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Posted
Monday, October 06, 2008 1:50 PM
| By
Rachael Larimore
You're absolutely right, of course, to say that Sarah Palin has been a divider, not a uniter. I didn't see it because I wasn't looking for it. Even though I'm in a bit of a unique situation—I'm geographically planted in Ohio while spending my days virtually on the East Coast—at the end of the day, I'm one of those average folks in Middle America to whom Palin is speaking.
But if we can continue our conversation, I think it's important, while ackowledging the negativity, to ask, what does Sarah Palin have to gain from reaching out to East Coast elites, to the "residents of downtown Seattle" as you write? (And I think we can all agree that no one has ever lost points for running against "Washington insiders," right?) How many votes will that get her? Let's look at the reaction to her nomination. Obama spokesman Bill Burton made fun of the fact she was a small-town mayor (yes, Obama issued his own more tactful statement shortly after). Nancy Pelosi questioned John McCain's judgment. In the days between her debut in Dayton, Ohio, and her convention speech, critics and media members questioned her ability to juggle a campaign and an infant with Down syndrome, made fun of her kids' names, and demanded to see her son Trig's birth certificate. One of my personal favorite reactions came from the day after the speech, when the New York Times' David Carr wrote that before Palin arrived in St. Paul that "there was a lot of sniggering in media rooms and satellite trucks about her beauty queen looks and rustic hobbies, and the suggestion that she was better suited to be a calendar model for a local auto body shop than a holder of the second-highest office in the land" and, later, that "journalists wrinkled their noses in disgust when Piper, Ms. Palin's youngest daughter, was filmed kitty-licking her baby brother's hair into place. But to many Americans—including some I talked to in the convention hall—that looked like family church on Sunday, evidence of good breeding and sibling regard." [Emphasis mine.] I give him credit for his candor and for actually seeking out what ol' Joe and Jane Six-Pack thought of that moment, but what on earth can Sarah Palin do or say to win over people who think it's disgusting when a little girl spit-shines her tiny brother's hair, who chuckle about a governor as a "auto body shop" pinup girl? Since the financial crisis has hit, she has spoken to the concerns of all Americans, pointing out that she and her husband can relate because they've taken a hit in their 401(k) and their savings and because they worry about sending their kids to college. But I know you're looking for more from her. That's fair, and it's something the Republicans might regret if they lose this election.
You are also right that Obama gave an incredible speech at the 2004 convention. (His speech on race during the primaries was excellent, too.) I thought it was refreshing and different. But let's not forget that he also felt compelled to tell his wealthy audience at a San Francisco fundraiser that when people in other parts of the country struggle, "they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them." Let's not forget that he came to Ohio during the primaries and said he opposed NAFTA and criticized Hillary Clinton for supporting it, only to have an economic adviser reassure the Canadians that Obama wasn't about "fundamentally changing" the agreement. Obama talks of hope and change and uniting us all, but when push comes to shove, he can be just like any other politician, saying what he has to say to get elected.
If Obama wins, I hope he can be transformative, that he can make progress in helping Americans set aside their differences. I'm not such a partisan that I want to endure four years of misery just so the Republicans can take back the White House in 2012. If McCain wins and the "pit bull in lipstick" is down the hall in the West Wing, I hope they can accomplish the same thing. But, just like Palin said in her debate with Joe Biden, that in response to he credit crisis Americans need to step up and stop taking on debt that they can't afford and live within their means, the same goes for our discourse. We're not going to get anywhere, regardless of who's president, as long as we're calling one another Dumbocrats and Rethuglicans. If someone wants to convince me that President Bush is the devil, they shouldn't start out by calling him Chimpy McBushitler. Here in the friendly confines of our little blog, we tend to limit ourselves to healthy and respectful debate, but that doesn't happen everywhere.
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