The Progressive Professor An educated view from the left…

Sarah Palin’s Tea Party Convention Speech

Sarah Palin, the former Alaska Governor and 2008 Republican Vice Presidential nominee, was the center of attention in Nashville at the Tea Party Convention on Saturday night.

She delivered a 40 minute speech and then answered questions while sitting down with the moderator for about 20 minutes.

The speech was highly critical of Obama Administration national security policy and economic policy, not a surprise to anyone.

But the question is whether she rang a bell in the minds of independents across the country with her line of argument.

It will be a while before we know what polls say, but at this early point, there are certain points to make.

Palin criticized the fact that we have a "college law professor" as the Commander in Chief, but is it proper to condemn someone's education and intellectual ability? Don't we want a person who believes in the power of the law and wishes to stay within our legal system, or do we want a person who violates constitutional law and abuses the Constitution? It sounds to me that Palin is at least slightly jealous that we have a President who has taught law, but I suppose for someone who had to go through SIX colleges to get a bachelors degree in communication, it might be proper to be envious!

She also attacked the fact that Obama uses a teleprompter in his speeches, failing to realize that it is a way to make certain that what is said is very precise and accurate. Meanwhile, she had written a few words down on her hand and looked at it as she answered questions from participants in the Tea Party convention. So she felt a need to write down a few key words, as if she did not know what she believed in and wanted to say, but Obama in a speech cannot have a teleprompter! Oh, and by the way, she had her speech in front of her, and it was clear she was often directly reading it!

She also talked about representative democracy and how the people should be able to speak up, but forgot that is the whole point of representative democracy, that our representatives speak for the nation! Since the Democrats won nearly 60 percent of the House and the Senate, and the White House by nearly 54-46 percent, they have the right to make policy, as much as the Republican opposition made policy with a far less percentage of the majority and with a President who did not win the popular vote!

Palin said she gets emails from supporters and advisers to improve her knowledge of the issues and problems facing America. But the fact is she has still not demonstrated any intellectual curiosity about anything, is still exploiting her fame given to her by John McCain to enrich herself, and still makes clear by her words and actions that she is a shallow individual, not proper for the Presidential office!

And yet, when asked, she says she might seek the Presidency, and will not close the door if it is right for her family and her country.

It is perfectly clear that Sarah Palin SHOULD NOT seek the Presidency as she is ill prepared in experience and intellect for the position. She also should not seek the Presidency for her family as she has a special needs child who needs her attention and that of her family, not the spotlight of a Presidential campaign, and god forbid, the power of the Presidency which would keep her busy with no time to do the proper job of helping her child grow and develop. This is not sexism against women as some might say! It is the question of what Republicans always emphasize: FAMILY VALUES!

So Sarah, continue to make money and enjoy the adulation of people who do not see you for your limitations, but don't burden this nation and your political party by creating a nightmare candidacy for President of the United States!