Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

T R E 4 5 O N

Democracy cannot function without a free press.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

He really is that stupid.

“I was told there would be no fact checking.”

Everyone is in a bubble, but some bubbles model reality far better than others!

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

An almost top 10,000 blog!

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

The lights are all blinking red.

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

The Supreme Court cannot be allowed to become the ultimate, unaccountable arbiter of everything.

My right to basic bodily autonomy is not on the table. that’s the new deal.

We still have time to mess this up!

The low info voters probably won’t even notice or remember by their next lap around the goldfish bowl.

I did not have this on my fuck 2024 bingo card.

You are here: Home / Long, strange trip

Long, strange trip

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I’m not sure that I think this is 100% true, but I really, really like the idea:

Maybe we need a new name for these people: Palinheads. To be sure, the drugs are different…But maybe Palin really is the Grateful Dead of the 21st century — not just someone to whom certain people want to devote a few hours of their time every so often, but a way of life, a central organizing principle of their existence.

Update. I don’t like the weight-and-food mockery either. I just like the idea of the Palin-followers as Dead Heads. I’ll clip the quote to take out the offending parts.

Reader Interactions

99Comments

  1. 1.

    kid bitzer

    well, if this means that those multi-colored dancing teddy bears are finally going to get shot from a helicopter, then something good will have come of it all.

  2. 2.

    demimondian

    Oh, for heaven’s sake.

    Yes, the Palindrones are kind of bizarre and are clearly seeking a Leader. But really? Jokes about things cooked up from the back of a recipe on the back of a box? Like, say, the recipes on the back of high-end baking chocolate boxes?

    What a snob.

  6. 6.

    Betsy

    I have to say, I find the food- and weight-mockery to be extremely off-putting. The problem with Palin fans isn’t that their eating habits are insufficiently pure. It isn’t that they’re fat. It’s that they’re stupid. The conflation of the two is really hurtful to a lot of people.

  7. 7.

    WereBear

    Those who have not been a part of the evangelical experience might not know what a cultural desert it is.

    Rock bands are “music of the devil.” Pop music stars like Britney Spears are verboten because she shows her navel, among other things. Celebrity itself is suspect, because it so often involves drugs, affairs, and blatant liberalism.

    Yet the hunger is still there.

    So along comes Sarah Palin, who is approved by their church leaders, and she’s on Facebook, and you can go to her rallies and appearances, and get her autograph (if you’re lucky) and they get to get whatever people get when they are Michael Jackson fans, or, indeed, Deadheads.

    I think that is a large part of the appeal.

  8. 8.

    jeff

    I guess I’m not sure I am taking the analogy as intended: deadheads were, for me, just spent morons who elected to excuse themselves from reality, and to whom I never needed to pay any attention. If that’s the analogy, then “great”, I say.

    I never knew what they were going on about, but I knew I didn’t want to know. (Um, they didn’t have jobs, were frequently violent and drunk and on drugs, went to jail, always had child-payment issues and smelled bad…maybe I just knew a smelly group.)

  9. 9.

    malraux

    Honestly, I can’t see her keeping fans for that long. I haven’t been interneting much lately, between a minor illness, family visiting and a home improvement project going on. So it took me several day to realize that the fans booing Sarah as she was skipping out on her book signing halfway through wasn’t an Onionesque satire. Sure, it’ll take her a while to offend enough to matter. But between slowly but surely ticking off her fan base and her loss of MILFdom, and she just isn’t going to matter much in a few year.

  10. 10.

    Cain

    Im bored about talking about Palin. Can’t was turn our outrage on something else? I hear Java sucks!

    cain

  13. 13.

    Max

    @Cain: I’m with you. I’m Palin’d out for reals.

    She’s a lightweight and not worth mocking, let alone discussing further.

    My outrage starter… Starbucks has the best coffee!

  15. 15.

    JK

    We need a new name for these people

    Agreed, but definitely not the term Palinheads, because the Grateful Dead actually possessed talent while Sarah Palin is dumber than dirt and possesses no talent whatsoever.

