Farewell, My Friends… It’s Been Fun.
19 07 2009“Between the bizarre tweets, the incoherent “good-bye Alaska” speech, and the ensuing and constant pleading that quitting is fighting and fighting is quitting, it has become abundantly clear to anyone with any sense that Sarah Heath Palin has become “Crazy Governor Lady.”
So begins a recent opinion piece from local conservative pundit Dan Fagan. It got me thinking. He thinks I have sense. And, in this case, I think he has sense. What does it all mean?
Sometimes, being a progressive in Alaska can be a lonely business. Granted, our numbers are growing, and one could argue that the last election cycle saw our state moving on the color chart from the reddest of the red to a “less red”….maybe sorta reddish-plum type area. We may have even passed Oklahoma, but I’ll have to get back to you on that.
The phenomenon of Sarah Palin, whom Fagan now refers to as “Crazy Governor Lady,” has expanded my circle of virtual friends. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have not changed my political philosophy, but the last 2/3 of a term has done something fascinating. It has created some very strange bedfellows, indeed. In a certain limited way, I’ve been able to consider people like Dan Fagan, and Mike Hawker, and Jay Ramras, and a host of other Republicans kindred spirits. Frankly, I have found myself thinking, “You go, Dan!” on more occasions than I care to admit. This was usually followed by a rush of brain chemicals associated with shame and guilt, and a little voice saying, “Oh dear God, did you just think that?”
But, it wasn’t all a big “chattering class” kumbaya up here on the Last Frontier. Those like fringe right-wing radio host Eddie Burke and his ilk continue to revel in their own delusion and still sing the governor’s praises despite everything they’ve seen. They did not run screaming, like their more sensible conservative kin. They still cling, wide-eyed, to any shred of possibility, no matter how remote, that they’ll be invited to go bowling someday in that secret underground bowling alley beneath the White House. If they’d remove their fingers from their ears and stop going, ‘LALALALALALA!” they would hear me say, “Good luck with that.”
And, I know that after the abdication ceremony next Saturday, I’ll be bidding a philosophical farewell to my feelings of camaraderie, and my team will have gotten a bit smaller. But, that’s OK. Like some strange weather phenomenon, we all looked with fascination, knowing this strange cosmic event would quickly pass. It was interesting while it lasted. And who knows… maybe out there, somewhere were some conservatives thinking, “You go, Alaska bloggers and outspoken Democratic legislators!” I think this is how they must have felt in Illinois after the Rod Blagojevich debacle.
Yes, she has lost it and revealed herself as flaky, delusional, dishonest, slightly paranoid, and in way over her head. Palin should have never been elected governor. She wasn’t ready and those of us who voted for her should have known it. The lesson is that personality, image and looks should never trump substance when evaluating a candidate.
Slightly?
And yes, the “you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover” lesson, if you missed it in Kindergarten, can still be learned and understood later in life. It’s a good one.
Looking to the future, and the Parnell administration, Fagan goes on to say:
It’s time for new Gov. Sean Parnell to take up the fight against liberal Democrats…
(Sigh…) So, with that, I will prepare, in six days, to stand on the shore with my fellow progressives, and wave my white hanky at the shipload of conservatives, our “Palin weather friends,” steaming away into the sunset, back to their own philosophical motherland. And then we’ll get back to the task of trying to budge this state from reddish-plum to sort of a blueish plum. I think it will look good on us.
July 19th, 2009 at 7:14 PM
Scary headline, AKM, but great post as always. I agree with Nan, in that after I read all the comments, there’s nothing left to say. Appreciated AKPetMom’s comment about the former First Lady program, especially that there “isn’t a gracious bone in (GINO’s) body.” Also liked CG’s annotation of the AP coverage of one of her farewell tour stops. We couldn’t have known all the local details without it. Thanks so much. I just don’t understand how she could do this statewide tour after so specifically dissing that exact thing in her resignation speech. Irony is totally lost on her. YJCMTSU!
July 19th, 2009 at 7:17 PM
Oh, there is actually one new thing I wanted to add to this thread, and surprise, it’s somewhat in defense of xGINO: her tweet about the soldier who was captured in Afghanistan makes sense if he was from Alaska, which is the impression I got from her message. If not the case, then she’s being typically random, but if he is an AK citizen, it makes more sense that she is particularly concerned about him. Now the “warrior” business is horrid and must stop…
July 19th, 2009 at 7:23 PM
Physicsmom – the soldier is based @ Ft. Richardson AK, but he is from Idaho.
July 19th, 2009 at 7:52 PM
AKM, like so many others today, my heart stopped when I read your headline. Oh no, I thought, there goes my community. And then I was ashamed cause I realized you were probably worn out and needed a break. And then I was relieved, excited and mad at you all at once, kind of when you snatch your child back after he/she has darted out in front of a speeding car. Anyway, I’m glad you are still here.
And now for some delicious, wonderful news that came last night as I was chatting with the pups in the forum….my son-in-law picked up the phone from beside his hospital bed, dialed my daughter at home and held a ten minute conversation with her!!! It really is a miracle.
For those who don’t know, in mid June, he had an accident on an electric skateboard and fractured his skull in three places. Traumatic brain injury. He was in a coma for the first week and in a vegetative state for the second week and a half. Since coming back to us, he has been doing so well that he is being released from rehab at the end of this month. He will do outpatient care and have some in home therapy and it will be a long road back (doc says at least a year). He has weakness in his arm but the sensation has come back in his hand. His wandering eye is already correcting itself. His memories (except for the accident) seem to be there but the timeline is scrambled. That will take some work. Still, a very big miracle.
My daughter was crying as she told me to thank all the pups for the prayers and light. “Tell them it really made a difference. I could see it every day.”
