January 27, 2009
Did that subject line get your attention? If so, please don’t start to hyperventilate, froth at the mouth or begin writing an angry retort. Please allow me to explain why this is a good thing for the Governor.
A couple of days ago, I decided to join the burgeoning crowd of Facebookers and start my own page. While searching for groups and friends, I typed in the keywords “Sarah Palin.” The search rendered three pages of results: “Women Against Palin,” “Why We Hate Sarah Palin,” “People with no idea why, but Hate Sarah Palin” (okay, I made up the last one).
My search also yielded links to pro-Palin groups, as well as the Governor’s official Facebook page, too. Some of the groups favoring Sarah had a few members, some had a few thousand, some had tens of thousands and the Governor’s page had hundreds of thousands of members.
What struck me as important is the polarity of public opinion about Governor Palin. You love her or hate her (hate is such useless and spiritually/intellectually destructive trait, wouldn’t you agree?), but few people are indifferent. Indifference doesn’t get votes.
Sarah Palin creates controversy and attracts supporters who admire her “Mainstreeter” style, devoted to her because of her values, achievements and promise for a reinvigorated GOP. She is a positive portent for change in the coming years.
Some newscasters have noted that months have passed since the election and we’re still talking about Sarah Palin. She continues to be newsworthy and has a growing, significant support base. The McCain/Palin ticket failed to win, so why didn’t she quietly fade into obscurity like other vice presidential candidates?
While some of the established good old boys of the GOP would like to downplay the Governor’s importance and impact on America, it would be foolish to ignore or dismiss Sarah Palin as a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon. Celebrity fads fade fast and this rising star has just begun her ascent.
BTW, my background is in entertainment, not politics. This is the just the POV of a former celebrity publicist: she has star power. Yes, she has many strengths and a sharp mind, but she also has that elusive quality that separates the ordinary from the extraordinary.
Do you remember watching her acceptance speech at the RNC convention? I felt the exuberance of the crowd through my television and got chills. The previous evening, Mr. Obama gave his acceptance speech to a teary and cheering crowd. He was on his game and even I felt moved by his words. However, the next evening, Sarah Palin made America (and even the media) forget the Styrofoam Greek columns of the Altar of Obama and we embraced this sharp, self-assured and savvy politician from Alaska. Yep, a star was born that night.
What is star quality or star power? Let me give you one example, one I’d personally not like to use, but you can’t deny he has “it”: Barack Obama. Few people outside of Illinois were familiar with Mr. Obama (aside from William Ayers, et al.) before the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Obama’s skill as an orator wowed the crowd and, while people stumbled over his exotic name, the liberal left noticed and anointed a new star, making him their very own political construct and hope for the White House in 2008.
We must be fair to Mr. Obama; when he gives a speech, he really delivers. There is no doubt that he is talented in delivering the rhetoric. Regardless of our powerful, intense and, apparently, accurate measures of the man, he also has “star power.” I think that’s why many opined that Obama was running against Sarah Palin – not John McCain.
Personally, I feel it’s too early for the Governor to announce her intention to run for office, but she’s right on track with creating a PAC, getting a book deal and taking steps to create a positive pubic image. If Governor Palin gets a strong team behind her, creates a solid plan for her political future and raises the funds she needs for a successful campaign, there is good reason for the liberal left to tremble.
Do I believe Sarah Palin, a controversial, conservative and charismatic politician can achieve our nation’s highest office? You betcha.
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