Booman Tribune ~ Palin is Their McKinney

Palin is Their McKinney

by BooMan
Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 01:32:59 AM EST

As I have been watching the right-wing reaction to Sarah Palin, I have been trying to put myself in their shoes. What left-leaning politician would be the equivalent of Sarah Palin? What left-leaning politician would fire up the elected delegates but leave the Establishment of the party in a panic?

I've come to the conclusion that there isn't any perfect parallel. Russ Feingold would fire up the base and take a lot of heat for being too liberal, but he really isn't that radical or terrifying to the powers-that-be. To scare the Establishment the way Palin in scaring the Establishment, we would have to nominate Dennis Kucinich or Cynthia McKinney. But neither of those candidates would fire up more than a tiny fraction of our elected delegates. Most Democrats would see their nomination as an act of irresponsible political suicide. In other words, our party delegates are a lot more practical.

McKinney is probably the best parallel. She is a 9/11 Truther which puts her somewhat on a par with people than sincerely believe in Creationism and deny global warming. In the Democratic Party, being a 9/11 Truther is disqualifying, while the same is not true for Exxon/Mobil-funded politicians like Jim Inhofe and Sarah Palin who deny global warming. McKinney also espouses opinions on Israel that are taboo in any major party in the United States but which accord, at least modestly, with the majority opinion of elected delegates. McKinney is a real fringe Democrat that has twice lost her seat in Congress and who is now running as the Green Party candidate for president. She is the rough equivalent of Sarah Palin for the Republican Party.

But it is okay to be a fringe right-winger as long as you support the war.

If Barack Obama or any conceivable Democratic nominee had selected McKinney as their running mate, they'd be instantly marginalized and lose any hope of winning the election. McCain is flirting with that fate right now with his selection of the secessionist Sarah Palin. But she is not quite nutty enough to assure that McCain will be crushed for picking her.

Why is that?

Palin is Their McKinney | 25 comments (25 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Palin is Their McKinney (4.00 / 2)

If McKinney had a corps of crackpot plutocrats behind her, she'd probably be acceptable too.

by AmIDreaming (frankbrickle@yahoo.com) on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 02:24:33 AM EST

Re: Palin is Their McKinney (4.00 / 3)

Why is that?

Overton window.

by Joe Bourgeois on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 02:33:12 AM EST

Skin color (4.00 / 4)

