Hurricane Sarah
It was a freaky weekend… first, on Friday, Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin, was selected by John McCain to be his running mate (which shocked the world), then hurricane Gustav taunted the Gulf coast with possible devastation, then the rumor that Palin’s four-month-old baby was actually her daughter’s was leaked, then the Republican National Convention’s hoopla was delayed due to the hurricane, then came the revelation that Palin’s 17-year-old daughter is engaged and pregnant. Political and meteorologic news swirled together and even interacted all weekend.
Fortunately, Gustav was not as devastating as it was feared to be (unless you were one of the people in the more rural parts of Louisiana who lost everything), and now this swirling hurricane of news and petty revelations about Gov. Palin can continue to taunt the McCain campaign with a lot of wind, but with little damage. It’s probable, as was the case with Gustav, that the gossipy tidbits may only unify and strengthen those on the receiving end of the political storm surges.
The 2008 campaign has been numbing and zombifying up until Friday. The same old cliche rhetoric has been chanted. Predictable strategies and words have been engaged. Both candidates try to look radical and moderate at the same time (fooling nor impressing anyone). Obama made a torturously mundane VP pick in Joe Biden. I was nearly lulled into an apathetic doldrum until this Friday…
Now, I am just so…amused – I think that’s the best way to put it – I’m pleasantly amused by the whole scenario, blowing out of no where, as McCain announced an unknown engima, Sarah Palin, as the potential second-most-powerful-person-in-the-world. This was like a hurricane that only a very few wonks had on their radar. It blew in stealthfully, with swirling winds of fresh air, knocking over some established political structures and uprooting some assumed entitlements.
I’m totally shocked that McCain chose her, and I’m enjoying that shock! I’m amused at the idea that the Obama people are circling the issue carefully, going “Dang, how are we going to approach this woman?” I’m amused that her husband is registered as an independent. I’m amused that the whole story seems like a Disney movie: housewife, turned PTA President, turned mayor, turned governor, turned VP! I’m amused that the stodgy Grand Old Party has this irony to deal with: a conservative reformer with a stiff backbone and a pretty face! I’m amused at the feminist reaction that uncovers their obvious hypocritical belief that the only real woman is a liberal one. This current campaign seemed so laborious and joyless and run-of-the-mill. Now, like Hurricane Gustav, there’s something demanding our attention. Something to track. Some element of suspense and prayer for hope. I’m really enjoying it.
These thoughts might not surface blaring biblical analogy or God-inspired epiphany, but as one Grand Rapids metro-prophet says, “Everything’s Spiritual.” I’m observing a lot of spiritual winds swirling and churning up exhilaratingly choppy waters.
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