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The Spectacle Blog

Another Take on Last Night’s Speech

By Ross Kaminsky on 1.13.11 @ 2:27PM

Last night’s speech by Barack Obama, was the best of his presidency, if not his life.

To be sure, the audience’s occasionally odd bursts of applause left one wondering whether the “pep rally” atmosphere — rather than the expected solemn tone of a memorial service — was a welcome relief from Tucson’s intensity of recent days, or whether many of Barack Obama’s followers remain as devoted to their man as any cult members are. (See video here and read transcript here.)

Obama played to every part of the American electorate except, perhaps, the far left and their media lackeys.

He referenced “scripture” twice. He spent several paragraphs saying, one way or another, that we don’t know the killer’s motivation and that it is both unfair and unproductive to “lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who think differently than we do.”

He then turned to the idea of using the horrible events of last Saturday as a catalyst to re-examine “the manner in which we live our lives” and to “strive to be better in our private lives.” He called for “more civility in our public discourse” while re-emphasizing that “it is not because a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy.”

Glaringly absent was any, and I mean any, of Obama’s usual rhetoric regarding “enemies” or other war cries which often serve to rally his far-left, America- and conservative-hating base.

Rather than go further into analysis of the speech’s content, since much has been written about that already, allow me to refer you to conservative writer Phil Klein’s piece entitled “Obama’s Bullseye.”

Instead, I want to focus on two other things: The past and future of both Sarah Palin and Barack Obama.

My assertion that Sarah Palin’s Wednesday morning video address was not her best work was met by furious disagreement from some of her supporters at this site, with one of the more polite commenters saying that my note was “a swing and a miss.”

After Obama’s Wednesday evening address, and without any pleasure given that Barack Obama is the worst president of my lifetime and one of the worst presidents in our nation’s history, I say now you’ve seen a major league hitter make Sarah Palin look like she belongs in AA ball.

Palin’s speech, which struck me as flat and scripted when I first heard it, is doubly so in comparison with that given by our teleprompter-in-chief, no matter how much one prefers the politics of Alaska over the politics of Hawaii and Jakarta. Indeed, instead of just a teleprompter, he did, for the very first time, sound like the “president of all Americans.”

As an astute analyst of politics — one who is substantially more conservative than I am — said to me yesterday, “The contrast (between Obama and Palin) couldn’t be greater; the unifier versus the embittered one. In sum, she reinforced her base, but lost the rest of the country.”

I don’t dislike Sarah Palin and I’m not going to spend more time beating her up on this subject.

Even more interesting to me than Palin’s performance was the fury of her supporters at my relatively modest criticism of her. Their lack of openness to debate and their tendency to take criticism of Palin as a personal attack on each and every Palin fan struck me as mirroring some of the worst characteristics I usually find in leftists. In recent history on “our” side, the only thing that comes close is Ron Paul supporters, also a generally well-meaning but rabid group utterly devoted to their man and utterly closed to rational discussion of his weaknesses. (And I say that as someone who contributed to Ron Paul’s presidential campaign because despite the fact that his foreign policy views leave me cold, I really appreciate his consistent reference to the Constitution on matters of domestic policy.)

Secondly, and more importantly, is the question of what Obama’s tone last night might signify. One can’t read too much into one speech, particularly if it goes against the grain of all prior history of its speaker.

But if — and this is an “if” that I’ve long said I didn’t think would be the case — Barack Obama has decided, ala Bill Clinton, that re-election is more important than ideology, this speech was an excellent opportunity for him to reinforce the perception created among some during the debate over the extension of the Bush tax cuts that Obama might move slightly to the center during his second term.

I’m far from convinced that any Obama moderation will be sincere or long-lasting, but it is a low-risk strategy for him, especially so far from the next election, i.e. so far from the time when he really cares how motivated his left-wing kook base is. By making an appearance of unification and moderation, Obama and his pollsters will find out how open the great American middle of independent voters are to revising their low opinion of him — an opinion which was evidenced in the historic Republican gains in November’s elections.

If the political winds tell Obama that he probably wins reelection by playing to the middle and probably loses if he doesn’t, he will maintain this moderate persona. It will be up to conservatives and independents, with no help from the dominant liberal mass media, to either force him to support much more conservative policies than he normally would, i.e. to live up to his attempted moderate billing, or to expose him as the committed radical that he, in my view, is and always will be.

