Sarah the Spoiler The title of this article is meant to be complimentary to Sarah Palin, who was the right choice at the right time to save John McCain from an instrument of his own creation, McCain-Feingold. Sarah Palin is the only candidate that has not been pre-selected or screened by the liberal media to compete in the 2008 elections and cannot be ignored. The McCain-Feingold muzzle on freedom of speech for ordinary Americans almost guarantees media manipulation of the elections, but the media tactic of ignoring those they do not like has been foiled and spoiled by the Republican Vice-Presidential nominee. McCain was a media favorite because of his weak record on conservative issues and his equally weak support among main stream Republicans and conservatives in particular. Calling McCain a maverick or independent was false advertising, just as media admiration for McCain was more a desire to promote the weakest contender than praise for his ideology or principles. Had McCain’s reputation for being a maverick been based on adherence to conservative principles, he wouldn’t be the media darling he was made out to be. While the media loved John McCain as their favorite Republican, I think it was clear to most political strategists that the people who would put in the effort and money for his election were reluctant brides at a shot-gun wedding arranged by the media. The media gave the Republican Party just what the media knew it needed to lose in 2008, an uninspiring candidate without solid philosophical credentials to diminish the enthusiasm of the conservative base. Ho-hum McCain was a media creation for a staged and scripted election campaign. Serious competitors were dismissed as "inconsequential” after being portrayed in the most unfavorable light. The media successfully fooled Republican primary voters into believing that McCain was the only viable candidate for President because the media said he was. While Ho-hum McCain wasn’t good for media ratings, a Hillary versus Obama contest suited that need. Here too, any Democrat that didn’t tow the leftist-socialist party line was basically ignored out of contention. No matter who won, the media would promote the election of the first woman or first black over the not very exciting middle of the road old white-guy Republican. In fact, I believe the media would have portrayed being "middle-of-the road” as uncommitted and without guiding principles. Contrast that to a definitive Hillary or Obama. Unfortunately for Hillary, she had enough baggage to give a Red Cap or the most skilled spin machine a hernia while Obama had enough manufactured mystique to overcome his total lack of leadership skill. Nonetheless, the contest provided the media ratings and interest needed to further manipulate the election. It was a no lose situation for media revenue and media political interests. Had John McCain selected a run of the mill Republican as a running mate, they would have been annihilated by the media amplified and distorted Obama. Messiah Obama could have selected Daffy Duck as a running mate and it wouldn’t have mattered because Obama would just unleash his mystical, mesmerizing powers to make Daffy a symbol of liberal tolerance and diversity. A vote against Daffy was a vote against liberal principles. With the McCain-Feingold cones of silence about to descend, the media would have an essentially unchallenged say on what they wanted to be the issues and who received media attention. That was until Sarah Palin. The media dirt machine is working full time now and the candidate most of us didn’t know before her nomination is getting the kind of attention that will backfire on those purveyors of misinformation trying to manipulate this election. Even garden variety liberals can identify with Sarah Palin and see what the media is trying to do. The contest of Ho-hum McCain versus Messianic Obama was a no-brainer. The contest of a principled citizen politician and reformer Palin versus an old-boy entrenched political hack Biden is another matter. The fact is the media cannot ignore Palin as they would like. Palin’s message is solid, inspiring and not based on manufactured media-hype to promote a third-rate "community organizer”. Sarah is the spoiler because I think most Americans can still recognize substance over symbolism, though Palin does very well on both counts. The fact she was not on the media shortlist says even more about her character. One thing for sure, McCain has shown better judgment than Obama, as usual. |
