Palin's Mirror

by publius

Rod Dreher:

Sarah Palin makes perfect sense to me as the kind of person I grew up with. . . . People like me see Palin as a culture warrior, but only because she's drawn so much incoming fire from her cultural enemies. In truth, I don't think there's much of a conscious culture warrior in her. She strikes me as a pragmatic Western Republican with a strong Evangelical streak that colors her politics but doesn't define it. Her Christianity is very much at home in the modern world, I think (I say "I think" because I really don't know: Palin needs to talk to reporters).

Being There (Wikipedia description):

Peter Sellers as Chauncey "Chance" Gardiner: a simple gardener who has spent his entire life isolated from the world. Chance's calm and seemingly highly intelligent demeanor is essentially a blank canvas on which each of the film's characters paint their own picture, sometimes making Chance out to be much more than he really is.

Being There (screenplay):

President "Bobby": Mr. Gardner, do you agree with Ben, or do you think that we can stimulate growth through temporary incentives? [Long pause]

Chance the Gardener: As long as the roots are not severed, all is well. And all will be well in the garden.

President "Bobby": In the garden.

Chance the Gardener: Yes. In the garden, growth has it seasons. First comes spring and summer, but then we have fall and winter. And then we get spring and summer again.

President "Bobby": Spring and summer.

Chance the Gardener: Yes.

President "Bobby": Then fall and winter.

Chance the Gardener: Yes.

Benjamin Rand: I think what our insightful young friend is saying is that we welcome the inevitable seasons of nature, but we're upset by the seasons of our economy.

Chance the Gardener: Yes! There will be growth in the spring!

Benjamin Rand: Hmm!

Chance the Gardener: Hmm!

President "Bobby": Hm. Well, Mr. Gardner, I must admit that is one of the most refreshing and optimistic statements I've heard in a very, very long time. . . . I admire your good, solid sense. That's precisely what we lack on Capitol Hill.

Comments

[MobiusKlein]

Does anybody know what she thinks about reforming the AMT?
What about the tradeoffs in dealing with the potentials of climate change.

What about her opinion on Kelo vs City of New London?

Perhaps we could hear from her about the problems with our health care system, and how best to fix it. What other countries would she hold up as examples.

As governor of Alaska, how has she dealt with the No Child Left Behind act, and worked with it to improve schools in Alaska?

Where would she strike the balance of access to guns, and the need to take care that they don't fall in the hands of the insane, or terrorists?

How can we revitalize the inner cities of America, address the problems of the illegal drug trade, and halt the cycle of violence and poverty in those cities.

The most important thing to do is find out what she thinks the policies of America should be.

Electing a President and VP is a job interview - it's time to ask the questions the employers (us) need to know.

[Ara]

I'm wondering: If white women are gonna swing by 20 to their anatomical equivalent, I wonder if that will lock-in women as VPs. If the top of the ticket is a guy, it seems to be the dominant strategy.

[redwood]

being cryptic does not become you, publius.

now, invent some arguments and articulate them!

we're losing the election, on your watch, I might add.

[Gary Farber]

"being cryptic does not become you, publius."

What was cryptic?

[Lee]

Loved that movie. Money quote from the woman who nannied the simple-minded Chauncey:

Louise: It's for sure a white man's world in America. Look here: I raised that boy since he was the size of a piss-ant. And I'll say right now, he never learned to read and write. No, sir. Had no brains at all. Was stuffed with rice pudding between th' ears. Shortchanged by the Lord, and dumb as a jackass. Look at him now! Yes, sir, all you've gotta be is white in America, to get whatever you want. Gobbledy-gook!

[josefina]

we're losing the election, on your watch, I might add.

You might. You might also explain what the hell you mean.

[JayS]

I thought of that movie when reading this http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2008_09_07-2008_09_13.shtml#1220947414>defense of her Fannie and Freddie bail out remarks. Who knew you could pack so much into so few words?

[publius]

redwood -- david axelrod might take offense at that. ;)

and i'm waiting a week before i start reading too much into polls

[MobiusKlein]

I'm just saying we need to unmask the cipher. Everybody projects onto her their ideas, but we simply just don't know her governing ideas. The debate needs to be about the big things. Or else.

[Tony P.]

Does anybody know what she thinks about reforming the AMT?

Do her admirers think McCain cares what she thinks about the AMT?

I don't think he will pay her a lick of attention, if they win. He will pat her on the head and send her to the funerals of foreign dignitaries. If she's a good girl, he will send her out to give speeches about nattering nabobs of negativism. But ask her advice on policy? Come on! Does McCain seem like a guy who thinks he needs advice from a hockey mom?

I'm not saying I don't care what she thinks about the important issues you listed, Mobius. I'm just suggesting to Governor Palin's fans that McCain doesn't.

--TP

[Hartmut]

There is a non-negligible probability that the first funeral of a dignitary she'll attend will be that of the Son of Cain (provided that said SoC will become POTUS).

[rea]

The most important thing to do is find out what she thinks the policies of America should be.

[Republican] Sexist![/Republican]

[Ugh]

Sarah Palin Distraction Watch: Day 13.

[magistra]

Sexist!

No, you're getting confused. It's elitist to want to know Sarah Palin's policy views, because that's not the sort of thing ordinary people care about. It's sexist if you conclude that she doesn't have policy views or only incoherent ones, because sexists say that women aren't bright enough to understand politics.

[Ugh]

Although I must say, I'm looking forward to the day when Palin ascends to the Presidency and the non-religous right republicans wake up and realize that they've put one of the crazies in charge.