    I don’t consider Palin’s ability to make useless tools like Chris Matthews, Joe Scarborough, David Gregory, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, et al extremely horny a talent.

    I like any of these terms: Palindrones., Palinicks, Palinoids, Palinistas, Palinites, Palinthals, Palinsteins, Paloozers.

  16. 16.

    eemom

    this is starting to remind me of the scene in the movie “Being John Malkovitch” where he goes into the restaurant and every word being uttered is “Malkovitch”.

    Palin? Palin Palin.

    Palin! Palin Palin Palin. Palin Palin Palin Palin?

    Palin. Palin?

    Palin. Palin Palin Palin Palin.

    The difference being that John Malkovitch was, you know, an interesting and complex character.

  19. 19.

    Max

    80% of the mail I get is about Palin. And it’s from readers.

    Publish names kind sir and we shall point and mock them.

  20. 20.

    Cain

    @DougJ:

    You know, people, about 80% of the mail I get is about Palin. And it’s from readers.

    Is that from 20% of the readership? We know they are all crazy. :)

    cain

  21. 21.

    kay

    I’m hoping this will mitigate some of the vitriol and fear.

    Let her lead them around in circles for a while. Conservatives without an individual to elevate and rally around were making me very nervous. I don’t think that’s a natural state for them. They were just sort of milling around, grumbling really loud, and looking for a leader.

    Now they have one.

  22. 22.

    Cain

    Talk about psalm 190:8 and Obama. The wacky right is giving biblical ayotallah like declarations to go after our boy. Crazy stuff.

    cain

  23. 23.

    Violet

    @DougJ:
    Is that just this week, since her book came out and she’s in the news every day? Or is all the time? If it’s all the time, that’s just terrible. How incredibly boring.

    @Max: I find Starbucks coffee really varies by location. I think it’s shouldn’t, but it does. There’s a Starbucks at a certain airport I’ll avoid at all costs. I’ve tried it several times and it’s always awful. But coffee at other Starbucks is fine. I kind of thought they should be like McDonald’s – it’s the same everywhere.

  25. 25.

    DougJ

    Is that just this week, since her book came out and she’s in the news every day? Or is all the time?

    Just this past week. Most of it is pretty interesting, to be honest.

  26. 26.

    Hunter Gathers

    I hope the Palinese Liberation Army doesn’t run into the People’s Front of Judea. It could get ugly.

  28. 28.

    JK

    @DougJ:

    About 80% of the mail I get is about Palin

    Why are you so surprised by this? Isn’t it possible that some of these readers are simply expressing shock or outrage that a person as monumentally incompetent is being taken seriously by millions of Americans as a viable choice for President of the United States.

    Seriously, WTF is this pathetic country coming to when this clueless dipshit is seen by millions as a savior who can solve all of our problems?

  31. 31.

    PaulW

    By naming them, we mock them, we empower their sense of victimization. They don’t like us (re: vast majority of Americans) anyway, so name-calling isn’t going to shame them or make them gain awareness or insight.

    We shouldn’t ignore them, but we shouldn’t belittle them. We should recognize them (and her) for the threats they represent.

  32. 32.

    Max

    @Corner Stone: Still waiting to hear, but its not looking good. Bummed, but my company has announced it intends to pay YE bonuses and to make up for us not getting raises this year and working our a$ses off, they’ve increased our bonus potential.

    Yes, my loyalty can be purchased.

    Thanks for asking.

  33. 33.

    MikeJ

    The most interesting thing about Palin is going to be how Hucklebee, Pawlenty, and what’s his name, that other guy call her an idiot without using the word idiot. They’ll have to at some point, and I don’t know how they’re going to.

  34. 34.

    DougJ

    Why are you so surprised by this?

    I’m not surprised. I agree with them.

    It’s just funny that when I post on it, I get called a jackass for writing about Palin too much. I think the whole Palin phenomenon is noteworthy. I’m with the people who send me mail about it.

  35. 35.

