Sarah Palin and the Smoke-Blowing Pundits

- by Lisa Graas
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Anne Marie Helmenstine, PhD, writes about chemistry at About.com and offers some words of advice in her article on creating fake smoke:

I will warn you that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing! If used incorrectly, the equipment and chemicals used to generate simulated smoke can be dangerous (toxic, burn hazard, asphyxiation hazard, fire hazard, etc.)

Be advised, the same toxic effect occurs for those "blowing smoke" while blogging, particularly when the person you're blowing smoke around is Sarah Palin who has an army, no wait..........armies of supporters. I would list them but who can list them all?

These troops, of whom I am one, are all still scratching their heads over the criticisms regarding Sarah Palin's keynoting the National Tea Party Convention. Some of those criticizing Governor Palin are questioning the fact that the event is for-profit (while acknowledging that having a for-profit event is not really a big deal since conservatives do support a free market system) and that the money being generated might not be handled properly (while admitting that no proof has been offered that it is).

On a side note, Erick Erickson, who heads up Red State, is one of those critical of Palin. Red State is for-profit while maintaining the "grassroots" claim. A head-scratcher? I think so.

Unfortunately, when Palin supporters understandably fail to raise eyebrows over these things and take issue with the fact that Palin is, in most cases, being singled out for criticism, we are summarily dismissed as "Kool-Aid" drinkers.

We don't "get it" but, truth be told, we've long ago become accustomed to the smoke and would probably be very confused if there weren't at least a little of it blowing around Governor Palin at any given moment. Conservative "smoke" has a particularly nauseating aroma to us, though.

Not everyone has taken to smoke-blowing or Kool-Aid drinking. HillBuzz, while critical of the event itself, has enough good sense to know that criticism of Palin specifically is off-base:

But, we just don’t trust the people running this. We also are scared these people are really being propped up by Soros, in some way, as a plot to distract voters in 2012 and take votes away from the Republican and create a spoiler that will hand the second term to Dr. Utopia. That’s just so incredibly dangerous.

Sarah Palin, as usual, is incredibly smart and forward-thinking about all of this. It is a brilliant move on her part to speak at this Tea Party Convention. Why? Because Tea Party enthusiasts will see her as one of them, so if she indeed, as we believe, seeks and wins the Republican 2012 nomination, it sure will be hard for mischief makers to run a third party candidate against her, because she’s already been embraced by those most inclined to jump onto a third party. It is, yet again, another brilliant tactical move on her part. She proves to us again she will indeed be our next president, as she’s thinking three steps ahead of everyone else, on a daily basis. THANK GOD IN HEAVEN FOR THAT.

American Liberty Alliance, in announcing that they are pulling sponsorship due to questions surrounding the financing, noted that it will not be discouraging participation and specifically remarked on Palin's leadership:

There is no doubt that those who paid for the event will get a great event in return. Sarah Palin and some of the other speakers are fantastic examples of good leadership and solid conservatism. For those who could afford to attend the event, there will certainly be value in return for the money spent.

I cannot help but think that most of the criticism of Palin would never have happened if not for her decision to bow out of CPAC, an event which we pro-Palin bloggers refer to more familiarly as "MittPAC" since he has won the straw poll there three years in a row.

Read Palin's explanation for not going to CPAC and ask yourself, isn't it a bit odd for someone to rail against "potential" misuse of money at the Tea Party Convention and, in virtually the same breath, criticize Sarah Palin for making a serious issue of Keene's misuse of money? That is a sure sign that there is smoke-blowing going on.

In all honesty, I don't know anyone at the National Tea Party Convention or at CPAC. I am just a mommy blogger. I can't afford to go to either event and a disability prevents me from attending crowded events anyway. Much is being made of the price tag for the Tea Party Convention as if it is "unfair" because it makes the event impossible for some to attend. Does someone think I should file a complaint with either of these event organizers for not accomodating me? Are these organizations not being "fair" to me for not providing me with accomodations that would make it possible for me to attend? *urp* Give me a break, people.

Perhaps I am missing something, but to an outsider looking in, it seems a good deal like a lot of smoke is blowing around where there is actually no fire at all. If that is the case, then those blowing the smoke should remember the risks to your reputations. It could prove toxic.

- Lisa

Lisa Graas is editor of the Palin Twibe Blog and several other websites. She is a regular contributor to Texas for Sarah Palin.