Some day I'd like the DC media to explain their enduring obsession with someone who is unpopular and will never hold elected political office again. Maybe she's good for ratings and page views? That's an excuse to cover her, I guess, but not an excuse to pretend she has some tremendous political future. She doesn't.
He's right of course to wonder what is driving the media obsession. I think there's another factor that to consider as well. Not only is she deeply unpopular and unelectable I think it's clear that she has no interest in actually running for anything. Someone who is prepping for a presidential run doesn't go out and get a reality show where her every move and word will be recorded. She's already proven that she has no interest in governing. The campaign with McCain was incredibly difficult and Sarah doesn't do difficult. She took the first opportunity to quit and cash in on her celebrity status. Everything she's done since leaving office is calculated to either make her money or to insert her name in the news cycle - so she can make money.
She's Ashton Kutcher.
And yet the media not only acts like she's electable but that she's interested in running. I really don't think she is. Sarah Palin is a grifter, plain and simple.
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As a young, hip political thinker I'm surprised you'd say, "Someone who is prepping for a presidential run doesn't go out and get a reality show where her every move and word will be recorded." Perhaps this would be true in the 90s, but we're living in a world (sadly) where reality T.V. has higher ratings then the evening news and more young people are voting for untalented singers and dancers than political figures. Reality T.V. also seems to create the strange phenomenon of viewers forgetting what happened just months prior - in favor of focusing on what's to come in the week ahead. This is perhaps the best atmosphere for Sarah Palin the candidate. Reality T.V. is a scarily powerful forum.
And while she’s smiling big on millions of televisions across America, she’s also doing things like speaking at the upcoming Southern Republican Leadership Conference, which has historically been “an early cattle call for potential 2012 presidential candidates,” as CNN stated.
Obama won in part (in regard to publicity and fundraising) to his team’s domination of the vast world of social networks. Could Palin do the same in dominating pop culture outlets such as reality T.V., right-wing blogs, talk shows and the like? This is the media and social outlet of her contingency.
I picture Sarah Palin running for office and it frightens me on multiple levels. I hope that you are correct in stating that, “She's already proven that she has no interest in governing.” Unfortunately I think that your statements in this piece are based on the strategies of a presidential run in 2008 and prior. There are millions of disgruntled voters in America right now and they’re growing. They’re watching and listening to the media and social outlets that Sarah Palin is slowly but steadily weaving through.
Good God I hope I'm wrong...
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