Home > Opinion > Sarah Palin, Small-Town America, and the Democrats' Ongoing Arrogance Problem

Sarah Palin, Small-Town America, and the Democrats' Ongoing Arrogance Problem

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I believe there are only two Presidents who were elected directly from the Senate - Harding and Kennedy.
There are good reasons that legislators without prior or subsequent experience in an executive capacity are usually not elected to the presidency. The group debating, negotiating and compromise skills that enable one to succeed in the Senate are not the skills most needed by the chief executive who must stand alone with his decisions.

Boneshaker of FL 10:49AM October 01, 2008

It is interesting to read the posts of those who hang in fern bars and talk "lemming" talk, i.e., no one ever disagrees with the left-leaning position.
None of these folks understand that Sarah is US! She is the type who greases the wheels, fights the wars, schools the kids and everything else that makes this country great. What she is not is one of the elite who believes they know every so much more than the person on the street. I see these types speak of "low-information" voters. Really? They should go to a cafe or bar in a small, "hick" town and listen to the locals. They will be amazed at the high level of knowledge these folks have regarding government, politics and the workings of Washington.
She is NOT a ivy league type, who as a group, has done more to foul the country than anybody else since President Wilson. None of these folks have common sense. Non ivy league types, such as Truman, Sam Rayburn, Lyndon Johnson, always knew which way the wind was blowing -- common sense.
Eisenhower was probably the candidate with the most experience dealing with foreign governments -- even some who were in exile at the time. He had to "wing it" when crises cropped up.
EVERY president has to Wing It in darned every major decision, and so will Sarah.

Seadog of FL 10:47AM October 01, 2008

This argument can be made against any Senator running for President -- they "have never had to contend with making the hard fiscal choices that small-town mayors and small-state governors have to". And that may be why we haven't elected a Senator for President since Kennedy, who was elected under an unusual set of circumstances (Nixon, first televised debate, etc.). The Republicans have a problem in McCain, who also does not possess any of the experience of which the author speaks. And that is why Palin was brought in, at the eleventh hour, without having gone through the same vetting process in front of the American people as those candidates who ran in the Republican primary. Under those circumstances, she probably never would have gotten this far. But now McCain needs someone who has experience (Governor, Mayor) that the American people can easily translate as being 'Presidential in nature' (Governing a body versus voting in the Senate) while at the same time seeming to relate to every day issues. It's a political machination, folks. Wake up.

EngineEngine of NY 11:28PM September 16, 2008

Great article. Democrats do seem to have missed the real threats to them Sarah Palin's spot on the McCain ticket represents. When was the last time Voters had the opportunity to select "one of their own"? We're used to {numb} to politicians masquerading as one of us. A real one comes along and the crowd goes nuts. Palin will be taking the concerns of Average Americans into office with her. And as her history implies, she may be just the kind of no-nonsense VP McCain will need if he intends to shake up the DC establishment. Common sense hasn't had a place at that table in modern memory.-The current, but long-running continued resistance of Democrats and some Republicans to developing our own energy resources is but one example of many. Sarah Palin's small town, "small state" experiences as an elected-executive make her uniquely qualified in an era where voters are fed up with political-biz as usual. We really do want govt. of the people, by the people, not govt. by the think tanks, university law professors, radical huffingtons&Koses, special self-interest groups, unaccountable bureaucrats, and Liberal judges. DC needs a healthy dose of McCain/Palin.

bluecollarbytes of CO 9:37AM September 16, 2008

Small town America and values is what Gov Palin expouses and the left snubs small towns. Now to attack Palin in the press is stupid and why not ask the questions of Obama Supporter,the Alaska State senator to see if he's working with obama. Check the pic of him with with the Obama camp. Digging in her past is only going to backfire in the end.

