You may like her. You may not. But regardless of what the majority of politicos and pollsters are saying about her, Sarah Palin is emerging as one of the most recognizable pop culture icons of our time.
She is the focus of the healines this week on the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, The Huffington Post, etc.
And further, she’s a person of faith who is doing what so many faith-based politicians have been unable to do: she’s stepping out from the conventional wisdom and making decisions according to her own faith and conscience,rather than being governed by the conventional wisdom or prevailing trends of the day.
How refreshing!
The blogosphere and the mainstream media have agreed that her choice to step down as the Governor of Alaska was surprising and atypical. Her speech seemed somewhat awkward and her hastily arranged press conference seemed uncanny at best and creepy at worst. But consider what she achieved:
• A typically dead news day (Friday) came alive and on the July 4th weekend as she was the talk of many a picnic and party;
• She somehow displaced Michael Jackson from media dominance;
• She achieved new status as the FBI broke policy to comment that they are NOT investigating her, as was being widely reported in mediabuzzland;
• Anticipation for her upcoming book is certainly high;
• She’s more recognizable than any governor in the country except for Ah-nold, at least among those who aren’t having affairs;
• All sorts of options lie ahead for her, including political commentator, organizational founder, evangelical spokesperson, business woman and, of course, possible senatorial or Presidential candidate.
What’s known is that Sarah Palin is mostly ostracized among liberals and criticized in the mainstream media, while being praised and adored in conservative circles. What’s forgotten is that as recently as last month she was polling close to 50% among independents, the ones who decide elections, buy books, watch TV, and the ones who may soon recognize she is, at her core, a faith-based version of one of their own.
posted July 7, 2009 at 11:29 am
How can you defend Sara Palin with Christian Values? Do you not read the Bible? My understanding of the Bible is we are supposed to be the the care takers of this world. And what has she done with her “Drill, Baby, Drill” attitude? Can’t say taking care of this great planet! How about the killing of the wolves? Is that taking care of the creatures God intrusted us with? I only hope she means it when she says she is out of the government for good. Even her lanugage is not of a Christian. She is beautiful and she should be thankful for what she has been given. But I do not want her as my President and anything else. She a fake!
posted July 7, 2009 at 12:07 pm
So, how “refreshing” would it be if she did get elected president and quit after 2 1/2 years because of all the mean things people say. Is this the kind of leader we need for America? She is an opportunist and a quitter!
posted July 7, 2009 at 12:56 pm
SHE WAS PLUCKED OUT OF OBSCURITY FOR A REASON. I CAN’T BELIEVE ANYONE WOULD THINK HER QUALIFIED TO BE VICE PRESIDENT OR EVEN A STEP AWAY FROM BEING PRESIDENT.
WHAT I GATHER, THE MCCAIN CAMPAIGN THOUGHT THAT BARAK OBAMA WAS SO UNQUALIFIED, THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD GET AWAY WITH NOMINATING SOMEONE WHO WAS ALSO LESS THEN QUALIFIED. THEIR OWN “CELEBRITY” IN THE MAKING.
THERE WERE PLENTY OF QUALIFIED, CONSERVATIVE WOMEN WHO COULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED WITH SEN. MCCAIN.
WHAT THEY GOT WAS A PERSON WITH A LITTLE STYLE AND NO SUBSTANCE.
SHE IS NOT A MAVERICK. JUST IRRATIONAL.
