One shakes one's head in disbelief. Again.

One of the features of the American political system, as opposed to a Parliamentary system, is that it allows someone to go straight in at the top, without having to serve any kind of apprenticeship in national politics (e.g. Eisenhower, Grant and others).  All very nice and democratic etc etc.  Except that there always does exist the danger that a total dunderheaded moron, backed by a sufficiently clever spin team, may get elected.  Specifically, of course, I speak of Sarah Palin.  Here she is being interviewed a few days ago by Glenn Beck.  Now, one would expect Beck, who is slightly to the Right of Josef Goebbels, to lob very easy, soft balls for her to slam out of the court, but even he loses patience with her “bullcrap” when, after being asked who her favourite founding father was, she is unable to name a single one.

Rather like the “What newspapers and magazines do you read?” question that exposed her stupidity during the presidential campaign in 2008, this one completely stumps her, and she resorts to the same answer:  “All of them.”  Meaning, of course, that when pressed she can’t name a single newspaper, and she can’t name a single founding father.  After blethering on about how wonderful they all were for being so diverse, and bringing such diverse-pause-ity to the table, she does remember Washington (well, she does have a city, a state and the dollar bill to jog her memory) and enthusiastically praises him, hoping to compensate for having shown her total ignorance, while Beck, remembering his role, lets her get away with it.  After we have all laughed, and it certainly is risible, we should then shudder, as we remember that apparently 24% of the population think that golly gee,  this woman would be just swell as president!  Who needs intelligence anyway?

By the way, Sarah sweetie, the founding fathers may have been many things but they weren’t diverse.  They were all white Anglo-Saxon males.  They were all members of the bourgeoisie (though they would not have understood the term) and most of them were either lawyers or merchants.  And, significantly, most of them were freemasons.  No diversity there, lady.
.

Comments

[Beth]

This is great, Nick! Exactly how I feel. I loved this clip and think I posted it on Facebook. Matthews has a great line: "America is the book she didn't read!" I don't recall if they showed it in this clip, but she also talks about the "founding mothers." I was just howling with laughter!

[J]

I would disagree a tiny bit, in that there was some diversity (as much as might be allowed or expected at the time) regarding how they wanted the country to be shaped and formed, and what sort of government we should have. The puritan roots of Adams vs. the diest Jefferson, the strong central government vs. states rights, etc. Not diversity as we understand them today, but big for the time.

I haven't watched the video yet, and I would have lunch civilly with Ann Coulter before I would agree with Palin (I was going to say make out with, but I would NEVER go that far with Saten), so I may be missing your point. If the point was that Palin is an idiot that even my Republican Alaskan friends shake their heads at, I agree.

[Rasmenia]

The fact that Sarah Palin keeps opening her mouth in spite of how often she ends up making a fool out of herself is evidence of what an idiot she is.

These interviews with her are simultaneously horrifying & hilarious.

[Hill]

Total dunderhead moron.

Ah, love the Brit in you, Brit!

:)

p.s. Nailed it.