Lately, I feel like I’m being shammed.
Like those people on TV who get challenged to a game of pool by someone who they just saw lose terribly without sinking a single shot.
These people always decide to bet on a game, thinking it’s in the bag, and lose tons of money and dignity because as it turns out, the opponent is practically a professional.
I think the day is fast approaching when Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin stops trying to bluff and shows us all how brilliant of a politician she is.
So far, since John McCain’s announcement of her as his running mate, Palin has done nothing but give a large portion of the American people a reason to give their votes to the Barack Obama and Joe Biden ticket.
From her shallow remarks last month at the conventions, to her minced thoughts during television interviews with high profile anchors, to her inability to actually answer a question, she’s been having a rough time.
Her experience is lacking, she is unaware of any court case other than Roe v. Wade and when she knows she can’t answer a question, she reverts to her pageant days, smiling real pretty, winking a lot and using phrases like “darn right!” and “yoooou betcha!” to hide the fact.
And, if she had any credibility with me as a vice presidential candidate, she lost it the moment I heard her say nuc-u-ler. It’s nuclear. Nu-clear. For the love of the American people, get it right!
Since it first started to look as if Palin was driving McCain’s campaign into the ground, I’ve been waiting for her to do one of two things.
The more unlikely of the two would be for her to rip off her human costume and reveal herself to be the monster everyone knows is hiding underneath.
The other, which is way more realistic, would be that she comes out fighting and spitting real fire, proving to the world that there is still something left in that head of hers.
Honestly, I can’t imagine someone who is running to be leader of the free world being so reckless in such a major decision.
Why would McCain choose someone no one knew, had less experience than he criticized his opponent for having and who was such a big risk if she wasn’t going to prove right away that she has the bravado to be vice president and, possibly, president?
Yet, I’ve seen nothing of the sort. Only her making a mess out of just about every interview and speech in which I’ve seen her partake.
After I saw her failure during the convention, I thought maybe it was just early campaign jitters and that the true warrior would show herself at a town hall meeting or TV appearance.
When she hadn’t broken out the big guns before the big debate last week, I thought for sure we were in for it, especially after her abysmal performance with CBS News anchorwoman Katie Couric.
I was sure she had chosen the vice presidential debate to throw her first major punches. So I was relieved (and almost a tad bit disappointed) when she had difficulty staying on topic, reverting to an obvious list of ideas and subjects practiced at her debate camp.
Perhaps Palin is just biding her time. Maybe she’s waiting for just the right moment, far enough from Nov. 4 that it makes an impact, yet close enough that people haven’t forgotten, when they’re staring at their ballot.
Or maybe McCain just made one of the biggest political blunders we as Americans have ever seen.