Is one guess...the fact that the left has no problem throwing one of their own to the wolves, while the GOP takes care of their fallen...Seriously, have you read any of the bigoted comments on liberal blogs about McKinney? In Palin, the GOP base sees a glimmer of what got them elected in 2000.

~~~THIS SPACE FOR RENT~~~

by fabooj (fabooj [at} mail [dot} com) on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 02:49:03 AM EST

Comments about McKinney (none / 1)

No comment about McKinney could do more against her than what she has done to herself. She is a walking disaster.

by dataguy on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 08:32:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Skin color (none / 0)

Exactly. In the nuttiness sweepstakes, Palin = Reagan. The movers of the GOP could fill an insane asylum in a rational country. Creationism, forced pregnancy, gay hating, personal voice messages from God the Micromanager, cognitive dissonance that amounts to schizophrenia, climate change denial, forced prayer in public schools and the rest of the theocrat agenda -- for the Republican Party and way too many Dems and Indies, nuts is the new "center".

In a reason-based society, McKinney wouldn't even be the same species as Palin. It's only because the left has turned into a mass of smiley-face "moderate" blobs of jello that anybody could make that claim. The equivalent to Palin in the real world would be a hard-line unreconstructed Stalinist. We don't have anything like that anymore. Which is the answer to Boo's question.

FDR's response to progressive demands: "I agree. Now go out and make me do it."

by DaveW on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 02:38:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Palin is Their McKinney (4.00 / 4)

If Barack Obama or any conceivable Democratic nominee had selected McKinney as their running mate, they'd be instantly marginalized and lose any hope of winning the election. McCain is flirting with that fate right now with his selection of the secessionist Sarah Palin. But she is not quite nutty enough to assure that McCain will be crushed for picking her.
Why is that?

1-Palin supports the status quo. McKinney challenges it.

2-Palin is white. McKinney is black.

3-McKinney speaks for...among other demographics...the angriest black people in this country. Justifiably angry and madder than hell. The white power structure absolutely dreads another series of urban riots. McKinney as VP? Their worst sort of nightmare. She kicks ass if she wins; her supporters kick ass if she loses.

UH oh!!!

Head her off at the pass!!!

Head ANY leftist off at the pass. Especially a black woman who literally fought back...physically...when dissed because of her race.

Can you imagine!!!???

McKinney in a VP debate?

Lord have mercy!!!

The leftiness people and the right wing nutjobs would have a fucking fit.

Right wingers: "She's a disgrace to her race!!! She's a Communist!!! A revolutionary!!! Why...she's nothing but a goddamned TERRORIST!!!

Leftinesses:"She's just not very nice!!!" (Splutter, fume...) "Not very...polite, is she?"

Palin?

Just another nicey-nice soccer mom with a nasty, vindictive streak a mile wide. I met a bunch of them in my son's PTA years.

FIRE that no good ex-brother in law!!!

She is a product of the glorification of mediocrity that enables most of the popular culture.

Cynthia McKinney?

Pure fire.

Can't have THAT shit on TV.

People might just wake the fuck up.

If Barack Obama or any conceivable Democratic nominee had selected McKinney as their running mate, they'd be instantly marginalized and lose any hope of winning the election. McCain is flirting with that fate right now with his selection of the secessionist Sarah Palin. But she is not quite nutty enough to assure that McCain will be crushed for picking her.
Why is that?

Why is that?

C'mon...

AG

Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie.-Mae West

by Arthur Gilroy (arthurgilroy<at>earthlink.net) on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 06:23:55 AM EST

Re: Palin is Their McKinney (4.00 / 2)

Thanks, AG for calling out nonsense. All anyone has to do is check out her stands on all liberal issues and see her ratings on those issues and they will see that she best represents what it is that progressives claim to want.

Green Grass and High Tides Forever

by supersoling (colorsplash62@optonline.net) on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 06:51:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Palin is Their McKinney (none / 0)

My pleasure.

AG

Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie.-Mae West

by Arthur Gilroy (arthurgilroy<at>earthlink.net) on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 11:15:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Palin is Their McKinney (4.00 / 2)

I don't know about VP, but I'd much rather have McKinney back in Congress around fighting then Blue Dogs and colluders like Steny Hoyer lying supine on FISA and torture and allowing the GOP to skate free.

More at Zandar vs. The Stupid.

by Zandar1 on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 07:23:37 AM EST

Obama hits 50% in Gallup poll. (none / 1)

Gallup Poll

"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; now we know that it is bad economics;" - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

by Salunga on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 07:36:24 AM EST

Not sure if this fits here (none / 1)

But CBS did some actual reporting on Sarah Palin...taking special note of her lie right out of the gate about the Bridge to Nowhere. I'm in shock (h/t Chris)...

by CabinGirl on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 07:40:38 AM EST

Re: Not sure if this fits here (none / 0)

I forgot what reporting looked like. I guess news that the National Enquirer's "Edwards Team" was in Alaska scared them into doing some actual journalistic research.

by Second Nature (denn1214 at gmail) on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 07:59:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Not sure if this fits here (none / 0)

It's a little surreal, isn't it?

Speaking of the NE Edwards' team being in Alaska: Link

by CabinGirl on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 09:20:43 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I thought you said "squirrelly" (none / 1)

"Pre-emptive strike" - yeah, that always works - like police raiding so-called hippie houses to prevent potential crimes.

by Alice on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 11:36:46 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Palin is Their McKinney (none / 0)

I just don't see the Eagleton parallels playing out as we hope, Boo. You watch: Palin will give a not-completely-pathetic speech, and the press will fall madly in love with her.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to you country.

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 07:41:14 AM EST

Re: Palin is Their McKinney (none / 0)

I don't know...watch that video I linked above. They aren't doing their usual fawning routine over her.

by CabinGirl on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 07:45:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Palin is Their McKinney (none / 0)

That was CBS. And, granted, CBS is either second-worst or worst normally. But NBC apparently didn't cover her, and I haven't heard anything big from the ABC broadcast.

The Us Magazine cover is good news for our side, but there's so much out there that I'm amazed the networks aren't crushing Palin.

Or maybe I'm just not seeing it, since I don't want the news anymore, but usually the blogs cover it if the networks do something like that. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, though.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to you country.

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 07:55:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

It's back to school week (none / 0)

and everyone going through the checkout line to buy stuff for their kids' lunches is going to see that Us cover, and now this:

I think People is going to do a fluff job on her, but most people aren't going to be impressed. They spent 4 hours schooling the Alaskan delegates on how to say "It's a private family matter", so don't expect any sort of realistic response from the bozos attending their convention. Four hours to learn one sentence?

I don't know about where you live, but most folks around here have something to say about a pregnant 17 year old and a shotgun wedding, and it isn't "How wonderful for you!" or "Congratulations!"

by CabinGirl on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 09:18:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's back to school week (none / 0)

I don't know about where you live, but most folks around here have something to say about a pregnant 17 year old and a shotgun wedding, and it isn't "How wonderful for you!" or "Congratulations!"

Yeah - among the family here in Ohio it's usually something along the line of "that's a damn shame - he/she had such a bright future" or "damn - has he found a job yet" or "I thought she was going to college".

by nonynony on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 09:28:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's back to school week (none / 0)

I don't know about where you live, but most folks around here have something to say about a pregnant 17 year old and a shotgun wedding, and it isn't "How wonderful for you!" or "Congratulations!"

I live in NoVa. Everybody's a Dem here, so nobody cares.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to you country.

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 09:54:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's back to school week (none / 1)

No offense, but you've obviously never been unmarried and pregnant. :)

If you had been, it would change your perspective on "no one cares" in a hurry.

by CabinGirl on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 10:06:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Sara Palin as Katharine Harris reincarnation. (none / 0)

I think the best analogy from a Republican standpoint would be Sara as Katharine Harris.The same goofy fundamentalist believer willing to wage Jihad on non believers,both in a religious and economic sense.The same attitude of willing to go the distance in breaking laws.The same willingness to lie at the drop of a hat so long as the main goal is realized,the main goal being acquisition and retention of power in the "Right(read White)" hands.

She is going to be McCain's attack dog on all matters.That will make it possible for Mccain to play the high,exalted poohbah role.

by KlatooBaradaNikto (easwar7@aol.com) on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 01:15:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Palin's church speech. (none / 1)

Doing God's work.....his war, building natural gas pipelines etc. Good Grief I'm getting a headache.

"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; now we know that it is bad economics;" - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

by Salunga on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 08:00:36 AM EST

A double play in the NYT (none / 1)

Today both Freidman and Dowd take on Sarah the Magnificent.

Dowd is apparently going to do all Sarah all the time. Finally, a candidate worthy of Dowd's talents.

by dataguy on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 08:34:38 AM EST

Re: A double play in the NYT (none / 0)

Dowd alread did, 3 days ago...

"We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further." - Richard Dawkins

by halo0 (philiott at gmail dotcom) on Wed Sep 3rd, 2008 at 01:48:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Palin is Their McKinney | 25 comments (25 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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