Sarah Palin - Friend, Foe Or Scapegoat?

I have plenty of thoughts on the election. This blog deals with Sarah Palin. When she was introduced at the Republican National Convention I really was speechless. Not good or bad...just speechless. On the positive side she was energetic, engaging, funny, current. She gave a rousing speech. She was an outsider who would ride into Washington and change the body politic forever. On the negative side John McCain selected her after just meeting her one time? Was it a joke? She had no foreign policy experience? What about Leiberman, Romney, anyone? Was John McCain senile? Was he trying to say 'Hey, I'm a maverick! So check out my running mate?' What did that say about his judgment?

Over the weeks that followed...the interviews, the hiccups...'What do you read each day?....We'll I read everything...What exactly do you read...Just all of it'. The $150,000 clothes debacle. Her stock value decreased each week.

I am not sure that is entirely fair. The media certainly did jump at her quickly and set her ablaze. The experience issue was out there as well. Did she really ever have a chance? Did John McCain pick her to be the patsy when he knew he'd lose and the finger could be pointed at her? No one really knows. My personal feeling is that he would have lost regardless of the running mate he chose. The fact that after the race, everyone looked at her as the problem is really quite unfair. The incumbent President had the lowest approval rating since tracking was created eons ago. The two wars raging and the rationale for going to war in the first place. The terrible economy. It already spelled DOOM. Let's not forget that John McCain looked to be another four years of Bushisms. He did actually vote with Bush 90% of the time. That's not really a maverick, is it? Sarah Palin was never fully evaluated before the election so throwing her to the piranhas doesn't seem fair.

I believe she will come around. She will ultimately be a positive for the Republican party but it's going to take awhile. She might want to consider becoming a Senator first as her next gig. If she gets the Washington experience coupled with that hockey mom/lipstick attitude...She just might become the winner after all.