The Mudflats

We remember from the election that you can put lipstick on a pig, but can you put rouge on an elephant?

Maybe, maybe not.

After her bizarre and speedy departure from the governorship of Alaska, Sarah Palin signed up with the lucrative Washington Speakers Bureau, which boasts speakers such as Madeleine Albright, Condaleeza Rice, Tom Brokaw, George W. and Laura Bush, and many others.

Here’s the pitch on the site:

Palin is a fearless, resilient and independent voice who stands firm by the principles and values for [sic] which she holds dear. Whether working to protect taxpayers from wasteful spending or advancing the cause of special-needs children, Palin speaks passionately on her experiences confronting the issues of our time. She encourages audiences to look to the future and challenges leaders to do more to support our troops, responsibly develop domestic resources, rein in spending and shrink government while creating a fiscally responsible health care model that benefits all Americans. A powerful, no-nonsense voice for principles and reform, her memoir Going Rogue: An American Life is scheduled for release in November of 2009.

Her picture is even featured on the top of the list. But all this positive thinking and “assumptive selling” may not be enough for Palin to get the bookings. An industry insider didn’t mince words with the New York Post.

“The big lecture buyers in the US are paralyzed with fear about booking her, basically because they think she is a blithering idiot.”

“Palin is so uninteresting to so many groups — unless they are interested in moose hunting,” said our insider. “What does she have to say? She can’t even describe what she reads.”

Palin likely quit as governor just months after losing the election as John McCain’s vice-presidential running mate because of money. “She knew that if she waited until her term ended in 2010, these opportunities would be gone,” said a source. “She would have lost millions by staying in office.”

(Thumbing through dictionary…..)

blithering – var. of blathering

(Thumbing through dictionary again…)

blathering v. – talking nonsensically,   same as ‘blethering’

(Slamming dictionary closed)

Well, whether it’s blithering, blathering or blethering, it doesn’t sound good when you’re trying to charge six figures to talk to people for an hour.  And I don’t think I need to look up the word idiot to determine that it’s not helping.  The multi-million dollar book deal should be enough to keep the larder full, but a speaking career may not be in the cards.

But before the ex-governor loses all hope, she’ll be happy to note that there is a special section that says “Speakers $15K and Under – We have dozens of great speakers for $15,000 or less.”  Like the mythical elephant graveyard, maybe the budget speakers corner is where the rouge elephants go when they know their time is drawing near.

[graphic by flyinureye]

Cenk Ugyur from The Young Turks nailed it today on the Huffington Post, and articulated clearly and concisely the battle that is raging for the philosophical heart of the Democratic party.  Back before the 2008 elections, Howard Dean, then chair of the DNC argued for a “50 state strategy.”  He felt that Democrats needed to put resources and money and energy into every state, not just those that were labeled “strategic.”  You know.  Places like Alaska.

Before the nomination of Sarah Palin, the Obama campaign had a full staff in Alaska, and was polling in the range of three points up or three points down, compared to John McCain.  Then the VP nomination happened, and the rest went down in Alaska history.  But for all those states that didn’t have the VP nominee, the wisdom of the 50-state strategy became very apparent.  Democrats cleaned up in places that nobody thought was possible.

Rahm Emmanual, then chair of the DCCC  had in the mean time, argued for “realism.”  He wanted a more targeted conservative approach, spending resources only in areas where there was a “realistic” chance for success.  He went down to Dean’s devastating left hook in the first round.

Now, we’re in the second round. This time it’s the health care debate. Rahm Emanuel has been pushing for a weaker version of reform from the beginning. In his defense, he believes he is focusing on what is doable (nearly the same thing he said during the previous House elections). Emanuel has argued for a trigger from the beginning of the debate and seems to think that a public option is not realistic in this political environment.

Howard Dean has instead argued for a stronger version of health care reform. He believes the country is persuadable (the same position he had in the House elections) and is largely on the side of bolder reform already. He believes the Democratic politicians need to have the courage of their convictions and they can make a real difference.

Once again, Howard Dean is right and Rahm Emanuel is wrong. The voters didn’t vote for a little bit of change. They gave the Democrats the White House and overwhelming majorities in the House and Senate. They voted for real change. The kind of change that Dean always pushes for (and often accomplishes) and the kind of change that Emanuel doesn’t ever find “realistic.”

Emanuel needs to change his definition of realistic. We didn’t elect Obama to fiddle around the edges. We elected him to change the current reality of Washington. We didn’t elect him to figure out the best way to appease the lobbyists; we elected him to figure out the best way to beat them. What Rahm Emanuel doesn’t seem to get is that real change is realistic. You have all this political power. It’s time to use it. If not now, when?

Good question.

Shannyn Moore and Jeanne Devon

Thanks to everyone for all your nice words about my appearance on The Rachel Maddow Show.  You guys are the best.  It was quite a day.  I was definitely nervous as this was my first TV appearance.   But, the staff of TRMS was terrific and Rachel herself is so warm and friendly that  it was a great experience.  I’ve admired her for a long time, and felt incredibly honored to be asked to be a guest on her show.  When I had the good fortune to meet her in New York last month, and she told me she was a Mudflatter, I was completely speechless….a condition which, fortunately, did not repeat itself tonight! 

And thanks are definitely in order to Shannyn Moore who stuck around the studio after her appearance on Countdown to make sure everything ran smoothly and to offer moral support.  It was very much appreciated.

That’s Shannyn and me above sharing a libation and some olive tapenade at The Bear Tooth after the show.

It’s a double-header, a Twofer Tuesday, a back-to-back blogfest!

Shannyn Moore will be on Countdown with David Schuster on MSNBC tonight,

followed by….

Me on The Rachel Maddow Show!

We’ll be talking about “Going Rogue” and Sarah Palin’s forthcoming book.

Buckle your seatbelts…