Abusing Sarah Palin With Metaphor

Twice this week I've warned the Democratic Party about the dangers of overplaying the Sarah Palin attack strategy. I even invoked a sports metaphor, the very same (and rather lame) metaphor I invoked on the eve of Democratic Party victories in 2006. I warned them of the "offsides trap," a defensive play in soccer (or European football). Not that anyone is listening, but I at least try to sound the alarm.

I find it interesting that tonight on the "The Factor" with Bill O'Reilly, Dick Morris used a metaphor of similar import drawn from military history: he warned Democrats that Sarah Palin could end up being the Democratic Party's Battle of Kursk; that battle was a trap for Germany, used to great success by the Soviet Union in World War 2. I like Morris' metaphor only to a point, as it is hard for me to even remotely hint at sympathy towards the repugnant Hitler (or the Soviet Union's Stalin, for that matter).

My warning, of course, was aimed at Democrats and all those in the media who support the Democratic Party. It was intended to point out the perils of crossing a particular line, albeit a moving one. A quick survey of the media largely confirms my suspicion that Democrats have already crossed that line with a series of abusive metaphors (in bold):

• The ever-imitable New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd opined Sunday that Sarah Palin is essentially a real-life "chic flick." In all fairness to Ms. Dowd, who is to literature what phone sex is to oratory, a direct quote should be offered: Sarah Palin's story is a "hokey chick flick [that] came out on the trail, a Cinderella story so preposterous it’s hard to believe it’s not premiering on Lifetime." (My wife perfectly sums up what is wrong with Ms. Dowd: Ms. Dowd's words are born solely of envy.)
• Ersatz comedian Bill Maher essentially referred to Sarah Palin as John McCain's stewardess. (That's some pretty heady humor there, Bill. Great writing.)
  
• Washington Post columnist Sally Quinn believes "that a woman with five children, including one with special needs, and a daughter who is a 17-year-old child who is pregnant and about to have a baby, probably has got to rethink her priorities. It seems to me that there is a tipping point, and I think that she's crossed the tipping point." (Ms. Quinn might want to quietly meditate on her tipping point for a while.)
• Democratic strategist and linguist/philosopher George Lakoff said of the Sarah Palin story, "It's conceivable a 17-year-old girl just screwed the GOP." (Of course, it should behoove any decent linguist to properly ask himself what he intends by "conceivable" and "screwed." Nice metaphors, Mr. Lakoff. I can see why you are a Democratic strategist.)

What is just thrilling good fun is to watch closely whether Gov. Palin can sufficiently tap into her own poetic muse to find the apt metaphor that both perfectly fits the expectations of the American psyche (at least a majority share of it), and also gives Mr. Lakoff fits of apoplexy (figuratively speaking, of course). Tonight, right now in fact, is her time to be particularly inspired. That is if she's not too tired from breast-feeding. (Sorry. See how easy it is to be a buffoon?)

©Contratimes/2008. All Rights Reserved.

Senator Obama Shines This Day

I was just listening to Fred Barnes speaking on Fox News; he said that "it reinforced the idea that I already had, that Barack Obama is a very decent human being." [emphasis added]

The "it" in Mr. Barnes' remarks refers to Barack Obama's statement about Sarah Palin's pregnant daughter. Mr. Obama said:

"I have said before and I will repeat again. I think people’s families are off limits. And people’s children are especially off limits. ...

"This shouldn’t be part of our politics. It has no relevance to Gov. Palin’s performance as a governor or her potential performance as a vice president. So I would strongly urge people to back off these kinds of stories."

It is the best thing to come out of the Obama campaign in weeks. It is EXACTLY right.

(Thank you, dear sir, for being so right, and for agreeing with decency.)

I would also note that Mr. Barnes quoted the Washington Post's Sally Quinn tonight; Ms. Quinn does prove herself utterly tone deaf. She wrote:

"This [the pregnant teen] may be a hard one for the Republican family values crowd to swallow."

Question to Ms. Quinn: Are you really that out of touch? THIS sort of tale is exactly what the family values crowd is all about.

Amazing.

©Bill Gnade 2008/Contratimes. All Rights Reserved.

Dear Democrats: Proceed With Caution

In the wake of the incredible news that Governor Sarah Palin's daughter, Bristol, is pregnant, I think it would behoove Democrats to protect any moral high ground they may believe they hold by choosing decorous silence. Any other tack would be profoundly detrimental to their cause.

After gross and grotesque rumors were passed around by people who should know better -- rumors suggesting that Governor Palin faked a pregnancy to protect her daughter -- it turns out that Bristol Palin is currently great with child. This, in the purest sense, is very good news: a baby is always good news.

And in a political sense it is not dire news either, at least for the McCain-Palin ticket. For that ticket can first exploit the rumor-mill crap that hummed over the last day or so for all it's worth, pointing out how grotesque and brutal folks can be. Furthermore, this makes the Sarah Palin narrative all the more real, current, and familiar: it is a 21st-century story many of us know too well. It is the Camelot of the 2000s.

And what will it do to voters' sentiments when they learn that Sen. McCain knew beforehand that Gov. Palin's daughter was pregnant and asked the governor to run with him nonetheless? (It is being reported that Sen. McCain did know, by the way.)

I do think that Gov. Palin needs to be careful not to neglect her family in all of this, though I am quite cognizant of the fact that this sort of thing happens to countless families: we are, after all, animals that reproduce. Barack Obama may someday have to face the news one of his daughters is pregnant; I doubt anyone thinks he would have to withdraw from his responsibilities because his daughter is in Nature's Way.

Lastly, even if, and maybe even ESPECIALLY IF, Gov. Palin withdraws from the ticket, the Democrats will have to be incredibly careful not to overplay any form of the "can-you-trust-a-commander-in-chief-who'd-choose-a-moral-hypocrite" kind of card. Since so many American families deal with out-of-wedlock pregnancy every day, and because they know the stresses not only parents but teenage girls are under, then Democrats can only hurt themselves if they come across as judgmental, happy, gossipy or relieved. ANY gloating, any putting on airs of moral superiority, or any arguments that begin with "Isn't it ironic..." will prove deadly to Democrats.

So, what I am saying is this: a pregnant daughter of a Republican VP candidate could be a powerful tool to garner the empathy vote.

(Watch for the offsides trap.)

©Bill Gnade 2008/Contratimes. All Rights Reserved.