Comparing Dreams of My Father and Going Rogue

The New York Times Hearts Palin

By Joy Tiz Tuesday, December 8, 2009

“When I walked into the Strand Bookstore in Manhattan last week, I headed straight for the bright young thing who wore an ‘Ask Me’ button, and asked her to point me to the section of the store where I might find Sarah Palin’s memoir, ‘Going Rogue: An American Life.’ She looked at me as if I had requested a copy of ‘Mein Kampf’ signed in blood by the author, and directed me to the nearest Barnes and Noble, where, presumably, readers of dubious taste and sensibility could find what they wanted.”

The audacious Stanley Fish of the New York Times persevered and was able to appropriate a copy of Palin’s book. Perseverance is a ubiquitous theme in her tome which is not to be confused with Barack Obama’s perseveration.

Fish liked the book and by extrapolation, Palin herself. Her autobiography is undeniably all Sarah:

“The questions to ask then are (1) Does Palin succeed in conveying to her readers the kind of person she is? and (2) Does she do it in a satisfying and artful way? In short, is the book a good autobiographical read? I would answer ‘yes’ to both.”

Fish is taken with Palin’s authenticity. Her many supporters figured that out long ago. The autobiography is a crisp and snappy read, telling the life story of Sarah Palin. Palin is a doer, not a dreamer, and unlike the current Oval Office occupant, Palin is keenly aware of how her actions impact other people.

The much ballyhooed Obama “biography”, Dreams From My Father , is more like a really crappy piece of abstract art. Nobody in the room wants to admit they don’t get it for fear of appearing unsophisticated.

Going Rogue is a chronology of the events that shaped Palin’s life with her character coming through entirely naturally. Dreams is a muddy admixture of scenes, many of them fictional, from the perspective of an angry, self obsessed young man with an aptitude for finding ersatz racism in absolutely any situation no matter how innocuous. Palin’s book recounts her numerous accomplishments. That option was not available to Obama.

Dreams is a meandering saga told disjointedly out of sequence suggesting the author’s lofty artistic aspirations far outstrip his actual talents.

Obama spends most of his book whining. Everything fails to go his way is due to racism. Most disturbingly, Obama never rages or whines about the legitimate traumas of his youth: abandonment by both parents. Instead he acts out and continues to do so from the White House.

Whining is not part of Sarah Palin’s disposition. Whiners wouldn’t last long in Alaska. Both Sarah and her husband Todd’s families imbued a compelling work ethic into their offspring. Unlike Obama, Todd Palin does not exploit his ethnic heritage for political gain.

Both Obama and Palin come from outlier states which were brand new to the union. Obama manifestly developed no love or respect for the country he now is supposed to lead. By contrast, Palin is American down to the cellular level. Even the Times gets it:

“The message is clear. America can’t be stopped. I can’t be stopped. I’ve stumbled and fallen, but I always get up and run again. Her political opponents, especially those who dismissed Ronald Reagan before he was elected, should take note. Wherever you are, you better watch out. Sarah Palin is coming to town.”

But beware of liberals bearing gifts. Chris Matthews, who has the impulse control of a two year old, is beseeching the GOP nominate Palin for 2012 in the fatuous belief that she will be the party’s most beatable.