Sophisticated Sarah

Palin is Part Hepburn, Part Loren, Part Thatcher - Part Annie Oakley
By Michael P. Tremoglie
Tremoglie’s Tea Time Blog

Watching the video of Sarah Palin’s appearance with William Shatner on the Conan O’Brien Show, the one word that came to mind was style. Yet, there was more to it than that.

After all, she entered the arena of late night television, a stage that has excoriated her routinely - the “enemy camp” as Chris Matthews might say. She has been scoffed at before by O’Brien. The show has featured William Shatner mocking Palin’s tweets by reading them as dramatic recitations.

Still, Palin handled her appearance with the aplomb of Beyonce at the Video Music Awards. She exuded the charm of Sophia Loren; the dignity of a Katharine Hepburn.

The blend of these qualities, with the feistiness and intellect of Margaret Thatcher and the forty-something feminine beauty of a Demi Moore, is what makes Palin so dangerous to the political establishments of both parties.

She has a certain manner, an allure, a je ne sais quoi, about her that has endeared her to a wide swath of the American public in a short period of time. She is upsetting a lot of apple carts and the entrenched politicos resent it. They have directed their fire at her.

Indeed, Palin has weathered a torrent of vitriol. While her primary critics are liberal Democrats, the bien-pensants of both parties fear and loathe her.

This was evinced recently by Michael Petrilli’s hortatory article in the December 14 Wall Street Journal. Petrilli’s haughty piece titled, “Whole Foods Republicans,” had this to say about Gov. Palin, “…there's Sarah Palin, whose entire brand is anti-intellectual.”

Petrilli’s remarks about Palin’s supporters echoed what liberals have said about military personnel in Iraq (Kerry: “you get stuck in Iraq”) and the audience of the Limbaugh show. It repeats what the left claims is a characteristic of conservative Christians (“uneducated and easily led”) or Middle America (“clinging to their guns and religion”).

It must be noted that Mr. Petrilli is a researcher at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. Although he appears to be a Republican, he is obviously one who has been victimized by the Democrats’ tried and true class warfare propaganda. They have succeeded in dividing Republicans along cultural lines.

Yet, Gov. Palin has run the gauntlet of ridicule from David Letterman – moral icon that he is – to Michael Petrilli. Despite the scorn hurled at Palin’s intellect and that of her advocates, she continues to be poised. She exhibits the grace and sophistication of many famous women, past and present.

There is no denying it. Palin is part Hepburn, part Loren, part Moore, Thatcher, part Condoleeza Rice and a little Annie Oakley throw in for good measure.

The power elite compare Sarah Palin to a famous woman as well. However, the famous woman they think of when they think of Palin is Joan of Arc. If they have their way, Palin will end up burned at the stake – politically speaking that is – just like she did.