Fogey dust and Palin's Pearls of Special Needs...Forgetting Andrew Sullivan for a moment

I am going to get off the one-track Andrew Sullivan coverage for a moment. I would note, however, that though he is back to what appears to be regular posting, most of the posts don't include his usual commentary. But moving on.

There is a phrase -- actually, it's a theory -- called the "Willing suspension of disbelief". In very simple terms it basically means that humans often suspend their disbelief of something in order to be entertained.

This phrase (or theory) is often used with movie goers. A movie goer watches a fantastical movie while willingly suspending their disbelief that what is occurring on the screen is actually real. The theory goes that if one were to watch a movie without the suspension, they would not enjoy the movie simply because they would be analyzing how unbelievable it all is.

As children, my cousin and I felt we were growing too old for cartoons. We did not want to be perceived as children any longer. But secretly deep within, we still liked them. So what did we do? We watched the cartoons while loudly decrying their unbelievability. "The smurfs are in no way real. Little blue people. That's just stupid"... "There is no way Punky-power is real. I bet little kids think Punky power is real. They're so stupid"... "He-Man is sooooo fake. There is no way! But look at those muscles. He looks yummy"

Ok, the last one we did not say but I certainly did think it! The point is, whether we are willingly suspending or willingly not suspending our disbelief, we do it for a reason. We do so to either be entertained or, as in the case of my childhood, to feel some sort of superiority.

Enter McCain and Palin.

For the past week, especially at the Republican National Convention convention, we have been told that Palin and McCain are the agents of change that will mend the broken corriders of Washington. The Maverick and the Pit-Bull are going to fly into Washington and shake things up. They are the change that we have been waiting for.

Of course, as everyone knows, there are just a few problems with that scenario. George W. Bush is a republican, republicans have have held both houses of Washington for six of the last eight years and most, if not all, of our nations woes have been at the hands of republicans.

But instead of apologizing for it, McCain and Palin are actually asking us to willingly suspend our disbelief that they represent change. We are to believe that they are not republicans or even conservatives. And the saddest thing is that many Americans are suspending their disbelief of the campaign and republicans in general in order to be entertained. Or, and this is most likely the case, in order to not feel how badly these last eight years have hurt. They want to believe the unbelievable because they need something to believe in again.

Now, you might ask, what about Obama? He brings such freshness and hope. Why aren't Americans gravitating to him more than they are?:

The far-right has put so many pieces of untruth in the minds of voters concerning Obama that voters have been looking for permission to not vote for him. The right-wing has smeared him so much these last 20 months that the voters have a lot of doubts and they want permisson to vote for more of the same. And their permission is Palin.

Forget her record (suspend), forget her lies (suspend), forget her extreme views (suspend). Instead look at the fresh face and keep in mind her genatalia. She's a woman. That's all they want you to know.

And when you don't forget, they turn to page two of this years right-wing playbook:

When the press gets tough, have Sarah and her surrogates clutch their pearls in unison and cry. Cry so loud and for so long that that the press will do anything to quiet you, including quieting themselves.

When Obama makes a reference to a pig and lipstick, scream that he is referencing Sarah. And when the public ask "What..." cut them off and tell them to forget (suspend) that McCain said the same thing about Clinton last October as well as laughed and answered the question "How do we beat the bitch?" from a supporter earlier this year.

And when Obama uses the word "old" in any context wail that he means McCain. Old fish=McCain, old ways of Washington=McCain, old lies=McCain.

And make sure the public believes that taking on either McCain and Palin is either ageism or sexism.

If Obama says the economy has been slowing down for so long that we are, in fact, in a recession respond with: How dare he bring Sarah's son Trig into this! She chose life! Life! He is a down-syndrome child, not slow!

If Obama says the war in Iraq is not working respond with: You want to know who's not working? The executive chef to the governor of Alaska is not working. Now that's not working we can believe in!

If Obama mentions McCain's embrace of Bush respond with: How dare Obama mention John McCain's embrace. Everyone knows John McCain has trouble embracing people ever since he was a POW! He was hurt very, very badly (DON'T SAY TORTURED!) by very, very bad people. He can hardly embrace a thing. I cannot believe Obama would use John McCain's injuries as a political weapon! (Clutch pearls)

Fogey dust and Palin's pearls. That's their strategy heading into November.

In the end, though, all it really is is dandruff and plastic beads.
Will we suspend our disbelief? Let's hope to He-Man we don't!