there is why McCain lost. Not because of Palin. McCain did not have support of the base. His every compromise and “crossing of the aisle” resulted in adopting the Democrat programs. Never once has a Democrat crossed the aisle and adopted a Republican program. Palin has not once pushed a “religious right” agenda. She didn’t push it as governor. What I love is the discussion about how bad a President she would be and she doesn’t present ideas. Where have you seen that she’s running for President? Why should she quit the entertainment/commentator gravy train to put herself through that? I’ll worry about her qualifications when she appears in the primaries.
Also, you’re worried about how badly SHE’LL do when we have the current disaster happening? At least a President Palin wouldn’t be interested in “fundamentally transforming” America into a more socialist, Europe-lite state. Its not that I don’t trust Obama. Its that I completely expect him to do whats best for his agenda, over the good of America. He believes that he’s going to SAVE the US. Good intentions and all that….
She does over-react when she is “attacked.” Bush, on the other hand, made the mistake of never responding.
CArgo, just what do you call NCLB? That was pure stepping across the aisle by Democrats. And I curse their souls for doing it also.
@Cargo,
Bush handled himself with class and dignity for the most part. I would never fault a person for doing that.
Regardless of what you and I both think did McCain in, many centrists ran to Obama when Palin joined the ticket. The bottom line, none of us will ever know. It is pure speculation.
She has pretty much said she is running. What ideas has she presented? Let’s just take N.K. It was all about what Obama wouldn’t/couldn’t/shouldn’t do. Not one thing that she thinks should happen. Listen. There is silence. She just sound bites about nothing. I would love to hear a plan.
The emperess has no clothes. (which probably makes her as president even more desirable.)
“Never once has a Democrat crossed the aisle and adopted a Republican program. Palin has not once pushed a “religious right” agenda.” The Joe Manchin ‘bribe’ is a good and recent place to start and is sensational enough. Blanche Linclon/Mark Pryor on the Dream Act….. The religious right has adopted Palin. I haven’t noticed her distancing herself from them, well except for the sex before marriage tennet.
Well, I am looking forward to Fox & Friends tomorrow am – Palin and Bush. Let’s see how they cover it. Or don’t. Can’t make this stuff up.
No, Moon, with me it is not a question of somehow being pro-Palin. It is just a natural aversion to seeing constant attacks on a person whenever he or she appears in public. I feel the same way about ad hominem attacks on Obama. Criticize policy if you will. Even criticize technique in an academic tone. But taking constant shots about the kids and slashing out on just about everything is for me a real turn off. Making negative comments about basic intellect when you have never met someone and never had a chance to find the answer to that question is also uncharitable. Slam someone because of televised soundbites in an age of endless soundbites? Not in my book. I know of a certain prominent individual who ran an entire winning presidential campaign on a soundbite consisting of two key words. And a contemporary mother winding up with a daughter pregnant out of wedlock in the middle of a national election campaign? How absolutely startling in modern America! Palin was a mother who had the guts to meet it straight on and in the open. Or is the preference among her critics that she should have hidden that errant daughter in a closet somewhere? Right. And if she had done that and the media had gotten wind of it, the critics would have jumped her for hiding it.
At some point the critics begin to cause a loss of interest or perhaps reverse antagonism because of constant repetition. I think that there are many out there who simply do not know how to react when they meet a genuinely feisty female politician from the other side of the spectrum who refuses to buckle under withering personal criticism and fights back when she is attacked. Apart from the polar differences in political beliefs and philosophy, Palin and Pelosi seem to me to have some similar traits of feistiness and a willingness to fight back under a barrage of negative attacks on persona. I don’t like Pelosi’s politics, but I give her the same credit in that regard that I give to Palin. They are both fighters for their own causes who do not back down. They, in fact, put a lot of males to shame. I think many Teapartiers got mighty tired of those declawed male pussycats in the Republican Party.
But back to Barbara Bush. Love that political mama and always have. She is another one with a feistiness of her own. I will never forget that media interview of her in the middle of the 1992 Republican national convention. Ted Koppel I think it was. She gave that interviewer the angriest stare I have ever seen coming from a First Lady and made some very stern comment about how the media should perhaps exercise more balance and fairness when reporting on her husband. That sort of left the interviewer babbling defensively a bit. The anger in the air was palpable.
