By Jeb Bladine • President / Publisher • 

Jeb Bladine: Palin re-emerges as a newsmaker

Regrettably, Sarah Palin’s endorsement of Donald Trump was big news this week.

New York Times reporters Alan Rappeport and Maggie Haberman, dripping with etiquette, portrayed Palin as a political sensation providing a potentially important boost to Trump’s campaign. “Her support,” they wrote, “is the highest-profile backing for a Republican so far.”

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Jeb Bladine is president and publisher of the News-Register.

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A Times sidebar story tried to translate the “Most Mystifying Lines” of Palin’s endorsement speech, which served to advance some otherwise incoherent thoughts delivered in an alleged example of “performance art.”

Perhaps the ghost of Emily Post is guiding NYT writers to play it straight in the news. Not so, however, in Great Britain, where Palin was targeted by Julia Hartley-Brewer in The Telegraph:

“Donald Trump has managed, against all the odds, to find someone who says even crazier things than he does … In the dulcet tones of a screaming banshee on acid, Palin screeched out her endorsement as Trump looked on … Looking like an embittered, drunken secretary at the office Christmas party, Palin then shrieked something about how Trump was able to ‘command fire’ and how he would ‘kick Isis’s ass’ before being quickly ushered offstage.”

The Palin speech occured just days after British lawmakers debated a proposal to ban Trump from the U.K. in response to his various anti-Muslim remarks. However, since they didn’t want to risk turning Trump into a martyr, they settled for a series of British-worthy insults.

In 2008, U.S. Sen. John McCain forfeited support for his candidacy because electing him would have placed Palin a heartbeat away from the presidency. Back then, we said McCain “has concocted a strange brew of desperation and recklessness … and his selection of Sarah Palin as running mate was the epitome of both traits.”

In 2011, we commented about Palin’s own presidential thirsts: “What bona fide credentials does she possibly have that justify seeking her out for political commentary day after day? … President? Clearly, obviously not, and therein lies a huge flaw of journalism in America: an inability to ignore those who cry out to be ignored.”

It’s been a welcome respite of relative silence from Palin, although no doubt she has continued working the back rooms and social media channels. Perhaps this week’s re-emergence is shrewd politics from someone who simply is high on life, but we can’t fault Hartley-Brewer for saying Palin seemed to be intoxicated by something more synthetic.

Jeb Bladine can be reached at jbladine@newsregister.com or 503-687-1223.

Comments

Don Dix

"In 2008, U.S. Sen. John McCain forfeited support for his candidacy because electing him would have placed Palin a heartbeat away from the presidency."

When choosing a questionable running mate, the Rs don't have anything on the Ds. Would anyone be comfortable if Fat Albert (Gore) had somehow ascended to the presidency? Based on recent history, not likely.

And then there's the present VP, Joe Biden, who claimed Pres. FDR calmed the fears of the 1929 stock market crash by appearing on TV. Not only were there no TVs in homes, but FDR wasn't president either! A life of government training creates such brilliance, right?

In many cases (the VP candidate), it's choose your poison ... from either side of the isle (and hope the pres. stays healthy)!

Lulu

You say potato, Dan Quayle said potatoe.

Don Dix

Many VP candidates seem to be the loyal sidekick, but not in any way presidential material based on their own merits. Reading Lulu's 'potato(e)' reference, the only synonym that actually fits my definition of most VP wanabes is 'spud' (see Urban Dictionary).

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