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News & ArtsTuesday, September 30, 2008
2008 Who the Fuck Is This "Joe Six-pack" and Why Do I Hate Him So Much Now?
Posted by Paul Constant on Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 5:49 PM
Some conservative douchebag named Hugh Hewitt got the first national radio interview with Sarah Palin today. Unsurprisingly, Palin was a hell of a lot more poised on the staunchly Republican radio show than in her Couric interviews. If you want, you can listen to the interview here or find a transcript here. Listening to the interview, I was a little more nervous about Thursday's debate—even though it's entirely possible Palin was just reading the answers off a sheet of paper in front of her, and none of the questions required knowledge of anything in particular—because she's totally fucking shameless:
HH: Governor, your candidacy has ignited extreme hostility, even some hatred on the left and in some parts of the media. Are you surprised? And what do you attribute this reaction to?SP: Oh, I think they’re just not used to someone coming in from the outside saying you know what? It’s time that normal Joe six-pack American is finally represented in the position of vice presidency, and I think that that’s kind of taken some people off guard, and they’re out of sorts, and they’re ticked off about it, but it’s motivation for John McCain and I to work that much harder to make sure that our ticket is victorious, and we put government back on the side of the people of Joe six-pack like me, and we start doing those things that are expected of our government, and we get rid of corruption, and we commit to the reform that is not only desired, but is deserved by Americans.
The last candidate I heard refer to himself as a normal person so much was Willie Stark, and he's a (mostly) fictional character. I just hope Biden remembers on Thursday to do what Obama did and swing for the undecideds, not the liberal base; it's surely what Palin's going to do, and when she's not fucking up in a massive way, she can be awfully charming.
1
She's not going to inspire any new converts on the Hugh Hewitt show, which is only listened to by people who regularly use pictures of Reagan as masturbatory aids.
3
I think that could be why she wouldn't say what she read - it's entirely possible she doesn't read ANY news magazines or newspapers - it's also likely that she wouldn't admit it if she did - "Joe 6-pack" tends to not trust people who read.
Listening to CNN earlier today - they brought up the conservative voices calling for Palin to withdraw - the Republican commentator said "oh, that's just the intellectuals talking". Palin *really* appeals to the people who have contempt for intelligence.
4
I very much enjoy Joe Sixpack in many positions, but "the position of vice presidency" sounds a little kinky for my simple Christian tastes.
Don't know what you perverts git up to over there in Seattle though!
5
The character you're referring to from All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren was actually called Willie Talon.
But there are elements from that novel that are resonant. "There's always something", referring to any candidate's personal history that can be used against them. And "It's time to thump some snouts."
6
@3 - she didn't say she doesn't read. She said she reads all of the newspapers and magazines. She is the most elitest of all of the candidates!!!
7
"I don’t belong to any church." My ass, she doesn't. You have witchfinders praying over you there, I think you probably can count yourself as belonging.
8
By "swing for the undecideds", you mean "swing to the right."
Which, for Obama in the last debate, meant no criticism of the Bush doctrine, no criticism of the use of waterboarding/ torture, an ongoing commitment to occupying Afghanistan, willingness to wage war in (with?) Pakistan, no criticism of the Bush administration's new cold war with Russia, no criticism of Israel and a plan for "withdrawal" from Iraq that still indefinitely leaves us with about 100k non-combat troops.
We'll get more of the same from Biden. Palin will be outclassed. But on foreign policy, will the two substantively disagree on anything other than whether we should have entered Iraq in the first place? Probably not.
We shouldn't kid ourselves. This isn't appealing to the center. This is the new "liberal base." Anti-war folks are out of luck, lumped with the left, marginalized by both candidates. Obama isn't going to swing left if and when he gets elected, because he thinks he can get their votes without giving them anything.
10
@8
Who told you Obama was a liberal? The Republicans? Who told you he was going to swing left?
I mean it's sad if you've been deluding yourself but don't pretend you're first one to figure it out and deliver the news. Obama has been a centrist, since, well, always. Sorry you didn't realize.
I get so tired of these whiners.
11
If Obama or Biden referred to working class voters as "Joe Six-Pack" you can bet it would be roundly denounced as an elitist slur. I guess Palin can get away with calling people, in effect, dumb slobs because she's claiming to be one.
It is one of her more credible claims.
12
@10: Maybe you missed the beginning of my post. If Paul thinks Obama swung to the RIGHT for the debate, or just for the debate, I think he's kidding himself.
The difference between center and right on foreign policy right now? Close to zero. Why that doesn't bother you, I don't know. But it's not whining to point that out. If Obama shares a lot in common with McCain, then maybe we shouldn't act surprised when he compliments him instead of attacking him during a "debate"?
13
Maybe it sounded good, but in that excerpt, she sounds as stupid as ever, although slightly more comprehensible.
14
So Trevor, what is your alternative? Some dumbass old egoist who has deluded generations of voters into signing on to his platform of "reform", or that crazy black lady the greens have propped up?