However, as to the “Grand Matriarch of the Republican Party,” there is no such thing. That sounds sort of Edith Wharton Victorian with all the aged grand dames of the New York 400 delineating the no-no’s for the younger “Blue Bloods.” I know of no one who sits around with bated breath waiting for comments from the lips of Barbara Bush or Nancy Reagan on contemporary politics and governance. No more than Democrats did or do with regard to Bess Truman, Lady Bird Johnson, or Roslyn Carter. The interest there is historical — what they may have to say about their own lives in the White House and especially during the great crises of those presidencies. What Barbara Bush has to say about Palin and Alaska is of no more importance to me than the opinion of anyone else. In fact, I think First Ladies ought to refrain from such commentary or they will risk losing some of the own respect gained during their own tenures at 1600 Pennsylvania. In my view, the only variance of that is when a First Lady uses the bounce of her spouse’s prominence to create an international or political persona of her own. That means two in modern times: Eleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton.
I will say that Barbara Bush gives great hugs. I got one from her on a surprise visit to the troops. I was on an R&R in Qatar, walking into the Rec center when I was told that the “President” was here. She and President Bush were great. Best St. Patrick’s Day ever!
Wolverine, I have never spoken about Palin’s intellect. I have spoken about her education abd preparedness to discuss presidential topics. I certainly have never criticized her for having a daughter who was pregnant.
I find her message inconsistent. I don’t need to elaborate. Shimmying, bumping and grinding isn’t something I would be happy to have my kid doing. I guess Reagan wasn’t too happy with his son performing on SNL either. However, his son was quite a bit older.
I know more about this woman’s family than I do about any policy or idea she might have. THAT is the problem. For that reason I say she isn’t a viable candidate. To say that everything by everyone is a sound byte is a cop out. Candidates use sound bites and they somehow manage to deliver some substance. Palin hasn’t.
If hearing negative about Obama pains you, don’t ever put the TV dial near Fox News.
I don’t watch any TV. Don’t even have a working TV since the damned time wasters went digital instead of analog or whatever. Read a lot of books though. Listen to a variety of radio talk shows. Even tried to listen to Air America once, but my stomach was too weak. And I scroll through the internet like a junkie looking for his latest hit. Moon, about the only time I see Beck or hear about Limbaugh is when you put things on this blog. Shame on you, girl! You seem to be a more faithful audience for those guys than this rank conservative. I still cannot find what Limbaugh said about Indians that was so bad except that the Pilgrims probably thanked God instead of the Indians for their survival during their first year. Probably did, since they were so religious. They probably thanked God for the Indians. In fact, the Indians probably thanked the Great Manitou for saving their allies so they could help against their tribal enemies.
I did get a good belly laugh from Sean Hannity on the radio today. He and some of his guests was ranting on and on about the intrusiveness of TSA and about selling out our freedoms for the pretense of security. Sounded like he had become one of those diatribers against “fear mongering.” Then he launched into an ad for Life Lock as the best weapon to prevent identity theft. Not that I downplay identity theft, but old Sean certainly sounded like one of those fear mongers.
I have no qualms whatsoever about scorching Obama on policy when I disagree with it — which is most of the time. Where I draw the line is about the size of his ears, the fact that he likes to play golf and basketball, that his wife has a garden in back, the quality of his brain cells, his slips of the tongue, and the like. Heck I’ve even become used to those teleprompters. I just demand an equal politeness toward Palin. She was a town council member, a mayor, and a governor, not to mention being a national vice-presidential candidate, who has gone on to get a lot of media attention whenever she makes an appearance and has earned big bucks from a book (Like what pol doesn’t use a ghost writer these days? Anyone actually think Obama wrote his own books?) Anyway, all these things by Palin; and I personally have never done any of them. And resigning as governor before the end of her term? Woof. I can show you a lot of people who have elected to leave a position because there was some aspect of it which was no longer in the comfort zone and there was a road ahead which looked to be more promising for better and bigger things. Seems to me that Obama did the same in the Illinois Senate and the US Senate. I throw no bricks at either for their own personal decisions in that regard.