Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
Judith Levy ·
Mar 25, 2011 at 11:43am
On her recent visit to Israel, Sarah Palin asked -- in that straightforward way of hers that makes some people's heads explode -- why we're apologizing all the time.
My God, that's a refreshing question.
I honestly don't know what to think about Palin. I was convinced during the campaign that she was not up to the role she'd been assigned, but I've also noticed that quite often when she speaks, I'm nodding in agreement. And I can't help but appreciate not only her unwavering support for Israel but the direct, indeed unapologetic, way she expresses it.
I'm still trying to come to a conclusion about her as a contender. As Paul Erdős would say, my mind is open.
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Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
So glad to see you post on this, Judith! I really appreciate that Sarah Palin is frank, incisive, and courageous to say what's on her mind. And I'm beginning to appreciate her presence on the national scene more than I have in the past year. But I must confess that I don't have an open mind about a potential Sarah Palin candidacy. I still am really uncomfortable with her decision to quit as governor in Alaska, and I haven't been satisfied by any reason she's put forth on the matter.
Mar '11
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
Here's a thought. Maybe the conventional wisdom about Palin being inept, or unserious is inaccurate? I made this very point in a post about Palin a few days ago, after her India Conclave speech. I asked for comments on her stated policy positions and received no policy oriented comments. It's as though some are afraid to admit they agree with her. It's bewildering to me.
Edited on Mar 25, 2011 at 12:38pmMar '11
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
Your position seems to indicate that you believe it would have been better for Palin to stick out her term because it is the better political decision, than for her resign and end the costly lawsuits that handcuffed the executive office, which was the better decision for her state. In other words, personal political goals should trump the good of the citizens she represents.
You may be surprised to know that this is the very reason many of her supporters, you know, support her.
Jul '10
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
"My God, that's a refreshing question."
And that's an understatement.
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
Gus Marvinson
Your position seems to indicate that you believe it would have been better for Palin to stick out her term because it is the better political decision, than for her resign and end the costly lawsuits that handcuffed the executive office, which was the better decision for her state. In other words, personal political goals should trump the good of the citizens she represents.
You may be surprised to know that this is the very reason many of her supporters, you know, support her. · Mar 25 at 12:05pm
Nope. I just happen to believe it's the duty of an elected representative to live up to the expectations set forth by the electorate (which at a bare minimum include serving out your term). But the political optics were bad, yes. It looked like she cut and run when the going got tough so she could go write books and be a Fox News contributor. Not enough tenacity to stick it out in a tough job for 8 years.
Jul '10
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
I think politically it may have been a mistake but not necessarily one that she can't overcome--it will almost certainly come up during the debates, and I hope she and her team have a compelling answer. She did, however, achieve the bulk of her campaign promises before resigning and she left the state in solid hands and freed up the state government of an executive who was increasingly being mired down in politically-driven lawsuits and ethics charges. That she was ultimately vindicated in all of those may also help...
I don't see anyone else with the sheer electricity to take on Obama, and I think she's vastly underrated by the president, his supporters, and most of the media--which will also help. If she makes statements like this one and the others she's made over the past year during a presidential debate watched by 80 million people, it's hard not to think that some people will be forced to re-examine their perceptions about her.
Jun '10
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
Judith:
"I honestly don't know what to think about Palin. I was convinced during the campaign that she was not up to the role she'd been assigned, but I've also noticed that quite often when she speaks, I'm nodding in agreement. And I can't help but appreciate not only her unwavering support for Israel but the direct, indeed unapologetic, way she expresses it."
Good for you Judith. Like Gus, I too have looked for specific policy issues that Palin's critics on the right might have with her. I never hear them. Let's see if Franco, or Kenneth wish to elaborate. I, like you, may not love her locution, but when I see it in black and white... kaboom. Very powerful. Maybe that is why her facebook posts have been so effective. She is who she is, and I would never want to change that. She is an enigma.
Jul '10
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
Can you take her off our hands, Judith? I'll pay the air fare.
Jul '10
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
Gus Marvinson: Here's a thought. Maybe the conventional wisdom about Palin being inept, or unserious is inaccurate? I made this very point in a post about Palin a few days ago, after her India Conclave speech. I asked for comments on her stated policy positions and received no policy oriented comments. It's as though some are afraid to admit they agree with her. It's bewildering to me. · Mar 25 at 11:55am
Edited on Mar 25 at 12:38 pm
What part of addle-brained, narcissistic quitter don't you understand?
Dec '10
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
Kenneth,
Your politics are closer to mine than most others here on ricochet. However, I do like Palin and I cannot understand your complete resistance to her. I have read many of your past explanations but I still do not get it. I know you feel she lacks substance and were very disappointed by her performance as a VP candidate. I was as well. However, I like her because more often than not she says what I am screaming at cable news. This may just be the difference between an online forum and a conversation which includes a couple rounds of beer.
Jul '10
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
savage570: Kenneth,
Your politics are closer to mine than most others here on ricochet. However, I do like Palin and I cannot understand your complete resistance to her. I have read many of your past explanations but I still do not get it. I know you feel she lacks substance and were very disappointed by her performance as a VP candidate. I was as well. However, I like her because more often than not she says what I am screaming at cable news. This may just be the difference between an online forum and a conversation which includes a couple rounds of beer. · Mar 25 at 1:05pm
I'm kinda done on explaining my stance about Palin. Read Claire Berlinski's review of Palin's book - Claire, as always, says it better than I can.
