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Why Palin Is Mac's 'Meal Ticket'

The culture of celebrity, evangelical ideals, and small town nostalgia combine to enable Palin's 'outsized' influence

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 17, 2008 9:19 AM CDT

(Newser) – The number of enthusiastic Republicans have doubled in polls since John McCain picked Sarah Palin for his ticket, and Palin figures in slightly more news coverage than her running mate. That might be expected, but she is mentioned 10 times more than  Democratic counterpart Joe Biden. Tim Rutten offers up three reasons the hockey mom has become McCain's "meal ticket" in the Los Angeles Times.

  • The culture of celebrity: Palin, like Obama, has a story people can relate to, leading "people inclined to admire her not to care when Palin repeatedly lies about the bridge to nowhere."
  • Main Street America: Wasilla is just a suburb of Anchorage, but in troubled times the small town nostalgia Palin offers up is like catnip
  • Religious righteousness: Palin has energized the evangelicals in her party because, unlike McCain, she's the real deal. "Never before has the evangelical right had one so clearly its own on a national ticket," Rutten writes.

Sarah Palin smiles during a campaign rally in Golden, Colo.
Sarah Palin smiles during a campaign rally in Golden, Colo.   (AP Photo)
McCain waves to supporters as he walks with Palin before a campaign rally in Vienna, Ohio.
McCain waves to supporters as he walks with Palin before a campaign rally in Vienna, Ohio.   (AP Photo)
Republican vice presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speaks at a rally with running mate Sen. John McCain, right.
Republican vice presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speaks at a rally with running mate Sen. John McCain, right.   (AP Photo)
Republican vice presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin greets supporters after a rally with running mate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in Vienna, Ohio, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008.
Republican vice presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin greets supporters after a rally with running mate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in Vienna, Ohio, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008.   (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
Sarah Palin waves to the crowd from behind John McCain on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, during a campaign rally at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa.
Sarah Palin waves to the crowd from behind John McCain on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008, during a campaign rally at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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No major party candidate in living memory has campaigned under such a formulation, but McCain has his reasons. In electoral terms, Palin is McCain's meal ticket.
- On McCain referring to a "McCain-Palin administration"

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COMMENTS
Showing 1 of 1 comment
Shannonals
Jan 12, 2009 10:40 AM CST
I like how McCain refuses to comment on whether or not he will back Gov. Palin in a 2012 run

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