Sarah Palin and the RWIC revisited
Bob Schieffer's review of Sarah Palin's new book is perhaps the most damning yet: It is, he's convinced, just not serious:
"I think she's going to sell a lot of books," the ABC news icon said. "I think she'll be a great attraction as an amusement...but I can't imagine she has much future in politics."Palin's peculiar odyssey is a good reason to drag out my conviction that the RWIC -- the Right-Wing Industrial Complex -- is helping to destroy the Republican Party.
Put simply, it's far more lucrative and rewarding to be an ideologue or a pundit than a public servant.
Toe the line and there are book deals, TV appearances, lecture circuits, think-tank gigs and consulting jobs.
But conservatives who stray from orthodoxy are essentially banished from the RWIC. In an era when government jobs for Republicans are scarce, that can be a fate worse than death.
So rather than make the kind of messy, complex decisions required by government service, Palin quit her day job as government of Alaska.
She chose purity over pragmatism. She chose the ka-ching of the book deal over the drudgery of helping a state navigate a devastating recession.
And for Palin it's paying off big-time.
Unfortunately, many of the conservatives with the highest name recognition have made similar choices.
Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, is so happy as a talk-show host that he's ambivalent about running for president.
(Huckabee is also out on the road currently hawking a new Christmas book...)
The other dominant conservative voices -- Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh -- began their careers as entertainers and radio jocks, not politicians.
They have no interest in dirtying their hands with the actual business of running a democracy.
And the Republicans who actually get down in the trenches and try to make the government better?
You know, people like Charlie Crist, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dede Scozzafava, Lindsey Graham, John McCain...
They're vilified. Banished from the RWIC. Fundraising dries up. The doors to the lecture circuit close.
Even poor Newt Gingrich -- an architect of the RWIC -- was forced to apologize and humble himself after sticking to his endorsement of Scozzafava in NY-23.
After all, you can't anger your customers. There are books and newsletters and DVDs to be sold. (Go here for Newt's "Civil War bundle".)
posted by Brian Mann @ 11/17/2009 06:30:00 AM
22 Comments
22 Comments:
This brings to mind a line from Michael Moore's SICKO, "We have to start thinking we instead of me". These right wing ideologues are stuck in "me" mode.
Why would Sarah Palin stay in politics when her family was trashed? All the names you mentioned are free to do what they want- and being beholden to an electorate doesn't fit with their agendas. Can't say I blame them. someone has to do the work of governing- check out David Paterson- he's really reaping the rewards, isn't he? Instead of worring about the Republican names, what about talking about NY Democrats refusing to back him? Tey are a craven bunch. I thought I liked Scozzofava- everything I've read about her lately has shown me what a selfish, borrish, daughter of privilege she is. I'm thankful I didn't vote for her- I would have, if Hoffman hadn't run. That's the thing about having faith- I believe individuals need to be responsible for their own actions, but that god oversees the big picture. I know how infuriating that is to the secular, and that's a divide I can't cross- but I believe in one who knows- vs. believing I know. I can hear the adjectives now- simplistic, smug,etc.- but I believe in humility and sacrifice, and that they are the only way to live. Politicians can rearrange the deck chairs- let's build the lifeboats.
What a completely unfair portrayal. Tell me, would anyone here stand for Obama and the Queens children being trashed as Palins were? Did anyone here trash Hillary or Obama for their books? Did anyone here have the character to stand up and say "No" when charges of incest were leveled at the Palins? I thought not. What a bunch of two faced hypocrites. I'm very disappointed in you Brian, I thought you had more character than that.
Where did you get the idea that Dedi Scozzofava is a "daughter of privilege"? She has earned everything she has ever accomplished in her life. I don't agree with a number of her conservative positions, but I have known her for years and she is a bright, hard-working and thoughtful individual who has dedicated much of her adult life to serving her community in a wide variety of ways, not just as a politician. Her recent political decisions were entirely consistent with her convictions and values and came at considerable political and financial cost to her, hardly evidence of the "selfish" characterization you made. I'll leave you to your "boorish" judgement, but I have heard nothing from her since the election but considered, logical explanations for her actions.
