Thursday, September 4, 2008

Obama, You've Got A Problem


"Traitor," my son Xavier growled as I delighted in Sarah Palin's speech.

I barely glanced at him because my eyes were glued to one of the most charismatic speakers I've heard since... Obama!

"I'm a free thinker," I replied. "I like to study people as objectively as possible. This woman has a brilliant delivery. She's got charm, poise, and you know what? She's effective. Look at the crowd."

"Hmmph," he said. "Looks like a bunch of Texas rednecks. Look at all those cowboy hats."

"Keep watching her," I said. "I think it's her smile that's winning people over. The crowd loves her. That's mainstream, small town America. She's gonna give Obama a run for the money, not John McCain."

And thus we watched. Sarah Palin rocked the RNC like Obama rocked the DNC.

What an amazing performance. She didn't write the speech; Matt Scully did, but she was well-prepared and impeccable in her delivery of it. There was a teleprompter in view that the MSNBC camera panned on briefly, but she was like a pro, you couldn't tell she was reading from it.

As I see it, Sarah Palin's greatest weakness will not be her lack of experience in the eyes of Republican voters, Independents, and disgruntled Hillary supporters. It won't be her crazy family issues or the rumors or the Baby Mama Drama.

It will be her inflexible stand on the anti-abortion issue.

White women in particular will be naturally drawn to her if they are not politically astute - but - they will think long and hard whether or not they would want themselves or their daughters to be forced to have an unwanted pregnancy, even under the circumstances of rape, incest, or knowing the fetus is severely handicapped.

Other groups who won't be voting for her will have strong feelings about these issues:

~ The strongly pro-Constitution crowd. She gave a hint when she said of Obama and terrorist suspects, "He's worried that someone won't read them their rights." Word up, folks, that's Police State and dictatorship mentality. Another hint was, "I'm going to DC to serve the people, not the liberal media." We can assume she won't be serving liberals, either.

~ The strongly anti-war crowd. She said something to the effect, "We've almost won Iraq, but Obama wants to forfeit it." The peace-niks won't be fooled; and this will be interpreted as McCain-Palin keeping us there for years to come.

~ The well-informed environmentalist crowd. While she sounded like she knows her shit about drilling, this is contrary to what James Kunstler and other experts have concluded: drilling will not solve our problems and the oil sucked out of Alaska is estimated to be only one year's worth of what we need.

~ The die-hard Barack Obama and Independents crowds. Only Jesus could make them vote otherwise.


One of her criticisms of Obama was stating that he wants to raise taxes and have bigger government. This is true. He'll have to because the government is broke and no way in hell can he implement the social programs he wants.

HOWEVER, her party will too. They'll raise taxes for the same reasons, but instead of having bigger government, will pay private contractors like Haliburton and Exxon to drill, drill, drill, along with corporate defense contractors, who are for the most part, running these wars and the future ones.

For the record, her daughter Bristol did appear to be four to five pregnant tonight, and if she delivers a baby in January, this means the rumors and my own suspicions that Palin played the old-fashioned game of
let's pretend Grandma is Mama so the family won't be embarrassed are not true. I added an addendum to my earlier post, A Rovian Strategy, regarding this.

In summary, I enjoyed watching Sarah Palin. Would I vote for her and McCain? Hell no, their politics scare me, but I will give credit where credit is due: her speech delivery was as fantastic and unforgettable as two of Obama's.

This GOP ticket will reap a huge harvest of white voters in exactly two months. They'll capture the strongly pro-life crowd, those who aren't bothered by McCain's long term war plans or his thin knowledge of the economy or her canyon of inexperience in foreign policy, and of course, the folks who don't want a black man in the White House no matter how smart or qualified he is.

They may win because we are part of a TV-trained generation where show is more important than substance. Take note that although Palin gave this great speech, the press was not allowed to question her afterwards.

This is a clue that she's like a terrific actress who can remember her lines, but isn't trusted enough to speak on issues because she might blow it. Remember, she didn't write the speech, she just delivered it. I'm not saying she's an airhead; from my previous posts on her, you know I think she's already proven herself to be incredibly shrewd and fiercely ambitious.

