The gloves came off, so will the masks.

Jeff Yang of Salon.com is convinced Sarah Palin is the new and slightly upgraded version of George W. Bush. In “Sarah Palin’s real soul mate,” Yang lists the similarities between the double threat’s beliefs, opinions and political backgrounds. After suffering from nearly 8 years of President Bush’s policy, seeing Mrs. Palin’s speeches and debates, and after reading the article, it’s difficult to disagree.

Palin and Bush are both equally stubborn in their religious and political beliefs, while they ignore the media that only wishes to shine some light into the dark corners of their closed minds. But if the McCain – Palin ticket were to be elected, Universe forbid, would they be worse or just as bad as Mr. Bush?

Read further for clever comparisons and mind-numbing similarities.

“In Gov. Palin, the GOP has its new Bush, same as the old Bush, but more polished, more presentable, more user-friendly than the original ever was — and, they hope, still fresh and unencumbered enough to run as a “maverick” against the legacy of Dubya 1.0′s failures.”

“Stubborn, close-mouthed, self-deterministic and paradoxically capable of both hard-partying Saturdays and holy-roller Sundays. (And given that, it’s hardly a surprise that both were wild and experimental in their youth, only to embrace deeply fundamentalist Christian convictions later in life.)”

Just because Sarah Palin is a woman and a Washington outsider, it doesn’t mean that she will be the best VP. It doesn’t mean that she won’t be either. But what the public has to consider are her opinions, beliefs, and her strategy to change the country for the better. So far, she doesn’t seem to be that much of a “maverick” to me!

“In their gubernatorial campaigns, they emphasized bold ideas and reform, even touting their lack of experience as an asset rather than a liability; while in state office, they became extraordinarily popular, thanks to deft populist instincts and immense personal magnetism, as well as an unusual ability to project an aura of moderation and post-partisanship (“I reached across the aisle”; “I’m a uniter, not a divider”) even while engaged in viciously political behavior.”

“Part of what helps them preserve that firewall is the human cocoons with which they’ve surrounded themselves, tight circles of devoted long-term insiders whose primary virtue is unflagging loyalty, and who find themselves under furious attack should they…dare to break ranks or spill secrets.”

“It’s an environment that encourages a with-us-or-against-us, win-at-all-costs mentality…”

“If there’s a common cause for Bush and Palin’s less-than-complex worldview…it’s their profound disinterest in understanding or even experiencing other countries and cultures.”

Both, Sarah Palin and George W. Bush, have little experience traveling overseas, states Yang.

“Palin…is notable for having told the press that she was so focused on her state that she ‘hadn’t focused much on Iraq’ — despite the upcoming deployment to that country of her son, Track…”

“Her…willful ignorance regarding the greatest international issue facing our nation matches Dubya 1.0′s famous dismissal of newspaper reading for lack of intellectual curiosity.”

“Out with the old Bush, in with the new.”

I’m proud to admit that I do judge books by their covers. Unlike my middle school literature teachers, I do not believe this makes me ignorant or silly. The cover is the introduction, the eye-catcher, and it’s something glossy and bright that will make one want to pick it up and have a closer look. I stand firmly by my decision, but in the end I always reassess the message a book sends, its content quality, and entertainment value.

While judgment of political figures is quite different than judging a book, I strongly believe that a person’s gender, age, and race are not the only things which should be considered when choosing the right Presidential hopeful. Do judge a book by its cover, but don’t forget to look inside and carefully research its contents, then decide for yourself whether or not it’s worth listening to the book’s advice. I’m not supporting discrimination based on a person’s looks, but just because there is a woman who is running for Vice President of the United States of America, it doesn’t mean that she is the best person for the job!

Source: click Salon for all the juicy comparisons between the “maverick” and Dubya.

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