There is a sort of kabuki theater going on between GOP stalwarts and the media right now over Sarah Palin. That her appointment completely undercuts McCain’s “experience” argument has caused otherwise sane Republicans to make fools of themselves by arguing that her leadership of the Alaska National Guard qualifies as national security experience, that her “executive experience” is more important than anything Barack Obama, Joe Biden – or, by implication, John McCain – has under their respective belts. The most absurd defense of her is that Alaska neighbors Russia – or even better, sits astride the North Korea missile pattern – and so she’s learned “by osmosis” about foreign policy.
I watch GOP bigwigs and pundits make this charge and I think to myself: “These guys obviously don’t believe this for a minute.”
Meanwhile, just about every two hours a new revelation emerges about Sarah Palin’s past – some of it unrelated to her character and ability to serve (Bristol’s pregnancy, Todd’s DUI), and others directly relevant (lying about opposing the Bridge to Nowhere, championing earmarks despite McCain’s assertions otherwise, firing people who don’t serve her personal agenda in Wasilla and Juneau).
The media feeding frenzy is made more urgent with the news that McCain’s team vetted Palin so late in the game, and with very little consideration for her political affiliations. Did they know that her husband belonged to the fringe far right Alaska Independence Party as recently as 2002, and that she delivered a warm welcome message to them this year? Did they know that she sat in church and listened to the leader of Jews for Jesus actually praise Palestinian terrorists for attacking “unsaved” Jews? Yes, she seems to have her own Reverend Wright and William Ayers in her background; did the McCain team know of this?
But Sarah Palin herself has been remarkably silent since her selection. She delivered three well-received speeches (except for the Hillary Clinton references, which have been removed). She is clearly articulate and energetic on the stump. But she has not held a single interview with the media and has been so sequestered at the RNC that she even gave up a chance to address Phyllis Schlafly’s organization.
Tonight the kabuki theater will continue. Sarah Palin WILL deliver a good speech, with passion and poignancy. The content of that speech – undoubtedly developed by the McCain team (not out of the ordinary for a convention speech anyway as we saw at the DNC) – will be tailored to McCain’s new message of reform. And the right-wing delegates in the hall will love every second of it.
If the media acts “pleasantly surprised” by any of the above, they are merely participating in the kabuki dance. It would be a shock if she pulled off a snoozer, or gave an off-message far-right speech, or the people in the XCel Energy Center reacted tepidly. This isn’t just “expectations setting.” It’s reality.
But that moment of theater still won’t tell us anything about Sarah Palin. A media-savvy politician knows how to give a good speech. Just like with Barack Obama, the proof was beyond the large-scale speeches, and in the more thoughtful responses to questions from voters and from the media. Obama is a bit more halting in these settings, and he often seems to think out loud. For some, it’s a sign that Obama doesn’t know what he thinks; for others, it’s a sign that Obama takes questions seriously. Either way, we have some idea what his thought process really is not through his large scale inspiring speeches, but in his interactive moments.
After tonight, we will still be waiting for those interactive moments with Sarah Palin. I have criticized her not for her inexperience but for her lack of engagement with national and international affairs. She will not prove me wrong tonight by reading a speech. She could prove me wrong, however, by answering questions unprompted. We will still be waiting after tonight.