The Sarah Palin Factor

I understand Republicans now. Kinda. I am at odds with a cocky, charismatic, and stubborn woman. I have my Hillary Clinton in Sarah Palin.

I must admit, I didn't this hockey mom had it in her. She has shaken things up more than Biden every has, or will. She has galvanized the Right AND the Left. She has re-energized McCain, and put fire back in Obama's belly. She has made this election more about her, than what she stands for. So far.

As the real Hillary Clinton, Hillary Clinton, will prove, the aura of an unbeatable female force only works so far. Issues, past, and associations end up propping you up or eating you down.

Sarah Palin is riding a wave of popularity with (gasp!) women and (double gasp!) men. Polls are showing she is more popular with the men that with her sisterhood. What gives?

She is a novelty. She is experiencing what Obama has riden for the last 4 years: a new, shining promise within the party, a figure to guarantee a future beyond 2008 no matter who wins or loses. If McCain and Palin lose in November, she will be back. Oh yes, she will. As will Barack and Michelle. McCain, however, is riding his last horse to the promised land.

Sarah is supposedly shaking up the divides, and making women McCain McCrazy. According to everyone who owns a microphone, she is successfully courting Hillary voters, men, women, moose, Jesus, and even Malia and Sasha. Or so they say.

The Palin factor is an evanescent political phenomenon. She is big at the moment because McCain is so small. She cannot continue to be this gargantuan figure in the ticket because it aint her ticket. Don't be surprised if murmurs of a McCain/Palin & Bill/Hillary comparison start to arise. He might end up looking whipped if he lets her steal the show.

With the ludicrous Lipstickgate now garnering headlines (sign of a slow news day), the introduction of Sarah Palin is moving this campaign from the historic to the histerical. Soon enough, if Obama and Biden stay on task, and the media does its job, the Palin factor will loose the steam it is riding. Sarah Palin will be revealed to be a woman that shares few, if any, positions on important issues with other women, and as a blowhard, stubborn, enraging political figure with no place in the White House. I truly feel I have found my Republican Hillary Clinton.

lhp