Work with what you have, or be prepared for six months of McCain and 7.5 years of that skank Palin.
16
The Palins earn a quarter of a million dollars a year. They own an airplane, several boats, and a half-million dollar home. Joe Six Pack my ass.
17
Thanks, Fnarf. I was wondering about that part. Here's hoping the Obama campaign picks up on that.
18
She says she wants to give the office of VP back to the people. As opposed to robots like Dick Cheney who, last time I checked, has held that office for the last eight years? Of course the country's in bad shape, but on whose watch did this happen? I'm voting for change in November in order to prevent people like McCain and Palin from continuing the disastrous policies that got us into this mess.
19
I just hope Biden remembers:
Roosevelt wasn't president in 1929, and there was no television then
That his helicopter had to land because of weather, not because of Bin Laden
That he didn't actually dodge bullets in Iraq
That the Obama campaign is for clean coal, not against it
That the driver who killed his family wasn't drunk
And that he can't actually compel paralyzed people to stand up, God love him.
Oh, and please Biden, don't point out that Hillary would've been a better VP candidate choice or say anything about how clean and articulate Obama is.
20
fnarf - you are silly and funny, Palin has it staked out right as rain - even in this thread the liberals think they define the masses, shit man shit.
She and her brood as as Joe six pack as any clan in America. Cause of some good luck and smarts and being in Alaska, good wages, they have more money. Both her and hubby seem to be very hard workers. Their kids are as fucked as any teens in the world, just as fucked as the teens in Seattle.
So what they have some mony, ain't warm and sunny Alabama, ultra high cost state, good wage scales
She is daughter six pack to the max.
Beware to those who underrate, 40 percent of America think she is IT.
21
Willie Stark rocks. Check out Sean Penn's speech to "all us hicks" in All the King's Men....it's about everythign Democrats need to know about how to talk and connect on economics.
Then check out what Willia Strak did in office: build roads for folks who had none. Build schools and free public hospital. Raise royalties paid by the oil companies.
22
This is what I see when I open up the link for the Stranger.
This has got Sarah Palin's and John McCain's name all over it!
We're Sorry!
The page you're looking for does not seem to exist.
As you have undoubtedly noticed, we've been doing some shuffling around here and the page you're looking for seems to have gone missing. Please use the search field above to find what you're looking for.
23
I'm no Palin fan, but I bet she comes across as likeable and coherent in tomorrow's debate. The bar has been set too low and the debate structure is organized in her favor. She communicates as a "Joe Six-pack" (read "I'm one of you").
24
The Dems need to find a way to derail this shit. Why would you want some average random Joe/Flo in high office? Would you hire a lawyer or surgeon who appeared to know no more about their field than your buddies at the local tavern?
"Beating expectations? This isn't about beating expectations. You might not expect a mynah bird to be able to sing "Yankee Doodle," but if it exceeded your expectations, you still wouldn't bankroll it with your life savings star in "Das Rheingold" at the Metropolitan Opera."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-j-elisberg/where-should-the-bar-be-s_b_130541.html
25
Why do you people keep thinking that she's gonna bomb in the debate? She's going to be funny and charming, etc. and lots of undecideds will eat that up.
26
Oh for Christs sake, stop being a chicken shit about every goddamn thing. Sarah Palin spouting off the word joe-six-pack over and over has you nervous? Palin is already thought of as a know-nothing, and at best she will come off as "nice." But no, let's all tell Joe Biden exactly what he needs to do during the debate because everyone else knows better than he.
27
From Jay Nordlinger @ the Corner (not linking):
1) Sarah Palin may think of herself as Joe Sixpack, and you could argue that she represents Joe Sixpack — but she’s governor of her state! She is not Joe Sixpack. She is one of 50 governors in America. Come on, Sarah. The New Yorker may think of you as a hunter and a rube. But you’re not fooling the rest of us — governor.Even Republicans don't buy that Joe Sixpack crap.
28
I guess maybe because I just got home from the gym a while ago (where there was a smokin' hot guy doing crunches on a ball, and I could see up his shorts) that I read "six-pack" as "six-pack abs", and I was thinking, fuck she really is delusional; we're like the fattest country on Earth. Then I got it that she's referring to the beer, and now I'm just scared, even more so than before.
29
The first quote I noticed:
"We’ve gone through periods of our life here with paying out of pocket for health coverage until Todd and I both landed a couple of good union jobs. Early on in our marriage, we didn’t have health insurance, and we had to either make the choice of paying out of pocket for catastrophic coverage or just crossing our fingers, hoping that nobody would get hurt, nobody would get sick. So I know what Americans are going through there."So she's pro-union and pro-universal health care, then, right?
30
"Joe Six Pack" is often referred to in health care curricula (PT, OT, RN, mid levels, etc) as the "non-compliant" individual that seeks help but does not want to be a part of the process.
I wonder - who are the "Joe Six Packs" that Mrs Palin represents and how are they a part of the new world order?
