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Everyone has an opinion on Sarah Palin
Sunday, 28 September 2008
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Only a few weeks ago, no-one had heard of former beauty contestant Sarah Palin. Now she could well determine the entire outcome of this year's US presidential election.
A political race pitting black Democrat candidate Barack Obama against white Irish American Republican candidate John McCain has suddenly become completely diverted by mum-of-five Palin.
The attractive gun-toting Governor of Alaska, who is McCain's surprise running mate, has captured the imagination of America's notoriously fickle voters, who are lapping up tawdry tales about her in the country's tabloid magazines.
Love her or hate her, it seems that everyone has an opinion on sexy Sarah, whether they be celebrated movie critic Roger Ebert — who describes Palin as "a shallow, chirpy person with those vaguely alarming eyeglasses" — or Scottish-born US chat show host Craig Ferguson, who admires her "naughty librarian vibe".
Palin's elevation to Republican deputy has ensured that what should have been the major election issues — immigration, the Iraq war and America's troubled schools — have instead now been pushed into the background by guns and gun control.
Like many Alaskans, Palin is a lifelong hunter and supporter of Second Amendment rights. As a member of the National Rifle Association, she proudly declares: "I hunt as much as I can, and my freezer is full of wild game harvested here in Alaska. My favourite food is moose stew after a day of snow-machining."
Obama, on the other hand insists assault weapons pose a deadly threat to America's streets. "The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than they are for those plagued by gang violence in Cleveland," he said, "but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals."
As Dennis Hennigan of gun-reform lobby group the Brady Centre, says: "The lines are being more clearly drawn on the gun issue.
"Just one day after Senator Obama made it clear that he thinks assault weapons should be banned in a remarkable portion of his speech, here Senator McCain selects someone who is not only proud to be endorsed by [the NRA], an opponent of that ban, but apparently is pretty enthusiastic about the guns themselves."
Guns are not the primary issue, however. The issue dividing the nation is Palin herself.
After Obama blundered by comparing her gimmicky appointment as like putting "lipstick on a pig," America's predominantly white "soccer moms" deserted him in droves. The apparently innocent quote, which may well come back to haunt Obama, was made at a rally in which he quipped: "You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig."
Now according, to a Washington Post survey, a narrow lead for Senator Obama has become a substantial one for McCain.
Attacking a politician's personal life can often blow up in their rivals' faces. Bill Clinton, for instance, actually became MORE popular after his fling with Monica Lewinsky was publicised.
Nonetheless, a series of salacious scandals have been leaked this weekend to the nation's biggest tabloid, The National Enquirer, which trumpets the headline: "Sarah Palin: What she's hiding". Among the juicy tidbits are Palin's pregnant 17-year-old daughter Bristol, who apparently scandalised her small town by smoking dope and her 19-year-old son Track, who allegedly had a "secret drug addiction [and used] needles, pills and cocaine".
According to the Enquirer many insiders are terrified of coming forward because they fear the Governor, who has earned the nickname ‘Sarah Barracuda’.
The Enquirer explains: "Palin is well known in Alaska for holding grudges and seeking payback against people who oppose her."
Anticipating the inevitable smear campaigns, Palin quickly reported that unmarried teen Bristol was pregnant but that hasn't stopped the mudslinging and re-investigation of the so-called ‘Troopergate’ scandal, involving her former brother-in-law.
Obama initially threw in 65-year-old Irish American veteran Joe Biden as his own running mate to quell criticisms of his lack of experience. But in what may turn out to be a master stroke, his crusty old Republican rival McCain went the other way, appointing the much younger Sarah (44).
The Palin appointment could pay dividends for the McCain team which — after playing up its candidate’s Co Armagh origins — recently ended up with goo on its face when it was revealed one of McCain's own Irish ancestors was actually a Catholic-hating Orangeman who fought alongside King Billy.
Bumper stickers in Palin's tiny hometown of Wasilla proclaim, "The coldest state with the hottest governor," but the smear campaigns have already started with stories appearing about her pregnant teenage daughter and her husband's drink driving conviction.
She won the Miss Wasilla beauty pageant in 1984 and was a runner-up that year in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant. McCain's family came over to America from Co Armagh several centuries ago and he has told friends he is determined to revisit the land of his ancestors birth.
Not only that, he has announced plans to appoint a US special envoy to Northern Ireland should he get into power. The key move followed Obama dithering on the issue and even suggesting he might scrap the post himself because he believed the crisis period has passed and that the people were now in charge of their own destiny.
Behind the Palin factor and the gun issue, immigration reform will be one of the election's hot potatoes, with McCain promising to give thousands of undocumented Irish immigrants living in America the opportunity to become legal citizens. Neither Obama nor McCain is quite so accommodating to wards Mexican illegals, however, and both voted to authorise construction of a 700-mile fence along the US-Mexican border.
