Palin Derangement Syndrome 2

C. Edmund Wright at American Thinker has some interesting thoughts on the panic Sarah Palin is causing among both the Democrats and the branch of the GOP that thinks that only moderates can win:

The Alaska Governor is far more than someone who appeals to the (conservative) base, she is someone who can make the base appeal to America.

This compact yet comprehensive diagnosis was made in the early hours of the Palin Derangement Syndrome (PDS) outbreak, when Sarah Palin was first being introduced to the nation. It still rings true as the Jurassic media continues a childish obsession with someone who does not control a single government lever.

Having said that, PDS has now matured past epidemic to full-blown pandemic status with a derangement component that is now insanely intense. Remember, Palin does not have one whit of legal authority over these people or anyone else. Yet as her elected status has ended, her effect on the elites has only increased. Perhaps it is time to update the correct initial diagnosis to contemplate the increased virulence of this mental and emotional malady.

To corroborate and condense the many valid commentaries out there on the Palin effect, allow me to submit diagnosis PDS 2:

The persistence and even growth of Palin's popularity and impact on the national discussion now makes unavoidable the reality of the elitists' worst fear: that there are more of us than there are of them. And we now realize it.

As many have correctly pointed out, the pundits' vitriol and patronizing comments smack of a hatred and anger that only thinly veils the real emotion underlying their irrational behavior: Fear. Part of it is fear that she will indeed hold public office again. But it goes even deeper than that.

It is an increasing awareness that Palin's impact is much more than a strong advocacy of conservatism as a sound political philosophy. These people are now finding it hard to escape the reality that her life is a compelling and real advocacy of conservatism as a powerful life philosophy. Life trumps politics.

And once the casual voter has related to Palin's life philosophy as something that is true, practical and worth adopting, they are dead to liberalism forever. They will never again believe in "the electability" of moderates like McCain and never again fall prey to a "clean articulate black man" with a good tele-prompter.

If your life revolves around convincing Republicans to nominate folks like McCain or around electing people like Obama, this is a scary prospect indeed.

For a good example of the hysteria of the left check out Dan Riehl's report on the latest anti-Palin cause being promoted by frightened lefties. But it's not just the left that's in a panic, members of the former McCain campaign have also been very critical of Palin, trying to paint her as the reason McCain lost and insisting that a conservative like her could never win. In fact, the only reason McCain came as close as he did was because Palin motivated conservatives to vote for McCain even though they had to hold their nose to do it. Without a conservative on that ticket McCain would have lost by 15 or 20 points as conservatives would have just stayed home.

I don't know what Palin's plans are for a political future. She doesn't need to run for office to be a force in the party. Her presence will be widely sought during the 2010 congressional campaigns to promote conservative candidates, and in 2012...who knows? If she runs I don't know if she could win, but if she doesn't run, anyone she endorses will have a big leg up with the conservative base. She could end up in the role of king maker for the 2012 nomination.

By the way, just in case the left needs another reason to hate Palin, here's a video of her discussing her faith with the Billy Graham organization.