A Thinking Reed

"Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature, but he is a thinking reed" – Blaise Pascal

Sarah Palin

  • Mavericky!

    Interesting spin offered by the WaPo on Sarah Palin’s reported $100,000 speaking fee for her Tea Party speech: By delivering a paid keynote address at a convention other politicians had avoided because of allegations of profiteering, Palin displayed one of the traits that has electrified her anti-establishment followers: a talent for persistently and defiantly flouting Read more

  • Of Palin and poultry

    I’m with Jim Henley – there’s nothing particularly disturbing about this Sarah Palin interview at a turkey farm (well, except insofar as Sarah Palin is inherently disturbing). Where exactly do people think Thanksgiving turkeys come from? Jim’s also right that the farm where the interview takes place is, by all appearances, far more humane than, Read more

  • The political theology of mainline Protestants?

    This article at Harper’s argues that the rejection of the McCain/Palin ticket by mainstream Protestants that Steve Waldman described is a matter of theological as much as political differences (via Andrew Sullivan): For the mainstream Protestant, Palin is engaging in what Reinhold Niebuhr calls “the idolatry of America.” As Niebuhr would have it, an American Read more

  • Final (thank you, Lord) debate

    I think Obama mopped the floor with Sen. McCain. But I would say that, wouldn’t I? (I’m wearing my Obama/Biden t-shirt as I write this, as it happens.) Obama’s answer on the Ayers/ACORN (OMG! ACORN is destroying the fabric of democracy!!!) stuff seemed pretty effective to me. And, while I remain a squish on what Read more

  • Getting desperate

    Palin: Obama “palling around with terrorists.” This is what happens when you don’t have anything substantive to run on, I guess. Read more

  • Veep blogging

    I don’t know that I have any unique perspective to add to the Biden-Palin debate. I think the c.w. is more or less correct that Palin avoided disaster–largely by sidestepping the questions and sticking to McCain campaign talking points (tax cuts! victory! maverick!). Probably not enough to turn the campaign around, but it may have Read more