A day or two ago David Brooks wrote that many current republicans view elective office as a stepping stone to talk radio.
Interesting to live in a world where Lindsey Graham is in some trouble at home for being insufficiently conservative.
PS ANyone who doesnt think Hilliary and the clinton family were villified by portions of the media has a short and selective memory
I feel very sorry for Sarah Palin's children as they are the victims in this never-ending melodrama. Ms. Palin has used them as props from minute one, and unfortunately you can't parade them around at every opportunity (does Piper Palin ever go to school?) and then get mad when people pay attention to them.
The Clintons 8 years in the White House produced some pretty grim stuff - John McCain's joke about Chelsea Clinton, Hilary and Janet Reno ring a bell?
I've never heard a bad word about Chelsi Clinton, Amy Carter or the Obama kids. I do however remember the press and left wingers going after the Bush girls incessantly. Perhaps I do have selective memory, but I have tried hard to recall another instance where anyone was portrayed as a "slutty stewardess"/"White Trash Trailer Park Queen"/"Soccer MILF" like Palin has endured. It's one thing to attack Palin herself and her stances- go right ahead. It's quite another to attack her family. They are not and did not campaign for election, unlike Hillary and Michele Obama. If Todd and the kids start making speeches and open themselves to it, fine, but they haven't. This is left wing slash and burn politics at it's best- they are untouchable because Palin is a Republican, therefore fair game.
BTW- I'll take an outsider over a Washington insider any day. It's all those insiders of both types that have gotten us here today.
Bret,
Three things:
1. Yes, you're being selective. All presidents' kids have had to put up with "intrusions," some of them mean, here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/01/22/DDGJO4EJ9U1.DTL
2. Chelsea Clinton took a lot of guff, including being compared unfavorably to the "Babe" Gore girls in an SNL "Wayne's World" skit, and when Rush Limbaugh, on his late, great TV show, noted that the Clintons had a cat, Socks, but "Did you know they have a dog?" and a picture of Chelsea came up on the screen.
3. Billy Carter and Roger Clinton
4. And it should be noted that one reason Palin-family criticism stays alive is the media-friendly Levi, a member, sort of, of her own family.
A small aside/correction...I believe Bob Schieffer is a broadcaster on CBS, not ABC.
Oops. Had a Billy Carter moment and wrote four things, not three, above.
I think the point Brian M is making has to do with Sarah Palin's abdication of her job as Governor of Alaska. All the politicians, and their families, get trashed - and many politicians write books. But those mentioned in these comments kept working to try to govern, or legislate, as they had been. I think Brian is trying to highlight the indisputable truth that it is far easier - and cleaner - to write books from the sidelines than to jump into the fray.
Thanks, my selective memory isn't as selective as I'd feared. I must have missed the part where Bill Clinton was accused of fathering Chelsies kid. Boy, she sure had it rough....
Whoa, hold the phone. I missed something here. What reputable news agency reported that Todd Palin was the father of Bristol's baby?
To my knowledge Clintons made a conscious effort to keep their daughter out of the spotlight. Palins made no such effort.
She put forth her children as symbols. ( Trig - pro life, Bristol-abstinence, Track - patriotic service ) so it's understandable that they would be assailed.
But how about getting back on track and discussing the topic of the original post?
I agree with Jim, the first to comment. Some would see that as socialism but hey, we are all in this together and need to start working together.
Brian, that is absolutely true, especially about what happens to Repubs who stray too far from orthodoxy.
I just can't believe some of the responses from Bret4207. Does Bret work as a public servant? Prison guard, or even, a school teacher???
There is the real world and then there is the Bret4207 world. His world is waya too clever by a half.
Come on big guy. Where were you through the Clinton presidency? You are always wagging your finger at your political opponents while ignoring the three pointed back at you. Is your memory that damned selective or are you aiming just to get a rise out of liberal demoNcrats?
Seriously, do you really believe what you say, rather inconsistently at that?
What DRUDGERY.
BTW, Sarah Palin's comic book deserves all the criticism it is getting.
