Mark Steyn Weighs In On Sarah Palin
Cutting bait [Mark Steyn]
With respect to many of the Palinologists below, I think they’re getting way too hepatomantic over the entrails.
As a political move for anything other than the 2010 Senate race, today’s announcement is a disaster. And I’m not sure it’s a plus for the Senate - and, even if it were, the manner and timing suggest it was not a professionally planned event and therefore is unlikely to have any grand strategy behind it.
So Occam’s Razor leaves us with: Who needs this?
In states far from the national spotlight, politics still attracts normal people. You’re a mayor or a state senator or even the governor, but you lead a normal life. The local media are tough on you, but they know you, they live where you live, they’re tough on the real you, not on some caricature cooked up by a malign alliance of late-night comics who’d never heard of you a week earlier and media grandees supposedly on your own side who pronounce you a “cancer”.
Then suddenly you get the call from Washington. You know it’ll mean Secret Service, and speechwriters, and minders vetting your wardrobe. But nobody said it would mean a mainstream network comedy host doing statutory rape gags about your 14-year old daughter. You’ve got a special-needs kid and a son in Iraq and a daughter who’s given you your first grandchild in less than ideal circumstances. That would be enough for most of us. But the special-needs kid and the daughter and most everyone else you love are a national joke, and the PC enforcers are entirely cool with it.
Most of those who sneer at Sarah Palin have no desire to live her life. But why not try to - what’s the word? - “empathize”? If you like Wasilla and hunting and snowmachining and moose stew and politics, is the last worth giving up everything else in the hopes that one day David Letterman and Maureen Dowd might decide Trig and Bristol and the rest are sufficiently non-risible to enable you to prosper in their world? And, putting aside the odds, would you really like to be the person you’d have to turn into under that scenario?
National office will dwindle down to the unhealthily singleminded (Clinton, Obama), the timeserving emirs of Incumbistan (Biden, McCain) and dynastic heirs (Bush). Our loss.
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One of the most interesting aspects to Sarah Palin’s announcement is the reaction from people..it’s very telling.
Shame on you Steyn.
Why “Shame on you”? I thought it was a brilliant piece.
For being a so-called conservative and using the word “disaster” while joining those sniffing around “entrails”.
Entering and remaining in politics is an intensely personal choice particularly for a genuine human being as opposed to a thug like Barry.
I don’t care what ‘pundits’ think about her decision. Give her space and pray she decides to help us in the future.
Now what was “brilliant” about Steyn eulogizing her in the manner he chose?
Because, politically, it would appear to be so.
The entire remainder of his piece gets to the heart of the matter, though. He shows that she’s a normal person (thankfully), and those that thrive in Washington (sadly) are the “unhealthily singleminded (Clinton, Obama), [incumbents] (Biden, McCain), and the dynastic heirs (Bush).”
Tlk is right that this is showing the character of the politicos commenting on it. Personally, I think very highly of Palin, and (at this point) think she got out to restore a little sanity to her family, and concentrate on raising her kids.
For her to step down is a slap in the face to those in both parties who have treated her shamefully. Which they all need. (and much more, in my opinion)
I see it as her stepping above the fray.
Of course, I could be proven wrong in the coming days.
When do you describe the “brilliant”?
I don’t see why it would be a “disaster”. Barry resigned as a junior Senator to run for POTUS after only… what… 2 years or so? Him with zero executive experience and as we’ve seen the last months, zero executive talent.
Repubs and Conservatives are showing their ass calling any decision she makes a “disaster”. Shows THEY are sensitive to the Dem attack machine.
Words matter and those Steyn chose were not appropriate as a ‘conservative’ pundit.
Uh, Obama didn’t resign as Senator to run for President.
And both Steyn and I were praising her decision.
Methinks your remarks are a bit hypersensitive.
Again, when will you describe the “brilliant” in the Steyn essay? Is it only because you agree?
And (uh) yes it’s of course correct that I mis-spoke about the Obama resignation but he did start campaigning almost immediately after ‘winning’ the Senate. Resigning upon ‘winning’ after about 2+ years replete of consequence other than seeking higher office. Yet salient points like the ineptitude of TheOne have been left out by Steyn. He’s not alone… Rove and other ‘pundits’ are guilty as well of blathering on about Palin and taking their eye off the real enemy.
Too bad. I normally agree with Steyn but I don’t here. There’s no good excuse for him to eulogize her.
And it’s not “hypersensitive” to call him out for the clear double standard he has used in this essay.
I believe I have offended you, and for that I apologize. It was not my intent.
I don’t at all think that Steyn was eulogizing Palin, or showing any disrespect toward her decision. Rather, I believe he was lamenting the type of person politics attracts, as well as the attacks made on Palin, her family, and her decision.
I guess we both interpreted the article differently.
Cheney-Cheney 2012
In a fair world, yeah.