WOW...This is not just another article digging at palin - it is THE article digging at palin and her 'cultural' significance. - Anna Haro from Bookmarklet

A <3 - Bren, Not Grinchy

"The great insight of the Palin VP choice is that huge chunks of American voters no longer even demand that their candidates actually have policy positions; they simply consume them as media entertainment, rooting for or against them according to the reflexive prejudices of their demographic, as they would for reality-show contestants or sitcom characters. Hicks root for hicks, moms for moms, born-agains for born-agains." - Anna Haro

The truly disgusting thing about Sarah Palin isn't that she's totally unqualified, or a religious zealot, or married to a secessionist, or unable to educate her own daughter about sex, or a fake conservative who raised taxes and horked up earmark millions every chance she got. No, the most disgusting thing about her is what she says about us: that you can ram us in the ass for eight solid years, and we'll not only thank you for your trouble, we'll sign you up for eight more years, if only you promise to stroke us in the right spot for a few hours around election time. - Anna Haro

"Democracy doesn't require a whole lot of work of its citizens, but it requires some: It requires taking a good look outside once in a while, and considering the bad news and what it might mean, and making the occasional tough choice, and soberly taking stock of what your real interests are." - Anna Haro

See, I believe that as a citizen you have the responsibility to pay attention to the people who will represent you and the laws they enact in your name. But with poor reporting and politicians doing so much behind closed doors, there's a dumbing down of American culture that's acceptable. How many people have you talked to who seem to have an opinion they want to spout on politics and in the same breath state proudly, "Politics bores me." or even worse, "All politicians are the same."? - Captain Bubbles

"And none of it matters, so long as you remember a few months before Election Day to offer them a two-bit caricature culled from some cutting-room-floor episode of Roseanne as part of your presidential ticket. And if she's a good enough likeness of a loudmouthed Middle American archetype, as Sarah Palin is, John Q. Public will drop his giant-size bag of Doritos in gratitude, wipe the Sizzlin' Picante dust from his lips and rush to the booth to vote for her." - Trish R

And unfortunately, most of it is true (or at least I agree with it). - Trish R

Wow, that's a hell of a picture. After reading the first two paragraphs, all I could think was how badly Matt Taibbi wants to be Hunter S. Thompson. - Carla Thompson

Personally, I like Rolling Stone articles. But a word of caution.. they are always unapologetically extremely left-leaning. - Phil G

hahaha...Carla, I thought the same thing. - Anna Haro

The ironic thing is that the media is the primary cause of all this. Reducing politicians statements to sound bites where a few words from a larger speach can be spun one way or another. Politicians don't have to have grand ideas or positions, they just stick to hot button issues that play well on TV. Couple that with lobbyists and special interest groups to give them butt loads of money and they play it safe. Don't make too many waves. And each person takes there stance. One will be "the change" candidate. The other will be the "defense" candidate. Or some other simple issue that the lowest common denominator can wrap their mind around i.e. Change, Defense, Economy, Religion, Guns, Abortion. - Jason Shultz from twhirl

Of course J Phil. It's one perspective, one article, out of MANY. - Anna Haro

I honestly don't know what the terms "left" and "right" mean anymore in American politics. I try to figure out who has the best command of the facts and who is making the most sense. This article makes a great deal of sense. (If I must define myself politically with a label, it would be "progressive libertarian.") - Sean McBride

"Here's what Sarah Palin represents: being a fat fucking pig who pins "Country First" buttons on his man titties and chants "U-S-A! U-S-A!" at the top of his lungs while his kids live off credit cards and Saudis buy up all the mortgages in Kansas." - wow...harsh. - Chris Hollander

Very interesting read, though disturbing. I put my money on McCain/Palin winning the election. - Peter

@Sean McBride... right on. - LogEx

Damn. He really worked up a lather on that one. - Yolanda

hahaha @Yo - Anna Haro

I don't think I'd talk with him too much at a party. ;) - Yolanda

Classic: "After eight years of unprecedented corruption, incompetence, waste and greed, the party of Karl Rove understood that 50 million Americans would not demand solutions to any of these problems so long as they were given a new, new thing to beat their meat over." - Raoul Pop

i agree for the most part - Cee Bee

ps recession - adolfo foronda

Oh wow, a coworker informed me about this article a few days ago!! - Terence

Taibbi *nails it* w/ the consumption of candidates as media entertainment. Infotainment has utterly corrupted news such that they are largely indistinguishable now. A huge disservice to the populace. And, of course, it results in this insane Reality TV show in front of us. - Ayşe E.

wow..such poignant words. The article still resonating even after reading it through. - Alan Le

Why is the entire country not going, "WTF? You can't find a person more qualified in the entire Republican party? REALLY?!?!" Her selection was condescending to our entire citizenry, and everyone seems to be rolling with it. - Robert Fischer

Why aren't more Republican women outraged that the party thinks so little of women that when they feel the need to add a vagina to the ticket, they don't give a damn about whether she's actually qualified? - Trish R

why aren't they more outraged? because they're living vicariously via the pit bull. they see her and say, 'she's just like me'. but prettier and i bet you they aren't willing to admit that. so they over-identify with her and i'm left saying, 'yea, but i wouldn't vote you president of a committee of 2.' - Captain Bubbles

Liked only because of the picture, not because I have any interest in US politics. ;-) - Kol Tregaskes

"But watching Palin's speech, I had no doubt that I was witnessing a historic, iconic performance. The candidate sauntered to the lectern with the assurance of a sleepwalker — and immediately launched into a symphony of snorting and sneering remarks, taking time out in between the superior invective to present herself as just a humble gal with a beefcake husband and a brood of healthy, combat-ready spawn who just happened to be the innocent targets of a communist and probably also homosexual media conspiracy. She appeared to be completely without shame and utterly full of shit, awing a room full of hardened reporters with her sickly-sweet line about the high-school-flame-turned-hubby who, "five children later," is "still my guy." It was like watching Gidget address the Reichstag." - Roberto Bonini

"The rest of Palin's speech was the same dog-whistle crap Republicans have been railing about for decades. Palin's crack about a mayor being "like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities" testified to the Republicans' apparent belief that they can win elections till the end of time running against the Sixties. (They're probably right.)" - Roberto Bonini

dear god, if you exist and hear prayers, please please, let there be some notion of civility return to this country in my lifetime. a man. - Nathan Eckenrode