The Politics of Porn, or the thinking behind the choice of Governor Palin

[SidneyCarton]

Understanding that there have been a large number of rather sexist posts on DU regarding this subject, and knowing that my title will likely set off some alarms, let me clarify something from the beginning: This is not a post about Governor Palin in particular. While I find her political positions abhorrent, and consider her rather unqualified for the position she has been chosen for, I have no personal animus toward her. I have little doubt that she is a loving mother and wife and an all-around decent person, whose political convictions would be a mere annoyance were it not for the positions of power to which she has ascended. That said, I would like to address the thinking on the part of Senator McCain's handlers that have led to this decision. Herein ends the disclaimer.

Without a doubt the selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as Senator McCain's running mate is in large part a poorly disguised attempt to try to exploit the perceived divisions within the Democratic Party during this year's primary. While the recent National Convention would seem to put such hopes to rest, as the entire Rovian model is based on the exploitation of divisions, such a decision should not be surprising.

What is surprising is the choice of Governor Palin. Within the Republican Party there are numerous women of equally strong ideological convictions, who have far greater experience, which leads to the question, why her? The answer, in large part, is as simple as a Google Image Search, or a quick study of the term VPILF, for while Governor Palin was indeed selected in the hopes of garnering the votes of disaffected Clinton voters, she was also selected because she was the least threatening woman for the Republican base.

First off, there is her lack of experience. Such a lack will make her largely a pawn of the RNC, and whatever handpicked handlers they assign to her. She, much like the various vapid blonds of Fox News will be little more than a comely marionette eagerly repeating whatever talking points are fed into her, with a venom and a vehemence only slightly veiled by charm and a smile. In this sense, much like the ladies of Fox, she becomes the political version of a Maxim or an FHM, (In this case selling political ideology instead of consumer products) with the same basic audience: Men. Instead of a possibly threatening woman, (i.e. Tucker Carlson's comment regarding Hillary Clinton and castration) the RNC presents its male voters with a nonthreatening, ideologically correct, yet comely Vice Presidential candidate.

You will note that in this discussion I have avoided the mention of Ann Coulter up to this point. My reason for this is that while my antipathy for Ms. Coulter knows no bounds, I do not see her as a marionette, her venom and misanthropy are real, and come from a truly diseased place within her. If Governor Palin represents a political form of Maxim model for Republicans, Coulter is the Jenna Jameson of political porn, a Republican guilty pleasure. Some one they would never really want to be caught enjoying, but whom they secretly delight in, if for nothing more than her shock value.

Now this is merely an opinion, and you may take it as you will. I personally pity Gov. Palin. I think she is being played, and is in dreadfully over her head. Like so many pawns of the Rovian model she will be used until her usefulness has passed, and then discarded, like so many others before her. For her own sake, I hope she can get out before she is utterly destroyed.

[woolldog]

1. I don't understand how she could accept the nomination for VP?

She has about 30 days to have a crash course in national and international policy.

[SidneyCarton]

2. She's not going to get one.

That's not the point. She's not supposed to know anything, just to say what she is told to.

[woolldog]

5. What?!

What happened to "country first"?

[Emit]

3. I just posted a similar sentiment on another thread, that bears repeating here

For all we know, her name was drawn out of a hat

Or McCain was hold up in a room with advisers, charts strewn around the room marked with perceived pros and cons of each possible nominee, a list of projections of consequences suffered for each scenario, etc. -- watching the clock and sweating bullets.


The difference here, however, is that I perceive Palin to be vacuous, so short on substance that it was such an obvious attempt at pandering to both women and the fundy, pro-life base. Her lack of experience and naivete lead me to believe they were not looking for any equal addition -- they were looking for someone they could mold and manipulate. I doubt seriously that the party of Rove, Bush, et al are going to allow this novice woman anywhere close to heavy discussions on foreign policy, political maneuvering, etc., let alone come near their grandiose plans for America's future. She'll get her marching orders, be told what to do, when to do it, how to do it and how not to do it. They will script her every move.

[SidneyCarton]

4. Well done, to the head of the class with you.

You have managed to say in a paragraph what took me 5.

[jazzjunkysue]

6. I agree with both of you. I had a boss, once, who was hired because she was slow.

Obviously, George Bush was only supposed to be a puppet. Sometime after all his 9/11 appearances, he started to believe he really was the president, and then the trouble started.

It's funny how the maverick label is the big selling point, when that's the last thing the GOP really wants.

They want a puppet. Period.

So, now the puppet is pretty. It removes the veil a bit, they've tipped their hand, showing how they really operate. But they also feel they have no choice, because the crowds are not showing up and they're not excited.

So, with a huge national television spectacle looming, this was the obvious act of desperation.

She will excite a few different groups for different reasons:
1. They foolishly think they'll pick up Hillary supporters.
2. They know they'll pick up the male vote, for obvious reasons.
3. They want to solidify the shaky religious vote.
4. Her stance on Alaskan drilling doesn't hurt, either.

But no one in this country believes for one second that she's ready to be the vp or the president. And they're not even trying to sell that point. They're just ignoring it: She's not even remotely qualified.