As Bob Herbert noted in The New York Times, Sarah Palin was selected to provide a distraction from the issues in this race.
What did the Republicans avoid by choosing her? Well, they didn't discuss the foreclosure crisis. They didn't discuss health care. They didn't discuss education.
Instead, they made the race a referendum on character and personalities, the very thing they accused Barack Obama about.
However, this change of focus comes with some very real dangers. How well can we evaluate a person in just 60 days, especially when she is being kept under wraps and shielded from the press corps? She does have a compelling life story; the problem is that the story is so compelling, it distracts people from the real concerns they should have for the next occupant of the White House.
The Republicans may not know how to govern, but they sure know how to campaign. By making Sarah Palin inaccessible, they are keeping the distraction going. Each time she does make an appearance, it will generate increased scrutiny and increased distraction. Now, she is going to be interviewed by Charlie Gibson of ABC News, and how many people will watch that?
The real question, in my opinion, is whether the American people will be fooled again. They voted against Al Gore's sighs, against John Kerry's windsurfing, against Michael Dukakis riding around in a tank. When will they vote on the real issues that affect their every day lives?
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About Me
- Willy Gissen
- In 2003, Willy Gissen founded Cut-It-Out Communications, a full-service public relations agency based in Hartsdale, New York. His organization specializes in the incorporation of online activities into traditional public relations programs, primarily for business-to-business clients.
These activities include the creation of e-newsletters, the set up and maintenance of internal blogs, and the development of inbound links to maximize a client’s search engine ranking.
See his other articles at public relations instruction, and visit his other blog, New York Times Leader, for an analysis of each morning's lead story.