Mediamatters has jumped all over the many, many untruths.
Frank- Media Matters? Yeah, that's a fair minded partisan organization. What a hypocrite.
Now I'm just too dumb to get a clear view of what your "public servant" line meant. Expand please. I'm not sure if you mean to imply I'm a public servant or should give it a try.
Pat- the incest stories originally ran among the liberal blogs and was then picked up by Saturday Night Live, you know, the same people who do such a good job at all the other news. Apparently it's a reputable news source since Tina Feys, "I can see Russia from my house" line is now considered gospel and attributed to Palin entirely. Tell me the difference between that type of thing or Lettermans comments and that of any reputable news source. People listen and go with it. And it took months for the whole thing to run it's course. Naturally since Palin was not a cosmopolitan blue blood educated an Ivy League school that left her down in the "white trash" sector of society and open to the typical elitist smears she took. I think it's disgusting, and it continues to this day.
Bret4207, this is a bit off topic, but since you brought it up --- Chelsea Clinton was a model of propriety and quiet dignity while living in the White House. She was ruthlessly mocked, by the Right, about her looks and her possible sexual orientation.
The Bush twins were models of debauched, drunken spoiled rich girls while in the WH. The Left reported factually on their behavior...not making innuendos about their looks or possible sexual inclinations.
Next, when Hillary Clinton's book, "It Takes A Village" came out, the Right made great fun and mockery of her insights. The Right did the same with Gore's, An Inconvenient Truth.."
For you to claim otherwise is hypocritical wind-baggery.
PS. You won't find this information at the Orwellian "1984" Drugery Report. Mediamatters, however, does keep an accurate history.
Say mediamatters three times while spinning around and bam! the truth will set you free...
Bret,
I'm sure you will disagree with the dreck in this post from Media Matters, which says Palin's treatment in the current issue of Newsweek is sexist:
http://mediamatters.org/blog/200911170027
Puh-leez, Bret, Saturday Night Live is political satire filled with hyperbole. As for the blogs, well, the internet is full of wild accusations and allegations. Just as I thought, no reputable news service would cover such a story.
Although after the "birther" phenomenon reporting, I've started to wonder about what is reputable and what is sensationalism. It used to be easy to tell the difference but the lines are beginning to blur.
Okay guys this is killing me. My PC died and I'm on a borowed lap top that shuts down when it gets hot. I just lost a long reply to at and Frank- suffice it to say I agree and disagree with both, over all I think you're taking a partisan stance and missing whats in fornt of you.
I;;ll be back when I get a reliable PC.
Your BFF- Bret
Bret4207, you little devil...
The borrowed computer gets hot sitting on your lap??? Does the owner know about this?
If the old one died, marry a new one and get back to us. I for one miss your postings. Also, unlike Sarah Palin, I'm very open minded about these things (didn't Rick Santorum warn us of this man on computer stuff?).
Puh-lease yourself Pat! I see references here all the time to John Stewart and Steven Colbert and to SNL myths (I can see Russia from my house!) etc. People watch and believe this stuff, so creditable or not, they have an effect.
Not to worry Franky old boy, soon I'll have a new 'puter to trade jabs with you on. Be patient. Meanwhile I'll just say that young Clinton and here parents liked to refer to their Secret Service detail as the "trained pigs" and that more was kept quiet than was ever told. It helps when the press is on your side it appears.
frank thies, you've got that wrong. Rick Santorum was against "man on dog" marriages! He never said anything about man on computer relationships.
Bret4207 is right. The Clintons, who were always closely guarded by those "trained pigs." the trained pigs kept all of the Clintonian debauchery and devil worship out of the public eye.
Bill, Hillary and Chelsea enjoyed an occasional "pig' roast when the little porkers got notions of going public about the Clinton family hedonistic practices.
Stuff an apple in the blabber mouth and rotate slowly over an open fire.
The great vast left wing conspiracy woefully failed to bring this to light.
Thank godness for the Starr Report and the work of Henry Hyde. They were finally able to convince the American public that Clinton, did have sex with "that" woman.
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