The Dynamic Duo: Trump and Palin
Sarah Palin’s endorsement of Trump in the upcoming Republican primary has gained him a major victory in gaining even more media attention by attaching another entertainer to his campaign, finding a tool to use against Ted Cruz and in dissuading uncertainties concerning his treatment of women and his lack of establishment support.
It’s easy to make fun of Palin. Throughout her political career, she has delivered us a great supply of entertaining moments, such as when she proclaimed that “[The Russians] are our next door neighbors.” She has often seemed more like a reality star than a politician. Many underestimate her for that reason, just as they underestimated Trump before his rise to the top of the polls. However, her power, particularly within the conservative movement, is still considerable. Despite the fact that she hasn’t held an elected office since 2009, Palin remains a fixture in the conservative speaker circuit and on political talk shows. Conservative candidates still seek out her endorsement. Like Trump, Palin’s power comes from her populist brashness, making big promises not always grounded in reality and using punchy words to describe the greatness of the American people. She too has the ability to ignore the uncomfortable truths, such as her daughter’s teenage pregnancy and her son’s recent domestic violence arrest. She spins these disasters in her favor: In the case of her son’s arrest, she placed the blame on Obama. She began the Tea Party movement using the same brand of fear-mongering with a healthy dose of reality T.V. entertainment that Trump is using to ride to the top today. Both are now icons in the modern conservative movement, making Palin the perfect booster to support him.
Unlike Trump, Palin has years of political experience behind her back. She has been a major figure in conservative campaigning since 2008, giving her eight years worth of contacts and popularity to push Cruz over the edge in states such as Iowa where Cruz remains close. As Cruz increasingly needs to bring something new to the table in an attempt to woo Iowa voters, Trump has secured a major weapon that could have been used against him. With Palin behind him, Cruz would have had an entertaining figure to draw crowds and would have gained more exposure, something sorely necessary in a packed Republican field. Cruz and Palin also share the same voter base—Tea Party evangelicals—which will likely cause some to switch loyalties from Cruz to Trump. Palin is an everyday hockey mom while Trump, despite his popularity, remains somewhat unreachable due to his billionaire status. Palin also provides Trump with a defense when accused of hating women. Although the “I have a black friend” excuse is stupid, it remains effective. Likewise, Trump will be able to use Palin to deflect those who decry him as sexist by propping up Palin as a shield. After all, Trump cannot be sexist if a single woman is defending him.
Although it is certainly easy to do so, ignoring the influence of Palin would be dangerous. When an affinity for honesty has been shown through the rise of candidates such as Bernie Sanders and Trump, the influence of the original outspoken Tea Party member may be what seals the primary for Trump. In a political landscape that appears to be moving away from policy discussion and more into a scramble for media attention, Palin is the sort of politician who will prove to be a surprisingly important player, due to brashness and entertainment value.