Sarah Palin: The California Right Wing's Secret Weapon

by Todd Beeton [courtesy of MyDD]

On Saturday, I went into the lion's den to see Sarah Palin so you didn't have to. Because I was there on behalf of the Courage Campaign, who had paid for a plane to fly above the event trailing the banner "Sarah Palin, Thanks But No Thanks: No on Prop 4!", I spent much of my time interviewing people about Palin, about the banner and about Proposition 4 for a video we're putting together.

For some background, Proposition 4 is just the latest in a string of parental notification bills the right wing has tried to pass here in California via the ballot initiative process (Prop 73 went down 53-47 in 2005 and Prop 85 went down 54-46 in 2006.) Yet here it is back again in the form of Prop 4 with a few tweaks here and there to make it more palatable. Whether it's the tweaks or their ads (way to stay classy Yes on 4) there is a real fear that it may pass this year -- polling currently shows it ahead -- so we launched what we expect to be the first of several actions against Prop 4 in an attempt to tie it to Sarah Palin. We want Californians to have as much contempt for Prop 4 as they do for Palin herself. Not that she's endorsed it mind you, but that's beside the point. Prop 4 is perfectly consistent with Palin's politics. You'll recall when asked about abortion in case of rape or incest, she merely asserted that she is "unapologetically pro-life" and as the Courage e-mail that went out last week announcing our action made clear:

In late 2007, the Alaska Supreme Court struck down a parental consent law as unconstitutional, ruling on a 3-2 vote that it infringed on a girl's rights to reproductive freedom. Palin called the decison "outrageous" and then appointed a conservative judge to the court, shifting the balance of power. That decision earned her praise from Alaska Right to Life, the state's leading pro-life group.

Hell even one of the wingers I spoke to at the event on Saturday said with complete and utter confidence: "Sarah Palin would support Prop 4, absolutely!"

Yes, the people at the event on Saturday were Palin crazy and each and every one I spoke to supports Proposition 4 as passionately as they support her. So while it may seem crazy from an electoral perspective for Palin to hold a rally in the bluest county in one of the bluest states, it was actually really important for the California right wing base here -- both from a mobilization and organization perspective -- for her to hold this rally. It's no accident that the only right wing activists with any serious presence there were the Yes on 4 folks.

So, don't be fooled, California may be blue but the red parts are REALLY red, chock full of wingnuts who are wingnuttier than the average bear. And they're the ones who turn out. So with an initiative like Prop 4 on the ballot in November, which has unanimous support from the right wing base (the same can not be said for Prop 8, the anti-gay marriage initiative) and is clearly winning some support from moderates, even in a year when the left is as motivated as we are this year this thing could pass. So get the word out to your friends and family in California: Vote No on 4.

For more on this year's California ballot measures and how progressives should vote on them, check out Calitics' excellent statewide proposition endorsements.

(Disclosure: I am proud to work for the Courage Campaign)
Tags: sarah palin, courage campaign (all tags)