Yes She Can (*Snort*)
Over at the Washington Post Matthew Dowd is speculating (and SERIOUSLY, srsly!) that our Sarah, Caribou Barbie, breather in of autumn bouquets that combine everything small-town America with rugged splashes of the Last Frontier, has a real, actual, true, honest-to-goodness, did I say “actual”?, Shot at the Presidency.
Yes. That one. That presidency. In 2012, no less.
Admittedly his *theory* relies on some not necessarily reliable assumptions about approval polls (at least according to Nate Silver.)
Even more to the point, his little idea also requires Sarah to make a sea change, so to speak, in the very fundamentals of her nature and the way in which she operates.
In short, the erstwhile Henry Higgins is making an assumption that his protogee operates on the basis of *rational* *principles* and therefore provides her with the following sage advice (apparently unaware that his Eliza has substituted FaceBook for Twitter):
—Quality over quantity. You don’t need to “tweet” quite so much. You don’t need to be at countless rallies and photo ops. Instead, seek out substantive platforms where you can relate to people in a thoughtful, measured way. Appear on Sunday shows every now and then, sit down with Charlie Rose and editorial boards, and give serious speeches on your approach to the world in the 21st century.
—Hope and fear. To be elected president, a candidate has to understand voters’ fears but appeal to their hopes. Ronald Reagan (and Bill Clinton) knew this very well. To do this more comprehensively, I would suggest traveling more to better get a handle on where the voters are on topics related to finances, faith, race, etc. Get out of the bubble of high-profile events. Go to the inner cities, the suburbs and small towns where folks are trying to live their lives through great anxiety. And don’t go to talk about yourself, but to listen to others.
—Reagan is the past. While Reagan is a beloved president who did much for this country, folks want to look to the future and believe in a new brand of leader. Espousing the values Reagan spoke to and represented is fine, but you need to be yourself, not an acolyte for a president who is now in the history books.
—Use humor. In responding to controversy, bad press and negative occurrences in general, learn to let it slide off of you with a knowing smile. Maybe even use some self-deprecation. Levi Johnston, your almost son-in-law, has been a thorn in your side. Let it go. Publicly sparring with a teenager is not presidential. Don’t be afraid to make fun of yourself. Voters like candidates who know that they aren’t perfect and can laugh at themselves.
—Think accountability. Yes, bad things happen to good people, and it isn’t fair. But voters don’t want to hear all the excuses of why an interview didn’t go well or which other person was responsible for a bad decision. Americans want presidents who accept blame when things go wrong. They are tired of their leaders and institutions not admitting mistakes, learning from errors and making improvements.
I think a “shorter” Matthew Dowd might read as follows:
Sarah, go find your “good twin” and get yourself the heck out of the picture!
Posted by marindenver on 11/24/09 at 04:39 PM • Permalink
Categories: Politics • Nutters • Sarah Palin • Our Stupid Media •
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