Eugene Robinson pulls off a coup this morning: he sees Eva Peron in Sarah Palin.
... Palin gave the impression of being appalled that journalists mentioned the cross-hairs graphic in the hours after the rampage in Tucson. She singled out reporters and pundits, not political activists who might bear partisan animus. Surely she must have anticipated that viewers who recall her course of collegiate study - journalism - would be baffled at this reaction...
...I am confident that at least one of Palin's professors must have taught her that in reporting about a shooting, the fact that the principal target felt threatened is highly relevant information, as is the specific nature of that threat. It is also relevant that most of the violent political rhetoric that blights the public discourse is emanating from the far right - a constituency for which Palin speaks, often so colorfully. In the 1960s and '70s, this was not the case; anti-government invective and unsettling talk of "revolution" came primarily from the far left. Palin is perhaps too young to remember that era, but as a student of history she must have read about it - and must recognize the contrast between then and now.
For her to take such umbrage, then, at the reporting of evident, pertinent and factual information deepened the impression that she is - and I must be frank - astoundingly thin-skinned and egocentric.
The way Palin portrayed herself as not only a popular champion but also a martyr reminded me - not for the first time - of Eva Peron. If she chooses this unpromising route to higher political office, I suggest she find a suitable balcony from which to deliver her next address to the nation.
Or perhaps - solely in the interest of civil discourse - that there be no next address.
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Actually, it's worth noting that Robinson sees a certain parallel between Palin and Spiro Agnew.
Remember that guy? He declared, among other things, that "An intellectual is a man who doesn't know how to park a bike"; and "A spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete corps of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals."
On the other hand, ol' Spiro anticipated the Fox/Palin problem when he also declared:
The American people should be made aware of the trend toward monopolization of the great public information vehicles and the concentration of more and more power over public opinion in fewer and fewer hands.
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Nate Silver checks out trends in popularity -- the strong negatives vs. the strong positives -- of certain public figures. He finds that Palin is still popular out beyond -- but not inside -- the Beltway. When I look at the polls and put them together with what I've observed out here in Palinland, my impression is that people will still change channels to check out Palin's latest on TV but that her televised glitz no longer translates into voting-booth loyalty.
