Peggy Noonan in today’s WSJ:
“The elites hate her.” The elites made her. It was the elites of the party, the McCain campaign and the conservative media that picked her and pushed her. The base barely knew who she was. It was the elites, from party operatives to public intellectuals, who advanced her and attacked those who said she lacked heft. She is a complete elite confection. She might as well have been a bonbon.
“She makes the Republican Party look inclusive.” She makes the party look stupid, a party of the easily manipulated.
“She shows our ingenuous interest in all classes.” She shows your cynicism.
“Now she can prepare herself for higher office by studying up, reading in, boning up on the issues.” Mrs. Palin’s supporters have been ordering her to spend the next two years reflecting and pondering. But she is a ponder-free zone. She can memorize the names of the presidents of Pakistan, but she is not going to be able to know how to think about Pakistan. Why do her supporters not see this? Maybe they think “not thoughtful” is a working-class trope!
“The media did her in.” Her lack of any appropriate modesty did her in. Actually, it’s arguable that membership in the self-esteem generation harmed her. For 30 years the self-esteem movement told the young they’re perfect in every way. It’s yielding something new in history: an entire generation with no proper sense of inadequacy.
On the Noonan piece:
Noonan goes on to explain why this matters, why neither the USA nor the GOP has room for these pissy little faux-populist posturing and political gamesmanship. It’s a powerful column, and a true one. I know you’re about as sick as I am of reading and talking about Palin, but no kidding, you should read the whole thing.
Noonan, methodically and thoroughly, simply takes Palin apart, detailing the governor’s inability to be thoughtful, unwillingness to learn what others think, reluctance to explain or even understand her own policy positions, and tendency to say things that are “scattered, illogical, manipulative and self-referential to the point of self-reverence.”
Noonan concludes that we’re in an era in which the nation leads “conservative leaders who know how to think” and a Republican Party that is “serious, as serious as the age, because that is what a grown-up, responsible party — a party that deserves to lead — would do.”
From Noonan’s keyboard to the party’s ears.
For a different take, Matthew Continetti in TWS:
Palin’s unconventionality and authenticity is the key to her appeal. She may move contrariwise to elite opinion in Washington and New York, but doing so strengthens her bond with conservative Republicans across the country. The things that make liberals bug-out at the first mention of Palin are exactly the ones that rally conservatives to her side. Liberals view Palin’s resignation as a sign of weakness. Conservatives view it as attractive nonconformity. “To her credit,” Dittman said, “she just didn’t tip off a few people and go through the motions for a year and a half.”
Why is Palin leaving? At this writing, there is no reason to doubt her stated position: Her enemies’ concerted efforts to tear her down have caused her family financial stress and distracted her from her duties as governor. Since she returned to Alaska in November 2008, she has been hemmed in. Ethics complaints, insults, invective, undue attention, and legal bills have been all-consuming. “I can’t fight for what’s right when I’m shackled to the governor’s seat,” Palin said. For the last seven months the governor’s office has been a ward. A trap. She is breaking free.
And liberal (and other) bloggers go after him:
Conor Friedersdorf in TAS:
In the meantime, congrats to Matthew Continetti on his new pr gig.
Isaac Chotiner in TNR:
After having clicked on the link and dutifully read Continetti’s “report”,” I think Friedersdorf is being marginally unfair. Surely most press represenatives would feel slightly reticent about slobbering all over their boss in the way that Continetti does over Palin.
Well, you have to give the Weekly Standard this: it takes a special level of hackery to keep writing starry-eyed puff pieces about Palin at this late date. I’m looking forward to Michael Goldfarb’s forthcoming book, Palin Country: How Sarah Palin Became a Superlatively Amazing Governor Vice Presidential Candidate Hoover of Wingnut Lecture Circuit Cash While Driving Liberals Crazy.
UPDATE: Hot Air’s Doctor Zero on Noonan.
UPDATE #2: Wonkette on Noonan
Frum on the Continetti piece, on the Palin quotes.
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July 13, 2009 at 9:10 pm
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