NYT's "Sarah's Pompom Palaver"

fr: http://community.nytimes.com/article/comments/2008/10/05/opinion/05dowd.html

October 05, 2008 3:00 am
Palin-plain-speak has arrived! How could it be otherwise? I mean what better captures the 'dumbing down' of America than the Governor's silly and under-stylized syntax?

Sad fact is, eloquence has always been looked down upon by a significant segment of the American public. Of course, few wish to acknowledge it is so because a great many voters are simply too uneducated and not equipped to discern the import of the complex ideas that often accompany eloquence.

In today's fast-food culture it should surprise no one that Palin's jingoistic, mangled jargon has become the pablum of the right. As a 'maverick' no different than many a generic homespun American, Palin's abject absurdities resonate precisely because they lack complexity. Easy digestible tortured tidbits and psycho-babble sound-bytes have a long history on late-night US television. So, again, it should come as no surprise that those familiar with the lexicon of the infomercial should gravitate to this pablum.

That being said, one simpleton a century in the White House is enough. In this case, twice would be a disaster.

— BeerBellyBuddah, Wpg., Canada