If I were Barack Obama, I’d thank God every day for Sarah Palin. Since John McCain selected her last summer, Obama’s tasks–first winning the White House, then governing the country–have gotten immeasurably easier. Palin, more than any other politician on the national scene, embodies what the public has come to disdain not just about Republicans, but about a specific Republican style. It’s a style of hysteria and division, it relies on verifiably false claims about your opponents–and now it’s the style that’s on display at town halls across the country. It’s Palinism.
When Obama recites the outrageous charges against him, he has a way of making them appear absurd, if not contemptible. That’s why Palin’s remarks last week, that he wants to create some kind of “death panel” to decide who lives and who dies, will–I think–eventually come to be seen as the turning point in the health care debate. Obama works best when he has enemies. This is a deficit in his leadership abilities. Yet the Republicans were clueless enough to give him one, and it’s the one his cool and calm demeanor naturally contrasts with: the raw, unhinged vitriol of Palinism.
Ethan Porter is dead right here.
The best way to show that you are making intelligent, cool headed decisions is by pointing to the obscenity spewing, frothing at the mouth, angy mob that is disagreeing with you.
Thanks angry mob, we could not have done it without you.
really good point..excellent...( WHO is ethan porter ???)
ReplyDeleteOh God. What's Sarah gonna do when she hears "Palinism" and thinks there's a religion named after her?
ReplyDeleteOh, wait, she already thinks that, never mind.
I always thought that Obama works best juxtaposed with the crazies. Porter's absolutely right.
I would add "Hyster-palinism"!
ReplyDeleteWhen you see these people frothing at the mouth, their eyes rolling around in their sockets, hyperventilating...you know you've seen one!
Oh yeah - nicely said ethan whoever you are.
ReplyDeletePalinism can be described as very low information, low intellect, easily frightened, illiterate individuals who follow their idol off of their cliff.
Have a nice fall everyone!
They accuse people of things they don't even understand and then get all huffy when u call them out on it. Palinism. Like the euthansia discussion here a few days ago where the Palinistas were all : Palin never said anything about euthanasia!
ReplyDeleteLOL.
You are right, Verbose, when you say "Obama works best when juxtaposed with the crazies."
ReplyDeleteLuckily, there are enough crazies to go around. Remember this golden moment in the campaign? It's when I realized Obama had me as a loyal supporter from then on. It's his answer (in the Dem's DEBATE frevvinssakes!) to "Do you think there's life in outer space?" Starts at 1:30:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbPgGnNsnbk
Hilarious and v Kennedy-like.
The president used the exact words "death panels" at his town hall today...people were snickering, even laughing about it. I know Sarah's head must have exploded when she heard it (if she actually took the time to watch)
ReplyDeleteWhen is the 'disclosure' report regarding amounts raised and expenditures made within the Alaska Fund Trust going to come out?
ReplyDeleteIt was my understanding that they were to do so as of July 31st, 2009.
Hyper-Palinsm - n. comments by a former governor bimbo from Alaska that evoke hysteria and mob violence from her mentally deficient followers; often accompanied by exploitation of offspring.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that this logical thinking will prevail.
ReplyDeleteThese people are acting crazy.
There is no reasoning now with these people. They have been legitimized by the press and the networks, especially Fox who helps their cause.
I do not see their behaviors changing unless the republicans stand up and police their own and to this date, this is not happening.
I fear real violence. The republicans don't care, they will twist the truth and lie.
It is up to the Democrats at this time to stand strong against these mobs, these brown shirts of the 21 century.
We, the Democrats did nothing except moan and groan on blogs about Bush. We did not stand up and provide leadership and say "NO MORE".
We are as responsible for these crazies by allowing them to continue, unchecked.
It is not their constitutional right to disrupt meetings and threaten anybody. It is their right to let their thoughts be known. Brown shirt tactics do not have a place in a Democracy.
Why don't the liberals,Democrats and the republicans, who care what is happening to their party, stand up and say NO MORE.
It is never too late to stand up for what you believe. If we do not, I fear we will be ruled by intimidation, fear and lies. And the mob will rule.