OPINION
24
Palin Op-Ed a Shallow Ploy for Policy Cred: Ambinder
The former governor does has not done the hard work to become a leading voice on health care
By Nick McMaster
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Posted Sep 9, 09 5:10 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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Sarah Palin’s got “every right” to write an opinion piece on health care reform. But, plainly, she does not have the right to be an influential voice in the debate, writes Marc Ambinder for the Atlantic. Her piece contains unoriginal ideas—replacing Medicare with vouchers—and smacks of ghostwriting. But unoriginality and credibility problems won’t stop her from becoming an influential voice in the debate if the cable news shows take the bait. So don’t, Ambinder pleads.
"If you want to do justice to conservative ideas,” Ambinder writes in a “challenge” to TV media, “book serious Republicans with original ideas on your programs. If a shallow op-ed is all it takes for Palin to become a legitimate voice on this issue, she won’t have to “do the hard work that will result in her learning more about policy and actually becoming conversant in the issues that she, as a potential presidential candidate, will deal with.”