Did She Fall Asleep in High School History Class?

[erpowers]

I am watching Game Change and I am shocked at how little Sarah Palin supposedly knew when she came onto the John McCain campaign. If what was portrayed in the movie is true I cannot believe anyone involved in politics could be that ignorant on political ideas. How could a politician have needed a crash course in high school History? How many things do you have to avoid in order to have that little national and world knowledge?

I laughed when the guy (I think it was Nicole Wallace's husband) asked the other guys if they thought she was mentally unstable. Shortly before that clip I started thinking the same thing. I was considering asking all of you if you think something was wrong with Sarah Palin.

It is crazy to think just how close we came to having this woman as a Vice President and possibly as a President.

[jcgoldie]

1. uhmm yeah

That is crazy but the douchebag we got 8 years later is much worse.

[Saboburns]

2. Yeah she's a total Dumbass

Which is why she is popular among Republicans.

My belief is that most Democrats don't really understand just how stupid the Republican party, and Republicans, have devolved into.

Those people at his rallies aren't just some rube Republican minority. No, them there rubes are archtype Republicans. Our country is full of them, and they're getting worser. Yes I said worser. They've been getting worser since 1980 and will continue to keep getting worser in the future.

[Lindsay]

3. And just think,

by destroying education (among other things), they plan to make everyone else as ignorant as they are.

[The Genealogist]

12. Ignorant people are easier to control

Perfect for authoritarians who want a 1% that has everything and 99% who can barely afford to eat.

[Saboburns]

15. I happen to think

I happen to think there are entities; some people, some capitalist enterpises, some politicians and their powerful lobbyists, pleased with the rise of idiocy, gullibility, racism, foolishness and outright fear generated through Republican propaganda.

I believe Republican Americans are the most propagandized group of people in history. I don't say that lightly. There have been some damnably propagandized people.

The difference as I see it is the Republicans seek the propaganda, Republicans want the propaganda. Republicans consume the propaganda and happily share it with like minded fools. Republicans are the first group I know of to happily propagandize themselves and each other.

They have a powerful addiction to their propaganda. An addiction as powerful as any other I'm aware of. I think we all it see it but as such, but nobody I aware of uses the correct term; addiction. Somebody needs to develop a de-programming progam.

[PatSeg]

19. And her father

was a teacher! What the hell!

[Caliman73]

4. Anti-Intellectualism is rampant among conservatives.

There has always been a strain of people who were against those with education which has been exacerbated by right wing talkers over the years who label Universities and educated people as "elites" in a bad way. Palin talked about "real Americans" who basically were meant to be the average, non-college educated White citizen.

Palin, I don't think, is stupid. She likely had a problem with anxiety and the biggest problem with her is that she is incurious. When I don't know something I want to learn about it. She never did.

Trump is worse in my opinion. He is not only ignorant but he is arrogant.

[Stuart G]

5. Trump is so arrogant, that he does not want to learn anything because he.. "knows it all"

Imagine, if when he was elected, he took a extensive course..looking at what successful presidents said in the past to connect with the country..Not only what they said, how they said it, but just as important..what not to say..and where to be careful about this and that. Also how to act to other leaders at events.

It would have been a tough course that included most of his free time. (very little golf) But he might have learned something, and we might have a different Trump....

It is clear he did not take that course, and surely did not want to learn. He might not be the asshole he is and will always be... if he wanted to change.....
....................NOPE.. NOT A CHANCE IN A MILLION ON THAT ONE..........................

[oberliner]

6. Steve Schmidt

He was the one who thought she'd be a good choice at the time.

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. The movie gives wonderful moments of Schmidt's growing awareness about her ignorance.

I liked the book, the movie made it even more clear.

[oberliner]

10. Wonder what would have happened if he had picked Lieberman

[tblue37]

14. At least he has publicly "mea culpa'ed." Still, as much as I approve of the way he, Nicolle Wallace,

Jennifer Rubin, Rick Wilson, David Frum, Max Boot, Bret Stephens, and other well-connected establishment conservatives/Republicans/ex-Republicans speak and write harsh truths about Trump and the corrupt, sycophantic GOP that enables him, they are still Ronald Reagan/George Bush/John McCain conservatives at heart and would enthusiastically support a Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Jon Huntsman, Mitt Romney, or John Kasich for president. These conservative Never-Trumpers did the groundwork that made the Tea Party and Trump not just possible but inevitable, and although they are all about the need to vote Dem to get the criminal Trump enabling GOP out of power, they still hope for a renewed fiscally reactionary GOP or a similarly reactionary third party to replace it.

They still support reducing corporate taxes, repealing regulations, and cutting the sort of spending that actually benefits ordinary people and helps level the playing field by restraining the excesses of capitalism. Sure, we eventually need another viable party to counterbalance the Democratic Party, so our party doesn't succumb to the corrupting influence of unbridled power--but not an opposition party enthralled by the sort of fundamentalist capitalism ideologues that have controlled the GOP since Ronald Reagan.

Once upon a time there were Republicans who believed in science, civil rights for everyone, a reasonable minimum wage, clean air and water rules, wilderness protection, the separation of church and state, consumer protection, education, Social Security and other such benefits, as well as opportunities and a hand up for those not born to wealth.

[oberliner]

17. Good points

It's amazing to see those people you mentioned as MSNBC and CNN regulars going after a Republican POTUS.

[Mr. Ected]

7. I remember after the first Biden/Palin debate, I was elated that he wiped the floor with her

Only to go to work the next day, amidst a bunch of righties, who were goo-goo eyed over this new American treasure.

I threw up a little in my mouth that day, and just now thinking about it.

I swear, they hear Laurel, we hear Yanny.

[tblue37]

9. She is just a typical shallow "mean girl." nt

[Historic NY]

11. Its took her yrs to get her college degree.

[Brother Buzz]

13. Everything she knows about history she learned....

watching The Wonderful World of Disney

[Adrahil]

16. Have you heard her speak?

Yeah... that stupid.

[keithbvadu2]

18. GOP bumper sticker: If Obama is the answer, how stupid is the question?

GOP bumper sticker: If Obama is the answer, how stupid is the question?

Later... the question: Do you want Sarah Palin one old man's heartbeat away from the WH?

[Hekate]

20. Meh. She smiled, wiggled her fanny, wore short skirts and crossed her legs in class, tight shirts...

...low necklines...

Need I go on? She developed a few conversational catch-phrases ("In what respect, Charlie? " ) when she didn't know the answer and needed to stall for time. She exploited her superficial charms to manipulate male teachers (or employers) who could be manipulated, and sulked and stamped her foot at the ones who couldn't.

She manipulated women by being the Mean Girl in Jr Hi.

She learned how to bullshit and do a snowjob -- or whatever the modern terms are for writing meaningless fluff to get a C grade. I'm sure she had the attention span of a gnat. She did not need or want to learn anything. She attended 4 or 5 little public colleges before finally earning a degree in something like communications.

No Wharton for her. It takes a lot of family money to buy your way in when you're barely mediocre, and a lot of money to pay penniless grad students to write your papers for you.

Sarah was very clever in her way, but not intelligent. She scorned the nerds and eggheads. She was anti-intellectual as hell.

She became governor of a state with a small spread out rural population, and on reflection was not all that good at it.

[JI7]

21. Trump is Far Worse than Palin

[Demovictory9]

22. true