Beyond the Palin?

At times it seems like there really are no other stories in American politics beyond President Obama attempting to govern amid a political climate dominated equally by the inflexible and the imbecilic, John McCain abandoning the principled stands that once made him one of the few politician's worthy of genuine admiration and Sarah Palin. Some would argue that those three items are really just different facets of the same narrative. There's a case to be made for that view but even if it's true Sarah Palin screams out for attention, literally and figuratively.

In particular, it's fascinating to see the burgeoning war of words between the former governor and the so-called Republican elites who question whether she's really a good candidate for the presidency in 2012. The comments from Republican establishment figures, mainly in the Reagan/Bush axis, are hardly surprising considering how many people seem to blame her for the loss of the 2008 election. To some extent, Palin's instinct to return fire is equally unsurprising, as she never seems to have met a petty dispute she didn't like, but it's also very revealing about why she is and is likely to remain a deeply flawed candidate.

Put simply, Palin just doesn't know when (or maybe even how) to take the high road. After all, why would she want to do that when it's so much easier to dismiss Barbara Bush and family as "blue bloods" instead of taking a step back to understand why so many in the party have a problem with her? The reason, of course, is that her itchy-trigger-finger responses do nothing to address the concerns about her experience but rather serve to emphasize two troubling aspects of her mindset.

One of these points really concerns just the Republican party itself, while the other should concern the electorate at large. Looking at reactions to Palin from within the GOP circles, there are times when it seems like Palin's lack of policy knowledge/experience is almost a secondary offense next to her lack of respect for Ronald Reagan's legacy. Whatever one thinks of Reagan's presidency, when Palin equates her TV celebrity and experience as a state governor to Reagan's pre-White House experience, it isn't hard to see why it rubs a lot of people the wrong way. Reagan's film career may not have been the stuff of legend, but he put in the work and was clearly respected by his peers. Similarly, Palin's partial term as Alaska's governor and resignation from that office don't stack up to two terms as governor of a state that in itself would rank as one of the world's largest economies. In short, whatever comparisons she herself might like to draw, all but get fiercest partisans (and, alas, John McCain) seem to respond, "you're no Ronald Reagan." Positioning herself as Reagan's equal rather than his heir shows a lack of proper respect that doesn't sit well for a large cohort of a very tradition-oriented party.

On a more general level, the part that should trouble everyone with a vote in the 2012 elections, regardless of party affiliation, is Palin's shoot-first-think-later mentality. As much as Palin may want to argue that a leader needs to respond decisively, this proud hunter seemingly doesn't appreciate the value of not going off half-cocked. If she can't keep her cool when a fellow Republican offers a critique, it's fair to wonder if she has the capacity to deal calmly with a real crisis.

Sadly, though, Palin seems happier to paint herself as a victim of elites within her own party than consider whether they might gave a valid point. In the short term, this doubtless will play well with her followers but, when it becomes time to move beyond that power-base and woo the party at-large, I suspect that approach will leave many unconvinced.

Interestingly, the model course of action to prove her GOP naysayers wrong has already been road-tested by the man who job Palin hopes to take in 2012. With President Obama unlikely to be challenged for re-election, the 2008 primaries seem awfully distant now. Lost in the haze of hindsight is the wariness many in the party establishment felt toward the upstart Senator's prospect's in the general election. Though nearly all acknowledged his charisma, many raised questions about whether he was qualified to be President (sound familiar?). Rather than complain about the party establishment trying to keep him out, he did what all good politicians need to do (indeed something he arguably needs to do more these days), he fought his way through to victory. 

The sometimes bitter fight doubtless led to many bruised feelings. It also led to an administration with a mixed but tangible record of accomplishment that includes two of the current President's former opponents. It's a model the former governor would be smart to emulate, but I doubt she has either the intellect or temperament to do so.