I got it wrong in my last posting. At least, I got it partly wrong. I wrote then that Sarah Palin was unqualified to be Vice-President because she was unqualified to be President if the need arose. And that her selection on a McCain ticket was thus a grievous mistake.
I still agree with the first part of that evaluation. She’s certainly not qualified. But as for the grievous mistake part, well, I missed that one by a mile.
Let’s be honest. Whoever wins in November isn’t going to shape U.S. policies to any great extent. Decisions made in past years (and still being made by Bush & Company) will determine what can and can’t be done. Most really major decisions will be made by other governments and the bond market. Whoever becomes President is going to be reacting to these demands, not initiating big new programs of his own.
Enter Sarah Palin. This woman brings an entirely new element to the national scene. Something missing since a sexually-dysfunctional Bill Clinton got it on with a trailer-park-quality partner named Monica in an alcove of the Oval Office. Palin would bring dysfunctionality back to the national scene in a major way, and giving it a family dimension.
We need someone in the “Big Four” whose sister requires backroom clout to get the right divorce settlement. We need someone whose high-school-aged daughter is having a kid out of wedlock. We’ve learned about these things just days after the announcement of her getting on the Republican ticket. Imagine what will come out when the National Enquirer gets on the case!
We’ll laugh, we’ll cry, we’ll argue and furiously point fingers as this woman enters our lives, almost certainly by way of some new personal upheaval. Dick Cheney gave us the imperial vice-presidency. Which was really kind of high falutin’ Beltway stuff when you think about it. Palin would bring to her next job a focus we can all easily understand and relate to: A Dr. Phil and Dr. Dan vice-presidency that will help us weather the hard times ahead.
Why? For the simple reason that it will be entertaining. Our government is going to be hard pressed to do the bread thing in years to come. The least we still have a right to expect is some circus.
Great choice, John McCain. You saw the need and filled the gap. Now, if you happen to win in November, just stay healthy. Then we can all enjoy the Palin follies from a safe distance.