The Bear

The results of the recent elections were very good for Republicans. It was a good swift kick in the behind for President Megamind because the GOP took control of the House of Representatives, putting Nancy Pelosi out to pasture. However, Republicans do have one real big problem if they want to defeat the President in 2012.

Her name is Sarah Palin.

For all practical purposes, Palin is the face of the Republican Party. At least as far as the mainstream media is concerned. She was the Vice Presidential candidate in 2008 and in this impartial observer’s opinion, can really rock a pair of blue jeans. She also seems, and I really hate to say this, dumb as a doorknob.

This fits into the Mainstream Media’s template for Republicans. To them, Republicans are either 1) Evil or 2) Dumb. [Nixon = Evil; Ford = Dumb; Cheney = Evil; Kid Bush = Dumb]

There are a couple of other templates used, like “Old” (Dole and McCain) or “Out Of Touch” (Dad Bush). When none of those works, a variation of Evil is used: “Mean” (Newt Gingrich). Some of the radical ones think Kid Bush was the Daily Double: Dumb and Evil.

The problem is when a Republican is labeled as “Dumb” is takes a lot to counter that label. Ford was a graduate of Yale Law School, just like Hillary Clinton who has never been accused of lacking gray matter. Bush 43 hit the Ivy League Daily Double with degrees from both Yale and Harvard. You wouldn’t know it from popular culture.

Palin’s problem is that she comes off like she is always writing a Facebook status. If she was the President at the start of World War II, she would have Tweeted: “OMG, our so-called friends, the Japanese, just bombed Pearl Harbor!! What the Hey!!!!! Who’s with me to go kick some imperial butt???????”

One point about Palin: she did accept a difficult assignment in 2008 running with John McCain in the middle of an economic meltdown. It was not her fault that the GOP lost and McCain should be given some props for giving a rookie a shot at the big time.

She did rev up the GOP and helped elect some people who will benefit the party for years to come. However, she endorsed some Tea Party candidates that were total Eight Balls. Think of how sweet it would have been if a GOP candidate had captured Vice President Plugs seat? No, we were treated to the spectacle of Christine O’Donnell announcing to the world that “I am not a witch”.

Palin plays right into the hands of the Left. She doesn’t seem to have tried to study or even seems to be interested in anything except “shaking things up”. She is kind of a our Barack Obama: someone with a thin resume and a boat load of style..

Palin brings enthusiasm and a new look to the Grand Old Party. Unfortunately, she is also a bear in the room with lipstick. Republicans are going to have to figure out what to do with her or face another term of President Megamind.