Sarah Palin to resign as Alaska governor

[PhiSigmaRho]

Am I the only one who thinks she resigned because of a family situation? I just cannot see Sarah Palin "quitting" for any other reason.

When I first heard she was resigning, my first thought was Sarah Palin must be pregnant again. Then, my second thought was maybe either Bristol was pregnant again or Willow. My third thought was that someone in the family has a serious health situation. For example, Sarah might have breast cancer. Any of these would be a good reason for resigning, but not explaining the real situation until later.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by texas*princess

I understood your point which is why I edited the post

I wasn't referring specifically to you - I was talking about it in general. People on both the right and left don't understand that the crazies and inconsistences aren't limited to one party or one ideology.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

Just so I'm clear, when y'all are saying Alaska, you're really meaning "Russia" right?

Yes, clearly - good catch, bad typo.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by texas*princess

I don't believe SNL was really a factor - which is what HC was implying. If you think the American public actually took that Palin interview parody into consideration when they were standing at the polls, then more power to you.

A significant number of American pollgoers actually thought Palin said, specifically, "I can see Russia from my house" . . . no matter what you want to think about the education, intelligence or common sense of the American public.

HINT: Alexander Hamilton knew what he was talking about.

Originally Posted by texas*princess

Even if they did, SNL wasn't that far off base from her real life interviews anyway.

This is absolutely, 100% indicative of YOUR bias coming through, not some right-wing, pro-Palin bias.

Show me where she said "I can see Russia from my house" and we'll go ahead and chat from there. I abhor Sarah Palin as a one-dimensional sham and as indicative of what I hate about modern politics, but you're just demonstrably wrong here.

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

A significant number of American pollgoers actually thought Palin said, specifically, "I can see Russia from my house" . . . no matter what you want to think about the education, intelligence or common sense of the American public.

HINT: Alexander Hamilton knew what he was talking about.



This is absolutely, 100% indicative of YOUR bias coming through, not some right-wing, pro-Palin bias.

Show me where she said "I can see Russia from my house" and we'll go ahead and chat from there. I abhor Sarah Palin as a one-dimensional sham and as indicative of what I hate about modern politics, but you're just demonstrably wrong here.

I NEVER SAID ANYWHERE THAT PALIN HERSELF SAID SHE CAN SEE RUSSIA FROM HER HOUSE. I'm not really sure why you keep going to that.

Point out to me where I said that please, because I didn't type that anywhere. I don't get why you keep going back to the Russia thing anyway, but if you want to keep talking about it, that's cool.

What I did say was

Not 100% of everything used in the SNL skits were her words, but many of the words & phrases were actually used by her. The SNL writers didn't have to scratch their heads for very long when writing those scenes b/c Palin made it really easy for them.

I even linked to a video in a previous post of mine that shows a part of the actual Palin interview with the Tina Fey version side by side and with the exception of a few "ya knows" and a mention of a dollar value menu, and the part about Russia, Tina Fey used a lot of the very phrases Palin herself used in the Katie Couric interview.

You initially jumped into the "SNL" convo saying that the #1 thing people remember was "I can see Russia from my house". So what? I'm failing to see why that one phrase is so incredibly important. Unless you think that phrase was the demise of Palin's credibility, I don't get it, so please explain that to me.

Palin herself said so many things far more damaging than Tina Fey's Russia spoof comment.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by texas*princess

I NEVER SAID ANYWHERE THAT PALIN HERSELF SAID SHE CAN SEE RUSSIA FROM HER HOUSE. I'm not really sure why you keep going to that.

Point out to me where I said that please, because I didn't type that anywhere. I don't get why you keep going back to the Russia thing anyway, but if you want to keep talking about it, that's cool.

What I did say was


I even linked to a video in a previous post of mine that shows a part of the actual Palin interview with the Tina Fey version side by side and with the exception of a few "ya knows" and a mention of a dollar value menu, and the part about Russia, Tina Fey used a lot of the very phrases Palin herself used in the Katie Couric interview.

You initially jumped into the "SNL" convo saying that the #1 thing people remember was "I can see Russia from my house". So what? I'm failing to see why that one phrase is so incredibly important. Unless you think that phrase was the demise of Palin's credibility, I don't get it, so please explain that to me.

