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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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 OPINION 
15

'Paris Hilton' Palin Perfect Politician for Internet Age

Resignation was genius move, writes Greg Beato

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(Newser) – Politics is due for a shake-up of the kind the Internet gave to music and newspapers—and Sarah Palin looks like the only politician ready to deliver, Greg Beato writes in Reason. Palin's resignation makes her a true maverick, Beato writes. Just like Paris Hilton realized you don't need to act to be a Hollywood star, Palin has realized you don't need to hold office to be a politician, he notes.

Palin "embodies the Internet’s insurgent, user-oriented spirit" more than any other national politician, Beato argues. She's now free to capitalize on her appeal—and on ordinary Americans' desire for a Drudge-like upstart to transform politics—instead of being stuck governing Alaska for another 18 months, he adds. Pundits like Maureen Dowd may not get why Palin's resignation was such a stroke of genius, Beato writes, "but surely Paris Hilton understands."

Sarah Palin gives her resignation speech during a ceremony in Fairbanks, Alaska, where Palin turned over the governorship to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell.
Sarah Palin gives her resignation speech during a ceremony in Fairbanks, Alaska, where Palin turned over the governorship to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell.   (AP Photo/Al Grillo, file)
Donna Michaels, 57 of Fairbanks, Alaska sports a red t-shirt that says
Donna Michaels, 57 of Fairbanks, Alaska sports a red t-shirt that says "Palintologist," during Sarah Palin's resignation ceremony.   (AP Photo/Matthew Daly)
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On July 3, she took a giant leap toward making her actions match her rhetoric. She really is a maverick now, exploring territory few of her fellow politicians are
likely to follow.
- Greg Beato

Whether she plans to run for president or star in a documentary about the pressing need to save the oil industry, Palin’s abrupt departure was a stroke of genius, the most sensible move she could have made. - Greg Beato

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.20.09
The Health-Care Wars Have Just Begun
11.19.09
Sarah Palin Deserves Some More Attention
15 comments
VIEWING:
 
drlarrymitchell
Sep 18, 09 5:46 AM CDT
Garbage in, garbage out. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+8
Doctor_Zaius
Sep 18, 09 6:18 AM CDT
Well yes, I would put those two in the same bucket. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+8
IN RESPONSE:
Reader64481089
Sep 18, 09 6:42 AM CDT
Actually, I never thought I would see the day that it possible to degrade Paris Hilton by comparing someone to her.........this indeed is a blow to Paris even being a skank *sigh
Vote up! Vote down!
+8
IN RESPONSE:
Spudsy
Sep 18, 09 2:24 PM CDT
Same bucket, but it ruins one of them for me. Now I will have to take down all of my Paris Hilton posters. Anyone have any Rachel Welch posters left over?
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0
schmidtkoff
Sep 18, 09 6:22 AM CDT
yup. a true maverick. MAVERICK: 1. an unbranded cow or calf. 2. a dissenter; nonconformist. QUITTER 1. one who leaves; abandons; resigns. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+8

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