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Required Reading: Everything You Need to Know

By Dean Barnett

I normally don’t link to the work of my Weekly Standard colleagues in these Required Reading thingies, fearing that doing so could set off a frenzy of bribery and what-not as everyone lobbied for inclusion. But I have to make a one-time exception today because our coverage both here and in the nation’s leading dailies of the Sarah Palin selection has been so damn excellent: 1) From TWS, “Let Palin Be Palin” by William Kristol

“That’s why Palin’s spectacular performance in her introduction in Dayton was so important. Her remarks were cogent and compelling. Her presentation of herself was shrewd and savvy. I heard from many who watched Palin–many of them not predisposed to support her–about how moved they were by her remarks, her composure, and her story. She will have a chance to shine again Wednesday night at the Republican convention.”

In other words, lefties who think they’re going to get a deer-in-the-headlights are headed for serious disappointment. 2) From TWS, “Providential Palin” by Fred Barnes “She brought down Alaska’s governor, attorney general, and state Republican chairman (see my “Most Popular Governor,” July 16, 2007). She killed the “bridge to nowhere.” She used increased tax revenues from high oil prices to give Alaskans a rebate. She slashed government spending. She took on the biggest industry in Alaska, the oil companies, to work out an equitable deal on building a new gas pipeline. Obama can’t match even one of these accomplishments.” Yes, it’s true – Palin has only been governor of a small state for 20 months. But she has accomplished more in that time than Barack Obama has in 17 years of highly dignified dithering since leaving law school. 3) From TWS, “How Palin Got Picked” by Steve Hayes Seriously – this is a remarkably reported piece. You are there as the Palin selection goes down. I’m not giving an excerpt because you really have to read the whole thing. 4) From the New York Times, “Two-Front Republicans” by Matt Continetti The Palin selection says something profound about the reform of the Republican party. Take it from Continetti, the guy who literally wrote the book on the subject:

In recent years, the Alaska Republican Party has become a metaphor for the national Republican Party. There are probably more caribou than pigs in Alaska, but its Congressional delegation is nonetheless addicted to pork. Flush with oil money, Alaska’s Republicans have built a welfare state that Washington’s “big government conservatives” must surely envy. Corruption is rampant. The party is out of touch. Senator Ted Stevens, who championed the infamous $400 million bridge, faces prison. On Tuesday, Alaska Republicans nominated him for another term. This is where Ms. Palin comes in. She campaigned for governor on an anti-corruption platform and has spent the past two years in combat with oil executives, lobbyists and politicians comfortable with the status quo. She helped prevent Senator Stevens’s bridge to nowhere. In Alaska, as in the country at large, Republicans have done everything they can to get thrown out of office. Ms. Palin was elected to save the party – and the state – from itself.

5) From the Wall Street Journal, “Palin Fought for Reform in Alaska” by Fred Barnes (yes, him again) Lefties hoping that Palin turn out to be just another pretty face are headed for heartbreak:

“She has a record of integrity matched by few elected officials. Mrs. Palin resigned in protest in 2004 as head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Commission over alleged ethical violations by the state Republican chairman, a commission member. Two years later, she upset Republican Gov. Frank Murkowski in the primary and defeated a Democrat in the general election.”

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