Now, the whole thing isn't awful. Buried in there she touts the things she think she did best in her two years as governor, and espouses some basic beliefs on what the government of Alaska should be all about, but man, when it goes off the rails, it really goes off the rails. I particularly enjoyed the several minute long travel brochure that she must have been reading during the first half when describing Alaska's "frost heaves and merciless rivers," among other things. That part is best heard rather than read.
In general, I don't really mind that she's resigning, if her stated reason is to spend more time with her family. That's 100% reasonable and legitimate, and no one should criticize her for that. But leaving because you don't want to be a lame duck governor? That's silly. Why'd you run for a four year term if you only intended to fulfill half of it? What would happen if EVERY governor who didn't intend to run for reelection left halfway through his or her term? The basic idea behind the premise is ridiculous. If a lame duck governor can't get something done, the problem is that the governor is either bad, or the state legislature is, but there's no fundamental problem with being a lame duck executive that should be solved with resigning.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
Haven't we discussed this already, im confused this feels like deja vu.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
We discussed this specific event? I know we talked about Sarah Palin resigning, but her farewell address was just yesterday. If there's a thread on the address, link me, otherwise, you can disregard the second paragraph where I possibly rehash an issue already discussed.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
Does she ever stop talking about the troops?
update: yup, she attacks the media too.
forget it...i can't bring myself to finish watching.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 9735) on :
Actually, like Blayne I'm a bit confused.
Wasn't there already a "mad lib" like Palin resignation speech? I thought it was touched upon on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart being frustrated that he was on vacation when he happened?
Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
Remember, every time you accurately report something stupid Sarah Palin did, you hurt the troops.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
that was her announcement to resign. yesterday she actually stepped down, and gave another speech.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 9735) on :
Ah. I thought that one was pretty wacky already. I guess she should have quit while she was ahead, err rather, oh never mind.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: In general, I don't really mind that she's resigning, if her stated reason is to spend more time with her family. That's 100% reasonable and legitimate, and no one should criticize her for that.
I can't criticize any parent who chooses to give up a position of power to spend more time with family, and certainly a mother with an infant son and grandson in her home has as much legitimate need to be at home as any parent. It's just hard to believe Sarah Palin is sincere about it. After all, she only took 3 days off after giving birth to a special needs child. She chose to run for VP of the US when she had a a 6 month old special needs baby and pregnant teenage daughter. A year ago, she had enought time and energy for her family, the governorship and a national presidential campaign. What's changed? I suppose its possible she's finally 'seen the light' but seriously. A little less than a year ago she was telling America she could handle being mother and VP of the US, now she can't even finish her elected term as Governor?
I suppose I ought to be cheering that she is stepping down since I find her brand of politics repugnant but it seems irresponsible for an elected official to step down mid-term without some really extraordinary cause. When people vote for a person, they expect that person will actually serve. Stepping down and allowing some one who was not elected to that office to serve deprives the electorate of democratic representation.
** formatting fixed
[ July 28, 2009, 11:09 AM: Message edited by: The Rabbit ]
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
I think your formatting is a bit off there Rabbit.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
The Rabbit: It might have been nice if the previous president had left halfway through his first term. But then again, you never know who might have replaced him.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade: The Rabbit: It might have been nice if the previous president had left halfway through his first term. But then again, you never know who might have replaced him.
Well, unless Cheney had stepped down too, we know exactly who would have replaced him. Heck, even if Cheney had also stepped down, we know that he would have been replaced by Dennis Hastert (or if it was earlier Trent Lott). Much as I detested Bush, I wouldn't have preferred any of those options.
Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: In general, I don't really mind that she's resigning, if her stated reason is to spend more time with her family. That's 100% reasonable and legitimate, and no one should criticize her for that.
I think it's reasonable in a certain context. That context not necessarily being one in which she fails to acknowledge this as an act of surrender, and continues to cast blame and aspersion on the national media for doing this to her, while continuing to insist that somehow her resignation is an act of service to her state, rather than to herself. Look, I wouldn't ever want to be a governor, but having been duly elected, I would hope that I would have the balls to admit that either I was causing more problems myself than I was capable of solving, or I was just not up to the challenge of doing my job. Palin *kind of* acknowledges her part in this, but casts herself as a martyr rather than what she obviously is- somebody who just got in too deep and didn't have whatever was necessary to play that role.
Can you imagine if she had been elected as VP?
Rabbit:
quote: A little less than a year ago she was telling America she could handle being mother and VP of the US, now she can't even finish her elected term as Governor?
Are you a mother- I've just forgotten whether you were or not, but I thought you were? I ask because I want to gauge your reaction to this idea that I've been thinking about. I'm *fairly* convinced that a mother of young children should probably never be President. I don't know how far that attitude would extend- are governors and senators also included here? Well, the importance of the public persona of the President is so great, that I just don't see how a mother of young kids could fill it and still really be a mom. That's not a knock in the least, I'm positive that being a mom is really hard work, which is why I've been thinking this. Now what I'm wondering as a corollary to this, is whether a man can be a father to young kids and President. Barack has young girls, and nobody bats an eye at the idea of his doing both, but with moms and the maternal instinct, and our attitudes about the roles of parents, there are quite a lot of fathers all over the world who probably see their kids less than Obama sees his. I doubt the same is true in the same proportions about mothers. If Palin had been President or VP, I would not have had much personal concern for her children- they have excellent child care I'm sure, and they have a dad, and anyway thousands of children are raised to be good people by surrogates at boarding schools and when their parents are in prison or have died, or are sick. I more would have worried about Palin herself, and her ability to do both. For some reason, I never question Barack's ability to be a dad and President, but a woman? Is that a sexist or misogynistic notion to hold? Honest question, because of course I'm not a parent and don't even really know many parents, and am not sure how I would be as a father, let alone an executive.
