Who would have thought that Bristol Palin would be nominated for Vice President of the United States? She’s only a kid after all! Oh—wait…Bristol isn’t running? Come again? Judging from the plethora of stories and intense media scrutiny given to the 17-year old Alaskan, some might have figured she was the Republican Vice Presidential nominee. Believe it or not, however, this doesn’t seem to be the case.
The overall coverage the Palin family has received the last week has been repugnant and tabloid-ish to an embarrassing extreme. If the collective mainstream news media had a boss to report to, they’d all have been fired. If they had a professor to answer to, they’d have been flunked. And, if they had a mom to deal with, they’d have been spanked long and hard ‘til the buttocks was raw and rosy.
While we’re on the subject of moms, what do we really know about Sarah Palin, the real Vice Presidential nominee? Well, if your news sources are CNN, MSNBC, or the New York Times, you would know that her husband had a DUI over two decades ago. You would know that Sarah Palin’s daughter, Bristol, is pregnant out of wedlock. You might also know—erroneously, of course—that Sarah Palin was a radical secessionist Alaskan.
The truth is, had these news entities done some real research and exhibited even an iota of journalistic integrity, surely they would have at least taken the time to explore the Governor’s website. But, alas, apparently not.
It turns out that there is a lot more to the Governor than the media wants the public to know. A lot more. In fact, she appears to be quite a capable woman who knows a great deal about what Americans care about most.
This is most crucially displayed by her keen awareness and enlightened understanding regarding the energy crisis. In fact, Governor Palin is an expert on the issue. And even a cursory glance at Mrs. Palin’s website would have clued the clueless media in.
Much like how Senator John McCain was ahead of the curve regarding his support for the now-successful surge strategy in Iraq, Governor Palin was pushing for a more comprehensive energy policy—including drilling—before it was “the cool thing to do.”
If reporters had been doing their job, they would have gone on to Mrs. Palin’s website, uncovered and subsequently publicized one particularly relevant letter sent by Governor Palin to Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid back in June regarding drilling off the coasts and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The letter not only demonstrates a certain clarity and heightened understanding of the energy issue, but also conveys the fierce spirit of a Washington-outsider fed up with “politics as usual” in Congress. As the Governor states:
“It seems to us outside the Capitol Beltway that virtually every effort to accomplish [comprehensive energy legislation] is met with criticism and failure. In my opinion, the debate about energy policy is no longer theoretical and abstract. Our failure to enact an energy policy is having real consequences for every American in their daily lives and has begun to affect America’s place in the world.”
As a resident of Alaska, no one would know better about the importance of drilling in places like ANWR than Governor Palin. She makes her breadth of knowledge quite clear to Senator Reid when she explains in her letter the following:
“I strongly support Outer Continental Shelf development in Alaska and elsewhere as a necessary component of a sound energy strategy. However, it makes no sense to consider the OCS and to ignore the possibility of exploration iand development in highly perspective upland areas, including the coastal plain of ANWR—the most promising unexplored petroleum province in North America,” an area of “less than 2,000 acres (approximately one-quarter the size of Dulles Airport).”
Governor Palin also indicates a keen understanding of market dynamics and the expected impact such OCS and ANWR drilling would have on immediate fuel prices:
“Incremental production from the coastal plain should help reduce price volatility in the U.S. Additionally, ANWR development would send a strong message to oil speculators and producing countries that the United States is serious about addressing its energy problem.”
The letter goes on to convey Governor Palin’s awareness of the international ramifications of increased domestic drilling and its impact on the frenzied world of oil politics. It then concludes with a bold and fierce declaration that indicates the Alaska Governor might be interested in picking a fight with Senator Reid and his Drill-Nothing Congressional colleagues. She says:
“I don’t think it’s overly dramatic to say that this nation’s future and the quality of life for every American are dependent on the decisions you make or don’t make in the next few months.”
And it’s not just energy that she’s an expert on. Governor Palin herself is also a rock-solid testament to what it means to be pro-life. By both choosing to carry her down-syndrome baby to term and encouraging and supporting her unwed pregnant daughter to keep her child, Governor Palin has a double-edged sword of credibility when it comes to the abortion debate.
She supports the second amendment, wants school-choice, advocates reform, and is a fierce opponent of corruption.
On top of that, she’s brings a bit of humor and lightheartedness to the campaign. Had those in the media so desired, a simple youtube search would have borne witness to this—such as this video of Governor Palin interacting with the late-night comic, Craig Ferguson:
As most know, a little humor never hurt any political career.
This unique coupling of core limited government policies with a likable, humorous, and genuine demeanor may indicate that the next Ronald Reagan has, indeed, been found. If the media hadn’t been so preoccupied searching through the tabloids and far-left blogs, they may have picked up on this.
Yes—Ronald Reagan’s spirit lives on. Just don’t let the high heels and lip-stick confuse you.