    Corner Stone

    @Max: I’m beyond goodwill bonii at this point. The money is no longer worth the detrimental effects on my health and QoL. But whattayagonnadoright?

    Anyways, all luck to you.

  36. 36.

    kay

    @Cain:

    I’m offended by that. I know only religious are permitted to take offense in this country, but I think that’s creepy as hell. It’s also cowardly. They’re expressing this garbage in code.
    One would think their religious leaders would say something. I won’t hold my breath.
    BUT, I really don’t want to hear any boring commentary from Christian religious about how fundamentalist leaders have a responsibility to call out extremists anymore.
    Because apparently that applies only to religions not their own.

  37. 37.

    Max

    @Corner Stone: Thanks. I actually love my job, just wanting to get closer to friends and family.

    I’m going to try to get transferred with my current co. next year.

    But, I agree, quality of life is the most important. No amount of money is worth it if you’re miserable.

  39. 39.

    Corey

    OT: Anyone watching MLS Cup? I’ve never watched a championship game in overtime that’s less intense than this. It’s like the players don’t even really care.

  40. 40.

    kid bitzer

    @21, @35–

    agreed. that “psalm 109” meme is one of the most despicable, hateful, unamerican things i have ever heard of.

    and i agree that all of the allegedly moderate christians out there should be required to speak out against it, or be lumped together as terrorists and violent extremists. purveyors of a religion of hatred.

  41. 41.

    Ron Beasley

    We are tribal animals, it’s in the genes. Palin is a successful tribal leader who is able to blame everything on the other tribe. It’s not that she has any ideas to make things better but she knows who her cultists distrust – those pointed headed coastal intellectuals. D or R, conservative or liberal really have nothing to do with it. US VS Them – that’s always what it boils down to. The only question is who will win the anti-intellectuals – Palin or Beck.

  42. 42.

    TenguPhule

    I think the whole Palin phenomenon is noteworthy.

    Idiocracy was supposed to be satire, not a fucking documentry.

  43. 43.

    The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

    Palinheads=Deadheads. Man, now I’m going to be seeing her running for president every four years for the rest of her life like Harold Stassen, as a hard-core band of devotees follow her around and trash everybody else on their side for insufficient ideological purity, like the Naderites. Yeah, a combination of Harold Stassen and Ralph Nader—I’m going to stick with that.

    Closer to home, I don’t know if she can win the 2012 nomination or not. A lot depends on whether or not that group of “adults” in the party that everyone keeps talking about actually exist, or even if they do, whether they can ride the tiger they unleashed. Can it get crazier than it has already? Are the lunatics in fact running the asylum now? I don’t know, but it’s going to be interesting (and frightening) to find out.

    Even if she doesn’t win the nod, I know she’s too lazy to start a third-party movement, but she’s got a lot of fanatical followers. What’s the chance she could be the first to break 1% with write-in votes? That’s what Nader got in 2000, and he managed to fuck things up beyond all human recognition for eight years.

  44. 44.

    TenguPhule

    Palin is a successful tribal leader who is able to blame everything on the other tribe.

    One of these words does not belong. One of these words is not like the others….

  45. 45.

    Mike in NC

    I wish I could go for a day without hearing about Palin or her moronic followers. Just one day.

    Sorry, ain’t gonna happen. The Villagers need 24/7 adoration of this moran to demonstrate their bipartisanship. You betcha!

  48. 48.

    moe99

    I’m with PaulW above that we don’t give Palin cutsey names.

    If we approach her seriously, I think we make a stronger argument against Palin’s homey brand of demagoguery. Instead of belittling or ignoring her, we need to take every opportunity to point out her lies, to publicize how unfit she is for higher office, and how far from reality her viewpoints actually are.

    I dismissed Reagan in 1980, and thought that the rest of the country could see through him, as I did. They did not, and it was, in part, because people did not speak up and really talk about the issues.

  49. 49.

    Citizen_X

    I’m sorry, but I, too, am going to have to go with Palinese Liberation Army.

