Palin Joining Fox News As "Commentator"

[Max]

I've been having an argument about this on my facebook wall all morning. My ultra-republican ex is obviously for Palin, but he has the typical republican tactic of mixing topics in attempt to get leverage on the "debate"..

Well, I guess the proof is in the pudding, isn't it? BO had a clean slate to spend all his political capital upon, and blew it - his plan was a failure. The dems are loosing VA, NJ, and now maybe MA. Unemployment is at 10% and getting worse, but nevermind, healthcare and pork spending are more important. To the original statement about FOX News and Palin - by your logic then, who cares? Fox News has such a tiny marketshare and the mainstream media is thriving, right? The crux here is that Palin is a threat to your base and could sway voters that might otherwise go moderate Democratic. That's the factor driving the left wing hysteria here. Either way the fact remains, liberalism and socialist policies are are failure and have no place in a capitalistic free country like America. But, we'll see what 2010 holds won't we?

First off, no one who is truly "moderate" or even remotely "left" would ever vote for Sarah Palin. She's hyper-conservative. And a fucking idiot, but clearly America will vote for idiots (see "Bush, George W." in the dictionary). Not to mention that unemployment isn't going to come in some easy fix, and let's completely gloss over the fact that republicans played a major part in creating the unemployment mess...

[Simon_Jester]

I think Palin is a whole different class of idiot from Bush, or is trying to appear to be. Bush was at most a half-idiot trying to pass for full as a way of appealing to full idiots; in private he showed a bit more brains than his public image would lead one to believe. Ignorant, yes, intellectually lazy, yes. But not quite as mindless as he's made out to be.

This seems to be a fairly common tactic on the far right wing: attempting to impersonate stupidity because you're trying to talk to an audience that wasn't very educated to begin with when you do not want their brains engaged. You don't want them to start thinking. You just want them to agree with you, so you act stupid even if you really aren't.

Palin takes that to a very high degree, to the point where she invariably makes a fool of herself even when it is not in her interests to do so. Either she's really dumber than Bush, or she's trying much harder to look dumb.

[Aasharu]

My argument is on dumber. Nothing she's ever said or done in public or private paints her as having any sort of actual intelligence. I mean, she seems to have barely squeaked through college, getting a degree in Journalism, then got elected in a rural town, got lucky and became governor, then got really lucky and became a VP pick, thus jumping into the national stage. Her entire career to this point seems to be more dumb luck and stupid idiots then any sort of intellectual plan on her part.

[Simon_Jester]

Thing is, even if she is of, say, average intelligence, she's got an incentive to play stupid.

And when I say "average" I mean average, center of the bell curve.

So she might not be as brick-stupid as she looks on TV, though I see no compelling evidence that she isn't. Certainly she's not as smart as I'd like to see in any public office at any level.

[UnderAGreySky]

Remember the time, when asked the question "Which newspapers do you read?" by some dirty rabid lefty liberal gotcha journalist, she answered with the most profound statement, "All of them"?

Well, guess what she answered when asked by another dirty liberal left-wing MSM attack dog, "Which founding father is your favourite?".

[Prannon]

What astonishes me about her interview with Glenn Beck is that she was so flagrantly unprepared for that question and didn't have any skill to hide it. The answer that she gave was so clearly thought up on the spot. I could hear the gears in her brain turning ever so slowly, grasping for something to say, anything, until she latched onto Washington and ran with it. That's the sort of thing I've done in interviews I was unprepared for, essay questions I was unprepared for, and so on and so forth.

So, she doesn't think about the founding fathers or the framers much. She doesn't really have a favorite, because she never really cared. That's what that interview said to me, along with the fact that she wasn't willing to admit that she's never once cared enough to figure out who her favorite founder was. The least she could have done was take a moment and think about it first.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Remember the time, when asked the question "Which newspapers do you read?" by some dirty rabid lefty liberal gotcha journalist, she answered with the most profound statement, "All of them"?

