Least Shocking Assertion of the Day
Memeorandum is abuzz with the following ABC story: Sarah Palin Says She Could Beat Obama (indeed, it is sufficiently big news that the BBC went all international on the story: Palin says she could beat Obama).
The startling revelation comes from an interview with Barbara Walters:
Asked Walters: "If you ran for president, could you beat Barack Obama?"
"I believe so," Palin said.
And did anyone expect her to say anything other than that? Since it is pretty obvious that she is considering a run doesn’t that, by definition, mean that she thinks she has a shot at winning?
“Since it is pretty obvious that she is considering a run doesn’t that, by definition, mean that she thinks she has a shot at winning?”
Not in the least. It may very well mean that she thinks the publicity of losing will help her celebrity-pundit career more than sitting on the sidelines. All the media criticism she racks up will help with the martyrdom narrative as well.
I saw that clip on Morning Joe. Her words were yes, her tone was no. In fact the tone was striking. A little funny, but in the end, sad.
The dissonance in her tone is because she dreads the thought that she might actually win. It would be a terrible experience for her, and she knows it: remember, she had to get out of Juneau after a couple years because running Alaska left her too bogged down in obligations.
Palin’s already exactly where she wants to be in life. Parachuting into media-ready events, scripted banter in prime time, a podium to criticize without any accountability, etc. Unfortunately for her, being a fringe politician means going through the motions of desiring a more ambitious role. Otherwise her celebrity wattage plummets. So we’ll be treated to this faux campaign where she’ll try to rack up a primary win or two to assuage her ego and then be more than content to bow out and claim a kingmaker role.
Thanks heavens the PDS carriers have been heard from.
I shudder to think what life would be like without their broken record and facile, out-of-touch commentary.
There is no way she would answer that question any other way, considering she has a book coming out in a couple of days. Gotta keep people dangling so they’ll stay interested and buy her book!
Here’s my prediction: there’s no way she’s running for president. TV/Internet celebrity pays much more, requires no responsibility or tough decision making, and is all she really wanted anyway.
Actually, I think many politicians would answer something along the lines of “that’s for the American people to decide”. So it’s at least a little surprising she didn’t go that route. Can’t say it’s all that big a deal, though.
(if Obama dared to say that he could beat Palin, the right would go nuts saying how entitled/smug/arrogant he is)
“I shudder to think what life would be like without their broken record and facile, out-of-touch commentary.”
Indeed, just like how life woul be without those who suffer from ODS…
“(if Obama dared to say that he could beat Palin, the right would go nuts saying how entitled/smug/arrogant he is)”
And everyone else could note how he was simply telling the truth…