Legal Commentary

How Religion Guides Sarah Palin

By Jeralyn

From today's Chicago Tribune:

Just as McCain's politics are largely shaped by his experience as a prisoner of war and Obama's by his embrace of his racial identity, Palin's approach has been shaped by her relationship with God. Palin sees her government work as paling in comparison to a greater mission.

Her pastor thinks her religion would shape her views on foreign policy: [more...]

Rev. Tim McGraw, Palin's pastor when she became mayor of Wasilla, said believers look to Israel for signs of the coming end times and where they are in God's plan. That would undoubtedly influence Palin's approach to foreign policy, McGraw said.

"I believe Sarah would not live in a fragmented world," he said. "The idea that Sarah would take this huge influence of the worldview that really only the Bible and the relationship with Jesus opens up ... and suddenly marginalize it and put it over on the shelf somewhere and live apart from it—that would be entirely inconsistent."

The New York Times linked to this video of Sarah Palin addressing her church. I call it Sarah Palin: Valley Girl. You have to watch this.

The McCain media handlers will revamp her speech and body language in the next few weeks. It's important to see the real Sarah Palin now.

Update: I'm reading the MSM media accounts of the Colorado Springs rally and they are over-trumping Palin. She was nowhere near the star of the rally. John McCain was. She did a 12 minute introduction of him and to my ear, did not receive greater applause than him. I didn't even hear "Sarah" chanting -- perhaps those in front of the stage were doing it but no one was chanting Sarah among the big crowds outside the hangar. When she spoke, it was almost all about him. It was a military crowd (The Air Force Academy, Peterson AFB and Fort Carson are all in the area -- in addition to the evangelical churches) and McCain and the politicians and right wing radio host that preceded him played the patriotism card to the hilt. The music included everything from G-d Bless America to Glory, Glory Hallelujah. More tomorrow afternoon in my Salon article, but keep in mind, it's not a partisan article.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on September 07, 2008 (boomark / email).