chuck of MS 5:19PM September 15, 2008

We are just going in circles here. People have problems everywhere no matter the size. The point should be as follow:
Palin is a governor, but left it dedt imagine her capabilites of the UNITED STATE OF AMERICA.....
i see it like this..,
yes veterns would have more money in accounts however the medical bills ?!!!! hello even retired people can afford to pay their rent!!!
I see day and day pass and customer comming to my office because they have lost thier jobs. !!!!! People going back to their country becuase they cant afford to be here and they are citizen of the USA !!! Tax payers !! we are losing tax payers !!!!!!! and little babies are getting sick and parents cant pay the co payment of 50 dollars we need someone that can help the ones in need not the richhhhh

californa of CA 5:11PM September 15, 2008

Excellent article. You've nailed why so many people believe Governor Palin is a super choice even though she may not have much foreign policy experience (and why would she need it given Senator McCain's expertise?).
When has Obama ever run anything or been accountable for anything? If you mean the millions wasted in his asbestos removal project or the 160M that was utterly wasted with his Woods Fund education project, I guess he SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE . . .
You tell me--who look like the doers in this election and who look like the talkers??? Bottom line for me is the Washington Times Article that documents how Senator McCain has worked across the aisle time after time after time. Obama? Rarely, if at all. Trust your gut.

Chad3337 of FL 3:36PM September 15, 2008

There are good, thoughtful and worthwhile comments posted, but often they are shouted out by the sheer din of amazingly stupid and moronic commentary. Ia from AR is one of those comments worth reading and passing on. I am also very worried about the future of this country but perhaps we deserve the politicians we elect - particularly those whose reflexive capabilities are just as limited as the majority of Americans. I would think we would want the most intelligent and thoughtful leaders - not someone who is an example of how low our educational levels have fallen in this country. I urge everyone to use their cerebral cortexes and think before voting in November. We don't need "someone like us" in a position of supreme power, but someone who will intelligently address the major issues of our time. Best wishes from Arizona.

Peter Martin of AZ 11:42PM September 14, 2008

The real base of the Republican party isn't the evangelical right, it is the under-informed - played on (or preyed upon) by the rules of Rove; fear and division. When the extent of some peoples' political knowledge is based on the 5 minutes of daily news they get from a broadcast network or what Bob at the barbershop told them last Saturday it worries me. Obviously, this doesn't mean that all of these people are going to vote Republican, but ideologically the majority of people in small town, middle America are more aligned with the rhetoric, if not the reality, of the GOP. More are socially conservative, fiscally conservative (a joke after 7 1/2 years of Bush - 6 with a Republican controlled Congress) or have bought into the Republican lie that only they can or will keep this country safe.
I would hope that everyone who votes in this or any election makes their pick based solely on how they feel about a particular candidate's stand on the issues. I would no more excuse African-Americans voting for Obama simply because he is black than I would excuse white Americans voting for McCain simpy because he is white. It seems to me, however, that this Republican ticket, with the addition of Governor Palin, is pandering to these very people. She brings nothing to the table that actually reinforces McCain on anything related to governing. She is the woman next door, scripted to keep things simple for those who don't want to think too deeply about the serious problems our country faces. If those planning on voting for McCain view the Palin pick objectively, do they really believe that she is the MOST qualified person that McCain could find? Their "Country First" theme is a joke.
During the McCain/Palin rallies, just after the Republican convention, reporters approached and asked some people why they were there. The answer was typically "I just like her". When asked about Palin's views on something in particular, "I'm not sure. I just like her". If this is the kind of heavy reflection and weighing of policy and positions indicative of those now flocking to the McCain/Palin camp I truly fear for the future of our nation. President Bush probably owes these same people for his second term. McCain's campaign chairman actually verified their strategy by stating that "campaigns aren't about issues, they're about personalities". Is anyone listening?
To their credit I think Obama/Biden continue to speak more about the issues and their solutions than McCain/Palin do. If this is an example of the arrogance displayed by the Democrats then I think we need more of it. McCain/Palin spout tiresome tidbits; telling their largely lower middle class attendees that Obama will raise their taxes, when the reverse is true, or shouting "Drill, drill, drill" when experts agree that any new drilling will take 7 - ten years to have any return and will then only be a drop in the bucket. McCain/Palin are vacant. Arrogance is no virtue, but neither is willful ignorance.

Ian of AR 11:02PM September 14, 2008

Re the Bush Doctrine. How many of you knew that there are four different "versions"? Charlie didn't. Sarah Palin did.
Thank you for the article. I enjoyed the fresh perspective. I hope it makes all of us think. Arrogance toward, or regarding, one's constituency is hard to overcome. Arrogance in, or toward, one's job as a legislator is a sign of things to come. That's not putting people first, that's putting one's political ambitions first. Too many secrets, too many unsavory associates, too much to overlook.

marty of OH 10:25PM September 14, 2008