Looking at the various definitions of the word rogue, it just fits too many of their ilk - and resembles Sarah but little:

1 : vagrant, tramp
2 : a dishonest or worthless person : scoundrel
3 : a mischievous person : scamp
4 : a horse inclined to shirk or misbehave
5 : an individual exhibiting a chance and usually inferior biological variation

As you can probably guess, I just finished Sarah Palin’s book, “Going Rogue - An American Life”.

In all honesty, I admired Sarah even before she hit the National political scene - I’d read about her work in Alaska long before John McCain chose her as his running mate.  I didn’t really expect reading her book would change my opinion of her, but in fact, it caused me to have even more respect for her and what she has accomplished in Alaska, and more angry and disgusted with the treatment she received at the hands of the media and the so-called “handlers” of the presidential campaign.

It was actually those handlers who tagged her with the moniker of “going rogue” when she candidly answered a reporter’s question without first clearing it with senior staffers in the campaign.

Sarah was able to walk a very fine line in writing about her experiences - she tries very hard to put a positive spin on the motives of even the most corrupt of those she has dealt with in her public and private life.  I enjoyed very much reading about her upbringing and what lead her to enter public service.  It’s never easy to buck the system and the “old boy network”, but Sarah’s integrity wouldn’t allow her to accept the corrupt business as usual.

After being tapped as the VP running mate by the McCain campaign, it was disappointing to Sarah to find that she was now subject to constraints that she had shaken off as Governor of Alaska.  She had developed a good rapport with several media outlets and knew some of her local reporters very well - but the GOP handlers would not allow her to even speak with them.  And they wonder why the press doesn’t trust them, and their reports are so biased?  How do you think those folks felt when, having been accustomed to free access to her, suddenly were shut out - and did not hear from her?

I have to say, it has really caused me to think that perhaps there is a reason why our media is so biased.  Could it be that for years, they have felt shut out by the conservatives to the point that it seemed that we were hiding something?  And if we have nothing to hide, then let’s let the sun shine in!  We’ve created a monster media - a group of reporters and journalists who not only do not trust us, but who feel that they have to spin everything to fit what they believe about us.  Folks like Andrew Breitbart and PJTV are doing their best to lead the charge, but you know, if some of the *politicians* would stop campaigning and do what Sarah did - damn the torpedos, do what’s right for your constituents, talk to the media, open the windows, we might just get somewhere.  Yes, there might be some negative spin from your press at first - they might not trust you, they might think you’re setting ‘em up - but if you’re walking the walk - not just talking the talk, you might really begin to develop a modicum of trust.  We could even end up with a press that is friendly to conservatives!  Certainly not all, but even a few more than we have now would be a start!

I’ll just wind this up by saying that if you don’t know much about Sarah, you really owe it to yourself to read her book!

Lloyd is a very talented writer/speaker/songster and he posted on his site last week a post that goes hand in hand with one I wrote a couple weeks ago.  His topic?  Obamazilla.  Trust me, it’s worth a read!  Go.  Here.  Now.

Our friend, Glenn Beck, announced a new rally for August 28, 2010, and that effectively killed the M.O.M. for America Rally date of August 14, 2010.  It wasn’t the first time I’ve hitched my wagon to a falling star, LOL, and it probably won’t be the last.  The folks at M.O.M. for America are quickly trying to revamp to have a jamboree and meet and greet for the same weekend, and I wish them well, and hope to meet some of the moms that I’ve gotten to know virtually.  For me, the focus has changed to be that of education as Glenn has called for, and to that end, I’ve joined the I Love the USA group.  Our mission is to share information on our founding documents and history, to educate ourselves that we might know how to go about salvaging this great country!