Since the election ended, Sarah Palin has been talking to lots of reporters, defending her record and her part in the failed campaign. And the bloggers I read have kept a sharp focus on her lies, distortions, and gaps in basic knowledge of national policy.
Is this just some kind of personal vendetta against Palin? No, as Sullivan argues, the media's treatment of Palin, and the fact that she got 46% of the vote, tells us an important lesson about our society. A candidate who is largely a sham can get pretty close to power.
But I'd go a step further than that. I think it's important to keep talking about Palin, not just because of what it tells us about America, but also because she is an actual threat to run in 2012. She clearly has national ambitions and a dedicated base. With four more years of tutoring, she can probably learn to speak on the issues about as competently as George W. Bush did in 2000. And we elected him twice.
So as much as I'm happy that America repudiated the cynical politics of this campaign, I also wouldn't underestimate our ability to be fooled by it again. That's why the lies, extremism, incompetence and unseriousness of this potential presidential candidate need to be exposed.
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i don't understand why the republican aides are attacking her now though. take the responsibility that you chose her and stop making the republican party look more ridiculous. it's true that the things that are coming out about her are disturbing...the rumor that she didn't know that africa was a continent not a country or which countries participated in NAFTA are horrifying, nevertheless i think it makes the republicans look even more pathetic to hide behind her for their poor run for presidency.
then again, go ahead keep blaming her and make yourself look ridiculous, unorganized, and overall more in shambles, i don't mind. that just makes the choice of obama that much greater!
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