Overall, McCain and Palin present well together and have spun this country's desperate need for oil into a terrorist and olive or brown-skinned Islamic enemies issue. They and their families are the way many of their supporters wished they were - attractive, well-dressed, successful, and wealthy... their American dream.

Obama, you've got a problem.

21 comments:

  1. What scares the b'jesus out of me is the outright LIES they're telling and the unbelievable spin they're putting on things to make them sound exactly opposite. That scares me because I think a whole lot of people won't bother to educate themselves fully on these issues and will just be won over by the show, as you say. AUGH! I want this to be over. The stress is killing me.

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  2. Yeah, Giuliani in particular told some whoppers. On the plus side, Violet, if the GOP wins, they'll be pressured into cleaning up their own mess - and the new ones they make. For the stress, it might be a good time to study yoga, lol.

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  3. I am with violet verbose! I think the Dems are going to have to kick a little more ass and fight. I think Joe Biden is going to bring it to her ass tomorrow!

    She threw a punch, not she ahs to take a beat down.

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  4. Oh Lovebabz! I will luuuuv watching Biden and Palin in an unscripted debate. Whoa! Got my popcorn ready!

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  5. yoooo, Obama been had a problem. Can't win the election on hope. Some blogger said her voice was hella annoying. You say otherwise. I have yet to hear her speak. I need to turn on my TV.

    The only news station I watch is CNN and I can't stand Candy Crowley and her Republican ass. She practically crowed with joy when Bush won. She's also looking a lil haggard these days.

    What can I say, I have my prejudices. :-)

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  6. Yep, I am agreeing with you. I wanted to hate her but she has that charm that just grabs you in, I acll it every woman and it grabs you especially if you are an average white woman.

    I am just wrapping up my own post at my blog today which is similiar to yours but you are right, Obama might have a problem. Don't even matter that what is coming out her mouth is not correct becuase the average American is not that deep.

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  7. She seems animated and not too bright to me. . . but yea, the proles will fall for it.
    I too can't wait till Biden get hold of her in the debates and Obama slays Puffy McBush like the decrepit old stink pile that he is.
    Overall, the RNC has been a hate fest. Snide sarcastic delivery, clapping and cheering on all the most snide and sarcastic points. Even the venue looks bland and drab. Compared the the positive tone of the DNC, it's been pitiful.

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  8. "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting" Proverbs 31:30

    I think that charm and beauty is one of the things that has gotten her this far. Now, that is not to take anything away from her intelligence, hardwork, and determination that I'm sure has contributed to her success as well. But I will not be fooled!!! What about her character? The story about the day she delivered her last baby Trig makes me question her character a great deal. Was delivering a speech in order to advance her political career really more important than her high risk pregnancy? Why take even more risk with they way she delivered her baby that day?

    What about her other children, I question whether they are a priority in her life. Just cause you have a lot of kids and smile for the camera doesn't make you a great mother. I heard arguments that the kids have a father. That's true, but he has said he will continue to pursue his love of snowmobiling. So now what the kids will be raised with Nannies. She has a pregnant teenage daughter and two other young impressionable girls. Who desperately need love, guidance, and support from the mother everyday, not to mention the special needs child. She will not have that to give as VP. Does she know that being VP is 24/7. So again I question her character. With all these things going on, why now Mrs. Palin?

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  9. Thank you everyone above for sharing your thoughts, and special thanks to C-Span.org for selecting this post for the National Blog Coverage Convention Hub section of your site at 2:09 AM.

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  10. Kit, thought you'd be interested in this other take, which is close to my reaction: http://hippiekiller.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/conventional-thoughts/

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  11. Violet, I considered a drinking game in which I'd drink at every lie. I dismissed it because I'd be an alcoholic after last night.

    And Kit, congrats on the link! That's great, and it's about time more folks are noticing your great work!

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  12. You're welcome, Laurel! The C-Span link to my post thrilling.

