Sarah Palin wins praise as The Great (or much improved, anyway) Impostor
Dan Brawner
October 07, 2008
In her scathing editorial in the National Review, conservative columnist Kathleen Parker blasted Republican vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin for being "out of her league" after a disastrous interview with CBS´s Katie Couric-- even calling for Palin to drop out of the race. In that interview Palin cited among her foreign policy credentials that her home state of Alaska is close to Russia and oddly claimed that Russian warplanes had invaded Alaskan airspace. Palin also couldn´t think of any Supreme Court decision besides Roe v. Wade. In short, Palin honestly revealed herself to be an average person. But not the person ready to step into the second most powerful job on the planet.
Now, this week, Parker writes she is "relieved" after Palin appeared to hold her own in the debate with Democratic rival Sen. Joe Biden. But what really happened in the weeks between the Couric interview and the Biden debate? During that time, did Palin gain a depth of understanding and experience in international affairs? (Remember, she never even had a passport until last year!) Did she become an expert on constitutional law? Did she learn languages? Study the complexities of foreign cultures? Is she now able to make her way through the maze of macroeconomic possibilities? Can she now find Darfur on a map?
What apparently has so impressed Ms. Parker and many others about Palin´s performance in the Biden debate was that she was suddenly able to speak coherently on enough subjects to fill up the time allotted to her. Part of the reason for this lies in the shallow and unchallenging nature of the debate format. Another reason is that Palin often ignored the moderator´s questions and launched into her own talking points. Nevertheless, in fairness, Palin did seem pretty smooth and confident.
But the disturbing fact of the matter is that what Palin pulled off between the Couric interview and the debate is nothing that could not have been accomplished by a good community theater actor or a toastmaster. She learned her lines well, smiled and looked into the camera. A couple of weeks of coaching does not turn a rank amateur into a seasoned professional. It turns her into an impostor. And Parker should not be relieved by Palin´s sudden glossy façade. She should be scared to death because, if Palin deceives enough voters into believing she´s not just pretending to be capable, the country could actually end up in her hands.
Next to her running mate, What´s-His-Name, Palin at least looks like she has a pulse. But the economy is collapsing on our heads us like a coal mine disaster and this country is going to need something more substantial than Palin´s winking, gosh-darned good looks and homey homilies about America that sound like they were borrowed from the Mickey Mouse Club.
Now, this week, Parker writes she is "relieved" after Palin appeared to hold her own in the debate with Democratic rival Sen. Joe Biden. But what really happened in the weeks between the Couric interview and the Biden debate? During that time, did Palin gain a depth of understanding and experience in international affairs? (Remember, she never even had a passport until last year!) Did she become an expert on constitutional law? Did she learn languages? Study the complexities of foreign cultures? Is she now able to make her way through the maze of macroeconomic possibilities? Can she now find Darfur on a map?
What apparently has so impressed Ms. Parker and many others about Palin´s performance in the Biden debate was that she was suddenly able to speak coherently on enough subjects to fill up the time allotted to her. Part of the reason for this lies in the shallow and unchallenging nature of the debate format. Another reason is that Palin often ignored the moderator´s questions and launched into her own talking points. Nevertheless, in fairness, Palin did seem pretty smooth and confident.
But the disturbing fact of the matter is that what Palin pulled off between the Couric interview and the debate is nothing that could not have been accomplished by a good community theater actor or a toastmaster. She learned her lines well, smiled and looked into the camera. A couple of weeks of coaching does not turn a rank amateur into a seasoned professional. It turns her into an impostor. And Parker should not be relieved by Palin´s sudden glossy façade. She should be scared to death because, if Palin deceives enough voters into believing she´s not just pretending to be capable, the country could actually end up in her hands.
Next to her running mate, What´s-His-Name, Palin at least looks like she has a pulse. But the economy is collapsing on our heads us like a coal mine disaster and this country is going to need something more substantial than Palin´s winking, gosh-darned good looks and homey homilies about America that sound like they were borrowed from the Mickey Mouse Club.
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