Not much new to add to the absurdity of the “Caroline Kennedy for Senate” nonsense going around.  Liberals, who loathed Palin, declared the governor of a state to be unfit for the Vice-Presidency, are fawning all over Sweet Caroline.  Ellen Goodman, Palin-basher extraordinaire, has this hypocritical tidbit:

 There is something refreshing in seeing a mother and public citizen auditioning for a second act.

Except when that mother and public citizen is the mother of five, citizen-politician Sarah Palin.  Selective endorsement of women - the “right” women, who do the “good” things and make everyone feel warm and fuzzy - is still sexist.  Like any good infomercial, if you wait, there’s more!

But I find myself unable to dredge up even a modicum of outrage at the idea of this Kennedy bumping to the top of the list of Senate candidates. Her resume shows no more chutzpah than Al Franken’s. Her celebrity is no greater than that of her cousin-in-law Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Kindergarten Cop” and governor. Is she any less entitled to this post than the business leader who decides that his acumen at widgets qualifies him to lead a country?

Yes, actually, Ms. Goodman.  The President is the CEO of the largest corporation on earth.  Being the CEO of a smaller corporation is a good start.  Likewise, being the governor of a state is a good background to be the assistant governor of a country. Unfortunately, writing a few books and getting a pretty education (based largely upon one’s family name, wealth, and connections, presumably) does not render one fit to be in the Senate, if even for two years, if even until someone else can be elected.

The Palin-bashing is not limited to the left, however; snobs on the right, like Kathleen Parker, are quick to jump to Caroline’s defence and take another stab at the country bumpkin-turned-VP-nominee:

Critics on the other side of the political aisle may have had other reasons to oppose Palin (such as her pro-life position), but the loyal opposition was firmly based on substantive concerns about competence, as well as wariness about her tone and temperament, which became increasingly divisive.

Palin’s demonstrated lack of basic knowledge, her intellectual incuriosity, her inability to articulate ideas or even simple thoughts all combined to create an impression of not-quite-there.

She is the governor of the largest state in this country, with the highest approval rating.  She’s obviously smart, capable, and a quick study.  Let’s parse this out:

• “tone and temperment” = lacking the snobbish condescension of the ruling class; optimistic, tough, and conservative, in a way reminiscent of Ronald Reagan;
• “intellectual incuriousity” = product of state schools, and without the good breeding to have been guaranteed a spot at Harvard at birth;
• “demonstrated lack of basic knowledge” = Parker doesn’t read the corrections that come out in the NY Times, or believes Charlie Gibson’s lie that there is one meaning of the Bush Doctrine.

As Jonah Goldberg points out, however, the fact that Gov. Palin was able to pull herself up by her bootstraps and accomplish what she has says a tremendous amount about American and the opportunities to be had here.  He also points out that being a Senator entails more responsibility than being a VP, but Caroline’s resume is a lot shorter on relevant experience.

Some of us have long noted that the selective gushing has nothing to do with feminism (as nothing designed to take down the first female VP candidate in a generation, by calling her a man, is deserving of that label), but everything to do with elite liberalism.  Some of the elitism comes from the de facto requirement of an Ivy League degree (although that doesn’t stop the liberals from calling Ann Coulter, Cornell graduate and Michigan JD, stupid), the accessibility of which often has more to do with connections and opportunity than raw brainpower.  More of the elitism comes from the deranged notion that being born into the right family prepares one for public life.  That is the argument of the aristocracy, not of that which has made America the greatest nation on earth.