Palin's confident, chirpy performance last night was appealing at first, especially by comparison to Joe Biden's stuffiness. But it did not wear well with me. In the debate's second half, I found myself responding more to Biden's gravitas as they discussed foreign affairs. Palin's folksy "you betcha" demeanor undermined confidence in her ability to handle a serious crisis. It brought to mind police chief Marge Gunderson in the great film "Fargo," and it irritated me. I thought: "This is heavy stuff, stop it with the welcome-wagon shtick."
Having said that, Sheriff Marge was the hero of "Fargo," and her you-betchaness concealed her fundamental seriousness, while at the same time telegraphing a foursquare simplicity that, in the end, revealed the greatness of her character. Perhaps it does with Palin as well.
Watch this. It's hilarious.
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"anonymous" at 5:28 PM (Oct. 3, 2008:
"I can't think of ugly enough words to describe her, but based on responses like Reaganite's I guess she's right in line with the (lack of) compassion of many people."
Lack of compassion? No, I have compassion for "Biden the person" who grieves privately (one hopes) over his loss of 38 years ago. I certainly have compassion for people who, like Biden, still grieve over the loss of a loved one. Who among us hasn't experienced this kind of loss?
But I don't have compassion for "Biden the politician" who "uses" this story -- and the objectifies these dead members of his family -- in order to score a political point.
Call me old-fashioned, but I am one of those folks who winces every time someone gets on one of these day-time talk shows and lays out -- for the whole nation to watch, hear and consume -- their troubles and emotional pain. This Oprah-as-confessor mentality, where people objectify their troubles and trade them in for 15 mintues of fame, is dehumanizing. But it is apparently the fashion of the times and explains why a Biden feels it necessary to "share" his burdens with the whole nation. On cue. At a nationally-televised VP debate.
Reaganite, it's sad to see how you place your political party allegiance so far above your basic humanity.
"Sure, and if he's elected VP, you'll be hearing multiple retellings of "his story" straight from the mouth of Joe Biden in the years to come.... But don't think for a second that Joe Biden doesn't know that. And work it to his advantage.
Let's change these words a bit, in "sauce for the goose is sauce for the
gander mode":
"Sure, and if he's elected POTUS, you'll be hearing multiple retellings of "his [POW] story" straight from the mouth of John McCain in the years to come....
But don't think for a second that John McCain doesn't know that. And work it to his advantage."
"anonymous" at 9:12 AM: "Reaganite, it's sad to see how you place your political party allegiance so far above your basic humanity."
Fine, if you think Joe Biden just spontaneously erupted with emotion the other night, that's your right. But I would remind you that it was he -- and he alone -- who chose to "use" the memory to bolster his "just one of the folks" credentials. He -- and he alone -- brought it up out of nowhere. I can imagine his wife in heaven moaning to herself the other night and saying, "Gee, Joe, give it a rest already. I'm tired of MY tragedy being used as a prop in another one of YOUR endless campaigns for public office."
Maybe, "anonymous," your're one of those folks who enjoys watching day-time talk shows with their "victims" sobbing for the cameras on cue and perhaps you think that's the way humans should emote and communicate with another. Perhaps that makes Joe Biden your kind of guy.
If so, do you REALLY enjoy being played like a fiddle?
The inherent hypocrisy in your argument, Reaganite, is that you immediately assume it's insincere not because you have some heightened ability above everyone else to tell that it is but simply because you don't like the messenger. If Sarah Palin had brought up a similar story in her life (assuming she had one) would we even be having this conversation?
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