In any case, no matter how much we dislike Barack Obama and everything he believes, conservatives must remember that an Obama who acts like a moderate — even if he wishes he weren’t — is better for the country than Barack Obama 1.0. It’s a Barack Obama who will have to support essentially unobjectionable (or at least widely popular) conservative push-back on certain issues, whether aspects of the Dodd-Frank bill or the outrageous Form 1099 filing requirements of Obamacare, and who will be less able to demagogue during debates over cutting government spending.

Thus, while it gives me no pleasure to think about Barack Obama’s popularity going up, as it certainly will following his Tucson speech, we must keep in mind that this game of politics is about much more than just one election. If Obama understands that his popularity is up, that his re-election chances are improved, because he now appears to be more willing to work with, or at least not demonize, the loyal opposition, he’ll have to put up or shut up — at least if re-election is a primary goal of his. For now, that puts the nation (except perhaps for Sarah Palin and other Republican contenders for president) in a win-win situation, with a president who has all but boxed himself into a more docile rhetorical corner.

Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 1.13.11 @ 2:42PM

You and the rest of the bloggers here seem determined to prove your points with vacuousness and platitudes.

First, Sarah Palin's point was well taken. The media went out of control and your attack on her is as defense of that. Is that where you want to be? Where are your principles?

As far as comparing Sarah Palin and Barack Obama that is ludicrous. Sarah Palin is not an elected official. She is a private citizen. Basically, you're defending the state run medias false premise that somehow she is remotely connected to this incident.

That now takes us to Obama's speech at the memorial. Taken all together it appears as another speech.

However, he is the chief law enforcement officer in the country and knows political rhetoric has nothing to do with this situation.

In effect, it was simply another clever ploy and lie. Are those the principles you honor?

If so, look at yourself, and not your responders. That's what your are in effect applauding.

Joe Citizen| 1.13.11 @ 2:54PM

You really expect to be taken seriously with that ridiculous assumed name? You could go "blah" and there would be no doubt whatsoever on your politics of hate.

John Updake| 1.13.11 @ 2:58PM

The liberal is strong within you Joe Citizen.

Ross Kaminsky | 1.13.11 @ 2:48PM

"Bill",

I most certainly did not explicitly or implicitly defend the media's insane assertion that Palin or the Tea Party or anyone on the "right" had anything to do with the Tuscon killings.

Calling Palin just a "private citizen" is intentionally misleading. She was and may again seek high elected office in this country.

It's not ME comparing Palin to Obama. It's the whole world of people interested in politics, since the first moment that McCain selected her as a running mate. And clearly, her Wednesday morning video release was intended to make her look presidential. I think it would have had it been released some weeks later. As it stood, her approach was an uncharacteristic error.

In any case, you miss my main point: Even if Obama is insincere about toning down rhetoric, he has boxed himself in from his usual bomb-throwing style.

Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 1.13.11 @ 3:03PM

Sorry, I thought you wrote that article. And if you did that's precisely what you were doing.

As far as your assumption that her release was done to make her look presidential that's a reach. She was doing something many do not have the nerve to do. She pointed out that the whole argument was ridiculous.

In that sense she knocked it out of the park for truth and Obama only verified that there was something to the media belief. In effect, Obama slapped the truth in the face.

Obama is steeped in lies and has lied on just about every subject. I don't recall Sarah Palin lying about anything.

If that's your idea of a home run I will never be on or watch your team.

By the way, until she's elected to office she's STILL a private citizen, your misguided designations notwithstanding.

Ross| 1.13.11 @ 3:09PM

Bill,

Let me just clarify a couple of things:

I like most of Palin's political views and agree with most of her fundamental philosophy.

I hate most of Obama's political views and disagree with his anti-American fundamental philosophy.

My analysis isn't about who's the good guy here. It's about the politics of the situation. I wish Palin had knocked it out of the park. I just don't think she did.

I can't say that I wish Obama had failed in this particular circumstance, because it really wasn't about Obama and failure would have been very bad for a lot of people who have been through enough.

In the big picture, I hope Obama fails and is judged as a failure by history. Indeed, he has already utterly failed in my view, as he had to given his views, his history, and his complete lack of relevant experience.

I don't relish getting my friends and readers angry, even if temporarily. But my opinion as written above (and as always written) is my honest assessment of the events of the last 24 hours. It's not intended to offend conservatives, but I can't let that possibility deter me from calling it as I see it.

The good news is that I'm fairly certain that readers of these pages, as they are mostly not leftists, will not look to respond with physical violence. After all, if our modern history shows anything, it's that political violence is a tactic of the left, not the right.

Bill Hussein O'Staling| 1.13.11 @ 3:24PM

If that anger comment was directed at me, I never get angry and I haven't observed any anger. I hope that wasn't an Alinsky moment.