I add my thanks to hers. Thank you for caring. I was on Mudflats when I got the call about his accident and I was in the forum when I got the awesome news last night. I can’t think of a better place for me to have been in either instance.
I’ve got Sly and the Family Stone running through my head….We are Family!
Thank you all.
redwoodmuse
Wonderful news, redwoodmuse. And I promise never to run out in front of a speeding car again…. Please don’t ground me.
AKM
July 19th, 2009 at 7:53 PM
doh, that would be Sister Sledge.
redwoodmuse
July 19th, 2009 at 8:00 PM
Redwoodmuse,
I am so happy to hear your great news, I can’t imagine what you have gone through. Aint miracles great?!
July 19th, 2009 at 8:02 PM
This one line from the AP farce of an article really burned me.
“But this is what Palin loves best: Reaching out to Alaskans, no matter how remote. ”
Oh really????????? I bet the people in Emmonak, Nunam Iqua and the other villages that suffered so last winter (and may do so again this winter unless Parnell gets his butt in gear) would beg to differ. I guess she only ‘reaches out’ to them when she’s got a plate of cookies and a preacher with a fistfull of religious pamphlets. Oh yeah, I almost forgot…a media crew with a television camera to record every insincere moment!
And where was she when Eagle got decimated by flooding this spring?????
July 19th, 2009 at 8:06 PM
(((redwoodmuse)))
SUPER news and I hope for a continued speedy (and complete) recovery!!!
July 19th, 2009 at 8:16 PM
{{{{{{{redwoodmuse}}}}}}
so, so thrilled to hear the news. it is a miracle, really. i had a TBI one year ago, and though mild it has changed my life. your son-in-law will never be the same person he was, but, potentially, an even more enlightened person from this experience. blessing heaped upon you all!
community, family . . . that is all that counts in the final tabulation!
July 19th, 2009 at 8:37 PM
Redwoodmuse: So glad that there is improvement and so much hope for further inprovement. Mudpups Rock!!
July 19th, 2009 at 11:42 PM
It’s time for new Gov. Sean Parnell to take up the fight against liberal Democrats…
… and eliminate those wholly socialist oil royalty checks.
What? He didn’t say that?
July 20th, 2009 at 12:07 AM
Congratulations, I hope for your son in laws continued recovery.
As for the rest, whew, Akm, that was mean of you, I feared for a moment we were being abandoned.
I love the mudflats and log in nearly everyday, to check on the sisters and brothers far up north. Keep up the good fight. You rock.
July 20th, 2009 at 12:24 AM
Redwoodmuse
That is fantastic news, what a relief. Have thought of you all often since that terrible day when your news broke. I was on the blog with you then and remember the horror well. I was telling you you must ring your husband. You were obviously in shock at the time and thinking you shouldn’t ring because it was personal.
UKman will be pleased to hear this news too.
July 20th, 2009 at 3:07 AM
redwoodmuse: wow.
On Topic: I have some conservative friends (you know, like “I have some black/latino/jewish/gay friends”). Those who are still friends share some characteristics — they are not overtly racist, sexist, ageist, anti-gay, or religiously intolerant.
Believe it or not, it is possible for someone to be conservative enough that I still want to strangle them (metaphorically) without being any of the above.
Liberals and conservatives differ on a range of issues. However, there is also a range of issues where “real” conservatives and “real” liberals may well agree. (I use the quotes to distinguish the real deals from, e.g., white supremacists who may call themselves conservative, or Hispanic reunifiers who may want to be thought of as liberal).
Certainly, one area of agreement would be that elected officials should do their damn jobs. But, I think you’ll find there are others.
BTW, this isn’t Kumbaya. Conservatives are WRONG about a lot of things. But we shouldn’t ignore the areas where agreement is possible.
AKM, perhaps you should ask Dan Fagan if he was being redundant when he used the term “liberal Democrats”. Eventually, you might be able to find out what evil it is that those libs are planning to perpetrate on AK. Seriously, if the guy has enough synaptic function to realize what a disaster La Palin has been, he can probably carry on a conversation.
July 20th, 2009 at 5:30 AM
{{{{{{{{redwoodmuse}}}}}}}
On topic: GO DEMS IN AK!!!
July 20th, 2009 at 5:57 AM
(((redwoodmuse))) Wow, great news about your SIL. I had tears in my eyes reading about him phoning home. I firmly believe in the power of good thoughts vibrating with positive intention. Please keep us posted on news of his recovery.
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From the new HuffPo article on “Not saying goodbye”
NALAKLEET, Alaska — She was greeted like a rock star in Unalakleet, a fishing village on the Bering Sea.
Apparently there are 800 persons living in Unalakleet and 100 of them turned out to see her. Not such a big deal when it’s put into perspective. I think it’s an overstatement to call her a rock star, and I wonder how many of them were curiosity seekers.
July 20th, 2009 at 9:06 AM
After reading this post this song came to mind….
Sound of Madness by Shinedown
Yeah, I get it, your an outcast
Always under attack, always coming in last
Bringing up the past, no one owes you anything
I think you need a shotgun blast, a kick in the a$$
So Paranoid, watch your back
Oh my, here we go
Another lose cannon gone bi-polar
Slipped down, couldn’t get much lower
Quicksand’s got no sense of humor
I’m still laughing like hell
You think that by crying to me
Looking so sorry that I’m gonna believe
You’ve been infected by a social disease
Well, then take your medicine
I created the sound of madness, wrote the book on pain
Somehow I’m still here to explain
That the darkest hour never comes in the night
You can sleep with a gun
When you gonna wake up and fight for yourself?
I’m so sick of the tombstone mentality
If there’s an afterlife then it’ll set you free
But I’m not gonna part the seas
You’re a self-fulfilling prophecy
etc.etc