XX Factor: the blog

Go Away, Sarah

Emily, Hanna, Jess, Rachael, if Sarah Palin were Sam Palin, would anyone still be interested in her? Dan Quayle was a good-looking, young, conservative, politician who, in his roll-out as a vice-presidential candidate, impressed everyone as being a dope who was in over his head. Yes, he got to serve as vice president, but beyond his spelling of “pototoe” and denunciation of Murphy Brown (and I agree with him that unwed motherhood should not be glamorized), he is little remembered and has blessedly slipped out of public life. I had no idea who Sarah Palin was until her convention debut. It was a corker of a speech (written, of course, by someone else) and it showed that she had magic before a crowd, which is no small thing. However, what she has demonstrated ever since is that she is nothing but a personality. She apparently in her book tries to make a virtue of her ordinariness as a qualification for office. But who cares whether you come from a modest or privileged background if you think you can be president of the United States without the vaguest understanding of—or willingness to study(!)—the issues of the day. So after she was unable to finish out a single term as governor of Alaska, here we are talking about her and what her political future holds. Oblivion, I hope.

Tags: going rogue, Sarah Palin

Emily Yoffe is Slate's Dear Prudence and Human Guinea Pig (emilyyoffe@hotmail.com)

Comments

Pure entertainment

By: Lisa in Oregon | Tue, 11/17/2009 - 18:12

I find the coverage fascinating. She's appalling ignorant and self-focused and oblivious to reality - to the point where I think even our easily confused electorate can't miss that something is wrong (keeping fingers crossed). But it's good entertainment, you wouldn't believe this stuff if you read it in a book: Alaska, and Wasilla, hunting, her family... Regardless of the actual importance, hunting wolves from planes is just more interesting than ethanol plants.

As long as folks keep writing articles about her...

By: Runsfast | Tue, 11/17/2009 - 12:47

...then she won't go away. Everyone who writes something about her, whether it be in support of her or wishing she'd fade away into the forgotten annals of one-hit political wonders...is doing their part in keeping her alive. If we want her to go away...we should just not bring her up, at all.

I also think that after the shock and allure of her book fades away...so to will she, because there won't really be much to even talk or write about anymore. Unlike Quayle, she's been trying pretty hard to stay in the public eye, and there's been plenty of silly drama going on in her life to keep her just interesting enough for the media to pay attention to her. She's ridden that and is now spiking high with the book release as everyone is once again talking about her. I don't really see what she can follow-up this book with. If she can't...she's going to fade away until something else interesting happens. The public has a pretty short memory about this kind of thing and unless it's getting fed, it's not gonna pay attention.

So that said, I disagree about your comparison between Palin and Quayle since Palin is trying so much harder to stay in the limelight. I think once she runs out of reasons for people to talk about her though...she'll fade away. Her chances for much political success are nil.

Go Away Sarah?

By: WetStone | Tue, 11/17/2009 - 12:17

How can Sarah go away when the very people that want her gone cannot stop talking about her? The very people that want her gone are so afraid of her that they just cannot let her go! As long as the attacks keep up against Palin she will be in the news with a growing support base.

Are you kidding me?

By: islandchick | Tue, 11/17/2009 - 07:54

As someone on the outside (non-American, living in the UK) I can tell you lot now, if Sarah Palin EVER makes it to the White House as the holder of office, the USA will be an even bigger laughing stock than it was under your last President.

We overseas, are completely baffled by the fact that some Americans' are so enamoured of her. She has proven herself to be ignorant in the worst sense of the word.

Don't squander the respect you have regained by electing Obama. This woman deserves to be roundly ingnored!

there ya go again LMAO

By: JUANMALAJUNTA | Tue, 11/17/2009 - 01:40

ah another sad, sick, thoughtless President hater. Treasonous, or at least un-American.

Nixon bowed, Eisenhower bowed, elder Bush bowed, younger Bush kissed and held hands. I guess none of them are worth a dam in your view.

In fact, Obama has shown great pride and love fo this country (including our brave troops). In many ways.

If ya wanna deal in Limbaugh/Beck talking points, don't bore me. I you want to take a step back and have a fact based discussion of issues and goals, and where, why and how we are presently dealing with the contemporary world, pull up your socks and try again.

Yours in Christ

Sorry

By: kaylowe | Mon, 11/16/2009 - 22:01

Sorry, Emily. Sarah Palin is better qualified than our current so-called Commander in Chief. He has no grasp of the REAL issues of the day or of the wishes of the American people. The only President in the history of our country that has BOWED to the emperor/chief of other countries. The only one!! And the only one who expresses no gratitude or respect for this great country. Acts as if he's ashamed of it.

Every criticism you level against her could be correctly leveled at Obama. He's just a personality, gives a great speech when he's got a teleprompter. But he's a liar and has not idea what he's doing.

Give me Sarah any day!!