"Citty on a Hill," wrote the Puritan John Winthrop.
Michael Vlahos, author, "Fighting Identity," spoke Saturday 6 re the article he published at National Journal "National Security" blog in which he arged that the Republicans continue to possess the national sacred narrative of America the Redeemer Nation. The best singer of the narrative in modern memory was Ronald Reagan. Vlahos asserts that POTUS Obama has failed to take possession of the narrative. Vlahos notes that in the metrics on a variety of national security themes -- diplomacy, strategic position, military balance etc -- there are not significant differences between the adminsitrations and policies of POTUS Bush and POTUS Obama, and yet the presumption remains that Democrats are weak on national security and Republicans are strong on national security. Vlahos asserts that Reagan embraced the narrative of American exceptionalism in a broad and exuberant fashion. Reagan understood and utilized the big "citty on a hill" picture. Vlahos argues that POTUS Obama has not so far appeared comfortable or especially aware of the sacred narrative that America is the heroic nation above all others, that America is the Achilles of states. Bathed in magic. Tragically vulnerable. Fated. Immortal in memory.
Sarah Palin.
Michael Vlahos also argues that the politician who does understand the sacred narrative is Sarah Palin. Palin is not original, not schooled, not cosmopolitan nor ironic, and yet she presents the heroic message that America is special, solitary, necessary, blessed, destined for continuing greatness despite the present headwind. The Republican party has already endorsed her: in a new poll from CNN, 70% of the GOP has a favorable opinion of Palin. The Democrats disapprove of her by two-to one. This is another illustration of Vlahos's point that the GOP possesses the sacred narrative of America as the fated victor while the Democrats distrust the case. Vlahos also points to Palin commanding the GOP nomination in 2012 in order to oppose POTUS Obama with the same fervor of Eva Peron in Argentina in the 1950s. Vlahos argues that Palin appeals to the adult males and does not alienate the adult females of the GOP. Her endorsement by the Tea Party in Nashville places her at the front of an inchoate and as yet untested and unregistered politcal movement. It may be Huey Long. It may be the Republican Party's Wide-Awakes. Unknown. It has its star in Palin. Is she Fremont? Is she Lincoln? Is she TR? Is she Alf Landon? Unknown. Sarah Palin does satisfy the basic criteria of a national political partisan -- every word she says, every decision she makes, attracts partisan disdain and hyperbole from the opposite side. It worked for Nixon. It worked for Clinton. It worked for Obama. It is working for Palin. Simple, costless branding.
POTUS Obama Loses Independents.
Vlahos also entertains the notion that the independent voters from the Massachusetts Special Election who produced the startling Scott Brown victory on January 19 will not return to the Democratic party of POTUS Obama. That the 2010 mid-terms will be a scene setting for the 2012 melodrama. That Sarah Palin can either capture the Republican party or split the party. That POTUS Obama could face Sarah Palin and a Republican challenger. Or he could face a challenge from his own party. I mention that Meg Whitman in Sacramento is not much of a Republican partisan and could easily work to deliver the independent vote to Palin in the West. Also, Palin has several attractive choices for her ticket, including Scott Brown. Vlahos agrees that Palin would need national security in order to connect herself to the Achilles part of the narrative. David Petraeus, born in New York, West Point '74, 58, is a registered Republican in New Hampshire and would appear a strong VPOTUS nominee. Petraeus is said to have political ambitions. Speaking to John Avlon, author, "Wingnuts," on Sunday 7, who is attending the Nashville Convention for the Daily Beast. Will get the measure of Palin's ambition. The national debate is in turmmoil. POTUS Obama has not defined his national mission in sixteen months -- instead he has been defined by unhappy events. Palin does not need to be fresh, original, or transforming. She presents the well-known and comforting narrative that the New Jerusalem of America will weather the storm and triumph again.
Counter-Narrative.
Trusted colleague RBO sends me the Rahm Emanuel skit from Saturday Night Live last eve, Saturday 6, and I include the video to underline the case not only that Palin has claim to the sacred narrative in marked contrast to the POTUS Obama White House but also that the Obama White House have moved in the opposite direction Reagan legend. Rahm Emanuel is a liability without a solution. Emanuel is a well-known vulgarian who has become the teller of the National Profane Narrative (the UnSacred Narrative). POTUS Obama cannot solve his challenges without the sacred narrative; he cannot even solve Emanuel. The guessing game is that Emanuel will not survive the mid-term. Shrug. The debate is done. Emanuel places the Obama administration inside Troy. Achilles approaches, mic in hand, laughing.
