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Opinion
Oct. 12, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

J.C. WATTS: Say what you want, Palin is a 'real person'

J.C. WATTS
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You don't need a Gallup or Rasmussen poll to know that regular people on the street -- you, your family and your neighbors -- are disgusted with politics today. The treatment of Gov. Sarah Palin is Exhibit A to illustrate that point.

For the sake of this discussion, I'll stipulate that there are any number of things on which reasonable (yet misguided) people can disagree with Sarah Palin. But it's beyond reprehensible when people who may disagree with her or find her a threat to their world order, start calling her names that are not on her birth certificate. These people put forward an elitist attitude that says, "She's a small town mayor and a small state governor who didn't go to Harvard ..." This somehow makes her unworthy of our respect and of a leadership role in our great country?


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    • This reeks of how elitist and biased people can be, and they justify it simply because they don't agree with her ideology. And these same people would, with a straight face, tell you they are open-minded.

    Count me as one of the millions of Americans who was excited about John McCain's selection of Gov. Palin. And I wasn't particularly jazzed because I see her as the "most qualified" candidate. I don't really know if there is a "most qualified" prospect. No, what re-ignited my passions for this campaign is the simple fact that Sarah Palin -- an accomplished and honorable political leader -- comes to the process from a point that is as far away from Washington, D.C., as you can possibly be and still be an American.

    When people like me refer to her as a "real person," it sends the media elite and the late night comic crowd into a frenzy precisely because she is not one of them.

    So what if she doesn't read the Investor's Business Daily or Financial Times every day? She's a working mother, for cryin' out loud!

    Sarah "Can I Call You Joe" Palin fits the national psyche and knows how her bread gets buttered. Just like you and your neighbors.

    In that sense, she really reminds me of Ronald Reagan, whom "experts" and his political enemies tried to portray as "just a B actor."

    But Reagan was self-assured enough to know that as long as the real folks bought the tickets and bought the popcorn and the Junior Mints, it didn't matter what the "experts" said.

    Hailing from a small town should not be a disqualifier for anything. When you are the product of a very rural town, you learn to treat people as you would like to be treated.

    I learned about hard work and sacrifice in a small town of 2,000 good people. As a sophomore in college, I didn't know a liberal from a conservative, but because of my small town upbringing, I did know what it was to mow my neighbor's yard when he was down on his back. I participated in church food poundings when a friend lost his job. I saw the women at church take care of a family of children when mom was in the hospital. I've seen common sense, selflessness and sacrifice played out on a daily basis in small towns.

    Likewise, Sarah Palin knows what it means for people to come to the 20th of the month with more month than money left. You see that often in small towns.

    Small town values bring an appreciation for the fact that there are still people out there who struggle every day.

    I think Americans are looking for leaders who are really one of us. Not just products pre-packaged by D.C. consultants. We're looking for leaders who understand the challenges real people face every day -- the hockey moms and the band parents.

    The truth is, should the voters choose to elevate John McCain and Sarah Palin, they will be able to buy D.C. policy wonks, foreign policy experts and finance gurus for a dime a dozen. But you can't buy good. You can't buy decency. And you can't buy the heart to understand what Mr. and Mrs. John Doe go through every week.

    Sarah Palin has a special-needs child, and what that means to millions of parents who now know there will be someone in the White House who will listen to hear us -- not listen to respond to us -- means more than any campaign white paper could communicate.

    I'm looking forward to the time when Republican, Democrat and media experts alike understand this. When that day comes, I surely believe it will make our political process more responsive to "we the people."

    J.C. Watts (JCWatts01@jcwatts.com) is former chairman of the Republican Conference of the U.S. House, where he served as an Oklahoma representative from 1995 to 2002. His column appears twice monthly in the Review-Journal.

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    gregory wrote on October 14, 2008 07:04 AM: This could be the worst article I have evr read about mrs.Palin. Now while she is a real person and deserves our respect but that does not mean she is a good pperson. Chronic lying, horrrible spending issues, and abuse of public office? Yes, this sounds like a lady that should be asking about why the vp has so little power. I am sorry bbut this lady is unknowledgable about politics. ANd don't take these as sexist remarks because I believ Hillary Clinton to be one of the smartest and strongest politicians on the planet today. Alright so dont think that but come on, talking about her teenage daughter? Even Mr. Bill O'Reilly said that the blame falls primarily on the parents. Also Mrs. Can I call you joe palin dosn't have a clue about anything important in the white house. Re-watch the vp debate and you will see just how clueless she is about anything that has to do with politics.


    Susan wrote on October 13, 2008 12:19 PM: JC Watts is just parroting his tired old party lines. We need someone who is a true maverick, and that man is Dr. Ron Paul.


