A reader writes:
"Why is she treated differently?" is a good question. My partner and I have noticed that whenever NPR reports something that President Obama has said about some policy or other, the counterpoint is often ... Sarah Palin. (Fox I can understand, but NPR?) So, she gets instant credibility as a national figure, regardless of the nonsense that spews from her mouth. And of course other news organizations, including local news, just counter President Obama with Palin’s idiotic tweets. Why indeed.
Another writes:
Asked about the possibility by reporters, David Plouffe, Obama’s 2008 campaign manager, quipped, “Something tells me we won’t get that lucky.”
Weren't Dems hoping to get "that lucky" when Sharron Angle was running in the primaries?
Didn't Harry Reid's people actually donate money to her campaign? Perhaps he would be neck-and-neck with any Republican candidate these days, but I'm wondering if Reid regrets his "luck" now. Depending on the mood in 2012, it seems possible that any Republican candidate will give Obama a run for his money as Angle has Reid. So why not Palin herself?
Another:
Who cares if the nomination of Palin would be a nightmare for the Republican Party? Certainly not this Democrat. But I don’t want to gamble like that. If she wins the nomination, there is a chance, however unlikely, that she will become president. And that would probably be an absolute disaster for the country; if, by some chance the country escapes her tenure without suffering catastrophic consequences, it will be in spite of her.
We need to keep some focus on the consequences of elections, not just the horse race. In this increasingly difficult and complex world, we face enormous challenges, and it is imperative that our president be smart, knowledgeable (dare I say well educated), willing to work hard to master the various issues and problems that face us, and flexible in his or her thinking and ideology. Do any of these apply to Palin? No.
The failures of the Bush presidency were, in large part, due to his personal weaknesses - his evident lack of interest in and knowledge of policy issues, his shallowness, and his obvious boredom with the day-to-day responsibilities of governing. Even so, he is head and shoulders above Palin.
Basically, we’re all fucked if she becomes president. And I’m not willing to risk it.
(Image from the Beast's Election Oracle)