I am taking a moment from my usual obsessions to highlight something that is more explicitly political than I like to get, but which is likely to have a material impact on the discussions we have here in the months and years to come, so I am crossing the line a bit. I think Sarah Palin just impliedly declared for president. Look at this! As a method of generating pure political buzz—there is no substance—it is superb:
Note the line, “It may take some renegades going rogue to get us there”—Going Rogue being the title of her autobiography (which I have not read). I also think many of the people in the video are politicians she supported who were elected to office in the just completed election. She isn’t partisan, but she describes a movement, which she clearly means to lead.
As Woody Allen once said, I have some decidedly mixed feelings about this! I like Sarah Palin. I like that she gave birth to Trig and expressed her unconditional love for him months before she was even a gleam in John McCain’s eye, as I noted here in May 08 (and knew so little about her I misspelled her first name). I like that she has stood up to terrible demagoguery and smears. It brings out my inner chivalry. I think she had the “political play of the year” during the Obamacare debate by labeling health care rationing “death panels,” a term that is now part of the lexicon (no easy feat), I don’t think Obamacare had a chance of attaining public support after that. She clearly had a powerful impact—both positive and negative to her cause—in the recent election. She’s a leader, of that there can be no doubt.
And yet, I have very significant doubts about her as being presidential timbre. But this isn’t a political blog, so let’s not belabor that now. I just think this video is worth noting because it is a Palin ad without being one. If I am right, she will shake things up, and much of what gets shaken will likely be in our target zone.
