EL PASO, Texas (Sept 7, 2008) -- Sarah Palin.
It fascinates me that this name has come from the shadows of the frozen Alaskan tundra to capture the imaginations and amazement of the entire nation. And she has done it simply and in the complete opposite way Barack Obama did it.
Obama has carefully scripted his run for the presidency for a very long time. I can remember news folks talking about this "new African American guy in town" who had just moved into an office in the U.S. Senate with stars in his eyes, highly polished teeth and slick features with his eyes looking toward the White House. He never dissuaded this kind of talk and even encouraged it. So it was no surprise for me when he put his name in the hat last year.
Sarah Palin is a governor of the largest but arguably the least populated (per square mile, that is) state in the Union who has not mentioned a word about running for president at any point. She most likely got into politics because, as a hockey mom interested in ensuring her children received the best education they deserved, she probably realized how ineffective and petty the PTA can be and looked for a way to make a real difference in her town. Now I admit I don't really know why she decided to run for mayor and then later for governor, but what amazes me is that everybody who knows her and has been interviewed by the media since Senator John McCain announced her as his VP pick has shared the same information: What you see with Sarah Palin is what you get, and she is one tough cookie.
If that's indeed true, she has a lot of good things to offer this nation, and not just as a vice president. Love her or hate her, you can't ignore her or brush her aside. Republicans are now chanting victory songs and Democrats are frantically chanting war cadence -- and everybody is talking about Sarah Palin.
After two speeches, one woman has moved this entire nation; one -- woman! It still amazes me what happened right in front of our noses. She has even moved liberal media to scrutinize her every wrinkle and blemish. They are doing their best to glue as many ugly labels to her as possible. Concurrently, conservative media representatives are yelling foul, claiming that many in the media are blantantly biased and not giving her a fair shake http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/points/stories/DN-dreher_07edi.ART.State.Edition1.26b4583.html.
When I wonder how one man named Jesus who claimed to be the Christ could have stirred an entire nation to action so quickly, I need only look at the rise of Sarah Palin onto the national scene as an example of how it can happen. Don't misunderstand me; I'm not equating Palin as some sort of savior or object of worship. I'm merely demonstrating that one person can make a huge impact on us. Who knows what my future may hold but this example gives me cause for excitement that maybe, just maybe, God might actually have something super in store for me. She has taken the hard right over the easy left to get there; and maybe we as a nation are being rewarded for her courage. But could we do what she has done?
Will I be the next Sarah Palin? Will you? |