Sarah Palin
Well. That’s one way to scotch a rumour.
I got sort of worried, towards the end of yesterday, about the contrast between the Democratic and the Republican conventions. The first one was four days of pure theatre, brilliantly executed. The Republicans, by contrast, so far – “events, dear boy, events” – have looked like Real People involved in the problems of Real Life -- storms and teen-age pregnancies.
I kept thinking of that moment in the fall of 1952 (I hope I’ve got this right) when Eisenhower, running against Adlai Stevenson, said, “If elected, I will go to Korea.” I mean, so what? But one knew in the pit of one’s stomach when he said it, that he’d won.
I hope I’m wrong this time. I still don’t think Palin is remotely qualified to be president. Obama’s response – that her private life is “off limits” – was precisely right. We shall see.
Kate, I think that’s wonderful, that the Australian press leaves politicians’ private life alone. A lot of the trouble in America is that the president is head-of-state as well as a politician. They’re electing a royal family as well as a prime minister. You’re right, that the VP has a nothing job – the interest here is in no small part because of McKean’s age.
Knitting
No picture after all. At the moment, the swallowtail coat is half inside-out, as I knit the first rounds of the new cuff, and looks like a piece of half-executed origami. Tomorrow, I hope.
I strike that note of dubiety because today Helen will be here with her three fierce sons, having closed Burnside. She’ll bring a sandwich lunch, and has booked them in with a friend for their evening meal, but I’ll still be involved in a modest amount of baby-sitting and a lot of sad-farewell’ing. This is it, for a whole year.
I was briefly in John Lewis’s yarn department yesterday, a routine call after a visit to pick up a prescription at Boots. I left untempted, but with the strong feeling that I’m ready for another visit to K1 Yarns. I did see a rather nice Rowan book with patterns for their new chunky yarn with colours by KF. Colorscape? The book was by Sarah Hatton, whose work I like. There was a long sleeveless vest, unfastened but with pockets, just the thing for slouching about one’s studio if one were a famous artist….
So here, for some colour, is a picture of Fergus and Mungo Drake, in the course (I assume) of one of the strenuous walks their mother takes them on. I think they must have gone up Glenfernate this time.
Well. That’s one way to scotch a rumour.
I got sort of worried, towards the end of yesterday, about the contrast between the Democratic and the Republican conventions. The first one was four days of pure theatre, brilliantly executed. The Republicans, by contrast, so far – “events, dear boy, events” – have looked like Real People involved in the problems of Real Life -- storms and teen-age pregnancies.
I kept thinking of that moment in the fall of 1952 (I hope I’ve got this right) when Eisenhower, running against Adlai Stevenson, said, “If elected, I will go to Korea.” I mean, so what? But one knew in the pit of one’s stomach when he said it, that he’d won.
I hope I’m wrong this time. I still don’t think Palin is remotely qualified to be president. Obama’s response – that her private life is “off limits” – was precisely right. We shall see.
Kate, I think that’s wonderful, that the Australian press leaves politicians’ private life alone. A lot of the trouble in America is that the president is head-of-state as well as a politician. They’re electing a royal family as well as a prime minister. You’re right, that the VP has a nothing job – the interest here is in no small part because of McKean’s age.
Knitting
No picture after all. At the moment, the swallowtail coat is half inside-out, as I knit the first rounds of the new cuff, and looks like a piece of half-executed origami. Tomorrow, I hope.
I strike that note of dubiety because today Helen will be here with her three fierce sons, having closed Burnside. She’ll bring a sandwich lunch, and has booked them in with a friend for their evening meal, but I’ll still be involved in a modest amount of baby-sitting and a lot of sad-farewell’ing. This is it, for a whole year.
I was briefly in John Lewis’s yarn department yesterday, a routine call after a visit to pick up a prescription at Boots. I left untempted, but with the strong feeling that I’m ready for another visit to K1 Yarns. I did see a rather nice Rowan book with patterns for their new chunky yarn with colours by KF. Colorscape? The book was by Sarah Hatton, whose work I like. There was a long sleeveless vest, unfastened but with pockets, just the thing for slouching about one’s studio if one were a famous artist….
So here, for some colour, is a picture of Fergus and Mungo Drake, in the course (I assume) of one of the strenuous walks their mother takes them on. I think they must have gone up Glenfernate this time.
Jean, I don't see "ThreadingWater" in your list of regular blog reads; I think you might like today's post:
ReplyDeletehttp://threadingwater.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/worth-it/
If the link doesn't work, it's the 1 September 2008 entry.
I love the updated photos! When you and I first "met" on Helen Eisler's knitted lace list, I was brand new to lace, and you were working on a christening shawl for a new granddaughter. If she is one of the ones in the photo (though I think she is of the Beijing branch), time has flown, indeed.
Goodness, what a beautiful glacial valley. And what a wonderful, windy walk. No cobwebs on those kids, I bet. The updated photo is great, although alarming how quickly they've all grown. I love your haircut, which is quite different to your profile photo. Are you happy with it?
ReplyDeleteThanks for rounding out the discussion re VP and White House royalty. I'd forgotten these aspects, despite having lived with in LA for 3 years.
It was a pity that the dinsaurs didn't win - they certinaly deserved a placing at the very least. Glad that the picnic went well. Did you manage the chicken or salad?
I feel incredibly sorry for Sarah Palin's daughter.
ReplyDeleteDespite Obama's (in my opinion correct) assertion that candidate's families are off-limits in this election, she will without a doubt be thrust before public scrutiny because of her mother's decision to enter onto the national stage. Teenage pregnancy IS part of life's great pageant, but for her it's just been made infinitely more difficult with the while world looking on.
I'd like to think that the candidate's families and personal lives could be set aside, but just as Elizabeth Edwards health problems entered into the electoral equation, so will Sarah Palin's familial challenges. Particularly because many of the campaign issues zero in on "the family" - based on the laughable assumption that an ideal example of the concept exists.
Oh those photos look lovely, especially here in St. Paul where i am surrounded by riot cops, helicopters, and republicans celebrating creationism and abstinence. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteInfo on Palin that is most interesting:
ReplyDeletehttp://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/09/an-wasillan-on.html
and also http://www.washingtonindependent.com/