Maghan McCaine describes in her new book "Dirty Sexy Politics" her reaction to hearing her father's choice for Vice-President, "Who the hell is Sarah Palin?" Her reaction is probably the same one most of us had when we heard Sarah Palin's name for the first time. From that moment forward Palin cemented her legacy in the political mind of America.
Her name is now synonymous with Tea Party and no one can deny she has political adeptness that seems to defy logic. The question though is does she deserve this position in Americas political pantheon? I believe she does not, I truly think she is, in the most literal sense, an accidental politician. Palin is adept at the use of wedge issues to gain support. In her first run at political office, city council, she campaigned on opposing closing Wasilla's bars two hours earlier. An issue that defies logic for her considering she is a member of a church that opposes drinking. When she ran for Mayor of Wasilla she introduced national or at the minimal state issues regarding abortion, gun rights and term limits. Issues that are divisive and almost rarely issues at local levels she used to divide and win. Her campainge was so effective making these issues front and center she was called Wasilla's first "Christian mayor."
This was the beginning of the Political career and campaign style of Sarah Palin. This style carried her through a republican primary, knocking off an incumbent Governor, and a few years later helping to knock out that same governor's daughter from a Senate seat. She did not even complete her first term before she was tapped to run for Vice-President, but these style stayed with her through the national spot light. This type of wedge issue is Palin's bread and butter, and it servers her well as she emerges as one of the Tea Party darlings.
What makes her the accidental politician is that she has no fresh ideas, she does not bring anything to the table but division and diversion of the real issues. The only thing Palin has going for her, and a consequence is what keeps her in the political spot light is her looks. If it was not for the fact she is sexually desirable by the masses of GOP men, she would have long ago been relegated to the dust bin of political history. She would have found her place next to all other failed Vice-Presidential nominees, never to be heard from again or to have been a faint memory to all but historians.
What will happen with Palin and her brand of politics? In my opinion this is nothing more than a form of negative campaign ads, and like negative campaign ads they are slightly effective at turning out the voters, but they are more effective at turning off your target audience and turning out your opposition. The Tea Party is doomed to fail, as I have blogged about in the past, the average Tea Party member cannot come to terms with how this country has changed and how it will continue to change. Palin and Beck will capitalize on it for the short term, but they, like the Tea Party will soon pass.
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