Secondly, you don't have to be a conservative to question the motives of why Obama mentioned political rhetoric in reference to the shootings in Tuscon when he knows for a fact it had nothing to do with it.

By mentioning it, he was tacitly agreeing with the local idiot Sheriff Dupnik who is engaging in duplicity.

As far as Sarah Palin you should be attacking those who are threatening to murder her. That's how much the left fears her and this tragic incident is being use to marginalize and demean her..

However, if you insist let's compare her and Barack Obama.

To my knowledge she is not a liar.

Obama never tells the truth.

Palin never attended a church where whites and America were both roundly condemned. Obama did and for 20 years.

Obama is steeped in Marxism. Palin appears to be a capitalist.

Obama has a friend named Bill Ayres who allegedly ghost wrote his book. Bill Ayres is a known terrorist. I don't think Sarah Palin has any friends who have tried to blow up government buildings.

Obama wants Americans to mandatorily buy health insurance, and most likely from the government when the insurance companies are forced out of business. Sarah Palin is against that.

Barack Obama labeled people who disagree with him on illegal immigration as the enemies. Sarah Palin is against illegal immigration.

I could think of several more but I think you get the point.

So who is hitting the home runs? Someone who makes a phony speech full of false hyperbole, or someone who speaks to the facts of the issue.

Well your readers will decide who has their facts straight.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 3:53PM

I didn't see any anger in your comments, Bill, and I don't know why Ross brought it up. I thinks he's projecting.

Pelligrino| 1.14.11 @ 6:19AM

Thanks, Bill. This comment and those above -- all spot on. I appreciate it.

There are a lot of writers here at the web Am Spectator pages who need an immediate wake up call.

What is it about full-time? journalists and media-types that fries their brains?

Ricco| 1.13.11 @ 3:04PM

Ross,

Thank you for chiming in to answer the post by "Bill." It is refreshing to see one who writes in the world of social/new media grasping the concept that it is a dialogue. Bravo.

LiveFreeOrDie| 1.13.11 @ 3:30PM

Ditto!

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 3:56PM

Since when do Leftists engage in dialogue? Lectures, ad hominem attacks and out right lies are what they spew toward us.

Ricco| 1.13.11 @ 6:13PM

It's about the use of the social medium. How many people/companies/organizations use blogs or FaceBook to do nothing more than yak. Sure some only want to preach but here is a case where a dialogue sorta occurred.

But if you don't get it, you don't get it.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 6:26PM

Oh, I get it, and you are pretending not to.

My first post holds.

Claypoole| 1.14.11 @ 10:11AM

Obama sincere? Haven't we learned not to listen to anything he says? Haven't we learned to ignore the rhetoric and focus on what he actually does? Barack Obama, at the least, should have sent Robert Gibbs out on Saturday or Sunday to condemn, explicitly in his boss's name, all those who were trying to blame the attack on conservatives and their media outlets. What happened between the first appearance of comments like Paul Krugman's and Wednesday's memorial service at which Obama offered himself as the great unifier? Poll results happened. It became clear that the blaming of conservatives was not working to the left's advantage, so, once again, the chameleon-in-chief transformed himself into the person he believed he needed to be at the moment.

Rogue Elephant| 1.13.11 @ 3:00PM

"Just words" - my thoughts exactly, "Who cares?". I didn't watch it because it doesn't matter what he says. In fact, with Obama, his words often predict the exact opposite of what he does. (Every day is opposite day.)

Roger Fortier | 1.13.11 @ 2:48PM

Just words, who cares. Tomorrow, Obama will be hard at work stripping the rest of our liberties from us. Enjoy your false fellowship with him while you can.

JBB| 1.13.11 @ 2:50PM

Comparing Palin's video and Obama's speech is misguided. Each person had a different function and thus each speech a different purpose. Hers was to protect herself from unfair attacks. His to bring together a grieving and dividing country. As president he has been the task to do that and was thus given a forum in which to do it. That was not her task and thus she was not given the forum to do so. It would have been presumptuous and inappropriate for her to try to usurp his function.

His speech was appropriate but it will not be memorable. It was too long and suffered from inappropriate crowd responses.

Hers was fine for what it was but will not especially help or hurt her in the future.

Joe Citizen| 1.13.11 @ 2:50PM

Lashing out at every criticism is just very immature. Its a pattern sh has established. Sarah needs to try harder to pretend to be a leader rather than the rabble rouser she comes across as.

GeronL| 1.13.11 @ 2:54PM

Well, if she owned the media I guess she'd have a shot.