posted July 7, 2009 at 4:04 pm
I am confused how you qualify Sarah Palin as being a “faith-based” person from the contents of your article. You have done nothing but point out clearly that Palin is a person who has over stayed her 15 minutes of fame. Diverting the news from Michael Jackson??? Seriously, if a voter is supposed to base the qualifications of an individual for a seat of power as a public offical in government off an individual’s smile and wink, along with how much media attention they have, then this country has much greater problems than it can imagine. So, is it appropriate for “faith-based” Palin during the campaign to falsely accuse Obama of being a terrorist, or having ties to terrorist? Is lying no longer viewed as a sin among fundamental evangelical Christians? As a “faith-based” parent, should Palin have placed her family in second place to the lure of fame and power? She has a child who has special needs, and a daughter who apparently needed a little more oversight and parental guidance before finding herself pregnant, while Palin was off obviously pursing her own selfish desires for power. How can Palin justify a run for the White House, when she cannot even manage her own personal issues nor can she keep her commitments to the voters of Alaska? It is unfortunate that this blog post is only solidifying the beliefs of those who see nothing of sustenance in Palin as a political figure and making the already existing star struck Christian-right come to the conclusion they are justified. Maybe you should focus on Palin’s policies, achievements, and political maneuvering as an objective fact that can be discussed, versus her popularity. Popularity, faith, along with a wink and a smile can only take someone so far in the world of politics before they have to actually bring something to the table, or be replaced by more qualified candidates. I guess Nietzsche was right when he wrote, “The more abstract the truth you want to teach, the more thoroughly you must seduce the senses to accept it.” The GOP is in shambles right now! It is supposed to be the party of God and family, yet is apparently on the party of Fame and Affairs, while looking to sensationalism in politicians such as Palin to find its bearings. It is truly sad when politics and religion find themselves in bed together for mutual gain, but then again I guess for many on the religious/political-right, adultery is no longer a sin, political or physical.
posted July 7, 2009 at 6:03 pm
WOW, I am sure glad that GOD is the final judge and not the helpers that ate commenting. Sure Sara is not a polished politician but I think that is a plus, sort of proof that the corruption has not took hold yet.
She still is my favorite Govenor..
posted July 7, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Sarah Palin…once in a land far, far away, she was the vice presidential candidate for a suffering Repubican party. In that land far, far away she was fortunately defeated…as was her running mate.
Now she can’t finish the 17 months she has left of her elected office, governor of Alaska, because she wants to save the state money AND she didn’t want to be a lame duck? She is already “lame”. She was fishing tonight on TV. She is better at that, I expect. Maybe she’ll find another “gig”, just not an elected one…and if she accepts another job doing whatever, maybe she’ll stick with it.
posted July 8, 2009 at 6:38 am
Sarah Palin is not president material. She is obviously not govenor material either as a committed elected official would not run; abandoning the post and their constituents. If the buzz is correct –then she concluded quitting while ahead would be wise as I personally believe she has broke some ethic regulations and is possibly facing that.She is shrewd enough to cover her back first and foremost whatever it takes. If it is to pursue her own agenda then that as well is a poor excuse to not finish the term she committed to . She owes that to the people pf Alaska that voted her in if nothing else.
During the presidential race I was disgusted by the dirt she slung and outright lies she told regarding President Obama. As a rightous Christian she was arrogantly manipulative and coniving to bring her pregnant daughters boyfriend/fiance’- bringing him along on the campaign as damage control to polish up and preserve her whitewashed family image then, after the baby was born and election lost the boyfriends family suddenly became “whitetrash” and this poor kid was denied his right to see and spend time on his terms with his child. Talk about a pawn in a game. This family does not strike me as practicing what they preach but then again that is a common charicteristic thread in the Republican Party.
posted July 9, 2009 at 11:36 am
My problem with Palin is her “family” values that allowed her to sentence an innocent child to a life of severe retardation because she was too self-centered to abort a downs syndrome child, and then to add an exclaimation point to her “slave to her fertility” mindset, she dragged her pregnant teenage daughter onto the stage.
This isn’t pro-life its pro-breeder mentality and its bad for everyone around her.
She’s liable to do whatever she can to take away the right to contraception from women who actually DO think and CAN control their fertility.
posted July 15, 2009 at 5:49 am
Sarah Palin is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. How can evangelical christians be so gullible? Do they not look past a person’s rhetoric? Do they not look at a person’s character? She shoots helpless animals from airplanes. She has lied – repeatedly and publicly, and then is arrogant and remorseless when confronted about it. She encourages violence and division. She seeks money, power and fame and seems to have no interest or knowledge of substantive issues. She neglects her family in the pursuit of personal popularity. She chooses to ignore the fact that our earth is on the verge of complete and utter destruction, and would rather make money from the oil industry than speak the truth and save the lives of future generations. Her ignorance on politics aside, she is of immoral character and as a christian I would never, never vote for her. I think it is frightening that she is popular among christians, and I urge them to look beyond her faith-based words.