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Vlahos sounds disappointed that Obama somehow lost the narrative. World to Vlahos: Obama isn't that good of a liar. It's pretty obvious he doesn't share a world view with most americans. I would say he has more in common with Europeans that he does with his fellow citizens and I dare say it is as if we've elected a president if born here, certainly not American in any sense. The bottom line is that he doesn't get, and he does't want to, and the reason is he doesn't believe it. At least he's honest.
While Palin may not be the darling of the Boston Brahmin Harvard educated set or the Hudson elite, She gets it and believes it. I don't think she's faking it, although she does play it up. Good for her.
Michael Reagan siad has dad has come back, and she's wearing a skirt. To that end, Palin is not TR, Landon or Fremont, and certainly not Lincoln or Nixon. She's not Reagan either, but something while containing many of the themes, is something of a new concoction made from good old ingredients.
What I will say to JB and Vlahos is more important than narrative is results. Obama has none to crow about and its on him and his fabian socialist crew.
Sarah Palin represents everything that the Left despises. As such she has become a lightning rod; a target. She can expect to be smeared cruelly; repeatedly and publicly humiliated; tortured with lies. Every nuance of misstep will be exploited and blown out of all proportion (as when she innocently writes one-word notes on the palms of her hands). Palin has become Bush in drag.
The ginned-up hatred for Bush, culminating in an infectious virus - known by its acronym, BDS - never went away. It’s been free-floating, seeking a fresh host to hollow out; to destroy by riddling it with mockery and insult. In the year after Bush, others were attacked but promptly abandoned. There was still too much meat left on the old bones. Bush’s corpse was more convenient to feed on – but even that has now run its course. The next kill will be a woman. BDS has finally found its claws. The liberal blogs are virtually jumping up and down. The 20 per centers think they have found themselves a meal ticket.
It is not reaching to speculate that they will succeed in destroying her. Already, ask any kid in school or college and he will tell you that Sarah sucks. Ask for clarification - shrug. (“She kills baby polar bears – or is it babies? At any rate, it’s bad.”) Sarah sucks, that’s all that’s needed to create a boogeyman for children. The consensus abroad is that Sarah sucks as well. Obama is still riding high in the opinions of foreigners because he’s black. Darkness is the new religion. It represents The Reformation of race religion. Even in India, Obama is king; even though more careful observers have noted that Obama has pretty much decided to throw India under the bus.
Nevertheless, Sarah Palin has the support of 80% of the American people. 80% support in places like Iran and Venezuela doesn’t count for much. In America, the jury is still out on what 80% support actually means in practical terms. There’s also the question of Sarah surviving the worst the Left can dish out. She, like Bush, is flesh and blood – as we all are. How much abuse can a body take? It’s now obvious that Bush failed in the end. Sarah is slated to be the next victim.
Line ‘em up; and knock them all down. That seems to be the new way – the Chicago way; the “change we can believe in” - in America today.
http://peterkoelliker.blogspot.com/
She's already gone through one crucible and she's still standing. There's an old saying that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. That applies to politics. There is a difference between Bush and Palin:
He took the abuse lying down and in the bum, she won't and doesn't. In effect, she has more balls than W does. The great thing about bout your students is that when they get in the workforce and have to lead responsible lives, they may come to different conclusions than they do now. Life has a way of educating that no school can match.
I might also add that I am surprised about people in India. I thought they were more discerning that that, and would see Obama objectively, if not on the right. He really hasn't done a damn thing, or better put, a damn good thing.
Superbowl party: Rahm was the butt of many jokes. F'in ret****d jokes.
Sarah Barracuda gets it, she has a feel for the heartbeat of America. She has the Reagan twinkle in here eye.
Palin supports supports greater Federal meddling in education--Title IX, for instance--and amnesty for illegals. She is not even remotely conservative.
Thanks to her limited intellect, this so-called "journalism major" can barely string two sentences together, never mind handle herself in a debate. She has the singular distinction of being the only candidate who could not conceivably beat Obama in 2012, even if we are still in the middle of this depression.
Therefore Sarah Palin will be the next Presidential nominee of the Stupid Party. QED.
Compare her to a young Margaret Thatcher, maybe? What did Thatcher have going for her that Palin doesn't, and Thatcher ended up being the best PM since Churchill.