Tuesday, September 30, 2008

The Palin Paradox

After a three year sabbatical, I have decided to return to my blogging efforts. The issue that has drawn me from my Platonic cave is a simple one, although it is seemingly pervasive in today's media culture. The issue has to do with Sarah Palin. Governor Palin is a woman of limited experience. Of that there is no doubt. The questions about the relative value of being a mayor of a small Alaska town, even being governor of Alaska are certainly legitimate. And they should be asked. Ok, so where is the paradox?

The paradox is simply this:Why are the Democrats spending so much time and effort attacking her? She is not running for President. She never was even mentioned as a pontential Presidential candidate. What possible purpose does it serve for Democrazts to attack this lady? Sure, I've heard the point that more undecideds will be motivated to vote for her than wil be motivated to vote for McCain. But it seems almost a suicidal tactic to attack Sarah Palin. Let me explore some reasons why:

1. Expirience. Her expirience as a mayor and a two year Governor is not what many people would consider proper for a Presidential candidate. But that is just the thing. She is not a Presidential candidate. She is the running mate of a presidential candidate. I can not remember this much scrutiny being heaped upon the pontential Senate tie breaker. It is bordering on rediculous, especially when one considers Obama's record. He is a Senator. A rookie Senator. He is seeking the highest executive office, while having absolutely no executive expirience. Palin has at least some executive expirience. To attack Palin's expirience can do nothing but hurt Obama. He is less expirienced, but seeks the higher office.

2. They are letting their true opponent off the hook. John McCain is Obama's opponent, not Sarah Palin. By attacking the running mate, the man that is the actual opponent is able to escape relatively unscathed. He can delinate his ideas while the Democrats denegrate Palin's failure to catch a reference to the now obscure "Bush doctrine". Democrats attempt to savage Gov. Palin are shockingly similar to the catty remarks of teenage girls when the popular girls walk by. It rarely seems that Gov. Palin is recognized for being who she is, John McCain's number two. By setting their sights so firmly on Palin, the Democrats real target, McCain is getting a free pass.

3. It is turning off receptive ears. The moderates are the key to any election. That is a given year in and year out. But by savaging this Vice-presidential nominee at the expense of comparing themselves to the man they are up against, they are turning off a large number of moderates who are turned off by this seemingly childish behavior. The time wasted on Sarah Palin would be better spent by the Obama campaign (or, as often is the case, their media mouthpieces) laying out thier plans. But this is not their strategy. Instead they attack a woman who will only be President if tradegy befalls Sen. McCain.

If you read the rest of my blog, you will likely draw the correct conclusion as to my political leanings. But I think Bill Clinton was absolutely correct when he advised against going after Palin, stating that this would only hurt the Obama campaign. But who knows? I may be way off base on this. That is why I started blogging to get my ideas out there and see what is right and what is wrong. So, as always: Disagree? Prove me wrong.

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