[dr ngo]

I'm not. I still live in this country. ;{

[Ugh]

Gotta have something to look forward to in the darkness, dr ngo.

[Donald Johnson]

This excerpt, btw, gives a pretty fair indication of Dreher's quality as a columnist, based on the random samples I've seen. A twit, but with some glimmers of self-awareness that come shining through now and then.

[cleek]

the non-religous right republicans wake up and realize that they've put one of the crazies in charge

not to worry. Kevin Drum thinks the Dem Congress will be so furious if McPalin wins that they'll refuse to cooperate with anything - McPalin won't be able to get anything done. problem solved!

[Ugh]

Get the Sternly-Worded Letter-Generator™ fired up!

[S.G.E.W.]

President Chance Gardiner was America's finest leader in our time of need. How dare you impugn his memory?!

[winer]

"I'm looking forward to the day when Palin ascends to the Presidency and the non-religous right republicans wake up and realize that they've put one of the crazies in charge."

one of the crazies was put in charge eight years ago, and the non-religious right didn't seem to mind much.

[Ugh]

one of the crazies was put in charge eight years ago, and the non-religious right didn't seem to mind much.

Bush is not an evangelical crazy, no matter how much he would like said crazies to believe otherwise. Sarah Palin is 100% evangelical crazy, and would govern like it.

[Fats Durston]

SPOILER ALERT

Interesting that you haven't mentioned the end, where Chance walks on water...

[Fledermaus]

Although I must say, I'm looking forward to the day when Palin ascends to the Presidency and the non-religous right republicans wake up and realize that they've put one of the crazies in charge.

I think they're just noticing that they also put one of the crazies at the top of the ticket - bomb bomb iran

[nick]

Oh noes! Not Teh Sternly-Worded-Letter-Generator™! Teh Horror! Teh Horror!

[Jeff]

I don't think he will pay her a lick of attention, if they win.

If he's hospitalized for any length of time, he won't have to. She be in charge, regardless.

[Phil]

One of her comments, at least, appears to have the real potential to bite her in the ass over the long run. The following letter appeared today in Cleveland Scene. I imagine a lot of other people in the same position feel the same way. Perhaps soon Gov, Palin will have an opportunity to reflect on the wisdom of pissing off people whose entire job is to organize people to do stuff.

[blockquote]Gov. Sarah Palin: Like many other community organizers at various agencies across the city, county, state and nation, I work very hard for the underprivileged and impoverished people in my community. I work long hours in the Cleveland area in order to educate and involve the community toward ending poverty in this wonderful nation that I love, because, as I'm sure you would agree, the community itself can provide more help at a grassroots level than a government agency ever could. I often come home late and am too exhausted to do little more than cook dinner for myself and fall asleep in my studio apartment. I do not get overtime pay, but I always proudly work longer than the 40-hour work week I am paid for.

I get paid very little (less than a quarter of the $125,000 a governor of Alaska earns) to stand up for families facing legal and financial abuse from unscrupulous landlords, homeless people facing harassment from petty police and public officials, and children forgotten and neglected by a swamped and overly bureaucratic system. At the end of the day, powerful enemies throwing obstacles in my path outnumber friends struggling in the same battle I have been waging for years. Like you, I am not here to make friends but to serve my community and my country. What I do is hard, thankless work, and I do it because I know what I'm doing is good and right.

Therefore, I have to ask, what did I do to you that would make you ridicule and belittle my work, my passion and my career to an audience of millions across the nation? In your speech at to the 2008 Republican National Convention, you said that community organizers have no "actual responsibilities." You mocked my efforts, as well as the efforts of thousands across this nation who put their country first, ahead of even themselves, when you said, "This world of threats and danger, it's not just a community and it doesn't just need an organizer." You smiled as your audience laughed at everything I have dedicated my entire life to. I help people the entire country has given up on to fight the odds and climb out of poverty and stand on their own two feet. You laugh at that. I help people with disabilities and nowhere else to turn to find community resources that will empower them to find stable, affordable and livable housing. You laugh at that.

I go into schools and speak to children about homelessness, what it is and what its causes are. The children always ask what they can do to help, and I show them how, even at such a young age, they can serve their country and make an impact in the world. You laugh at that.

I have spent months fighting for just one client. She is a single mother living alone with her two children in a house missing windows and needing repairs. Every month, her landlord refuses to pay the water bill, and the water company threatens to shut off service. Every month, on a schedule I could set my watch to, I must jump through the exact same hoops, argue the exact same arguments and deal with the exact same obstacles in order to get the landlord to uphold his end of the lease and keep the pipes running in my client's home. You laugh at that.

I stood before the body of Anthony Waters, a homeless man beaten to death on the streets of Cleveland, and bowed my head in prayer. I tell his story to whomever I meet wherever I go so people won't forget his struggles and will realize the urgency of help needed now on our city's streets. You laugh at that.

You have insulted me and many others fighting the same fight in order to better serve our country. I am deeply offended and I don't understand what I have done to draw your ire. I am serving my country just like you. I am giving back to the great citizens of this nation just like you. Why are you attacking me? What have I done?

Joshua Kanary

Community organizer, Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless[/blockquote]

[Jeff]

Perhaps soon Gov, Palin will have an opportunity to reflect on the wisdom of pissing off people

I dunno. She seems to have made quite a career of it so far.

(You need to use HTML [angle brackets] here, not BBCode [ square brackets]. Using "Preview" helps!)

[jesurgislac]

The letter Phil posted is online here.

It's a powerful piece of writing.