Sarah Palin either victimized herself or was victimized by the Republican machinery, either way she deserves our compassion–One of the latest polls shows that 55% of Americans do not believe Governor Sarah Palin is ready to take over as president should the need arises. Besides that, her negatives are rising and in many circles the talk is that her candidacy has brought down the chances of the Republican party to succeed. As a result there are those including important members of the Republican party who are questioning Sen. John McCain’s judgment.
It would seem that it was a predictable scenario. Did the Republican machinery do Palin a disservice by having unrealistic expectations, thinking she would be like clay they could fashion in whatever mold they deemed necessary in order to win, wanting her to be what she could not, unable to see past the facts that she would be the first woman on the Republican ticket and would energize the base and assure the vote of those who had so largely contributed to elect George Bush, and not much else? But too there is the inescapable fact that she accepted. What was she thinking? Did she wonder if this was a god-sent, some peerless chance? Did she think of saying no, I’m really so flattered but not ready, all the while hoping the no would be leaked and she would become a de facto hero for her exercise of humility?
Whether she was prey to her own ambition or to that of the Republican party, she deserves our compassion for being victim of narrow vision and narrow interests. It may be more true if Obama wins, but even if she does make it to the second top spot in the land, it would be as if she’d arrive there with shadows all around her.
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