    And y’all should heck out that post at rumproast: I saw that Patty Hearst-type Sarah illustration, and honest to god, I thought it was a joke. But it’s real Palinite, er, PLA merch.

  51. 51.

    slag

    In my ideal world, the amount of information I’m exposed to on a subject would be directly proportional to the amount of impact it has on my life. Needless to say, I do not live in my ideal world.

  53. 53.

    Ed Marshaall

    OT-

    I just moved to Austin, TX. I know there are some juicers in Texas and if any of them are in the area, I’d love to say hi.

  54. 54.

    Ed Marshallsp

    Ah, god, don’t tell me wordpress is going to join me to my misspelled Afrikaner looking version of my name….

  56. 56.

    Cain

    @DougJ:

    It’s just funny that when I post on it, I get called a jackass for writing about Palin too much. I think the whole Palin phenomenon is noteworthy. I’m with the people who send me mail about it.

    I never called you a jackass. But since you know you’re talking directly to me, I’m calling you out and calling you… you guessed it..Jackass!

    cain

  57. 57.

    ZIRGAR

    I prefer the term Palingerer–one who feigns or exaggerates symptoms of victimization for personal gain or to advance a wingnut cause.

    See Palin or one of her fans.

  58. 58.

    Brick Oven Bill

    This is a strange Age. The Right should be willing to admit that Sarah did not write her own book. The Left should be willing to admit the same thing about Obama. The Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences; Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, and Physics, rely on honest debate. Or Plato’s ‘True Rhetoric’.

    Today it is all about imagery.

    Sarah’s appeal is that she does not apologize for America. Known to her or not, Sarah’s appeal is Founded in the Enlightenment.

    Here is powerful stuff. Jerry Garcia would be pleased.

  63. 63.

    Beauzeaux

    In the spirit of fairness and equity, I’m willing to admit that Brick Oven Bill is correct. I admit that Barack Obama did not write Sarah Palin’s book.

    There. I said it.

  65. 65.

    cmorenc

    @Corey

    OT: Anyone watching MLS Cup? I’ve never watched a championship game in overtime that’s less intense than this. It’s like the players don’t even really care.

    NOPE! And I’m a soccer afficianado. Recognize however that the MLS is equivalent to mediocre second-division pro leagues in England and Europe (that’s TWO rungs below premier level).

  67. 67.

    bago

    I feel I have a bit of authority in this area. I was born in Alaska. I went through the christian fundamentalist churches in that State. My parents lived there because of the pipeline. We moved to Washington State because of the depression in the late 80’s. My parents were forclosed upon thanks to Reagan. I became fully sentient somewhere in my third decade. I’ve been to Wasilla. I went to burning man. Sex, Drugs, and Duct tape. Brilliant. I’ve worked for some of the largest corporations in the world. I’ve been to New York, I’ve been to DC, I’ve even survived a good old fashioned all-american mass murder. I’ve been coding for half of my life and am fairly comfortable with logic, grammar and semantics. My brother had half of his unit wiped out in the Iraq War.

    Point is that I know snowbily winkin grifters, and I know them by the trail of the dead.

  69. 69.

    harlana pepper

    I wanted to continue with the Goldman-bashing from last nite, but we are back to Sarah again. I’d like to do some beating up on Geithner as well. Any takers?

  71. 71.

    oldfatherwilliam

    BOB is mistaken. Jerry Garcia would most assuredly not be pleased, and Deadheads everywhere are likely insulted at the comparison. Only someone who can’t comprehend the difference between joy and anger could—wait-are talking about joyful anger here? Orgasmic indignation?

  72. 72.

    Senyordave

    My opinion is that the next time Palin makes a “Death Panel” type statement where she lies about important policy matters, CALL HER OUT ON IT! Have Gibbs say at a press briefing that she is LYING. Specifically call her a liar.

    Maybe that will force the media to do their job.

  73. 73.

