Soccer Dad

The path less traveled

Ross Douthat in They chose celebrity writing about Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin (via memeorandum):

Nobody should begrudge them their choices. Think tanks are a snooze; Senate races are a grind. Signing autographs for your adoring fans is more fun than rounding up budget votes in Juneau.

But they were the wrong moves if either wanted to become president someday. Huckabee's gabfest is a weekly reaffirmation of the rap that he's too lightweight for the Oval Office. Palin has sealed her identity as a culture-war lightning rod: she can inspire hysteria from liberals (ably catalogued in Matthew Continetti's "Persecution of Sarah Palin") and adulation from conservatives (visible at every stop along her book tour), but she's unlikely to persuade anyone in the middle to trust her with the reins of government.

It's possible to be a celebrity and a serious politician at the same time: Barack Obama's career proves as much. But Obama's celebrity status is frequently a political liability, and he's (usually) wise enough to know it. That's why he plays the wonk as often as he plays the global icon.

I haven't followed Mike Huckabee to the degree that I've followed Sarah Palin. I continue to be amazed by the condescension shown Palin, even from some Republicans. Palin hasn't chosen the political path they would have mapped out for her, so somehow she's not serious. But how is it that Palin compares unfavorably to the President? Sure the President knows how to sound wonkish in ways that pundit's hearts go aflutter, but has he ever truly stopped playing the celebrity?

Some - though not Douthat here - have, for example, excoriated Palin for her critique of the President's health care reform plan by using the term "death panel." That statement was at least defensible. But has the President's rhetoric about the insurance or drug industries really been about policy? Or has it been simple (and cynical) populist rhetoric?

I've never thought that Sarah Palin was campaigning to be President in 2012. Perhaps I'm wrong. But I think the person who got it right is another celebrity from the 2008 campaign, Joe the Plumber. (via memeorandum)

Regarding Palin, the former Republican vice presidential candidate now making her rounds across the country on a book tour, Wurzelbacher told E&P he hopes she is not a candidate for president in 2012.

"I hope she doesn't (run) because I think she could do a lot for America outside of office," Wurzelbacher said. "And I think she could rally Americans to get together and make some changes from the grassroots level. I think she could be an incredible rallying point, and I think that's where she could serve America best."

Maybe Joe's hoping this will happen, but I think he's correct. I don't think that Sarah Palin is working towards a 2012 candidacy. But I do believe that she's trying to build grass roots support. Douthat and others may sniff at her way of doing things, but I do believe that she's trying to stay politically relevant and build support. The ideas will come later.