A few notes to a friend about Palin.

[calmblueocean]

Hey there!

Well, the big VP debate is over. I've heard some say that Palin "held her own". That's true only if the second part of that sentence is "country hostage to the nightmare she might actually govern it."

Palin is a terrifying creature, a homespun harpy who would Clark-Kent-wink this country all the way into Raptureville if given half a chance. I gotta give the Republicans credit: they actually found someone even worse than Bush to put on their ticket. I find nothing folksy about her at all; she is a huckster of the first order, and a fraud. From the memorized sales pitch to the constant repetition of her mark's name, she could just as well be standing on a soapbox at a medicine show hawking the virtues of Old Dr. Stanley's Nerve Tonic and Hemorrhoid Remover as at a debate.

She doesn't have the first clue what she's talking about, but she thinks as long as she's filled the silence, she's answered the question. Today she was asked on Fox to clarify what she meant about expanding the powers of the Vice President if she's elected. This was her actual response:

"Thankfully our founders were wise enough to say, we have this position and it's Consititutional, Vice President will be able to be not only the position flexible but it's gonna to be sorta those other duties as assigned by the President -- it's a simple thing!"

Lest you think the internet has dropped some words in transmission, here's the Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXCT6wli060

I sure am glad that the Founders were wise enough to say, "We have this position, and it's Constitutional!"

This type of thing goes far beyond the typical malaprops and spoonerisms we're used to. At least when Bush says, "You're working hard to put food on your family," we kind of know what he meant to convey. Palinspeak is a train that goes nowhere. There's no meaningful content in the sentence above, no thought to be malformed. Just words and clauses randomly knotted together with winking and smiling and lipstick. And when that doesn't work, she's got a Down's Syndrome baby to hold aloft like He-Man calling for the power of Grayskull.

It's not so much that I'm worried she's going to win. I'm not. But the fact someone this bereft of genuine knowledge could rise this far without a media revolt is genuinely terrifying and shaming. She refuses to hold a press conference. A few months ago, this woman said she didn't know what the Vice President actually does. Now she's making noises as if she wants to preside over the Senate. She could be Commander-in-Chief in a matter of weeks, if Murphy's Law holds. What the hell is going on in this country nowadays?

[cartach]

1. I don't watch reality shows but

if they were going to produce one about a McCain-Palin administration I'd sure make a point of watching it from beginning to end. Imagine the entertainment we'd get from watching Palin trying to outdo Cheney as Vice President and all the blundering bullshit involved. She could also chew gum and talk at the same time,that's all that's missing now. And then to see the reaction of McCain as the speed freak tries to take over. He would never allow anyone to come anywhere near to the point where they might be in position to upstage him and we could expect full scale blowups and/or a heart attack or two from the old man. But it's not a reality show, and if that pair gets elected it's time to emigrate because the country will surely go down the toilet.

[moriah]

2. At least "Old Dr. Stanley's Nerve Tonic" likely had opium in it.

Which I wouldn't mind a bit of right now. (Toothache.)

[PBS Poll-435]

3. Moriah,

It appears your tagline pic is winking. How did you know she would pull that cutzy shit at the "debate?"

Seriously.

[moriah]

5. Maybe I'm psychic....

I'm still pissed at the bumper magnet supplier who refused to print that, though.

Fuckers, it wasn't obscene...

[beac]

4. I was lucky enough to have dental work done right before the debate and so am blessed with a large

supply of Vicodin. Goes great with wine and McPalin. I can see why Cindy was such a fan. ;)