Sarah 2.0 Brings Out Genuine Fear on Left

Over the last few weeks, Sarah Palin has been mercilessly ridiculed as a vapid right-wing piece of trailer park trash, and more.

Boy, what a change one vice-presidential debate makes.

Sure, while there's a new twist to the anti-Palin attacks (the "mindless populism" meme's a good one), some on the left are now speaking of Palin in a much more serious language, using enemy images to suggest an existential danger to the republic should the McCain/Palin ticket somehow squeak through on November 4th.

Jeralyn at Talk Left really captures the left's terror in its new comprehension of the Palin threat:

Nothing better shows the poor judgment of John McCain than his Hail Mary pass of choosing Sarah Palin, a politician with no relevant national experience, serious knowledge gaps on important issues and questionable ethical judgment to be his running mate. By putting his personal quest to be President over the well-being of our nation, he has demonstrated he lacks the character to be President. He sold us out for the sake of his own ambition. The radical right is now in a position to propel McCain/Palin to victory and then McCain will owe them...

If McCain wins it will be because the radical right leapt to his cause once he put evangelical Sarah Palin on the ticket. It is only their enthusiasm that can win the election for McCain.

What's interesting in this post is how Jeralyn speculates on what will happen if a McCain/Palin administration takes office (the Supreme Court will be radicalized?). Jeralyn, classier than most on the left (especially Amanda Marcotte), eschews the "country bumpkin" slurs and identifies Palin's core conservative beliefs as a powerful mobilizing agent on the right for a grassroots resurgence. What a fascinating thing to be attacked for energizing the party's own core base of support. Of course, the continuing potential for Palin to siphon working class voters from the Democratic column adds an unstated element to the horror.

Lefists this morning - responding to Palin's comments yesterday - are now bending over backward to prove that the Obama-Ayers connection is insignificant old news.

It's not, and the fact that Palin's taken up the charge is especially horrifying.

The Alaska Governor challenges all that is ideologically sacred to those on the left of the spectrum. Palin's strong performance Thursday night, and her willingness this weekend to attack Barack Obama's greatest vulnerabilities, have created a new "Sarah 2.0" dynamic. Her comeback is real, and it's sowed genuine fear in her opponents.