Joe Citizen| 1.13.11 @ 3:43PM

Amazing! You actually admit you can't get your message across without a captive media a' la' North Korea, Russia, the Old Soviet Union, et. al.?

That's a refreshing admission of your inability to appeal to the rational person out there.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 3:57PM

What would you know about rational?

Joe Citizen| 1.13.11 @ 9:09PM

everything you obviously don't with that uncalled for confrontational ridiculously juvenile rhetoric.

Jamie| 1.15.11 @ 2:49AM

Oh no, nothing juvenile about your ridiculous name, Joe Six-Pack. Bozo.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 3:05PM

The only rabble I saw yesterday were those who attended the Arizona "memorial."

GeronL| 1.13.11 @ 2:53PM

Because nothing says Presidential like themed t-shirts and raucous crowds and shout-outs to the homies!! Sarah should have done some of that!

ridiculous.

Rogue Elephant| 1.13.11 @ 3:02PM

Yes, and nothing says "funereal solemn occasion" like a political pep rally and applause lines.

A Balrog of Morgoth| 1.13.11 @ 3:01PM

Progressives: Sarah Palin incited the shooter

Palin: No, I did not.

Joe Citizen: Duh, lashing out at every criticism is very immature. Duh.

GTFO, I guess she is supposed to lay back and think of England every time she is libeled.

Joe Citizen| 1.13.11 @ 9:15PM

"Libeled"? You're funny. Have you seen how politics is done in this country? Ever heard the wise old Chines saying "People in glass houses live in interesting times"?

Ross Kaminsky | 1.13.11 @ 3:03PM

No doubt, and perhaps worth further emphasis in my note above, was the ridiculous inappropriate behavior (cheers) by the audience during Obama's speech.

If anything, that was the biggest message of the night: He is still a cult leader.

Clint| 1.13.11 @ 3:03PM

Apparently, Obama's Mussolini Chin Jut ,The "Tee Shirts" & Chief Halftown are all Obama needed to Fool The Suckers Again, after He allowed his surrogates days to once again Slime, Smear & Slander The Tea Party, One of Our Kingmakers and Our Media Friends.

The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates.

Carpe Diem.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 3:11PM

The Left is terrified after the political shellacking they took in November; they have to pull out all the stops to demonize the Tea Party so they can win back the Independents.

We just have to remember there are more of us than there of them and push forward. We will lose our country otherwise.

Predictable Leftist clowns.

George S| 1.13.11 @ 3:10PM

When Gov. Jindal was running circles of competence around the White House during the BP oil spill, nobody was complaining about his state of the union response a year and a half prior. Actions speak louder than words; which we will all see starting next week when this speech will be a distant political memory.

Ross Kaminsky| 1.13.11 @ 3:13PM

George,

I agree with you, though I do think that if Jindal were to try running for president, that speech would become an issue again -- simply because the media would do everything they could to stop a young, fairly charismatic, conservative.

Clint| 1.13.11 @ 3:31PM

Clinton's Bombed Dukakis Nominating Speech didn't stop Clinton & We know We Are In A Media War.

That's why We have The Tea Party & Alternative Media.

Jindel & Palin don't need to worry about a bad speech.

George S| 1.13.11 @ 5:23PM

Of course it would... but so would every act of corruption by the lowest state official, every of supposed misappropriated penny and any human suffering under his tenure would be shouted by the media. It is expected and will be unmerciless; it is what is.

As for Palin's speech in comparison with Obama's, of course Palin was overshadowed. Obama did not have to defend himself against accusations of being complicit in murder. It was a no-win situation for Palin: remain silent and let the opposition paint and define you (I can see Russia from my house!) or respond and sound like Richard Nixon (I am NOT a murderer...). There is just no way to be dignified in responding to slander. Saul Alinsky is smiling from hell.

But tomorrow morning, the unemployed will find another asset seized, the elderly will need another $900 worth of heating oil and health insurance companies are going to ready their 40% rate hikes in response to ObamaCare -- a rude awakening from the Obama Speech into the depression. I have a feeling that Palin's political influence will return and Obama will relapse towards his incompetent, uncaring self that he managed to briefly hide last night.

Liberal Reader| 1.13.11 @ 3:14PM

I was annoyed and disturbed by the cheers. I'll be curious to see if the White House chose the venue. I'm sure they did, and it shows an error in judgment, in my view. 14,000 people -- mostly college students, it seems -- doesn't seem appropriate for the occasion.

However, it may have seemed different to people there, and it may have seemed different to the people of AZ -- those most hurt by the shootings.

