Gov. Palin knocked it out of the park and beyond tonight. Eschewing the suggestions of pundits that she leave going on offense to others, she gave the single best critique of the Obama campaign to date. Payback time; you go girl!
Now even the mainstream pundits are waking up to the fact that selecting her wasn't about getting "Hillary voters" - duh - but capturing the much larger populist, reformer zeitgeist - both male and female -- that has had it with condescending elites and politics as usual in Washington.
Gov. Palin is a living foil to the Sen. Obama we are coming to know. The McCain campaign must be looking forward to contrasting Obama's association with Tony Rezko and passive acquiescence to Chicago politics to Palin's active refusal to compromise her ethics and track record of taking on corruption; Obama's ultra-extreme views on abortion to Palin's moral responsibility in not aborting her Down's Syndrome baby (and ditto for her daughter); and his fantasy blather on the capacities of alternative fuels v. her real life achievements in energy production.
In short, Gov. Palin does an excellent job of embodying the zeitgeist and symbolizing the change we really want - a grounded real person (think Cincinnatus), who understands politics but isn't about making a career of it, a doer not just a talker, who has high principle, a positive vision, and embodies our best selves.
3 Comments
Arianne Massey | September 4, 2008, 7:26am | #
Hi Heather,
Yeah! Finally...I was wondering when IWF was going to jump on this band wagon. I have been looking and watching everyday to hear IWF's take on this race and the VP pick or see Michelle on the political shows touting Sarah or going after Obama (especially after his statement regarding the wage). Why isn't IWF all over the place. This couldn't be a better time for us.
Anyway, I am glad you are in it. Hope all is well with you and the team.
ari
Robert Massey | September 7, 2008, 2:55pm | #
Heather,
Well put. I am a white, middle aged entrepreneur from the liberal enclave of Berkeley, CA and I have the same feelings toward Sarah Palin. As a former Hillary supporter, I find Sarah, perhaps not as knowledgeable and skillful in diplomacy and foreign affairs as Joe Biden and certainly not on the same page as myself in regards to reproductive rights - a refreshing change to the Democrats at this point.
I do not believe she has made religious faith or denial of abortion rights part of her platform in Alaska. Nor is this the true platform of McCain. Her "kitchen table approach" resonates across a huge portion of independent women voters and male independents like myself.
tanisha | September 11, 2008, 7:28pm | #
I am an African American female Democrat.
I am not a liberal. Go Palin! She represents most of us out here struggling with family and jobs. For once in my life I an crossing party lines!