Well, guess what she answered when asked by another dirty liberal left-wing MSM attack dog, "Which founding father is your favourite?".

Wow...

I don't know which is more amazing.. That Palin seemed actually ignorant of naming a single Founding Father.. Or that GLEN BECK actually called her on it! Actually said "Bull crap" I mean, damn. I really hope I see this elsewhere in the "liberal" media! but i doubt it

[Teebs]

I think Palin is a whole different class of idiot from Bush, or is trying to appear to be. Bush was at most a half-idiot trying to pass for full as a way of appealing to full idiots; in private he showed a bit more brains than his public image would lead one to believe. Ignorant, yes, intellectually lazy, yes. But not quite as mindless as he's made out to be.

I had a conversation with someone who had actually been involved in international negotiations at a sufficiently high level that he had met Bush several times, and he said that in private he actually comes off as sharp and smart. Much as I hate it, he was probably not even a half-idiot.

[Simon_Jester]

On the other hand, for all I know Palin comes across as smarter (or at least less retarded) in private negotiations than her public image. She almost has to be smarter than she looks. There really are people that stupid, I know, but most of them are so much less successful in life than she is that it makes me wonder.

[General Zod]

On the other hand, for all I know Palin comes across as smarter (or at least less retarded) in private negotiations than her public image. She almost has to be smarter than she looks. There really are people that stupid, I know, but most of them are so much less successful in life than she is that it makes me wonder.

I suspect it's easier to sound intelligent when you don't have the pressure of knowing millions of people are hanging onto your every word. It's possible that they simply can't manage that kind of stress very well, but if so then they really shouldn't be in politics in the first place.

[Lonestar]

I had a conversation with someone who had actually been involved in international negotiations at a sufficiently high level that he had met Bush several times, and he said that in private he actually comes off as sharp and smart. Much as I hate it, he was probably not even a half-idiot.

A few years back some recordings of Bush phone conversations that were made without his knowledge were made public. The phone conversations took place during the '00 Campaign, and while he didn't sound like a particularly brilliant guy, he did seem much more articulate.

Likeswise, I have a coworker who worked at the WH Commas Agency when she was in the Army as a switchboard operator. Bush is a lot more articulate and less prone to wishy-washy answers when he talks on the phone, it seems.(In other words, if he doesn't know the answer, he either says "I don't know" or "I'll have to think about it"...which of course is much different from the "Decider" persona he puts on).

[Simon_Jester]

On the other hand, for all I know Palin comes across as smarter (or at least less retarded) in private negotiations than her public image. She almost has to be smarter than she looks. There really are people that stupid, I know, but most of them are so much less successful in life than she is that it makes me wonder.

I suspect it's easier to sound intelligent when you don't have the pressure of knowing millions of people are hanging onto your every word. It's possible that they simply can't manage that kind of stress very well, but if so then they really shouldn't be in politics in the first place.

In Bush's case I don't think that's true. He actively exploited his own image as a guy who fumbled the words on TV to project a likeable image to people who really were as simple as he appeared to be.

Palin might just be fumbling under pressure, though; I don't know enough about how she behaves in private to get a sense of how her public persona differs from her private one. But even there, keep in mind that she's consciously playing up the "I may not be a snooty over-educated elitist, but..." angle just like Bush is. That implies that she's at least aware of her own weaknesses and trying to spin them into strengths.

[Lonestar]

Palin might just be fumbling under pressure, though; I don't know enough about how she behaves in private to get a sense of how her public persona differs from her private one. But even there, keep in mind that she's consciously playing up the "I may not be a snooty over-educated elitist, but..." angle just like Bush is. That implies that she's at least aware of her own weaknesses and trying to spin them into strengths.

Remember during the '00 Election when a reporter gave him a "pop geography quiz"? I think he got 4 of the names of the Heads of States asked correctly, although in his defense he knew that Pakistan had "that general who overthrew the government" and flatout said "I don't know" to the rest.

Much different form "Oh I read ALL of the newspapers" and "Uh, uhm, collectively coming togather, uh...". Seriously, Palin is a Bimbo.

