Yesterday, I, along with plenty of others, noted how poorly Sarah Palin was handling the aftermath of the Gabrielle Giffords shooting and the criticism she (Palin) has received in the aftermath. She had an opportunity to act presidential, to reach out to those who don't already agree with her, to rise above her usual pettiness. But the thinnest-skinned American politician since Richard Nixon just couldn't do it.
And now she has released this rather incredible video. It's an attempt to look presidential -- there's the flag-draped setting, the more formal, less conversational rhetoric. But it's almost as though she just can't resist taking jabs at her opponents. As always, Palin wants you to know that she's the real victim here, beset by meanies who won't leave her alone.
Sarah Palin: "America's Enduring Strength" from Sarah Palin on Vimeo.
How hard would it have been for her to say that politics ought to be passionate, but all of us sometimes say things we later regret, and we should all try to be responsible without losing our passion? Apparently, much too hard. Instead, we get this: "Especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn. That is reprehensible." Blood libel? Seriously? And this: "We will not be stopped from celebrating the greatness of our country and our foundational freedoms by those who mock its greatness by being intolerant of differing opinion and seeking to muzzle dissent with shrill cries of imagined insults."
I wonder if anyone in her orbit, after looking at this script, had the courage to say, "Governor? Maybe just this once, we should leave out the jabs at the media and liberals. People are going to look at this very closely to see if you can rise above that. What do you say?" Maybe nobody said it, or maybe somebody did and got shot down. Who knows? But given an opportunity to show some class, Palin whiffed again.
-- Paul Waldman
