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HAS PALIN PEAKED… by Elizabeth Searle
It’s official: 
Sarah Palin– once a burning fixture on this blog, winning Disgraced Celebrity of Summer, 2009– may find her star fading at last, at least politically.
The Huffington Post among others speculated that Palin has reached a ‘Tipping Point’ with her latest Presidential Poll rating at 10% and with rising star Michelle Bachmann poised to step into Palin’s ‘high heels’ as the GOP’s next far-right female rabble-rouser.
What tipped Palin? I believe the slippage began with Palin cutting and running from her Governorship. When she chose to go for the money and ditch Alaska, she revealed her essentially frivolous nature and lost the respect of in-between voters who might have (heaven forbid) fueled a Palin Presidential victory.
Sadly, this past week the first female Vice Presidential candidate, Geraldine Ferraro passed away. I saw her speak at a thrilling rally in New Haven during the Mondale campaign, her voice and presence as clear and bracing as the fall New England air.
Yes, ‘Gerry’ had her mishaps and ‘scandals.’ But unlike Palin, she kept her sense of dignity, humility and humor. In later years, she focussed on issues rather than her own image or legacy.
Many commented that the first female President, when she finally belatedly arrises, will be standing on Ferraro’s shoulders. I have wondered if McCain would have had more of a chance had he chosen a woman of substance like Olympia Snowe as his running mate. And I sometimes wonder if the country would be better off if bold brilliant Hillary Clinton were holding the reigns.
Perhaps Palin’s legacy will be to make voters more wary of glitzy media-star candidacies and more open to serious sensible women who would do Geraldine Ferraro proud.
(photos: thirdage.com, jillstanek.com, nursesforum.com, W.H.)