[General Zod]

Palin might just be fumbling under pressure, though; I don't know enough about how she behaves in private to get a sense of how her public persona differs from her private one. But even there, keep in mind that she's consciously playing up the "I may not be a snooty over-educated elitist, but..." angle just like Bush is. That implies that she's at least aware of her own weaknesses and trying to spin them into strengths.

Remember during the '00 Election when a reporter gave him a "pop geography quiz"? I think he got 4 of the names of the Heads of States asked correctly, although in his defense he knew that Pakistan had "that general who overthrew the government" and flatout said "I don't know" to the rest.

Much different form "Oh I read ALL of the newspapers" and "Uh, uhm, collectively coming togather, uh...". Seriously, Palin is a Bimbo.

I think the real clincher of Palin being an idiot is when she was asked to name the responsibilities of a Vice President during the VP debate, and gave the Dick Cheney definition.

[Serafina]

Well, considering that Palin is a young-earth creationists, had a preacher who practiced all kinds of funky stuff (he warded against witches, banished demons etc.) way before she was on any singnificant political level, i think it is quite likely that is is not just an image that she presents to the public.

Bush knew, more or less, his whole lifetime that he could go into high politics. Enough time to create an elaborate image.
Palin did not - so it is quite likely that she did those things because she is an idiot, instead of playing one.

[RedImperator]

Outside of a few Alaska-specific issues, Palin always seems to give rambling, "I didn't do my summer reading" answers to complex questions...and sometimes, apparently, simple ones like "Who's your favorite Founding Father?" She's politically savvy and knows how to work a crowd, but it's pretty obvious she's not very book smart. I don't know if it's stupidity or just laziness; the genuinely stupid in this country tend to flounder around until they go to jail or die, not get elected governor.

[Simon_Jester]

Remember during the '00 Election when a reporter gave him a "pop geography quiz"? I think he got 4 of the names of the Heads of States asked correctly, although in his defense he knew that Pakistan had "that general who overthrew the government" and flatout said "I don't know" to the rest.

Much different form "Oh I read ALL of the newspapers" and "Uh, uhm, collectively coming togather, uh...". Seriously, Palin is a Bimbo.

Basically, yes. The only question is: To what extent is she flubbing questions in interviews because she's an ignorant fool, and to what extent is she deliberately blowing off the exam in an attempt to appeal to ignorant fools by making herself look like one of them?

I suspect the answer to second half of that is "more than zero, but a lot less than Bush was."

Well, considering that Palin is a young-earth creationists, had a preacher who practiced all kinds of funky stuff (he warded against witches, banished demons etc.) way before she was on any singnificant political level, i think it is quite likely that is is not just an image that she presents to the public.

Bush knew, more or less, his whole lifetime that he could go into high politics. Enough time to create an elaborate image.
Palin did not - so it is quite likely that she did those things because she is an idiot, instead of playing one.

That depends on your definition of idiot. There are people of average general intelligence who are superstitious because superstition is bred into their bones; consider nearly the entire population of the world before, say, 1600. They're still ignorant, but they're not stupid in the sense that most people use the word, except in areas where their superstitions cripple them.

It's conceivable that Palin went from small town mayor to state governor by pure luck, or by advisers using her as a puppet, without any actual skill or savvy on her part. But comparing her to some of the really brick-stupid people I've met... I don't think they could do it even with luck and a staff of helpers; Chance the Gardener is a fictional character for a reason.

On the other hand, come to think of it, "idiot" might be the right word to describe her. As I recall, it originated as a term meaning "too caught up in one's own affairs to understand or deserve a say in public affairs," with the same root as "idiosyncratic." So yes, I agree, she's an idiot, but she's not necessarily an unusually stupid idiot. She's an idiot because she doesn't know enough about public affairs, not because she's brainless or lacking in clever political tactics.

