The political press has finally noticed that Sarah Palin's "mystery tour" has never been a mystery to those who first recalled her most fundamental personality: raging paranoia and a pathological hypersensitivity to scrutiny and legitimate criticism.
What's she doing? Where's she going? Is this the beginning? Is this it? -- is it really it? -- the grand blast-off to her much rumored, much anticipated presidential campaign? Oh, how exciting. Oh, how unorthodox. Oh, how Sarah!
Such has been the buzz.
Now before I go any farther I wish to remind you that there's one convention of commentary that I rarely tolerate: that of the "I told you so" variety. And I have this morning plied my mental creativity to think of another way of saying this, but there just isn't one that still conveys the essence of, quite simply, quite emphatically: I told you so.
Last Thursday I wrote:
[N]ow come flurries of anticipation, if not exactly expectations, however low, about a Palin presidential run after all. What a stunner that Palin's political stirrings just happen to coincide with the release of a former staffer's expose -- Blind Allegiance -- portraying the Harpy Queen as warm as a viper, as devout as Jimmy Swaggart, and nearly as functionally stupid as Sen. James Inhofe (politics' gold standard of stupidity, never to be out-valued).
Once the book is no longer a political sensation and literary cause celebre, Palin's stirrings will subside.
Today, observes Politico:
[I]n the days leading up to the bus tour, Palin’s team was focused on something completely different.
Frank Bailey, a former aide, finally got his tell-all published on Tuesday after unsuccessfully shopping it for more than a year. And though the many damaging anecdotes about Palin had already been reported months ago after a leaked manuscript reached the press, Palin’s staff made discrediting him their top priority.... [emphasis mine, see above]
And Bailey’s book? It’s barely cracked the top 100 on Amazon.
To any other politician -- strike that, entertainer -- not crawling with violent neuroses and severe personality disorders, another expose from a former staffer would be just another expose from a former staffer. A blip, a minor ruckus, a bit of gossipy distraction to be ignored. But for Sarah Palin, nothing short of a five-alarm counteroffensive, rolling thunder and Memorial Day fireworks could suffice.
She's a deeply disturbed woman. True, for now she is ill in an entertaining way, but this will soon deteriorate to a kind of William Jennings Bryan pitiability -- a raving, Scopes-trial kind of lunacy which even her followers will look on with sorrow and sympathy.
Sarah Palin is not running for President. Fox News has recently stated that they "are not changing her status" with the network. They dropped Gingrich and Santorum last March. I love a good grifter.
Posted by: ronalda | May 29, 2011 at 08:46 AM
Poor Sarah's got more to worry about than a disgruntled ex-employee; her dear daughter Bristol not only supports gay marriage now (alas, the evil corruptions of Hollywood claim yet another innocent victim!) but has taken to keeping company with a young man who is (oh, whisper the horror)...... black. Yes! Mama Grizzly's precious cub is consorting with a black bear!
That's gotta smart. Can you blame this tragic victim of yet another betrayal -- and this one from one who should be dutiful if it kills her! -- if she flee$ for comfort to the welcoming arm$ of her adoring fan$?
Posted by: janicket | May 29, 2011 at 09:13 AM
Frankly, I am glad she is getting so much attention. I am sure the repugs are sick of her and want her to go away forever. Stay Sarah stay.
Posted by: Dorothy Rissman | May 29, 2011 at 12:41 PM