Piling On Palin

By now you’ve probably heard of how some McCain campaign staff have come out (albeit anonymously) and have thrown Sarah Palin under the bus. The list of grievances against Palin includes claims that she was uninformed- didn’t know the members of NAFTA, didn’t know that Africa was a continent, not a country, was a shopaholic, refused to be schooled by campaign staff before her disastrous interview with Katie Couric, greeted male campaign staffers at her hotel door dressed in a towel…

The infighting in the McCain staff was reportedly fierce over Palin; staff felt she was not vetted properly and that she was John McCain’s attempt at a “hail mary” to save his election bid. It seems that Palin has become the excuse de jour for the Republican’s loss. But was she really?

Palin energized the party base; conservatives and evangelicals saw that she was right of the centrist McCain, and that she shared their huge, silenced views on abortion. She was definitely wet behind the ears, as her televised interviews showed, yet as a public speaker on the trail she was fantastic. Many in the party adored her, and McCain made history by choosing her as his running-mate. I do not think Sarah Palin is why the Republicans lost so badly.

The Republicans lost for a myriad of reasons. First and foremost was the David vs. Goliath battle against the incredible organization built by Obama. His campaign should be required study for any future presidental bid. Obama utilized every form of media possible- even appearing on billboards in video games. He had the “Facebook” effect; he understood the viral nature of the internet and it’s integration with the youth of America. Obama staffers literally picked up and moved into towns all across the country 6 or more months ago, becoming part of the community, and facilitating the personal feeling that supporters felt for Obama.

The Goliath that made all of this possible was the money. Obama’s going back on his pledge to accept public funds for his campaign, which would have leveled the playing field greatly, enabled him to amass the biggest campaign war chest in the history of this country. He outspent McCain approximately 3-1, and his organization spent that money very smartly. Obama’s hypnotic power and magnificent oratory skills sealed the deal with the zealous, and they spread the Obama love. Obama supporters voted FOR him, and against a sitting president they hated.

The economy sealed the deal. Obama promised them vague socialist solutions that would make everything better. In the minds of the zealous, the Republicans were to blame for the mess. They completely disregarded the Democrat legislative branch who presided over much of the laxity that led and fed the economic crisis.

The McCain staffers who are now smearing Palin are politicians too. They’re jockeying for positions of power in future political endeavors and Palin makes an easy stepping stone. Did Palin cost McCain some votes? Probably. That could be said of any running-mate. Did she lose the election for the Republicans? Hardly.

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