    I just read the link you provided. Boy, I am glad I wrote this before everyone elses opinions could sink into my subconscious.

    That blogger, Fifth Column, used the exact same words I heard some of the news folks use, snide and sarcastic. I didn't experience it that way at all, but I'm East Coast and appreciate a little bite in humor.

    Other media pundits and headlines described Palin as electrifying. I didn't see her quite like this either, but did think her performance was marvelous and memorable. Politics aside, it was what it was: a good speech.

    Fifth Column said, "If Sarah Palin wants to live by sass and sarcasm, she can die by it too," and thinks she opened the door for Joe Biden to go after her.

    The cage doors are now open. I can hardly wait for these two pitbulls to give us a memorable political dog show. My money is on Biden.

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  13. You rock, Kit. My money's on Biden too. He'll rip her up.

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  14. This woman has way, WAY too many skeletons in her past. Unfortunately, there is no way in hell the media is going to eff up their shot at a close election and constantly harp on all the crazy stuff in her past. No way. Sucks, but it's life. Obama will have to sweat it out.

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  15. Yeah Kit, she did a good job reading the telepromter. But what do you expect from an extra from the series "Northern Exposure".

    This woman is nothing but a puppet who is now adored by the lemmings of the republican party.

    And to think a month ago she wasn't too fond of McCain while she supported Obama and his idea of change.

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  16. @rippa: an extra from the series "Northern Exposure".

    PERFECT description of Caribou Barbie.

    I thought her speech was very slick, and yes, undoubtedly compelling for the "proles," especially the too-busy-to-look-at-the-issues-closely hockey/soccer moms. For me, though, her accent, nasality, and beady-eyed mendacity were too much--I had to look away, repeatedly. And then try not to think about a pregnant police officer clomping through the snow and clutching styrofoamed coffee--"Think I'm gonna barf!"

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  17. I'm laughin' at the last three comments.

    Big Man, yep, she's got a whole grave yard of skeletons in her closet.

    Rippa, the Northern Exposure Soap Opera version of the GOP! And lemmings! You crack me up! Lemmings don't die, suicide or not, they just multiply.

    Macon, "Caribou Barbie"? ROFLMAO! I saw that video too of her carrying her coffee in her styrofoam cup in the snow. You know, the movie guy interviewing her that day had no clue she was supposedly very pregnant then either.

    Your imagery of her as a cop is apt: although I liked her presentation far more than you, I can easily picture her tasering anyone who contradicts her.

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  18. Biden will rip her up. but when it gets down to brass tacks, folks vote for the top of the ticket. The only thing a VP can do is potentially lose votes, though not likely. Look at Quayle.

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  19. Hey there K.I.T.!!

    I just noticed my blog on your blog roll!! I never knew it was there - is that new?? (smiles)

    Anyway...I should mention that my blog isn't about "orthodox faith-based relationships" because I don't even KNOW what that means! *LOL* I write about EVERYTHING that involves black women...lesbianism...women on the down low...rape...misogyny...social activism...community empowerment...and gender solidarity.

    None of my activism strategies leans towards one faith background or another.

    I do appreciate the mention of my blog! Very nice of you!

    As for the post...yessss....Obama has a MAJOR PROBLEM!!

    (smiles)
    Lisa

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  20. Hey Lisa, Yeah, I blogrolled your site in July or early August. I had blogs categorized differently, but finally put them all under one title. BTW, it's now just listed as 'faith based'. Otherwise, got our fingers crossed that Barack comes in first at the Nov 4th finish line.

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  21. Lisa/ Black Woman Blow The Trumpet, I got your email invite the other day and was surprised that your faith-based blog is now by invitation only.

    I don't blogroll private blogs since there's no point to it, as they are inaccessible to the public. If you return to your old format, email me.

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Hi, this is Kit.

I haven't posted since summer 2010, and comment moderation has been on for a very long time.

My old blogger friends (you know who you are) are welcome to email me.

I can be reached at:
kitsmailbag@gmail.com.