Obama's speech was superb, as even Glenn Beck admits.

Personally, I was surprised and moved by Gov. Brewer's reception of Obama. That her words to the president were gracious and dignified did not surprise me. We are entitled to expect grace and dignity from leaders. What surprised me is how heartfelt her appreciation of his visit obviously was. The governor doesn't strike me as someone able to feign emotion well, and she's not the most eloquent public speaker in the world. (Which is fine by me.) This made her words to Obama all the more moving.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 4:03PM

Were you also annoyed that Team Obama handed out T-shirts with logos on them at the memorial? Is a memorial for those injured and slain in a mass murder the appropriate time and place to hand out T-shirts?

When GWB spoke at the memorial for those murdered at Virginia Tech, there were no raucous chants or cheers, and Team Bush did not hand out T-shirts to the assembled.

There was nothing solemn about this event, it was a campaign rally, pure and simple.

Liberal Reader| 1.13.11 @ 4:32PM

Patriot --

Not that you'll be persuaded by facts, but I don't think "team Obama" handed out those T-shirts; the T-shirts were handed out by the university.

You will say that Obama is behind it; he controls the universities, and so on. Of course, you could apply this logic to anything, claiming he "controls" everything evil and corrupt in the world as you see it. As always, your response will be dull and predictable and illuminate nothing, except for the fact that you hate Obama, Democrats, and anyone who doesn't think like you on everything.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 4:37PM

How do you know the university handed out the T-shirts? It was Team Obama and you know it.

Don't go crazy on me, you'll give yourself a hernia. I don't hate anybody, I just dislike deceit. You're the troll pretending be reasonable, not me. You just hate me because I see through you and your Liberal BS, and I'm not afraid to call you out on it.

Clint| 1.13.11 @ 3:23PM

Time to seriously start vetting more than one Tea Party Candidate for The 2012 GOP Presidential Primaries Showdowns.

Last GOP Presidential Primaries We got presented with a Front Loaded Serial Traitor To Conservatism, John McCain.

Bob Grant| 1.13.11 @ 9:51PM

This should have happened a year ago. Don't you think?

Ross Kaminsky| 1.13.11 @ 3:23PM

Nick Gillespie at Reason has almost exactly the same analysis of Palin that I did:
http://reason.com/blog/2011/01.....-in-loughn

Tim Williams| 1.13.11 @ 7:55PM

Your critique is fair, but I think my view is more in Line with Jonah Goldberg's on this:

http://www.nationalreview.com/.....h-goldberg

In part: "Palin’s statement yesterday was actually the most robust, unapologetic defense of vigorous democratic debate and the American system we’ve heard from any politician since Saturday, and that goes for President Obama’s speech as well. I don’t fault Obama by saying this. Obama was speaking at a memorial service (or at least that was his plan).

"Palin did exactly what her detractors claimed she both must do and couldn’t do: give a grown up, mature statement."

Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 1.13.11 @ 3:48PM

Ross Kaminsky: Ponder this unassailable fact. Barack Obama wasn't very presidential either (And I"m just using your concept there) and he's the president.

Clint| 1.13.11 @ 3:49PM

The Tea Party & A Crap Job Market, Huge Debt, etc.have significantly influenced election dynamics, as The Recent Tea Party/ Conservative Leaning Indies led Asskickin' of The Liberal Democrats demonstrates.
We need A Winner Real Conservative ,who will be supported enthusiastically by The Tea Party & Conservative Leaning Indies.

Fact is many, many Conservative Leaning Indies already are in or support The Tea Party Agenda.

Let's start seriously vetting Tea Party Candidates:
Who We Got ?
Jindal, Palin, DeMint, Pence, Paul, Toomey, Rubio.......

Who Else We Got ?

Ross Kaminsky| 1.13.11 @ 4:02PM

Clint,

Jindal, Toomey, and Rubio strike me as not ready to run for president because they have jobs in which they must prove themselves first, esp. the latter two obviously. Generally, I think Jindal is a hard sell even though I like the guy.

Ron Paul is not a serious candidate and can't possibly win the nomination, much less the general election.

Of your list, I like Pence and DeMint. But they'd better start making a more national name for themselves.

One other thing, as much as I don't like it, it's a fact of life that DeMint has pissed off a fair number of people whose help a candidate normally needs to win. That's not to say he can't win. After all, those same things have given his supporters that much more enthusiasm.

I'm still trying to figure out John Thune. I think he's a very appealing candidate but I'm not sure if he has Tea Party mettle.

I think I could support Mitch Daniels as well, but need to learn a little more.