Palin herself said so many things far more damaging than Tina Fey's Russia spoof comment.

You are REALLY taking this too personally.

I'll agree that Palin said many dumb things on her own. Many of them were politically stupid. I can't find a single one that was as literally stupid as "I can see Russia from my house."

The SNL skit was a spoof, and a good one at that. Almost too good, because a massive, significant number of Americans who voted thought it was actually Palin.

That's the only point here - people thought she actually said it. You can try to minimize the impact of the skit all you want, but we only have evidence that it did have impact (because people remembered it as fact - for more information on this phenomenon, look up eyewitness credibility etc.). Can you point to proof that it didn't matter?

I agree with you, for the most part - Palin submarined herself in dozens of ways. These silly political mistakes made Palin an easy mark for lampooning - so easy that she was still being lampooned by Letterman a couple of weeks ago, when she was hardly relevant in any way except for as the butt of a joke.

However, it's pretty clear that the SNL skit took root in the American consciousness (to the extent that it exists). SNL's job is to mock politicians - that's why we enjoy it. However, few if any of these caricatures, for whatever reason, have been as resonant with people as the Palin one - nobody remembers what "Hilary" said in that same skit, do they?

In your fervor to impugn Palin (which, I mean . . . that's not exactly a difficult task) you really seem to want to piss in the wind against this SNL thing. Nobody's blaming SNL for her loss - but it's clear that the specific skit took hold in a way that was really unprecedented. Is that Palin's fault? Maybe - who cares? It doesn't particularly matter, does it?

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

ETA: I don't find Palin's college career "creepy," and I don't think I would even if she were a liberal from a comparable era. I'm not trying to make a lot of your word choice, Munchkin, but I think it's kind of interesting that it seems worth talking about to some pundits.

Well, it's worth talking about to me. I suspect that, for reasons not related to political leaning, we would STILL be hearing about it if Obama had done the exact same thing. I know that my credibility in my field would be shot to hell if I played college hopscotch like she did.

4 colleges in 5 years is a lot, especially when you consider that she didn't change disciplines during her college career. It wasn't as if she started out as a chemical engineering major and changed to journalism and decided to transfer to a school where she could actually do more in that field. It doesn't even seem to be financially-related. I will concede that she may have been homesick in Hawaii, but what it indicates to me is that she lacked either the sense of commitment at that time in her life or the intellectual rigor to complete a college education in one place.

ETA: I would be just as hard on a liberal for changing colleges like one would change a pair of socks.

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

You are REALLY taking this too personally.

I'm not taking it personally. If anyone is taking this personally, I think it's you. I never wrote anywhere that Palin actually said she could see Russia from her house, but you kept insisting that I did.

Apparently putting it in caps was the only way to get it through to you that I didn't say that.

I'll agree that Palin said many dumb things on her own. Many of them were politically stupid. I can't find a single one that was as literally stupid as "I can see Russia from my house."

For what it's worth, I never used the word "stupid" in describing anything she ever said. "Stupid" is relative. What one person thinks is stupid, another person might think it's not that bad.

I don't have a transcript of everything she's ever said, so I can't say whether or not I think she did say anything that was "literally stupid".

I do think that a lot of things she said during the campaign didn't make any sense. Some people might think the inability to put complete sentences together is "literally stupid", but once again, that's relative.

The SNL skit was a spoof, and a good one at that. Almost too good, because a massive, significant number of Americans who voted thought it was actually Palin.

That's the only point here - people thought she actually said it.

Ok, so people thought she said it - we established that a couple of pages ago. Are you saying that cost her & McCain the election?

You can try to minimize the impact of the skit all you want, but we only have evidence that it did have impact (because people remembered it as fact - for more information on this phenomenon, look up eyewitness credibility etc.). Can you point to proof that it didn't matter?

Again, so you're saying because people thought that Palin actually said she said could see Russia, they lost the election?

Where exactly are the exit polls that indicate that people voted against McCain / Palin because they truly,deep down in their heart of hearts, thought it was really Palin who said that?

