By Barb Shelly, Kansas City Star editorial page columnist
Happy Independence Day.
There seem to be three prevailing theories about Sarah Palin's shocker announcement that she's resigning as governor of Alaska:
1) She's resigning ahead of a massive scandal.
2) It's a brilliant decision to rev up her presidential prospects.
3) It's another misguided, impulsive decision, and yet more evidence that Sarah Palin should never be president of the United States.
I lean toward No. 3. Sarah Palin is a very intriguing character, but she has no depth. She can work a crowd, but she can't debate policy. She can get herself elected governor of Alaska, but she can't finish out a single term. I think we'll see her giving speeches and becoming a fixture on the radio and TV talk shows. But she's going to have to show a lot more depth before people will trust her to hold a high national office.
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I am surprised that anyone
I am surprised that anyone gives a tinkers dam about Sarah Palin.
Surprise, Surprise Barb
You know absolutely squat about her reason for resigning but never let that prevent you from thinking the worst from someone who is a real threat to your womanhood.
Palin was a loser from day one
Why did anyone believe in her and now Parnell comes off as a total kiss-up. There are related posts at http://iamsoannoyed.com/?p=2048 and http://iamsoannoyed.com/?p=2052
Sarah the Fear Monger
I believe Obama is a break from the Age of Sloganeering. I don’t mean to suggest that he didn’t or doesn’t use slogans—he does. But Obama appears to me to have the capacity to recognize complexity. One of the reasons he won and remains fairly popular in the face of decisions people disagree with is that he talks to us like we are adults. This is relatively rare among Presidents.
There is a long history of anti-intellectualism in America and many Presidents have sought to at least partially hide their intelligence. If anti-intellectualism returns, Sarah Palin might have a bright future. She may be bright, but she hides it awfully well.
I believe anti-intellectualism was used by Hitler, Mao, and Stalin. Sarah's anti-Obama speeches reeked of despotism and fear mongering. She wants to lynch the intelligence of our nation.
Sarah
Sarah Palin was certainly a "Bridge To Nowhere".
The Age of Sloganeering
I largely agree with this post, though I am not very confident that Sarah Palin as passed to the ash heap of history. She has an undeniable ability to connect with many people and deliver slogans with power and conviction. Whether she thinks or cares about the complexity of the issues strikes me as an open question, though I have seen no evidence of it so far.
I believe Obama is a break from the Age of Sloganeering. I don’t mean to suggest that he didn’t or doesn’t use slogans—he does. But Obama appears to me to have the capacity to recognize complexity. One of the reasons he won and remains fairly popular in the face of decisions people disagree with is that he talks to us like we are adults. This is relatively rare among Presidents.
There is a long history of anti-intellectualism in America and many Presidents have sought to at least partially hide their intelligence. If anti-intellectualism returns, Sarah Palin might have a bright future. She may be bright, but she hides it awfully well.