The Sarah Palin Standard
December 9, 2009 / 2:29 pm • By Dr. Melissa Clouthier
Perfection. Anything less than perfection (definition of perfection to come later) is reputation wrecking for Sarah Palin and for any person, organization or, in this case, op-ed page of the Washington Post, who dares rub elbows with this smelly undesirable.
Matthew Continetti says this:
But that’s not the point of this post. The point is that Palin continues to be held to a ridiculous standard by the scribblers and bloggers who are outraged that she’s still around and opines from time to time on the issues of the day. This is America, folks. Best-selling authors write op-eds. That’s what they do. Moreover, Palin happens to have an extensive background in energy issues, from her time on the Alaska Oil and Natural Gas Conservation Commission, to her stint as governor of Alaska. Her opinions on the subject of energy are considered.
The reaction to her is not, however. As Palin critic Megan McArdle memorably put it: “I really wish the media wouldn’t act like, well, a bunch of elitist hooligans who are out to get her. I’ve coined a new phrase to cover the situation: Palinoia. It’s when you think people are out to get you, and then they do their best to justify your erroneous belief.”
The liberals want conservatives to shut up. They want to present things like “the science is settled” and not be questioned. They want to forward shoddy redistributive legislation and do it unencumbered by opposition.
Most of all, they want a conservative woman they thought they’d banished from the arena of ideas to just. go. away. And she’s not. How dare she?! How dare she oppose them? How dare anyone take her seriously?
The only way for Sarah Palin to redeem herself to these snarling jackals is to change her ideological beliefs so she can be “smart like them”. And if she ever gets smart like them, then she’ll be perfect.
