SocraticGadfly: Palin — think Tom Eagleton, not Dan Quayle

August 30, 2008

Palin — think Tom Eagleton, not Dan Quayle

As it now appears that Alaska Gov. Susan Palin, John McCain’s vice-presidential nominee, could soon be facing a public deposition over her ham-handed attempts to get her ex-brother-in-law fired as an Alaska state trooper, the Dan Quayle comparison is too mild.

Of course, Democrats won’t like comparing Palin to one of their own, and the situation to one of their own presidential candidates’ doings long ago, but with this level of incompetence, what else can you say? (Especially since McGovern is still alive and might be prickly about it.)

If that’s not enough, former Alaska Public Safety Commissioner Walter Monegan, fired by Palin in July for refusing to can ex-b-i-l Michael Wooten, sang like a canary to the Washington Post.

That’s not enough? McCain only met with her three times, for just five minutes or so each time, before making his pick.

So, if Dems won’t do it, I will. This is clearly worse than Quayle, it’s Tom Eagleton. But, will AP writers stand up to Ron Fournier? Will other papers get at the bottom of the seriousness of this?

AND, within the GOP, or the halfway more serious elements of the right-wing attack/media machine, how many operatives will recognize this is an Eagleton moment and try to get Schmuck Talk Express™ to reverse course before the train wreck becomes Category 5, to mix metaphors?

A couple of the bloviators are pulling back the corners of the sheets, but won’t go further.

Part 2 of the Palin-Eagleton comparison is here.

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