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Comments
36 Comments
This is an incredibly badly-informed piece. The most glaring inaccuracy is to call McCain an Irish-American. Surely you are familiar with McCain's views on the Catholic Church - one of his main supporters and advisors is one John Hagee who refers to the Catholic Church as the "Great Whore". McCain has also made disgusting references to Latino workers in his adopted state of Arizona - questioning their loyalty to the United States due to their acceptance of the Vatican as their moral compass. And on the Irish question? McCain's virulent anti-Irish rants are legend. For gods sake Belfast Telegraph never heard of Google?
Posted by Jake Irish-American | 23.10.08, 19:21 GMT
Don't believe a word of this column McCain is Tanking fast, polls can barely keep up with the freefall of his campaign's popularity. Since the release of the Couric interviews even conservatives have been calling McCain's choice a reckless and failed gamble.
Posted by NewWorldMan | 30.09.08, 06:40 GMT
There's little I like about Sarah Palin, but even I am offended by this article's intital reference to her as a "former beauty contestant." Seems to me her position as Alaska's governor is a far bigger piece of her identity than the fact that she entered a single beauty contest.
Posted by Edie | 29.09.08, 18:05 GMT
You've got to be joking!
Sarah Palin is becoming an anchor on the sinking ship USS McCain.
Her experience (NONE) speaks for itself. The foolish interview she provided Katie Couric all but sums up her woeful inadequacies.
She should stick to small town politics where lipstick and a curvy figure will get you elected.
Posted by Paul Ramirez | 29.09.08, 17:46 GMT
This country really needs to deal with the issue of race and until this happens there's going to be many more Sarah Palin's being used to cover-up the real motives of picking her.
You can try to make the case she is qualified to be vice-president by comparing her to a bi-racial candidate in Barack Obama but the truth is you can do what-ever you want, it's not going to make her more qualified than Barack is.
Think about it, Palin has been sheltered from the press and has no real idea as to what's going on outside of Alaska, the state has no diversity nor does it reflect hardly any of our major issues in the country, with the exception of it's oil reserves and wild life reserves.
When is this country going to stop living on the myth that white men or white women are the only intellegent leaders of the world. We had better get our act together and realize that our strength is in our world-wide diversity and without will crumble as the Roman Empire did!
Posted by Jimmie Griffin | 29.09.08, 15:00 GMT
What are you, like 1992? This country is far to bedeviled with the failures of the Republican ideology to even consider an NRA agenda. To be sure, some will try to make gun legalization in National Parks a political gambit, but make no mistake, this country is far to f$%#ed up to consider such tactics. It is the reason Democrats will prevail.
Palin has no clothes...and we all know it.
Respectfully,
Benjamin Spradlin
Montana, USA
Posted by Benjamin Spradlin | 29.09.08, 08:06 GMT
Obama was NOT referring to Palin when he made this statement:
"You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig."
Obama was talking about McCain policies. Palin was not being discussed at the time.
A McCain ad incorrectly accused Obama of referring to Palin when he said this. The ad was pulled by the TV stations it was aired on because it was a lie. McCain was trying to smear Obama. It is in all the news now that this was a McCain fabrication. Even republicans were coming out and saying that McCain was grasping at straws on this.
McCain himself as used this same phrase in the past.
Posted by CVB | 29.09.08, 06:07 GMT
Hello from Wasilla Alaska!
Governor Palin is a neighbor, a friend and someone that GREATLY appreciated! She has worked hard and improved both our community and our state. As mayor she helped bring infrastructure & still reduced property tax. As governor she took on crooked politicians in her own party & the major oil companies. She has reduced spending, a small example: within the gov's own living expenses reduced > 100,000, drives her own vehicle, said no to the 'live-in chef' etc. She is a woman of integrity who has made some POWERFUL enemies by strictly working for the people. These enemies are responsible for the many 'fabrications' made about her and her family. Thirty-three lawyers sent by the Dem. Party could not find any 'dirt' on the Palin family, so they have made it up. The internet takes the lies and runs with them. There are NO journalistic standards anymore in American media! Just know this is a decent woman with a decent family. Sarah Palin IS a woman of integrity!
Posted by Jaiden | 29.09.08, 06:03 GMT
ATTENTION REPUBLICANS:
RE: SARAH PALIN
Obviously there has been a HUGE mistake…..
Palin’s Dribble, Weasel Wording, Mush-Mush, Asssss-Backwards speak Cleary demonstrates who carries the Down Syndrome trait in her family, because of this we (the democrats) will allow you to send her back to Wacky-silla without prejudice and select another candidate.
For this consideration the Republicans agree to sell Alaska to Russia (with Palin) and never mention the State of Alaska or her again.
