Comments on Palin: Underwhelming

Yeah, what ECB said. Great post.

ECB, in contrast, hits it out of the park.

thank you. it was a generic speech prepared for a generic candidate who had not been selected at the time it was written. to be fair, she nailed it, but there just wasn't much to nail. i mean, "styrofoam columns"? let. it. go. you're running for vice president, not last comic standing.

my only concern is that this is the kind of dipshit populism that wins elections.

Well reasoned and, I hope, correct in the long run.

Lovely.

Women aren't stupid.

To be fair, about the same percentage of women are stupid as men. And since "Low Information Voters" have become such a coveted, courted demographic it seems reasonable to assume that Palin is pitched squarely at them, in particular female L.I.V.s.

I can think of no "community" that needs better organizing than the "United" States of America - I guess Palin just wants us to continue hating each other.

Most of the women at my work, some of whom are conservative, didn't watch it.

Those who did noted it seemed to be all about Fear and 9-11 and turned them off.

But, hey, reality has a bias.

Grats, ECB.

Excellent analysis ECB. I truly hope you're right, and that style doesn't triumph over substance which seems to be the case last night.

Via Drudge:

"PALIN RAISES MONEY -- FOR OBAMA! **Exclusive** Obama scores $8 million since Palin's speech from over 130,000 donors - on pace to hit $10 million by the time John McCain hits stage, campaign says... Developing..."

I wonder about the non-substantive stuff having an effect on a lot of voters. Many don't want a complicated answer, they want an easy answer delivered by an attractive, charismatic figure that professes to be just like them - a mom. WE know it ain't true.

It remains the job of the Obama campaign - and its many surrogates, including the Clintons - to continue to define McCain and Palin as more of the same, and its the of the media to keep reporting the facts, regardless of Republican whining about bias.

Exactly and right on ECB!
Gawd that was pathetic - that nasal voice trying to look tuff and give a hard look. I just kept thinking clown car.

Even more pathetic was all the talking heads going on and on how she pulled it off.

Damn, I can't wait til some debates start and the GOP's scraficial lamb gets cooked. Then she can go back to obscurity with her ridiculous self.

Erica,

I'm really happy to be writing for the same paper as you.

I have no snarky/evil/vicious comment for this. Only: ECB FTW! Big time!

@6 hits it.

Women aren't stupid, but Palin was nominated to appeal to those of them that are. And there's plenty of them - they're called "independents" or "undecideds".

Aw! how sweet is 12?

Totally awesome. You absolutely hit the nail on the head with this post.

12 is adorable, and you reminded me why, even when I disagree with you (obviously not now), you are still an amazing writer. This is awesome, and I wish everyone would read it. You articulate my incoherent feelings wonderfully.

The new R motto: any pair of boobs will do: Vote McSame/Palin

Wow. Thank you for such a great post.

Nice one, ECB. Welcome back. You were really missed.

If I hear any further handwringing over Palin, I am going to forward this post. Thanks for fighting the good fight, ECB.

Great post, Erica. BUT, I can't help but have deja vu from 2000, and even more so from 2004. George W. was such a complete and utter moron, that I thought there was no way that people wouldn't see through him. And yet he was elected. Twice.

Granted now the Democrats have a much better candidate running, but still. I am nervous about the "low information voters". Nervous enough that I won't feel good about this whole thing (despite all the Palin scandals) until Nov. 5th.

@22,

But he was likable. Palin isn't nearly as likable, and McCain is repulsive.

ECB for VP in 2016!

Awesome post.

W00t! Great post, ECB!

Might want to revise your "biggest reason":

"Those numbers are anecdotal, of course, but I’m hardly going into uncharted waters when I say they speak to a larger trend in American politics."

The latest numbers from The AP show more than 40 million people watched Palin last night. That's more than a million more viewers than the record set by Obama during his acceptance speech last week.

I am so with 22. After 2004, I will never underestimate the stupidity of the American voters.

37,244,000 WATCHED PALIN ... [24,029,000 BIDEN; 38,379,000 OBAMA]...

True, @13. But we have to give commenters nods too, so I have to give @27 the win.

Holy crap, ECB, when you're not writing about bikes, you have some great things to say.

Erica, I don't think I said this on your last post but it's incredibly good to hear your reasoned arguments again. This was a fantastic summary and I too am glad you're back in the saddle. SLOG wasn't right without you.

B-b-b-b-but, Erica, PC sez we have to apologize for being mean to Hillary by voting for McCain/Palin! Or something. I think that's what she meant, though.

Great post.

Yes. Great post.

And I realize you're talking about your generation here...:

"Most of us who supported Hillary did so because she was the first progressive, smart, charismatic, Democratic female candidate for president we’d had."

...Don't forget about the great Shirley Chisholm who, in 1972, became the first major party woman/African American to run for president.

Excellent post ECB.

Good job, ECB.

Good piece. I wish I had more faith that American people would do the right thing though. But I don't. And if it looks like they might not, I fear the right will just steal the election again. In short, I feel we're screwed. The only upside is that it makes me glad my father died this year so he won't be subjected to the horrors that lie ahead of all of us.