I just find it so hard to believe that the Russia phrase was the deciding factor and not the other dozens of mistakes she made in that short amount of time.

I agree with you, for the most part - Palin submarined herself in dozens of ways. These silly political mistakes made Palin an easy mark for lampooning - so easy that she was still being lampooned by Letterman a couple of weeks ago, when she was hardly relevant in any way except for as the butt of a joke.

That was way more than a couple of weeks ago. And for the record, I think that was a pretty low blow from Letterman.

However, it's pretty clear that the SNL skit took root in the American consciousness (to the extent that it exists). SNL's job is to mock politicians - that's why we enjoy it. However, few if any of these caricatures, for whatever reason, have been as resonant with people as the Palin one - nobody remembers what "Hilary" said in that same skit, do they?

No I don't think most people remember what "Hilary" said in the skit. I think the reason for that (and this is just personal opinion in case you ask me for a study) is because even though she was a major player for awhile in the primaries, she didn't make the same highly publicized mistakes that Palin made.

Palin wasn't prepared at all for any of her interviews and it was painfully obvious she was grasping for straws when people questioned her experience or knowledge on subjects. Most of that was already out there by the time the first SNL skit with Palin aired which made it such an easy target.

Hillary, in your example, didn't really have that problem, so all SNL could do to make fun of her was talk about people who said she had cankles and how she was feverishly out supporting the guy who beat her out for the nomination.

In your fervor to impugn Palin (which, I mean . . . that's not exactly a difficult task) you really seem to want to piss in the wind against this SNL thing. Nobody's blaming SNL for her loss - but it's clear that the specific skit took hold in a way that was really unprecedented. Is that Palin's fault? Maybe - who cares? It doesn't particularly matter, does it?

No ... it doesn't... so why are you arguing then?

Why do you feel it took hold? Just because people said they thought it was her that said it? If it didn't cost them the election, then who cares if SNL did a good job of spoofing her.

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Well, it's worth talking about to me. I suspect that, for reasons not related to political leaning, we would STILL be hearing about it if Obama had done the exact same thing. I know that my credibility in my field would be shot to hell if I played college hopscotch like she did.

4 colleges in 5 years is a lot, especially when you consider that she didn't change disciplines during her college career. It wasn't as if she started out as a chemical engineering major and changed to journalism and decided to transfer to a school where she could actually do more in that field. It doesn't even seem to be financially-related. I will concede that she may have been homesick in Hawaii, but what it indicates to me is that she lacked either the sense of commitment at that time in her life or the intellectual rigor to complete a college education in one place.

ETA: I would be just as hard on a liberal for changing colleges like one would change a pair of socks.

agreed on all accounts.

I know people transfer schools at least once during their 4-5 years, but 4 colleges in 5 years?!!

[KSigkid]

Texas*princess - I still don't see where anyone (except for the possible exception of Honeychile) is saying that the SNL skit was the "deciding factor," or the only factor. You're stressing a point that just isn't being made by people in this thread. In fact, I think most people in this thread are attributing Palin's issues, for the most part, to her own verbal gaffes, errors in strategy, and other self-created issues.

ETA: I still can't believe she's done such an effective job of sinking her political career. If anyone advised her to do this, they should be fired on the spot. I'm not complaining though, if it gets her out of the 2010 picture.

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

Texas*princess - I still don't see where anyone (except for the possible exception of Honeychile) is saying that the SNL skit was the "deciding factor," or the only factor. You're stressing a point that just isn't being made by people in this thread. In fact, I think most people in this thread are attributing Palin's issues, for the most part, to her own verbal gaffes, errors in strategy, and other self-created issues.

ETA: I still can't believe she's done such an effective job of sinking her political career. If anyone advised her to do this, they should be fired on the spot. I'm not complaining though, if it gets her out of the 2010 picture.

Well, you keep saying that the SNL skit affected the campaign. How so? is what I'm asking. What impact did it* have?

Why does it matter so much that people actually believed it was Palin who said she could see Russia?

Furthermore, you say the exception possibly being HC. That was the impression I got from her post which is why I responded to it, and then I got 2 pages of arguments that it was significant, but no one has mentioned how or why it was.

