Crisis of Infinite Palins
The best thing about being what Dave once called a "potpourri" site is that I can track something as it transcends from one "world" (be it political, entertainment or sports-related) to the next without being chastised. It's why Spider-Man is one of my favorite comic book characters; he can fight some bank robbers one day, help Dr. Strange stop an evil wizard the next and still find time to help Wolverine track down some lost X-Men.
Anyway, I bring this up because over at Talking Points Memo there's this little back and forth between the writers and the readers over Sarah Palin stories. Josh Marshall made this point during his involvement:
This is actually a real blind spot for liberals in general -- the idea that things that are crazy or tawdry or just outrageous are really best ignored. Don't give them more attention. You're just giving them what they want. Or maybe it's not so practical and utilitarian. Maybe, they say, it's just beneath us. Focus on the important stuff.
Man, Josh, you don't know the half. But he has a point: there are those on the left who think Palin's popularity should be a non-factor. Well, as liberals remind conservatives on a regular basis, thinking that global warming isn't really important doesn't stop the polar ice caps from melting. The same thought process needs to be applied to Palin: she's real, she has appeal and she isn't going to go away quietly.
Never mind that she's the political equivalent of the Paris Hilton/Kim Kardashian did-nothing-to-warrant-fame celebrity (attractive and unapologetic). She's a fixture, and as with any political fixture the question is; "Can I use this to my advantage, and if not, how can I reduce any negative consequences?" Trust me, both her supporters and her detractor have asked a variation of this.
But really, if anyone needs any proof that Sarah Palin is more than just political phenomenon then check this out.
Anyway, I bring this up because over at Talking Points Memo there's this little back and forth between the writers and the readers over Sarah Palin stories. Josh Marshall made this point during his involvement:
This is actually a real blind spot for liberals in general -- the idea that things that are crazy or tawdry or just outrageous are really best ignored. Don't give them more attention. You're just giving them what they want. Or maybe it's not so practical and utilitarian. Maybe, they say, it's just beneath us. Focus on the important stuff.
Man, Josh, you don't know the half. But he has a point: there are those on the left who think Palin's popularity should be a non-factor. Well, as liberals remind conservatives on a regular basis, thinking that global warming isn't really important doesn't stop the polar ice caps from melting. The same thought process needs to be applied to Palin: she's real, she has appeal and she isn't going to go away quietly.
Never mind that she's the political equivalent of the Paris Hilton/Kim Kardashian did-nothing-to-warrant-fame celebrity (attractive and unapologetic). She's a fixture, and as with any political fixture the question is; "Can I use this to my advantage, and if not, how can I reduce any negative consequences?" Trust me, both her supporters and her detractor have asked a variation of this.
But really, if anyone needs any proof that Sarah Palin is more than just political phenomenon then check this out.
Comments
Am I the Dave who said "potpourri"? It doesnt sound like my word, but it does sound like the kind of idea I'd believe in, and quite frankly I cant come up with a better one aside from "like a real-life conversation only in fonted form", but that's a bit awkward, so I guess potpourri will have to do.