PERRYSCOPE

Perry Diaz
Palin should bow out

With the Bible in one hand and an assault weapon in the other hand, Sarah Palin catapulted to the national scene polarizing Americans into two groups: those who love her like she's the Messiah who will save the world from the devil; and those who hate her with a passion like she's the devil herself.

When Republican presidential candidate John McCain picked Palin as his vice presidential running mate, little did he know that he was in for a roller coaster ride in his quest to become the oldest first-term President. When McCain introduced her to the public, she became an instant "super star." She reenergized McCain's campaign with her stunning beauty and "go-getter" personality.

And by the time she spoke at the Republican National Convention, the slumbering conservative Republicans -- who had a hard time accepting the maverick McCain into their fold -- woke up and don their armor ready to follow McCain and Palin into battle against the better-organized Democrats.

Within a few days of Palin's emergence on the national scene on August 29, 2008, McCain wiped out his rival Barack Obama's nine-point lead. Donations to McCain's war chest poured in. Finally, the turning point in McCain's campaign was reached and the McCain/Palin ticket took off at supersonic speed. McCain took Palin with him most of his campaign appearances and unleash his "pit bull with a lipstick" to do all the demolition work against the Obama political machine.

Then in a sudden twist of events, the seemingly formidable Palin fortress began to crumble under a tidal wave of public criticism. The "fortress" turned out to be a craftily configured -- and deceiving -- maze of lies and deceit. Recently, an article by Andrew Sullivan listed 12 documented lies told by Palin, to wit: She lied about the Bridge to Nowhere, her firing of the town librarian and police chief of Wasilla, Alaska, about her pressure on Alaska's public safety commissioner to fire her ex-brother-in- law, about her previous statements on climate change and about Alaska's contribution to America's oil and gas production.

She also lied when she asked her daughters for their permission for her to run for vice-president, about the actual progress in constructing a natural gas pipeline from Alaska, about Obama's on habeas corpus, about her alleged tolerance of homosexuality, about the use or non-use of a TelePrompter at the St. Paul convention, about her alleged pay-cut as mayor of Wasilla and about health of the polar bear population in Alaska.

In the three one-on-one interviews that Palin had with the media, Palin's performance in addressing the issues was miserable, to say the least. During her interview with Charlie Gibson, she couldn't give the right answer when asked what the "Bush Doctrine" was. But it was the interview with Katie Couric that manifested her lack of knowledge on foreign policy. She claimed that the proximity of Russia to Alaska gave her credentials in foreign policy. When Couric asked her to elaborate, Palin responded, "Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and on our other side, the land — boundary that we have with — Canada." Then she said, "It's funny that a comment like that was kind of made to — cari — I don't know, you know? Reporters ..." Couric said, "Mocked?" "Yeah, mocked," said Palin. "I guess that's the word. Yeah."

When Couric asked Palin again to explain how Alaska's proximity to Russia has enhanced her foreign policy credentials, Palin replied, "Well, it certainly does because our next-door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the executive of. And there—" Couric interrupted and asked her, "Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?"

Palin replied, "We have trade missions back and forth… We do. It's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America, where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to our state." If trade missions were all that Palin could show as her experience in negotiating with the Russians, she would be a good candidate for president of the Alaska Chamber of Commerce, but not the vice president the of the U.S.

Palin's forthcoming debate with Joe Biden will be the defining moment for her. If she fails to perform convincingly, then she might as well pack up and abandon her quest for the vice presidency.

In the short time that Palin has been on the national scene, she came to personify a new breed of populists -- the "Palinists." Palinism attracts a broad base of evangelicals, creationists, and defenders of the Second Amendment; and which propagates anti-abortion and anti-gay sentiments.

Palin's use of the media to distort facts and disseminate lies has been initially successful. However, recent events have turned the table on Palin. Recently unearthed facts about her public and private life have combusted and are spreading like prairie fire across America.

Recently, conservative Kathleen Parker, in her syndicated column, surprised her readers when she said: "Like so many women, I've been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I've also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted."

Parker commented that Palin is "clearly out of her league." Her reaction to Palin's interviews with Gibson, Hannity, and Couric was: "If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself." And finally, she said: "Only Palin can save McCain, her party, and the country she loves. She can bow out for personal reasons, perhaps because she wants to spend more time with her newborn. No one would criticize a mother who puts her family first. Do it for your country."
As McCain's slogan says, "Country First," Palin should do exactly that and bow out of the race graciously. (PerryDiaz@gmail. com)