    Palin's Un-American Activities wrote on October 12, 2008 01:58 PM: Oct. 7, 2008 | “My government is my worst enemy. I’m going to fight them with any means at hand.”

    This was former revolutionary terrorist Bill Ayers back in his old Weather Underground days, right? Imagine what Sarah Palin is going to do with this incendiary quote as she tears into Barack Obama this week.

    Only one problem. The quote is from Joe Vogler, the raging anti-American who founded the Alaska Independence Party. Inconveniently for Palin, that’s the very same secessionist party that her husband, Todd, belonged to for seven years and that she sent a shout-out to as Alaska governor earlier this year. (“Keep up the good work,” Palin told AIP members. “And God bless you.”)

    Before his strange murder in 1993, party founder Vogler preached armed insurrection against the United States of America. Vogler, who always carried a Magnum with him, was fond of saying, “When the [federal] bureaucrats come after me, I suggest they wear red coats. They make better targets. In the federal government are the biggest liars in the United States, and I hate them with a passion."

    Vogler wasn’t just a blowhard either. He put his secessionist ideas into action, working to build AIP membership to 20,000 — an impressive figure by Alaska standards — and to elect party member Walter Hickel as governor in 1990.

    Vogler’s greatest moment of glory was to be his 1993 appearance before the United Nations to denounce United States “tyranny” before the entire world and to demand Alaska’s freedom. The Alaska secessionist had persuaded the government of Iran to sponsor his anti-American harangue.

    That’s right … Iran. The Islamic dictatorship. The taker of American hostages. The rogue nation that McCain and Palin have excoriated Obama for suggesting we diplomatically engage. That Iran.


    John F wrote on October 12, 2008 12:20 PM: Don't worry, Daniel. There are enough bigots like you to keep Obama from getting elected.

    Sarah Palin is real people, all right. Far too real. She's been spending the last couple of weeks whipping people like Daniel up into a frenzy. When people in her crowd scream out things like "string him up" and "kill him" Sarah breaks into her cute little grin. She's getting just the reaction she wants.

    Yes, indeed. She is all too real.


    Daniel wrote on October 12, 2008 11:40 AM: Can you believe this Las vegans dems protecting a Cop from corruption. No books in library (found False idiot) Bill- This is the first time ever a teenager was knocked-up before marriage-(Idiot) huh- Your not a woman Palin is(idiot)Marcus-(just an Idiot)Jim- She was justified of the firing, you have no friends (your an Idiot too)Dems- Alaska has money for the good and pays it's residents 1,100-3,000 dollars per year per resident including children, your state of nevada is broke (You're all IDIOTS)
    Me Daniel for reading these blogs (Idiot) Vote Obama and watch what happens is all i can say. How do you think he raises all this money with this economy, can you say Middle East. I will vote for McCain and if obama & dems win control i will have no country, but i will keep working to live. I will change my name too Leroy and collect money. Oops, was that racist - GOOD-


    Hey Marcus wrote on October 12, 2008 10:43 AM: A black man is a suit is therefore wearing "Nation of Islam duds"? Wow.


    Spellcheck won't catch it wrote on October 12, 2008 10:42 AM: Can we deny ballots to anyone illiterate enough to think that Alaska wants to "succeed" from the Union?

    (Right now, dozens of you are saying, "What is he talking about? Some Alaskans DO want to succeed from the Union.")


    Marcus wrote on October 12, 2008 10:40 AM: Palin is not a "real person" like you, unless you're a rightwing nut bankrolled by the NRA. You're not the mayor of an obscure town full of meth-addicted teens. You don't spend your mornings threatening librarians who won't remove books you don't like. Your husband is at work and doesn't have time to be on the phone trying to get state troopers fired. Your husband isn't high-fiving armed members of treasonous secessionist movements. You don't recklessly get pregnant when you already have a hundred kids and are getting old enough that you risk birth defects. You don't parade your misguided, sexually uninformed teens on stage as models of good sense. You don't talk down to people who know more and better than you about their jobs. You aren't Sarah Palin, and you aren't J.C. Watts, rightwing carpetbagger and snake-oil salesman in Nation of Islam duds. And you don't need these people telling you your business any more after this November election.


    Mad American wrote on October 12, 2008 10:08 AM: Great article. Too bad the majority of posters are so stupid and mean spirited. America's survival depends on electing this "real person" in this election but from the postings here - we're sunk because people are just plain too ignorant to realize that we lose - - all of us.


    jim wrote on October 12, 2008 10:00 AM: From the looks of her record she's just another pol. Filling offices with old friends, trying to use her office to settle scores with her enemies, and using her husband as a co-governor, even though he's been elected to nothing.


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