Unleashing the Palin Factor

I had an interesting experience over the week-end while attending an international biomedical conference in Rochester, Minnesota. During one of the evening social get-togethers the conversation made its way to the American presidential campaign. The gathering included several American and Scandinavian scientists. I noticed that the Europeans were slow to join the conversation. Perhaps out of courtesy or a sense that it was not their place to critique Americans on their own turf. This, however, did not prevent the American intelligencia present from spewing forth a litany of libelous attacks against Governor Palin that sounded as if they came straight from the Daily Kos. She banned books in Alaska. She didn’t even know what Charlie Gibson was talking about when he asked her about the “Bush Doctrine” (trouble is Charlie didn’t know what he was talking about either); she tried to ban evolution from schools, etc. etc. etc. Of course Obama was portrayed as exceedingly intelligent, articulate and accomplished having gone to Harvard and all. Eventually, the anti-Palin diatribe was more than one Scandinavian guest could take. He blurted out, and I paraphrase, you know I have read a little about her and these things you say are simply not true. From what I have seen of her she is compelling, intelligent and genuine. I really think you are selling her short and are missing something very important about her that is attractive to many Americans. There were subtle nods of agreement from others in the European contingent. Which makes me wonder why hasn’t the McCain campaign unleashed Mrs. Palin? She is not being used to her maximum advantage. Not only has she become scarce, when she does speak she seems to be restrained to McCain-speak rather than the electric personality we saw at the Republican Convention. This is not a winning game strategy. She should be allowed to be herself in order to spread her uplifting brand of conservatism to the electorate and the American can-do spirit to the world.