The Democrats
Posted by The Democrats | 29.09.08, 05:59 GMT
As an intelligent American woman of Irish decent, I find Palin's nomination OFFENSIVE!!! This person has no experience in vital issues of international negotiations, national defense or national and economic issues. Further, she is anti-constitution, squelching civil rights and endorsing book bans, censorship, and (maybe the most scary) entertwining her religion with national objectives. She is a step back 100 years, and an embarrassment to free thinking people everywhere. She is a reactionist, not a negotiator, which is a cave-girl reaction to worlds she can't understand. I'm a regular citizen but my travels while in the military have taken me to many more times those than she's pretended to woo. She thinks we ought to teach creationism in schools, and that birth control is bad??
As a professional woman (communications engineer) and a patriot (20 year veteran) in the USA I find her nomination insulting, embarrassing, and frightening. Smart USA Women say NO PALIN.
Posted by Tracyliz | 29.09.08, 05:57 GMT
Sarah Palin is hated by a lot of women because women know themselves and are consequently afraid of a woman in the White House, It has nothing to do with issues or political stance because women rejected both Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton who are politically opposite from Palin. If women do not come to grips with their own fears of other women, we'll never see a woman in the White House.
Posted by Jim Mason | 29.09.08, 05:36 GMT
I don't know why you are stating these falsehoods. Obama has a substantial and growing lead over McCain and even neocons are realizing that Palin is an empty-headed, wrong choice. Today she said that humans and dinosaurs roamed the earth together. The lipstick comparison referred to McCain's attempt to describe his antiquated pro-war, pro-rich policies as "change", not that Palin was a pig. Read the transcript.
Posted by Jack | 29.09.08, 05:03 GMT
"Lipstick on a pig" was used to describe Senator McCain's behavior of dressing up old ideas in flashy new packages. Mrs. Palin was not part of that discussion. Senator McCain has been quoted in using the same analogy.
Posted by Kathryn | 29.09.08, 04:56 GMT
ERROR: McCain is NOT Irish American. He is of Scottish and English blood. His family has been in the US since the 1600s. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT.
Posted by Gleek | 29.09.08, 04:28 GMT
Obama has actually stronger Irish roots than McCain. It's strange that you would only characterise McCain (whose heritage is Scots-Irish) as the Irish-American.
Posted by Brendan | 29.09.08, 04:25 GMT
To clarify and elaborate, with all due respect: the tabloid pieces on Palin here have had far less weight and merit compared to her own self-destructive performances in thoughtful, televised interviews fairly probing her views on crucial issues of the day. Editors: have a look at conservative Kathleen Parker's public lament in the National Review, including a call for Palen to step down.
Posted by Todd Billeci | 29.09.08, 04:10 GMT
Sarah Palin is an idiot, lets not forget who takes over as President if McCain dies in office, if Bush wasn't enough of a BLEEP up what do you think will happen another dip___ like Palin becomes president, we're all bleeped. All we need is another refried hallelujah sister pumper in office.
Posted by Thom | 29.09.08, 03:55 GMT
There is no question that Sarah Palin is not ready to be VP of the United States. I am not a big Fan of Obama, but I have to tell you that I would feel much more comfortable with the Obama/Biden ticket than McCain/Palin. I was having a very difficult time deciding whom to vote for in this election. When John McCain selected Sarah Palin, my vote was decided. I was a big McCain fan in 2000 and felt like he was the person that could bring both parties together to get things done. Then, I was palnning on voting for him this election. There is no way that I could cast a vote for Sarah Palin. It is not because she is a women, but the fact that she has demonstrated that she cannot deal with the national stage and the issues. She is not ready and I think that this venture will destroy her in the end. She is most likely to be voted out of office in Alaska if this gets uglier for her. The selection makes no sense to me at all. I was shocked that Rom or Huck were not selected. Mistake
Posted by Steve Peeler | 29.09.08, 03:50 GMT
This article is riddled with errors. McCain does not have a lead over Obama. Most polls as of Sept 28 show Obama with a 5-6 point or higher lead. Also, when Obama made the "lipstick on a pig" comment, he was clearly referring to McCain's policies, not to Sarah Palin. What you call a "master stroke" by McCain (choosing Palin) is turning into a political disaster.
Posted by jann | 29.09.08, 02:48 GMT
"After Obama blundered by comparing her gimmicky appointment as like putting "lipstick on a pig," America's predominantly white "soccer moms" deserted him in droves. The apparently innocent quote, which may well come back to haunt Obama, was made at a rally in which he quipped: "You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig."
Now according, to a Washington Post survey, a narrow lead for Senator Obama has become a substantial one for McCain."
Just how long ago was this just-published article written? The above quote evinces complete ignorance to the developments of the past few weeks (Obama is leading again in polls), and the absence of any mention of Palin's interviews with Charles Gibson and Katie Couric are similarly suspicious.
Posted by lux | 29.09.08, 02:01 GMT
36 Comments