Same story with Pawlenty.

Do you have a take on those three?

CalMark| 1.13.11 @ 4:05PM

"Conservative" Palin-haters never miss an opportunity to trash her. This post is more of the same.

What possible purpose does it serve, trashing Palin's efforts in comparison to The Great and Undefeatable Barack Obama?

JPM| 1.13.11 @ 4:23PM

You know perfectly well what purpose trashing Palin serves. People who trash Palin, left and right, prefer another candidate and are alarmed by her rising star. But her star is rising anyway and the regular trashings only boost it higher. Palin is quite likely to be the Republican nominee in 2012 because she has a substantial constituency and nobody else does. Someone might come out of nowhere, but it would be almost unprecedented. Sarah can pretty much have what Sarah wants from the Republican Party. And she will be a formidable candidate.

People can carp about whether yesterday's speech was "her best work," and it may well not have been. But it was a remarkable piece of work. She kicked over a hornet's nest and succeeded in doing two things that are hard to do together. She delivered a counterpunch that will leave a mark on her leftist enemies and she showed a capacity for expressing herself movingly at a time of great sadness. I don't know of another living politician who could do that.

As for Obama's speech, it was dreck. like all the others. Those who praise it are entirely mistaken as to what Obama meant. He didn't put any distance between himself and the left's outrageous blood libel. He built on that libel and contributed to the leftist effort to get conservatives to shut up and go away. His whole point was that we should elevate our discourse so that the left no longer tells lies about us and we no longer tell the truth about the left. This is a despicable ploy from a despicable man and it is astonishing how many people can't see through it.

CalMark| 1.13.11 @ 4:37PM

Well said.

Nothing to add.

P.S. I'm a Palin fan.
P.P.S. And unlike Kaminsky, et al., I don't get tingly feelings up my leg no matter how good an Obama speech is.

JPM| 1.13.11 @ 6:40PM

I wouldn't really call myself a Palin fan. There is a significant cultural distance between her and me and I understand the typical elite response she generates. But no other prominent conservative politician fights back the way she does. She's fighting our fight very effectively and I appreciate it. Besides, to be of any use the next President has to come from far outside the conventional political elite and nobody else fits that bill. Finally, I think there's an inevitabillity to Palin's presidential candidacy. I don't think anyone can stop her, including the simpering man child currently resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Conservatives need to close ranks around her because we have nobody else, as the converstation about alternatives on this thread amply demonstrates. Pawlenty!? Pawleese!

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 4:44PM

Also, lots of nobody pundits use Palin's name to increase their web traffic. I think Ross writes deliberately provocative posts about Palin because it guarantees more response.

Allah Pundit at Hot Air has used his attacks on Sarah Palin for this very reason.

Clint| 1.13.11 @ 4:09PM

Ross, we might start here.

10/1/2009:
"Some of the things listed at the Cato Institute that Tim Pawlenty stood by in Minnesota -

* Supports Massachusetts-style health care reform, including a “health care exchange” and an individual mandate;
* Has called for banning all prescription drug advertising, and seeks government imposed price controls for drugs offered through Medicare;
* Proposed a $4000 per child preschool program for low-income children;
* Pushed a statewide smoking ban smoking ban in workplaces, restaurants and bars;
* Increased the state’s minimum wage;
* Imposed some of the most aggressive and expensive renewable energy mandates in the country;
* Was an ardent supporter of the farm bill;
* Received only a “C” ranking on Cato’s 2006 Governor’s Report Card, finishing below such Democrats as Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and tied with Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell."

Ross| 1.13.11 @ 6:01PM

That's a fine start, Clint!

What about Thune? He strikes me as electable, but that's not the same as being someone we'd want elected. I just haven't done homework on him yet.

Clint| 1.13.11 @ 7:28PM

John Thune.

Ross,these may help:
http://tellthetruthonthem.com/?p=188

http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/john_thune.htm

David W| 1.13.11 @ 4:16PM

The difference between Palin and Obama in this is as follows:
1) Palin was attacked. She was defending herself. Always difficult to do - regardless of the merits of the attack. I've had to do that to a previous boss. I can't imagine how difficult that would be to have to create a video to defend onesself against multiple attacks.
2) President Obama was completely out of the picture. At no time was he ever attacked or even mentioned (at least from the MSM and others). Conservative sites tried to bring up his own actions that contributed to the vicious dialog, though the attempt was fact based, not in the form of vicious attacks or tweets or whatever. It would be much much easier, given a few days and time to write something out, to sound presidential as opposed to being defensive.

