Something Terrifying Someone Else Said

"I'm putting my money on the Palin-ization of politics. Partly this is because the mainstream press is dying anyway, and partly it's because Palin and others are demonstrating that you really don't need conventional press coverage to win. In fact, as Rand Paul and Sharron Angle can testify, it's a real risk. Between YouTube and Twitter and Facebook and blogs and friendly talk radio hosts — as well as more conventional things like TV ads and database-driven phone outreach — who needs the New York Times? Increasingly, I'll bet the answer is, no one." -Kevin Drum, Mother Jones.

I really hope Drum's wrong about this but the technological and cultural trends of late would seem to bear out his hypothesis. The communication tools prospective politicians and their campaigns have access to right now are cheaper, easier to use and reach more people than at any other point in history. Plus a campaign run in this manner would be tailor-made for a Palin candidacy: pithy little sound bites laden with folksy focus grouped talking points written in her name by her staff, punctuated by her occasional foray onto FOX News or conservative talk radio whilst assiduously avoiding any type of actual debate format. I've laughed off the idea of this type of candidacy so far because I've always assumed that the American people wouldn't be fooled by it and that the press wouldn't let her or anyone else get away with it. Of course, both of those groups of people have consistently disappointed me in the past.

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