MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL--Seems like ages ago now, but before Hurricane Gustav hit the Doppler radar screen, Hurricane Palin swept through first. Here at the Republican National Convention, Palin still edges out Gustav as the main topic of intrigue--at least among the dwindling number of delegates and operatives who showed up--but only narrowly, and talk of each is geared mainly toward damage assessments.
An afternoon spent
mingling with political types at the high-powered Atlantic/General Motors
brunch at the Chambers Hotel (where a $4 million Damien Hirst calf's
head-in-formaldehyde
is displayed behind the check-in desk, because--well, Jesus, who knows why?
It's bizarre.) yields the following insights: Most Republicans have never met
Sarah Palin and are processing the news of her selection as VP with the
stunned-but-well-meaning emotions you might feel toward an acquaintance who
just came out of the closet. Those given to caution when discussing such things
at a brunch with journalists put a hopeful, might-be-a-stroke-of-genius spin on
their astonishment. Those less inhibited--who are also better people--generally
see the pick as irresponsible and politically motivated (and not in a good way).
No one believes Palin was fully vetted. And no one has any
idea how this will play out.
The best analogy I
heard came from a bright young Republican operative, who--borrowing from the
sports world, as the secret Republican-operative rulebook stipulates one
must--likened the Palin pick to an NFL team using the top pick in the draft to
select an unheralded, but promising, player from a small college. Looks great
on paper: you just hope and pray they can adjust to the speed of the
professional game. It's a useful analogy because it gives a good sense of the
odds--for every Phil Simms (quick: name his alma mater*) there have been
countless small-college players who put up great stats but never caught on in
the pros.--JOSHUA GREEN
*Morehead State University
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