by nissa_amas_katoj

Created on: November 24, 2008

Sarah Palin may not have won this election, but she's won a lot of supporters that hope she will consider a presidential run in 2012. She may have her detractors, often among those who've only heard of her through Saturday Night Live, but every political leader attracts detractors.

Why has Sarah Palin become such a political rock star? There are a number of reasons that might be put forward, but these are a few of the ones that appeal to me.

1) She is the nation's most popular governor. There are 50 governors in total- 58 if you go by the state total mentioned by a certain Democratic candidate- and being number one out of 50 is an accomplishment. It's not easy to be a popular governor. Most people I know make a point of hating their governor.

2) She's not a party hack. She was willing to fight corruption within her own party. Too many politicians will defend any member of their own party including those whose behavior has been outrageous. Sarah's not like that.

3) She's attracted a very diverse group of supporters. At the web site Team Sarah, which supports Sarah Palin, there are groups for all sorts of Sarah supporters. The religious affiliations run from evangelicals, Catholics and Orthodox Christians to Jews, Muslims and Pagans and Wiccans. There are both pro-choice and pro-life supporters. There are even Gay and Lesbian supporters. And this in spite of the fact that the media tends to portray Palin as a 'fundamentalist' fanatic.

4) She's a genetic criminal. What's a genetic criminal? That's the term in use for a parent who discovers his/her unborn child has a problem such as Down's Syndrome or other birth defects, and doesn't run for an abortionist to get rid of it. Being the parent of a special needs child is difficult, but Sarah and her husband are up to the challenge.

5) She's a hunter. While this may displease the urban liberal set, all across America there are many people who have a hunter in the family. Historically meat from game animals has been an important food source for many Americans, and this is still the case in Alaska where so much food has to be imported. Sarah's hunting speaks to a sort of self-sufficiency that many Americans no longer have, but which is worthwhile. And those who worry about cruelty to farm animals may rest assured that game animals lead a free life, and have a decent chance to escape the hunter.

There are a lot of reasons to like Sarah Palin, and my reasons may not be the same as those put forward by others. The most important thing, I think, is for each of us to get accurate information on Sarah and any other candidate, and make up our own minds.

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