PALIN EASY TARGET

Photo from voices.washingtonpost.com

I'm by no means a supporter of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.  In fact, when John McCain announced that Palin would be his running mate in the 2008 presidential election, I was shocked.  Along came a republican from relative political obscurity vying for the vice-presidency.  She didn't have much experience, nor did she possess the credentials to be vice-president, and it showed.


Palin's now infamous interview with ABC's Katie Couric, in which she discussed her foreign policy credentials, certainly didn't help the McCain-Palin ticket chances of winning the election (much less did Tina Fey's lampoons on SNL).  Palin essentially became an object of ridicule.  Ultimately, she and McCain lost the election.


Although Palin lost the electoral campaign, she became an instantly recognizable figure in U.S. politics, and she has gained international recognition as well.  With the possibility of a run for the Republican Party presidential nomination, many Canadians are questioning whether a Palin presidency would be a good thing.


I found it interesting that, according to an article from the Winnipeg Free Press, Canadians are passionately against a potential Palin presidency.  The writer stated that there seems to be a general consensus among Canadian students, and the general populace (including her grandmother no less), that a Palin presidency should be feared.  According to the article "[t]he general opinion is that if Canada is going to be so closely aligned with the United States, we'd prefer it if we could respect its president."


That comment can certainly be seen as a thinly veiled attack on Palin.  The fact of the matter is that to this day, Palin remains an easy target of ridicule and scorn in Canada.   Other American politicians have made ridiculous and outlandish comments in recent months, however Palin is principally the only one Canadians are familiar with.


What's worse is that we still cling to things Palin said during her 2008 campaign.  For the most part, we still use her vice-presidential campaign quotes and missteps as a main reference to why we "fear" Palin.  She will continue to be an easy target for scorn and ridicule in Canada because, in the end, we Canadians aren't as knowledgable as we think we are when it comes to all things American.