[UnderAGreySky]

Remember during the '00 Election when a reporter gave him a "pop geography quiz"? I think he got 4 of the names of the Heads of States asked correctly, although in his defense he knew that Pakistan had "that general who overthrew the government" and flatout said "I don't know" to the rest.

Actually, I think he said I don't know to all and "some General" in answer to Pakistan. It made news back home because one of the names he did not get was the Indian PM!

[wautd]

I think Palin is a whole different class of idiot from Bush

Intelligence wise, I think that even President Camacho would make a better president than Palin.


And no, I'm not kidding. I honestly think she's that bad.

[Lonestar]

Actually, I think he said I don't know to all and "some General" in answer to Pakistan. It made news back home because one of the names he did not get was the Indian PM!

Yeah, and if you were to ask me who the Indian PM was I would say "The Sikh guy, right?" An answer that has the benefit of you stating "I don't know" without the long inane rambling answers that Palin gives. Those type of actions, I think, make you look much more stupid than "UH, collectively, uh...they came together, uh...". What percentage of Americans can name foreign heads of state? What percentage can name Founding Fathers(they are on our MONEY)? What percentage of Americans can remember that the Capital is named after one, and just run with that?

Seriously, I have a much higher estimation of someone's intelligence if they flat out say "I don't know" instead of a, well, stupid[i/] response of the type that Palin gives.

[Gil Hamilton]

Yeah, and if you were to ask me who the Indian PM was I would say "The Sikh guy, right?" An answer that has the benefit of you stating "I don't know" without the long inane rambling answers that Palin gives. Those type of actions, I think, make you look much more stupid than "UH, collectively, uh...they came together, uh...". What percentage of Americans can name foreign heads of state? What percentage can name Founding Fathers(they are on our MONEY)? What percentage of Americans can remember that the Capital is named after one, and just run with that?

Seriously, I have a much higher estimation of someone's intelligence if they flat out say "I don't know" instead of a, well, stupid[i/] response of the type that Palin gives.

Well, Palin's too busy looking at Russia to look to the closest US state to the state she is governing clearly and give an answer.

[UnderAGreySky]

Yeah, and if you were to ask me who the Indian PM was I would say "The Sikh guy, right?" An answer that has the benefit of you stating "I don't know" without the long inane rambling answers that Palin gives. Those type of actions, I think, make you look much more stupid than "UH, collectively, uh...they came together, uh...". What percentage of Americans can name foreign heads of state? What percentage can name Founding Fathers(they are on our MONEY)? What percentage of Americans can remember that the Capital is named after one, and just run with that?

Seriously, I have a much higher estimation of someone's intelligence if they flat out say "I don't know" instead of a, well, stupid[i/] response of the type that Palin gives.

I'm not arguing with you on the Palin front - it's just that I expect the man who could be one of two men to be the leader of the most powerful country on earth to know more about different hot-spots, as compared to a stranger on the internet

[Simon_Jester]

I think Palin is a whole different class of idiot from Bush

Intelligence wise, I think that even President Camacho would make a better president than Palin.
And no, I'm not kidding. I honestly think she's that bad.

Camacho who?

[Stormin]

Camacho who?

President Camacho
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnve-2iyRgM

It's from a comedy movie

[General Zod]

Actually, I think he said I don't know to all and "some General" in answer to Pakistan. It made news back home because one of the names he did not get was the Indian PM!

Yeah, and if you were to ask me who the Indian PM was I would say "The Sikh guy, right?" An answer that has the benefit of you stating "I don't know" without the long inane rambling answers that Palin gives. Those type of actions, I think, make you look much more stupid than "UH, collectively, uh...they came together, uh...". What percentage of Americans can name foreign heads of state? What percentage can name Founding Fathers(they are on our MONEY)? What percentage of Americans can remember that the Capital is named after one, and just run with that?

Seriously, I have a much higher estimation of someone's intelligence if they flat out say "I don't know" instead of a, well, stupid[i/] response of the type that Palin gives.

Anyone remember the gaffe where Palin thought Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were taxpayer funded?