Visorgate: Palin Tries Being Disingenuous

OK, up until now she's just been fatuous and vaguely annoying. I'm writing about that Palin woman here, and if you have a problem with the phrase "that Palin woman" as sexist, or condescending, or rude, well, I actually don't care. Leave a rude comment. I'll still sleep at night.

Most people are insulted by treatment as fools, and I am no exception. Moreover, I actually think most Americans are also insulted by such treatment, and will be so insulted if they give Visorgate a little thought.

Visorgate?

What, you haven't heard about the paparazzi "hounding" Sarah Alaska entirely out of the state of Hawaii because of her headgear? Oh, sit down...this is, we're asked to believe, our next president (potentially) that we're talking about.

As per AP writer Mark Thiessen, it seems that Palin "cut short her Hawaii vacation [emphasis mine] because of paparazzi, who photographed her wearing a sun visor with the name of Sen. John McCain blacked out." Pictures of this item on Sarah's little head were apparently circulated on the internet this week, and a negative comment about the senator was, ahem, inferred, causing the former VP candidate proverbial pain and suffering...so much so that she, Todd and the fam packed up and left the 50^th state for the ol' homestead in the 49^th.

This quitting and going home thing seems to be a developing pattern, huh?

But let's think about this for a minute, Mr. and Ms. Average American. You've paid for a vacation to Hawaii. (This is very much unlike taking the casino bus from Camden to Atlantic City, even if one starts way out in the land where Russia is visible.) Somebody takes photos of you and posts them on the internet. They are not nude photos; they are not photos of you smoking pot or falling down drunk. Somebody, then, interprets your hat unkindly. What to do...what to do? You obviously chuck a chunk of your money down a sinkhole and leave, right?

Thus, we see the difference between a politician who would appeal to "real America" and the real Americans themselves.

Indeed, let's push this a bit further: Palin's explanation for the altered visor - yes, she admits she did it - is the most interesting part of this story. In an actual statement for the press (the hounds), Palin explained: "In an attempt to 'go incognito,' I Sharpied the logo out on my sun visor so photographers would be less likely [emphasis mine again] to recognize me or bother my kids or other vacationers." She didn't add, I suppose, that - unfortunately - she had used up all her money on this trip, and thus, could not afford a new $5 visor...or that she'd left her Alaska baseball cap at home. Being ever so busy, the best she could do while packing was toss that McCain visor into the suitcase...after crossing out McCain's name.

Yo, lady, do you think we were born yesterday? That is, you are either especially dim or remarkably arrogant.

Let's try an analogy - in case it's dim. Whenever I want to make sure that people don't mistake me for a Phillies fan, the very first thing that comes to mind is wearing my Phillies cap with duct tape over the big "P." It rarely works. And nobody knows who I am.

Being a smartass is a weak political strategy. Being a sly smartass is even weaker. And being a sly smartass, then going all floppy-disingenuous should put you out of the political arena.

But it won't. After all, you have your Twitter followers.

Source:

Theissen, Mark. "Palin cuts trip short after McCain visor flap." The Philadelphia Inquirer 19 December 2009: A2.