Heck fire, I could have come across presidential given the time if I had been Obama. I don't know how I could have come across very well if I had been in Palin's situation (and I haven't seen her video yet).

Clint| 1.13.11 @ 4:20PM

Daniels is in trouble with Social Conservatives presently affiliated with CPAC.

This past quote got Mitch Daniels into some hot water: “The next president, whoever he is, ‘would have to call a truce on the so-called social issues. We’re going to just have to agree to get along for a little while."

M. Nolan| 1.13.11 @ 4:43PM

I wonder what the purpose of the scare quotes around "our" was when referring to which side Ron Paul supporters are on.

This Ron Paul supporter is on the side of the Constitution. This supporter is on the side of the rule of law. This supporter is on the side of "just" wars that must be declared by Congress. This supporter is on the side of sound money, and living within our fiscal means. This supporter thinks that Republicans are just as dangerous to our rights as a democrat. This supporter knows that whatever a Republican says when (s)he is running for office has little to nothing to do with the principals they put into action when they reach DC. This supporter sees no difference between the leftists who want to use the federal government to engineer a european socialist utopia, and the leftists in the Republican party who want to social engineer us into some sort of warmongering Mormon pot-luck social.

This supporter prefers to engineer his own life. Perhaps that is what you liberal Republicans are scared to associate with.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 4:48PM

Don't call me a Liberal Republican--I didn't write this tripe. That would be Ross.

ncatty| 1.13.11 @ 4:52PM

We will see how long Mr. Obama stays in the rhetorical box. Not long, I wager.

Frisbee| 1.13.11 @ 5:15PM

The first one to speak loses. Palin was speaking to a hostile media, while Obama was basking in the glow while taking a "higher path".

Clint| 1.13.11 @ 5:35PM

Obama's Surrogates Spoke First & Often attempting to Smear,Slandering & Marginalize The Tea Party, One of Our Kingmakers , and Our Media Allies.

Your " How Can We Fool The Suckers Again" Alinskiite is confronting The Tea Party and those,who Fell Off The Obama Sled
this time around.

The dynamics have shifted.

Ken (Old Texican)| 1.13.11 @ 5:41PM

Ross,
I am disappointed.
You gutted a nice lady.
I read her statement. Then I watched her video.
She was quiet, straightforward, very positive about Americans, NOT playing victim, but instead calling out the pukes with the term "blood lible".

Finally, she did not give an inch to the communists, (pardon the shorthand), and their mouthpieces.
Oh...and she was not "screechy" as some would characterize her heretofore.

Sir, I am a bright guy. I'm not easily fooled. Evidently you guys just need some more seasoning.

Ross Kaminsky| 1.13.11 @ 5:57PM

Ken,

There was no gutting.

The reaction to my note was like that of a parent who freaks out when his kid comes home with a "B" on a report card.

I said that Palin's points were valid, but that the "optics" of both her delivery and the timing of those particular points -- which I believe would have been better made some weeks later -- didn't serve her well.

It's really something to see Palin supporters come unglued at even modest criticism of her, from someone who'd rather see her as president than Obama every time, though she's also far from my first choice as I really think she'd have a hard time winning.

Patriot| 1.13.11 @ 6:34PM

You really are an ass, Mr. Kaminsky. No one here has "freaked out" or "come unglued" but you. Why the repeated phony histrionics?

We're used to RINOs like you bashing Palin. You're just another David Frum and Kathleen Parker trying to make money off of Sarah's name.

We get it, and you're nothing special or new under the sun. Don't you have to go take care of your kids or something?

Ross Kaminsky| 1.14.11 @ 1:10PM

"Patriot",

First, please tell me how I'm a RINO.

Second, please tell me how I'm trying to make money off Sarah's name.

You're clueless.

Jamie| 1.15.11 @ 2:54AM

We know you write posts about Palin because her name increases your web traffic. Not only are you a RINO but you're a clueless RINO.

I Survived Arlen Specter| 1.13.11 @ 6:20PM

Mr. Texican, from one Ken to another this was spot on. Take care & GOD bless!

Ken (Old Texican)| 1.13.11 @ 6:16PM

Ross,
May I substitute another phrase then "damning with faint praise."
Sir, it is quite apparent, that she is "far from your first choice".
Well grab this thought. She is not my favorite either. I would much prefer George Washington, or Dwight Eisenhower, or Ronald Reagan, but they are no longer with us.
It is time and circumstances, Ross. I look at the field of Republican possibles, and none of them have the slightest chance to win...except her.
Yes, she might lose....but if she wins we have won something.
She will do her darnedest to get our country back on the right track.
Search in your heart, Sir. In the entire field who else do you see that you can trust?

