Our political Quote of the Day comes from Commentary blogger Jonathan Tobin who notes how Sarah Palin (WHAT ELSE?) went on the attack when Fox News’ (OF COURSE) Bill O’Reilly asked her about columnist Charles Krauthammer’s criticism that her reality TV show may not be burnishing her presidential image:
Her response was vintage Palin, combining a sort of schoolyard banter with bristling resentment. “Oooh. Sorry that I’m not so hoity-toity,” was the best she could come up with as a retort while gesturing that she was not someone who had to put her finger in the air to determine what to think, as if the intellectual yet down-to-earth conservative sage Krauthammer was some liberal media consultant. Just as disturbing as the obnoxiousness of her response was the vague thought that perhaps she’s not quite sure who exactly Krauthammer is. I know she probably isn’t reading his columns (which ought to be required reading for every serious student of politics and policy, no matter where they are on the political spectrum), but you’d think she watches the network where both appear regularly.
The reality is: Palin deals less in ideas than sheer, unadulterated attitude. And most of what she dabbles in is feuding and opposition. The START treaty? Can you guess her position (yep). But opposition and snark do not (yet at least) a national campaign make. MORE:
Palin’s popularity among Republicans continues to be high, and she will be a formidable contender for the GOP nomination if, as appears likely, she runs. But her appeal is limited to those who already share her views. Palin’s resentment of the Washington establishment and perhaps even of such intellectual gatekeepers of the conservative movement as Krauthammer may resonate with many conservative voters, but her attitude (which is the opposite of conservative icon Ronald Reagan’s genial responses to hostile media) alienates everyone else.
Everything she does and says lately seems geared toward reinforcing the negative opinion of that 60 percent already convinced that she isn’t qualified to be the commander in chief. And there’s simply no way that a person that six out of 10 voters wouldn’t vote for under any circumstances can be elected president.
So, rather than taunting people like Krauthammer, who merely said aloud what so many others are thinking about her unpresidential demeanor, maybe Sarah Palin ought to be waking up to the fact that she is simply unelectable.
What continues to be striking about Sarah Palin is about she has turned sheer resentment and snark into a whole political gig. And some GOPers are buying it. But, as this and other comments in recent weeks indicate — not all. And that “not all” means that if she runs some Republicans will either stay home or perhaps cast an anti-Palin vote. Already her book sales are seriously sagging. To be fair, Palin is now trying to branch out. She gave an interview to ABC News without once actually referring to a reporter as “limp” or “impotent” — phrases that even 10 years ago would have been a national political career killer since they suggest someone who doesn’t have the class to be President, even in an often sleazy profession such as politics.
But talk radio style shock sound bytes are now what it’s all about.
Or is it (some Republicans are increasingly asking)?
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.