    Pope Bandar bin Turtle

    To get back to the warning that I received. You may take it with however many grains of salt that you wish. That the brown acid Palin that is circulating around us isn’t too good. It is suggested that you stay away from that. Of course it’s your own trip. So be my guest, but please be advised that there is a warning on that one, ok?

    Or, how about …

    Ridin’ that spin
    High on Palin
    John McCain he’d better watch his speed

    Thank you, I won’t be here all week!

  75. 75.

    IndieTarheel

    I am seriously tired of all the hoopla over this silly Übergrifter and her marks. They were made for each other, no doubt: she professes to tout traditional American values (never quitting apparently not among them); they embrace her. They claim to seek a return to “morals” while starbursting all over the place; she’s right there (so long as the check clears and those pesky ethics charges go away). These people are serial enablers and richly deserve the drubbing they’re in for if they by some miracle manage to get her on another national ticket.

  76. 76.

    DougJ

    But since you know you’re talking directly to me,

    Huh, you’re one of like 30 people I’m referring to.

  80. 80.

    anon

    The weight stuff is pure gold, sugar (or high fructose syrup) is a drug just like booze and nicotine.. its highly addictive and makes you fat.

    I m tired of fat people defending the bad eating habits of the uneducated masses.

  81. 81.

    Paris

    But maybe Palin really is the Grateful Dead of the 21st century
    She inspires religious experiences? The Dead actually had people who followed them around. I don’t think Palin’s fans are quite that committed yet.

    She is more like a boy band for certain middle aged lost souls who lack something better to do.

  82. 82.

    bago

    @harlana pepper: I did, but in true alaskan fashion, I quit. But seriously, it has to do with how indexable you want to be. I am considering jettisoning the bago nick for “serious” political commentary because that identity can be too easily linked to burning man costumes involving my ass.

  83. 83.

    Honus

    The interesting thing to me is that these are the same people who constantly refer to the Obamamessiah and talk about Obamabots.

    The most telling thing was the number of people who said they were returning Palin’s book at the booksigning event she left. The idea of reading the book wasn’t important to them. It was a totem, and it was the signature that was of real value, not any information contained in the text.

    They were there for what Kurt Vonnegut called a piece of “the old magic meat”

  84. 84.

    Randy P

    There’s an interesting counter to the Psalm 109 stuff possible A diarist at the Great Orange Satan pointed out how if you read more than one verse of this psalm, it actually means the exact opposite of what the teabaggers want it to mean. The “he” is an accuser, a hater, a man who responds to offers of friendship from King David with attacks and deceit.

    An excerpt from the New International Version:

    2 For wicked and deceitful men
    have opened their mouths against me;
    they have spoken against me with lying tongues.
    __
    3 With words of hatred they surround me;
    they attack me without cause.
    __
    4 In return for my friendship they accuse me,
    but I am a man of prayer.
    __
    5 They repay me evil for good,
    and hatred for my friendship.
    __
    6 Appoint [a] an evil man [b] to oppose him;
    let an accuser [c] stand at his right hand.
    __
    7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
    and may his prayers condemn him.
    __
    8 May his days be few;
    may another take his place of leadership.
    __
    9 May his children be fatherless
    and his wife a widow.
    __
    10 May his children be wandering beggars;
    may they be driven [d] from their ruined homes.
    __
    11 May a creditor seize all he has;
    may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
    __
    12 May no one extend kindness to him
    or take pity on his fatherless children.
    __
    13 May his descendants be cut off,
    their names blotted out from the next generation.

    So maybe the right counter to Psalm 109:8 shirts is to wear Psalm 109:2-13 shirts.

  85. 85.

    Randy P

    Aargh. Thought I had the two underlines right and everything. Trying again just to see if I can get this blockquote thing to work.

