Bat Shit Crazy

So, yesterday when an e-mail was circulating the office deriding President Obama for the stock market's woes the defensive mode kicked in almost instantaneously. The replies began flying...

Essentially it was said in so many words that the President didn't have anything to do with the stock market (and even if he did - it was still all Bush's fault). Another couple of e-mails went on to chronicle the Dow's performance under the last 3 Presidents trying to show that Democrats were the superior guardians of the equities.

The President, any President doesn't directly have control over the direction of the stock market day to day, but their policies and the rhetoric absolutely contribute to trends and sometimes even short term developments. Still, that was not what struck me about the e-mail chain. It was one that said - the markets wouldn't be any different today if McCain and that "Bat Shit Crazy" Palin had been elected.

I was struck by how a generally well informed, intelligent person could just label someone they know absolutely nothing about - or rather knows only what CNN, Newsweek and the New York Times has told him - such a derogatory term. In none of e-mail responses did anyone say that "Marxist" Obama or any other , inflammatory descriptor. But it was OK to to just flame Sarah Palin, hell it is expected, right?

I see it all the time with my smart, above average intelligence friends (family) and associates when it comes to Palin. None of them have taken one minute to actually look into this woman's accomplishments. These are the same people who hate (or strongly dislike) Republicans, which is one strike against her immediately. But do they know that it was Sarah Palin who took on the established, entrenched Republicans in her state as a Republican herself and corrected decades of problems. She was a real and consistent problem solver who didn't stand on convention. Palin was a get it done type of leader - pretty much exactly what we need now. That was a picture never painted in the early days of 2008. What they know is what the media and the celebrity class has told them. They don't like her because they aren't supposed to.

Before she had the misfortune of being selected as John McCain's running mate in a year that the Messiah himself was running (oops, I just used a derogatory term, didn't I) Palin was a successful governor of a small state. Her disarming beauty and folksy mannerisms automatically disqualified her among the elites and the intellectuals. Ya sure, she is a dumb hick, dontcha know. Yes, she was out of her element in 2008, she was not ready, she probably should have had more prep and less "handling". But nothing she said or did deserved the drubbing she took, particularly in light of the fact that the media has still not vetted Barack Obama.

Unfortunately "Bat Shit Crazy" is one of the mildest things said about her by her detractors.

I was of the mind that she is so damaged that she didn't stand a chance if she ran for President. I don't know if I've changed my mind yet, but I actually admire her fortitude and her ability to shake it off and keep going. I've said it before that if by some circumstance she becomes the nominee I wouldn't hesitate to vote for her.

Here's the deal:
The progressive attacks will be coordinated and vicious, no matter whom the nominee is this election cycle. One has to wonder who will be able to withstand the pending storm. I believe Sarah Palin has been vetted. None of the others have been prepped to level they'll need to withstand a vicious, blistering attack from every flank. No stone will be left unturned in trying to discredit, embarrass or shame the Republican nominee. The left knows they can't run on their record this time, so destroying their opponent is the only thing they have.

You could say, yeah, well, that's politics. The Republicans play that game too. They did it to Clinton and Gore and John Kerry. Don't make me laugh. Major media constituents votes 90 to 10 for Democrats every time, you can't tell me it's the same thing. President Obama was never scrutinized or demonized like Bush, or Palin, not even close. In fact no politician has ever received the treatment Palin and her family endured in 2008. It's only gotten worse since.

I really like a few of the declared candidates on the Republican side and I like some that haven't declared and likely won't this time. I'd take anyone of them over Obama. The question is are any of them Bat Shit Crazy enough to withstand the coming onslaught?


CW