Oct '10
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
The never ending slander campaign against Palin by the left continues to bear fruit among both the lefties and rather intelligent conservatives who cannot overcome the embarrassment they feel every time her name is mentioned in intelligent company.
Overcoming that embarrassment must be the hardest hurdle for a truly intelligent person's ego to handle. That is not in any way a slam or criticism of a persons intelligence. More a question of why peer pressure is as effective among intelligent adults as it is with teenagers and even people of average IQ.
Just wondering.
May '10
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
raycon, you said it. Peer pressure is a great way to put it, although I think the average IQ line could be deleted. As if wonderfully smart people are less susceptible to the trappings of acceptance. It is easy for anyone to look at Palin's "negatives" or negative poll numbers and feel she is an anchor pulling down our cause. But that anchor is almost entirely an affectation created by an enormous amount of energy. The great question is, why all the energy to discredit Palin? Rush had it right, the left instinctively knows they cannot afford to have a conservative success story in a woman or minority. And they instinctively rose up en masse to shout her down. And many conservatives caved.
The conservative movement has made impressive grounds with women in the past few years. We cannot allow the left to refuse us more progress by defining our candidates for us. If we shy away every time a female or minority candidate steps up and gets heckled then we deserve to lose. We need female and minority conservative leadership.
Dec '10
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
Diane Ellis, Ed.
Nope. I just happen to believe it's the duty of an elected representative to live up to the expectations set forth by the electorate (which at a bare minimum include serving out your term). · Mar 25 at 12:12pm
But serving out one's term isn't the duty of an elected representative. (There's a new word for people who simply serve in a job, as opposed to doing the work required of the job: "presenteeism.")
The duty of an elected representative is to perform the duties of the office to the best of his or her ability in service of the interests of those who elected him or her.
Due to the particular quirks of Alaska's ethics laws at the time, had Palin stayed in office, she would not have been able to devote all of her time and effort to serving the people of Alaska -- not without exposing her family to bankruptcy. Does your concept of public duty include an obligation to endure financial ruin?
By resigning, she gave Alaska a full-time governor in the person of her hand-picked Lt. Governor. It was in fact a selfless act.
Dec '10
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
Question: is Chris Christie experienced and accomplished enough to make a good candidate for President?
Dec '10
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
Which is why the National Jewish Democratic Council was so panicked about Palin's invitation to speak to the Sept. 2008 Stop Iran Now rally outside the UN headquarters. They forced the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations to rescind the invitation to Palin because they were afraid that American Jews would see her to be a strong friend to Israel and a strong foe of Iran's Islamic regime.
Dec '10
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
Diane Ellis, Ed.
Not enough tenacity to stick it out in a tough job for 8 years. · Mar 25 at 12:12pm
Diane, this comment makes it seem like you think that Palin sprung forth from John McCain's brow in August 2008 and had no previous record of accomplishment. You should note that she had the tenacity, the political savvy and the integrity to oppose corruption in her state on the part of politicians in both parties, and that she took down a Republican governor with ties to corruption so institutionalized that some members of the State Legislature actually wore hats emblazoned with "CBC" for "Corrupt Bastards Club". Palin's work helped put four of those "club members" in prison.
Feb '11
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
Paul Erdős would say "my brain is open". Much jokier that way.
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
Stuart Creque
Diane, this comment makes it seem like you think that Palin sprung forth from John McCain's brow in August 2008 and had no previous record of accomplishment. You should note that she had the tenacity, the political savvy and the integrity to oppose corruption in her state on the part of politicians in both parties, and that she took down a Republican governor with ties to corruption so institutionalized that some members of the State Legislature actually wore hats emblazoned with "CBC" for "Corrupt Bastards Club". Palin's work helped put four of those "club members" in prison.
I'd be similarly disappointed if Chris Christie quit next year because the public unions were suing him and costing the state a lot of money. And though I'm excited that he'll some day run for president, him quitting next year would probably end my excitement. My opposition to his candidacy in this hypothetical situation would have nothing to do with his weight or his gender (as I imagine folks might speciously argue), but because he quit when he sad so much left to do. How is that unreasonable?
Jun '10
Re: Sarah Palin Has a Question for Israel
"Today, our country is faced with seemingly overwhelming challenges. We have an unsustainable and immoral $14 trillion debt problem which, combined with a self-inflicted energy crisis, could bring America to her knees. The President of the United States is manipulating an energy supply by refusing to develop our U.S. energy resources. Shouldn’t that be the media’s focus today? Wouldn’t you like more information on the deficit that for last month alone was the highest in our history at $223 billion? That single month’s deficit was more than the entire deficit for the year 2007! We still have a 16% real unemployment rate. We had 2.9 million home foreclosures last year alone, with this year predicted to be even worse. Americans who are struggling to make ends meet are now hit by rising food and energy prices – exacerbated by the Fed’s decision to drop that $600 billion money bomb known as QE2 on us. Gas has already hit $4 per gallon in some areas.
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