Palin Wasn’t 'Drunk' and Her Trump Speech Wasn’t 'Stupid': She’s Playing Right Into the Heart of ...

[Purveyor]

Palin Wasn’t 'Drunk' and Her Trump Speech Wasn’t 'Stupid': She’s Playing Right Into the Heart of Twisted Republican Politics
By Amanda Marcotte / Salon
January 21, 2016

Sarah Palin knows what she’s doing. I know this is not a popular opinion on the left in the wake of her lengthy roller coaster of a speech that she gave to endorse Donald Trump on Tuesday in Ames, Iowa, but Palin’s speech was actually a bit of political genius. And not just because she got the hated media to spend two days making fun of it, reinforcing her bitter, gun-clinging audience’s victim complex. (Not that this should stop you from making fun of them. It’s not like condescendingly pretending to respect them wins any favors, either.)

No, Palin is the vanguard of a new way of right-wing speechifying, a surprisingly avant-garde method of political outreach for people who think of themselves as the protectors of tradition. Her methods are the most outrageous, but as with most artistic revolutionaries (in this case, with the art of making political speeches), what seems iconoclastic now will swiftly become the norm for those who follow. Her speech was, for Republican politicians, the “Rite of Spring” or the “Salon des Refusés.” And we can already see the signs that other Republicans are walking the trail that Palin blazed.

Right now, the standard reaction, especially on the left, is to make fun of Palin, wondering if she’s an imbecile or merely just drunk. (She could be! Many innovative artists are, though.) The New York Daily News called her “stupid” in a cover that received many accolades in liberal circles.

Sure, Palin isn’t winning any intelligence contests or even junior leagues “Jeopardy!” any time soon, and yet, I don’t think her speech can be dismissed so easily. The main objection to her speech is it doesn’t fit into the traditional norms of political speech-making.

Traditionally, a political speech is an argument. It has a thesis, which is backed up with examples and organized in a coherent structure so that it has, or at least feels like it has, a logical flow to it. Reagan’s speech at the Brandenburg Gate argued that Western capitalism was the best protector of freedom, and was backed up by the example that was West Berlin. Obama’s “Audacity of Hope” speech argued that liberal values of equality and diversity were our nation’s strength, and he backed this up with many examples, including his own biography.

more...

http://www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/palin-wasnt-drunk-and-her-trump-speech-wasnt-stupid-shes-playing-right-heart?akid=13903.260530.SGbtOr&rd=1&src=newsletter1049370&t=8

[Proserpina]

1. The author is entitled to his opinion, of course, but I think she has brain damage

whether it's genetic or the result of some insult(s) postnatum, what else would explain the word salad and short circuits?

[Cleita]

2. I just think it's an instinct for show biz and performance "art" with a good

dose of mental laziness thrown in because "cute" has always given her a pass. She gets away with the word salad, the screechy voice, the lack of intellectual substance and meanness because of the cute. We all knew at least one girl in school or while growing up who got away with murder because she was so cute, the adults just let her get away with it.

[katmondoo]

3. Where is she now

Two events and then silence ???????????????????

[Cactus Jack]

4. Palin is not looking for votes she's looking for subscribers

I've found that it's a mistake to think that right wing pundits, and Sarah Palin is nothing more than a transgender Rush Limbaugh, have the slightest interest in gaining office.

The ingrained sense of victimhood they have sees George W Bush as a liberal as much as it sees Barak Obama as one and whilst it may appear they're ignorant the Reagan was far from the paragon of Conservative values their hagiographies imply even they can fact check and come to realize that Ronald Reagan did sign an amnesty bill and he did put up taxes eleven times. But to them, and there's an important distinction here, that's what Ronald Reagan the President did not what Ronald Reagan the candidate did.

Had Reagan actually done anything to reduce their sense of victimhood he would have been robbing them of their identity. Having any of the perceived grievances addressed - it's like when you were 8 and that girl you really liked suddenly wanted to kiss you, while your Mom and Dad were looking on. You're just not ready

Sarah Palin is the voice of a child screaming 'It's not fair' when sent to its room, she doesn't want President Donald Trump in the White House. What she wants is Former Candidate Donald Trump as a guest on her show which you can subscribe to watch for just $4.99.
She wants to speak after a $1,000 a plate dinner on how the GOP establishment got Hilary Clinton elected or give a lecture on how the Establishment led Senate thwarted Trump, for just $20,000 plus first class accommodation.

[Warren DeMontague]

5. it doesn't fit into the traditional norms of ANY speech-making.

How many new words did she invent in that thing?

She may not even have been drunk at the time, but my non-medical opinion is that she may be suffering from what is known in alcoholic circles as a "wet brain". The damage may already be long done.