[ July 28, 2009, 12:16 PM: Message edited by: Orincoro ]
Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :
Total aside, I cringed with a deep inner twitch at the line:
quote: Democracy depends on you, and that is why, that's why our troops are willing to die for you. So, how 'bout in honor of the American soldier, ya quite makin' things up.
She's speaking here to the media. The tackiness of this statement is breathtaking. Really. I'm quite tongue-tied and flabbergasted at how a public figure could say such a thing. I don't see any reason to tear into why it's wrong- most reasonable people, even if they agree, wouldn't be so brash or tasteless as to actually say it- Bush didn't even say crap like this. The context of the statement is not pretty- she disparages openly the work of journalists who work in "what could and should be a respected honest profession." I mean, those are fighting words. Those are very bitter, very resentful words to speak in public. They make her sound like a very petty and angry person.
Posted by Darth_Mauve (Member # 4709) on :
Those are perfect words.
"Democracy depends on you" means that if you disagree--why you are undemocratic.
"And that is why, that's why our troops are willing to die for you."
Here she has martyd every soldier on the cause of good journalism. Wow. Our military is the new Jesus. Now it is violently, religously patriotic to be a good journalist.
"So how 'bout in the honor of the American soldier.." Patriotism is no longer the last refuge of the scoundrel. This violent--pro-military meme has taken its place.
"ya quit makin things up." Love the down-home phrasing. Its so--rural. Its so--Republican.
And what its saying is that Journalists who make things up are bad, evil, Judases (Judi?).
But she has a point. I mean, the job of a journalist is to tell the truth. Its the job of the politician to tell the lies. She was just upset over competition?
Instead of the media, however, can we use this quote for Politicians? Can I see an Army Captain missing a leg saying this to President Bush? Yes. Could I see an Army Reserve Specialist looking at the grave of his buddy and saying this to Mr. Cheney? Yes.
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
Well, now, she does have a point about journalists and the troops. For example, if journalists had done a better job of investigating and reporting the truth of certain claims of WMD in Iraq, a lot of troops might not have died.
I'm not sure that is that point she was trying to make.
Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :
quote:Originally posted by kmbboots: I'm not sure that is that point she was trying to make.
I doubt it- she was clearly invoking the troops in a weird omelet of an analogy to her own "plight."
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
Every time you say something negative about Palin, an American troop dies.
Please, someone think of the troops!
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by Xavier: Every time you say something negative about Palin, an American troop dies.
Please, someone think of the troops!
Does that mean if we say something nice about her a somebody enlists?
Posted by Darth_Mauve (Member # 4709) on :
I will come up with a catchy name for this tactic eventually. Let try Reverse Polarity.
Say a politician is guilty of X.
He accuses his opponent of X.
His believers believe him.
His opponents are so stunned at the audacity of that accusation that they are frozen and do not respond quickly.
When they do respond some part of the electorate just remembers the original accusation--first in, last out thinking.
Hence President George W. Bush, with a war record that is nothing is going up against Senator McCain and then Sentator Kerry who are both war heroes. President Bush could have avoided the whole War. Instead the Republican political machine attacked, calling each of them cowardly in the course of the Vietnam War.
I've seen this often recently. And here Ex-Governor Palin misplays it. She is accused of making stuff up (like why she is retiring). She accuses the press instead.
Posted by Blayne Bradley (Member # 8565) on :
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH! I saw minor clips on the daily show of the new speech and omfg SHUT THE HELL UP YOU STUPID T***! Gah! She is so annoying.
Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :
Conan O'Brien did a pretty good bit on his show. He said he finally figured out that her farewell speech wasn't a speech, but was poetry.
He got a master poet to read part of the speech, verbatim.
This site links to NBC video - the network forced YouTube to remove its video.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 9735) on :
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
quote:Gah! She is so annoying.
Great, another one dead!
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:I'm *fairly* convinced that a mother of young children should probably never be President.
What about the father of young children?
And are we going to allow either to be any of the following?
firefighter
cop
FBI agent
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
quote:Democracy depends on you, and that is why, that's why our troops are willing to die for you. So, how 'bout in honor of the American soldier, ya quite makin' things up.
I think this one quote from her sort of manages to elegantly encapsulate a lot of the reasons why she was hardly qualified for the governorship of a corrupt state with less than a half million people living in it, much less a federal posting.
Dear missus palin: do us all a favor. Do not run for congress. Stay home.
Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :
Rivka-
I talked about that- I find the public eye to be the most problematic aspect, and those other jobs are much less in the public eye. It's not so much that I think a person couldn't actually do it, just that I'm not sure people would ever accept it like they do fathers having the same job. I don't know though, we haven't seen it happen yet.
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
Also moms of small kids should totally be allowed to be president.
Posted by Darth_Mauve (Member # 4709) on :
hmmm. Mom dealing with small bratty, misbehaving kids, President dealing with congress. I'd say the mom's have hard experience there.
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade:
quote:Originally posted by Xavier: Every time you say something negative about Palin, an American troop dies.
Please, someone think of the troops!
Does that mean if we say something nice about her a somebody enlists?
Gyah! Shut up, everyone! Quick! Shut up!
But seriously...
At this point, I just hope the media can show a little intelligence and at long last get her out of the spotlight. Take her at her word that she wants out; take her at her word that she despises them. Chase some other story. Something real. Something that actually matters to people's lives.
And if she's just running a big ol' folksy con game, there will be plenty of archive footage of her putting foot to mouth to append to the new batch, even if there is a gap.
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