Thursday, September 04, 2008
The dragon
Canadian journalist Andrew Coyne, blogging at McClean's, describes Sarah Palin as "the best natural speechmaker since Reagan." That's a tough superlative to sell this year, unless "natural" means "went to the University of Idaho instead of Columbia and Harvard," but he is nevertheless on to something:
It was that good. No, she’s not qualified, and the substance was thin, but my God — that was perhaps the greatest bit of political theatre I have ever witnessed. Her critics in the media and in the opposition may regret having piled on quite so enthusiastically, and with so little heed for who they hurt — or angered. Watching the tumultuous, ecstatic reaction in the hall, I was reminded of the famous words of the Admiral Yamamoto after Pearl Harbour: “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant, and fill him with a terrible resolve.”
Sarah Palin walked out onto that stage under more scrutiny, with less preparation, and with more at stake, than any candidate in living memory. You’d never know it.
Commentary
The last point -- that Sarah Palin spoke under more scrutiny, with less preparation, and with more at stake -- is true at some level (she only knew she had the task last Thursday) but it falls into the same yokel trap that so snared the stars of national journalism: Why do people think that a woman who has been running for and serving in public office since 1992 is not a skilled professional politician? Sure it was a tough room (outside the actual room) and yes Sarah Palin was under tremendous pressure in these last five days, what with the attacks on her personal medical decisions and her daring to have a career and -- gasp -- five children including -- gasp again -- a special needs child, but what did people expect her to do? Cry? Apologize? The amazement and then outrage that she actually did the usual VEEP job of attacking the other side reveals far more about the amazed and outraged people and their snide, condescending sexism than it does about Sarah Palin.
The metaphorical dragon, by the way, is not Sarah Palin. It is the heretofore somnambulant American right, which is now more than adequately roused to hit the streets for the McCain/Palin ticket. Turnout problem solved.
CWCID: Mark Hemingway at The Corner.
11 Comments:
By 
, at
Thu Sep 04, 07:42:00 AM:
And planeloads of prostitutes [journalists] are now in Alaska to find tabloid on the VP candidate. While zero have traveled to Chicago to investigate Rezko, Ayers, Bambi, the axis of evil, and his legislative record there, which he says there is no record of! And Joe Kline says McCain is sliming the media! Joe, how do you slime slime? But the slimy prostitutes that they are are off to Juneau to slime the female VP candidate.
By , at
Thu Sep 04, 09:21:00 AM:
Neo: .I wonder why ... this would be an excellent comeback for Obama to all those complaints that he never had executive experience or handled a payroll.
Obama is in a damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t situation. While Obama DID have executive experience in chairing the Annenberg Challenge, when he brings that experience up there will be two observations that will not help Obama.
1)Of the $100 million + in research money that Obama handed out- matching funds were involved- it was all money wasted. The analysis of the results ( p 15) showed
“There were no statistically significant differences between Annenberg and non-Annenberg schools in rates of achievement gain.”
Throwing $100 Million down the drain is does not rank high on any description of executive accomplishment.
2) The whole deal was Bill Ayer's baby. You know, the ENGLISH teacher who lived in the neighborhood. ( As if Obama didn't know Ayers wasn't in English, but in Education.)
By , at
Thu Sep 04, 12:31:00 PM:
Does it bother you at all when you feel you have to explain an incredibly transparent metaphor to your readership?
I have to say, it's been instructive to see you pander to the fringe present here the past few days (possibly the same hate-mongering idealogues who raked the TH sister over the coals last time you linked to her writings -- at a time when, according to you, she actually needed prayers).
It's a shame.
By 
TigerHawk, at
Thu Sep 04, 01:01:00 PM:
On that last point -- I don't think that the harsh comments at my sister's blog came from here -- in any case, I saw none of the familiar names. Glenn Reynolds picked up on that post (a screed against anti-microbial soap, as I recall), and sent several thousand readers in her direction that day. Not knocking Instapundit readers, but in any crowd that huge you are bound to get a few rude people.
By , at
Thu Sep 04, 01:48:00 PM:
. . . like, say, people who would call someone (who is actually paid to write for a living) a "piece of shit."
Yes, we're just a model of courtesy over here. No accounting for the great unwashed of Instapundit.
By , at
Thu Sep 04, 02:03:00 PM:
Fair and Middling:
So why are you associating with such an ignorant (explaining a metaphor) and uncouth crowd?
Doesn't say much for YOUR taste, does it?
Please explain.
By TigerHawk, at
Thu Sep 04, 02:14:00 PM:
Well, Fair & M, I'm not sure that writing for a living has any intrinsic bearing on whether one is or is not a piece of, er, guano. And I generally do not go in for bad words, although I do not have a big problem with them. But I really thought that Gary Wills essay -- including its timing and target -- was one of the most wretched, ignorant and offensive hit jobs I have ever seen in a respectable newspaper. Really foul stuff, with a viscious purpose in mind.
Sorry, that's how I read it. Your results may vary.
By , at
Thu Sep 04, 04:20:00 PM:
Again, "not qualified" is repeated without evidence. The Big Lie technique in full view.
By joannis, at
Thu Sep 04, 04:46:00 PM:
Andrew Coyne is the red tory son of a Canadian bureaucrat who was fired by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker for the same kind of red Tory malefeasance that the son now snobbishly assumes. To be 'elite' is the refuge of the cowardly...just ask Obambi - say, for one minute can anyone ever list ANYTHING that Obambi has PROVEN HIMSELF at? Didn't think so.
By , at
Thu Sep 04, 05:39:00 PM:
TH --
Compare & contrast:
"Tigerhawk is a piece of shit."
vs.
"Tigerhawk's recent posts (including, but not limited to, one about Garry Wills) were among the most wretched, ignorant and offensive musings I have ever seen in a normally thoughtful and entertaining right-of-center blog."
You know there's a difference.
Just sayin'.
By TigerHawk, at
Thu Sep 04, 05:43:00 PM:
I've been called so much worse on lefty blogs it hardly seems worth the effort to figure out which of the two tame options you propose is more offensive.