Christopher| 1.13.11 @ 6:47PM

Obama's speech was helped because of the crowd constantly cheering and clapping, the presence of the victims and family, and it was a live performance. Palin gave a talk with no audience there to give a human reaction.
You are impressed with the theater and not with the substance. Obama's words, if given without the theater, would sound like a lecture.
Obama had the intern stir up the crowd, and Bible readings, even if staged were effective.
Can't believe you fell for this theater, did you like the fake columns during his nomination?

Steve Ford| 1.13.11 @ 9:04PM

Sarah Palin is a footnote politician. She is her own worst enemy and will be the true cause of her ultimate defeat(s). Sarah Palin can never overcome the simple fact that she is not qualified. Mrs. Palin can grab headlines and stir up the press and public, but that's where her expertise ends.

I could take a Boy Scout with an arm full of Medicine Merit Badges and enter him into a race to become the Surgeon General of the United States, if I want to. It may be an exercise in futility, it may be embarrassingly stupid, it may seem sad and desperate, it may provide loads of laughs and some hilarious interviews and debates, but it will never change the fact that my Boy Scout is not qualified to be Surgeon General of anything. My Boy Scout may be a fine human being and lots of fun to be around, but he will never be taking up residence in The Office of the Surgeon General. It's simply never, ever going to happen.

In the meantime, let's all try to be more civil, more respectful, more caring and more thoughtful. Let's take the advice of our kind, thoughtful and respectful President and try to become better people. Let's set aside politics and fix what's wrong. Let's work together to solve our problems.

This isn't about Sarah Palin, or any of her "followers". It's about making the country and ourselves better. Let's try to take something positive from the senseless death of these innocent people. Let's try to rise above stupidity and not repeat the idiocy of our past.

God bless the families and friends of the victims of this heinous act. Let those wounded heal swiftly and may all those slain find peace and may their passing not be in vain.

LET US REMEMBER AND MAY GOD BLESS AND KEEP:

Christina Green 9
Gabriel "Gabe" Zimmerman, 30
U.S. District Judge John Roll, 63
Dorwan Stoddard, 76
Dorothy Morris, 76
Phyllis Schneck, 79

JPM| 1.13.11 @ 9:42PM

No, let's not work together. We don't have any problems the government can solve. Conservatives just want it to stop trying. Working together to solve problems is the last thing on our minds. Neither you nor Obama want to go anyplace we want to be. The only political goal conservatives are interested in working toward is purging him and every other egalitarian utopian idealist from American politics. We want you beaten, marginalized and universally ridiculed. Forget the happy talk. We aren't going to be respectful to those who merit no respect and we have no reason to thoughtful toward those we mean to destroy. You guys declared war long ago on everything we hold dear. We intend to fight back with every means at our disposal. We can't be sweet talked, we aren't giving up and we aren't giving in. Even if Obama ever did give a good speech, which I very much doubt I'll live to see, it would make no difference. Whatever he says, he will remain the enemy (yes the enemy, not the adversary or the oponent , the enemy) unless and until he abandons his poisonous ideology.

That's the state of play and it has nothing whatsoever to do with the terrible events in Tucson. The President's suggestion to the contrary is an abomination.

And as for qualifications to be President -- my Australian Shepard would make a better POTUS than Obama.

GBinPa| 1.13.11 @ 11:02PM

I can't believe that people would fall for Obama's kindly, gentle tone. He will do or say whatever is necessary for him to advance his agenda. If he's in the lead, he's a brutal partisan. Now that he's behind, he turns into the "Healer in Chief". Write this down: The man is a chameleon. I agree with the author on one point; there is no real comparison between Palin and Obama. She's in touch with people; he is not. She may have offended the press, but the common man wanted her to defend herself, but to defend free speech. She did that brilliantly when she noted that Congresswoman Giffords was pursuing that right when she was shot. For the press to imply that she should have apologized is ridiculous. She did nothing wrong; to apologize would have been disingenuous and would have lent credibility to all of the liberal voices who are desperate to silence their political opponents. They criticized her for not speaking, and when she did, they criticized her for thrusting herself into a debate. Do the liberal pundits in the media really think the public is incapable of seeing through their charade? Their credibility is gone, just like Obama's, and it's not coming back.

Yosemeti Sam| 1.13.11 @ 11:12PM

On governor (honorable title) Palin, she has
the right 'octane' but the tendency of her voice to crescendo to higher octaves in spirited debate must IMO be reflected upon - SERIOUSLY.

The American Spectator

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