31
I don't know why you all are so worked up. Why, if she and Mr McCain are elected, she'd be everything--at least mentally--that Mr Evil Genius Cheney isn't! Now how is that bad?
32
why do flamingbanjo and elenchos seem to always play the "victim of a vast right wing hypocritical conspiracy" card whenever a right wing dullard says something to other right wing dullards.
35
@32: Don't be such a fucking tool. Where did I use the word "conspiracy" or imply that there was one? All's I know is, where I'm from referring to a group of people as "Joe Six Packs" is not considered a compliment. It implies that they are A: Ignorant and B: Have drinking problems.
So yeah, I think there's an odd double standard evident here when Palin gets a pass to use this stereotypical language. Especially since, as Fnarf pointed out, she is herself rich and privileged.
36
Flamingbanjo, if you're bringing it up and getting through to low info voters, they aren't getting away with it. Go forth and spread the word.
37
"The Palins earn a quarter of a million dollars a year. They own an airplane, several boats, and a half-million dollar home. Joe Six Pack my ass."
How dare the Palins?? Alaska's governor lives in a place worth twice the average Alaskan home? And her husband's an oil worker? And they hunt and fish and race snowmobiles?? Elitists!! Nope, no Joe Six-Pack connection there, man.
38
Gee, a radio interview. You mean she gets to read from a script off a laptop, do retakes when she flubs a line, have an advisor on hand, and then have someone edit out all the stumbling. All before it is aired. Or am I just cynical?
39
@37:
Where I come from, the White Trash hell-hole known as "Longview-Kelso", the Palins would be considered "rich folk" even without the cache of holding elected office above that of dog-catcher. In fact, the very idea that they have political ambitions of any kind beyond church elder automatically puts them miles above the average yokel, who tends to think of politicians as being several rungs below petty thief or con-artist on the Shit-Scale.
In my experience REAL "Joe six-packs" get that tag mainly due to their penchant for grabbing a sixer of Buckhorn or Lucky Lager at the mini-mart on their way home from their shift-job at Long-Bell Fiber, whereupon they will proceed to consume the entirety of said six-pack with their dinner, followed by several hours of staring blankly at the "boob tube", and rounding out the evening by slapping around the ball-and-chain, or kicking the rug rats, or both, before they stagger off to bed for a blissful six or seven hours of blessed oblivion before peeling open their bloodshot eyes the next morning to repeat their life of brain-numbing drudgery.
And while REAL Joe Six-Packs may own ONE boat, it's generally a puny-assed outboard fishing rig; something so big that it can't be trailered would be completely out of their league, unless it happened to be something they picked up "cheap", and which has sat in the back yard, mouldering away into decrepitude without ever having been set afloat for a good decade.
And they most certainly do NOT own float planes, half-mil houses (anything over six figures being considered "upper class"). And while they may own several cars, usually only one is in good enough condition to actually start and move under its own power.
Heck, even owning an RV would be pushing it so far as class distinction is concerned.
So yeah, while the Palins may share some of the regular distinguishing characteristics of the typical Joe Six-Pack, most would still consider them far too well-off to belong in the club.
More...
41
@39 ... While I appreciate you taking me over a guided tour of my own childhood--you have a modest gift for writing--let me clarify that I didn't say the Palins WERE Joe Six-packs. I just made the point that they had a connection to them, at least more of one than anyone on the Democratic ticket. Which I appreciate you conceding in your final paragraph.
42
Sooooooo out of touch here at big time attitude Slog. What is all this escaping stuff?
The world is going urban into immense cities that make Seattle look like paltry puke.
Joe and his kids and dogs and U Haul stuff and his wife is working class America, blue and white collar. Many of the pretenders here make much less money, and it seems, are very unhappy to boot.
More beer and whiskey and vodka, less drinking of costly French or Cal. wine.
Sorry, Joe and Sarah can make very good money, paid by the hour, overtime adds up, two or three jobs, still often union in some areas.
And in Seattle few live in rabbit hutch style C. Hill condos. But many used to rent there.
And after reading these posts, no wonder they don't like the self appointed liberal elites.
They like both Rossi and Gregoire, both candidates come from that very wide spread background. Explains the close match, again.
The "I am so glad to escape all the perceived evils" comments are filled with self hate. Too bad. Lives change and evolve for all humanity. Bet your grannies were not so bad - and bet many of you were bratty asshole kids as well.
To add, my family is an interesting combination of Euro small time royals and folks who fought in the American Revolution...no big money, work like dogs, and I am very independant but never blamed my family for anything.
And, Joe and Sarah six pack have sons that are hot as hell in bed... very matter of fact, hot, hot, hot after a couple of joints and cold Rolling Rock.
Thanks Joe and Sarah, for eons you have provided.
44
The phrase "Joe Six-pack" just makes me think of Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.
People actually use that phrase?
45
It may be a little funny when the stockroom guys do it, but I don't really want my VP drinking beer on the job. Does that make me elitist?
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