*it = that people "remembered" it was Palin who said that

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by texas*princess

Well, you keep saying that the SNL skit affected the campaign. How so? is what I'm asking. What impact did it* have?

Why does it matter so much that people actually believed it was Palin who said she could see Russia?

*it = that people "remembering" it was Palin who said that

It's not the skits themselves that was Palin's undoing. The skits themselves magnified the mistakes that she made during the election and it didn't help that the skits (as said earlier) mirrored what she actually said.

Regardless of what the American people believed she may have said out of her mouth word for word, the bottom line is that people saw her make these mistakes that made for lampoon fodder.

Again as others have said, comedians didn't have to look far for material, just to the source.

And remember, sometimes, comedy is a somewhat lighter way of facing the cold hard truth.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Well, it's worth talking about to me. I suspect that, for reasons not related to political leaning, we would STILL be hearing about it if Obama had done the exact same thing. I know that my credibility in my field would be shot to hell if I played college hopscotch like she did.

4 colleges in 5 years is a lot, especially when you consider that she didn't change disciplines during her college career. It wasn't as if she started out as a chemical engineering major and changed to journalism and decided to transfer to a school where she could actually do more in that field. It doesn't even seem to be financially-related. I will concede that she may have been homesick in Hawaii, but what it indicates to me is that she lacked either the sense of commitment at that time in her life or the intellectual rigor to complete a college education in one place.

ETA: I would be just as hard on a liberal for changing colleges like one would change a pair of socks.

I think it's one of those eye of the beholder things. If you think she's an anti-intellectual flake, it appears to be evidence to support that. If you don't particularly care about politicians' academic credentials, and you found her basically normal, this seems basically normal.

I think four colleges in five year is a lot too, but if you look at the kind of schools they were, I don't think it matters a lot.

You and Obama went to serious schools that are hard to get into and have a lot of prestige. There's a reason to stick it out even if you aren't super happy. If you're going to geographical state U and you aren't really feeling it, why stay?

Maybe I know an unusual number of college hoppers in terms of former students. It, in my experience, represents a lack of academic purpose almost always but not a character flaw. Some of us go through college because we're kind of interested in stuff and we want a job that requires a college degree, but at the age of 18-23, it's not quite laid out in front of us like stepping stones. I think that's okay.

(I only went to two colleges as an undergraduate. But I might have gone to others had I not liked the second one.)

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by texas*princess

Well, you keep saying that the SNL skit affected the campaign. How so? is what I'm asking. What impact did it* have?

Why does it matter so much that people actually believed it was Palin who said she could see Russia?

Furthermore, you say the exception possibly being HC. That was the impression I got from her post which is why I responded to it, and then I got 2 pages of arguments that it was significant, but no one has mentioned how or why it was.

*it = that people "remembered" it was Palin who said that

Actually, people have said how or why it was significant:

Originally Posted by KSig RC

A significant number of American pollgoers actually thought Palin said, specifically, "I can see Russia from my house" . . . no matter what you want to think about the education, intelligence or common sense of the American public.

Originally Posted by KSig RC

The ONLY thing people remember?

"I can see Alaska from my house."

According to polls? Palin said it. You're overthinking this.

Then, there's this:

http://www.reuters.com/article/press...08+PRN20081105

Any basis you have for your assertion that it wasn't significant? Or could we at least admit that it's an arguable point?

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

It's not the skits themselves that was Palin's undoing. The skits themselves magnified the mistakes that she made during the election and it didn't help that the skits (as said earlier) mirrored what she actually said.

Regardless of what the American people believed she may have said out of her mouth word for word, the bottom line is that people saw her make these mistakes that made for lampoon fodder.

Again as others have said, comedians didn't have to look far for material, just to the source.

And remember, sometimes, comedy is a somewhat lighter way of facing the cold hard truth.

But there's some choice about what gets made fun of and how and how often. (Suppose the 57 states comment was handled as ruthlessly and repeatedly.) Palin's treatment is kind of hard to compare to anything else in my political life span.

The interviews were bad, but it's hard to see how she deserves the level, amount, and topics of ridicule she continues to draw. I think the pundits who look at gender and class may be onto something, and that may play into the college issue Munchkin and I were talking about.