    2 For wicked and deceitful men
    have opened their mouths against me;
    they have spoken against me with lying tongues.
    __3 With words of hatred they surround me;
    they attack me without cause.
    __4 In return for my friendship they accuse me,
    but I am a man of prayer.
    __5 They repay me evil for good,
    and hatred for my friendship.
    __6 Appoint [a] an evil man [b] to oppose him;
    let an accuser [c] stand at his right hand.
    __7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
    and may his prayers condemn him.
    __8 May his days be few;
    may another take his place of leadership.
    __9 May his children be fatherless
    and his wife a widow.
    __10 May his children be wandering beggars;
    may they be driven [d] from their ruined homes.
    __11 May a creditor seize all he has;
    may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
    __12 May no one extend kindness to him
    or take pity on his fatherless children.
    __13 May his descendants be cut off,
    their names blotted out from the next generation.

    So maybe the right counter to Psalm 109:8 shirts is to wear Psalm 109:2-13 shirts.

  86. 86.

    Xboxershorts

    Please don’t insult us dead heads like this. We have a conscience and a heart, and even if our brains are no longer normal functioning, we at least use them. (if only for recreation).

  87. 87.

    Xboxershorts

    @Cassidy:

    You mean they don’t?

    Damn, did I waste 3.5 decades of musical experience?

    Naaaaaahhhh…..you lied to me, you Palinista you!

  89. 89.

    Ed Drone

    @Lizzy L:

    Palinarians?

    Palinaria (what little I recall from Jr. High biology classes involves planaria, non-parasitic flatworms of the biological family Planariidae), but I’m not convinced enough people would “get” calling Palin’s Posse “flatworms.”

    Hmmm… Palin’s Posse? Maybe …

    Ed

  90. 90.

    Ed Drone

    @Cain:

    non-parasitic flatworms of the biological family Planariidae,

    Actually, Psalm 190:2 is spot-on when talking about the right-whingers:

    for wicked and deceitful men
    have opened their mouths against me;
    they have spoken against me with lying tongues.

    If that isn’t accurate, I don’t know what is. The problem is how to use it on a T-shirt.

    Maybe just “Obama — Psalm 109:2”

    It would look very like the “kill him” verse the right-whingers are pushing, but rebounds on the liars and haters who are doing it. What WOULDN’T do is to say something like: “Glen Beck — Psalm 109:2,” since it would then sound like they were lying about Beck, when it’s that Beck is lying about Obama everything.

    Ed

  92. 92.

    Ed Drone

    @kid bitzer:

    And what people won’t see is that the “kill him” and “widow his wife and orphan his children” is part of a list that starts with “They say:” It’s King David complaining about the conspirators (with Absolam) in a revolt against him.

    I think we should start using Psalm 109:2 in connection with Obama:

    for wicked and deceitful men
    have opened their mouths against me;
    they have spoken against me with lying tongues.

    A bumper sticker like Obama: Psalm 109:2 makes perfect sense.

    Ed

  93. 93.

    Ed Drone

    Let’s try that Psalm 109:2 quote again, shall we (lacking an edit function, that is)?

    Obama — Psalm 109:2

    Means:

    for wicked and deceitful men have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues.

    Ed

  94. 94.

    Bruce (formerly Steve S.)

    Hoo-boy. I made it to four Dead shows in my life. As a group Deadheads were the most harmless, inoffensive people I ever saw. To compare the screaming loons who follow Palin to them, even humorously, is as inapt as anything I can think of.

  95. 95.

    b.dot

    OK. So the question is whether a Palinhead would require a Palinoscopy, and whether HCR would cover for it.

  97. 97.

    litmus

    as a long-time deadhead and progressive, i take great offense to this analogy. there is NO correlation between the palin folk/teabagging crowd and deadheads.

    perhaps palinasses might be more appropriate given not only the location of palin supporters’ heads, but also their general demeanor and public behavior.

    contrary to popular belief, the majority of deadheads i’ve met over the past 25 years have been thoughtful, intelligent, forward-thinking and creative people. i see none of those traits in the ‘palinasses’ i’ve seen in the media or have met personally during the last presidential campaign.

  98. 98.

    the farmer

    I just like the idea of the Palin-followers as Dead Heads.

    Does punching hippies give DougJ a tingle up his leg?

    *

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