Sarah Palin, Paul Revere and Wikipedia.

[Admiral Yi]

What did Palin say?

"He who warned uh, the British that they weren't gonna be takin' away our arms, uh by ringing those bells, and um, makin' sure as he's riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be sure and we were going to be free, and we were going to be armed."

This reads to me like garbled syntax.  Move the "that" before the British and it makes sense.

[jamesww]

This sort of story is to her benefit, it allows the wrong people to not take her seriously; meanwhile she's building her 'base'.   

I think she's canny enough to plan long term and I'd guess she's decided to sit out 2012 and work to be the republican candidate for 2016.

[Camerus]

What did Palin say?

"He who warned uh, the British that they weren't gonna be takin' away our arms, uh by ringing those bells, and um, makin' sure as he's riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be sure and we were going to be free, and we were going to be armed."

This reads to me like garbled syntax.  Move the "that" before the British and it makes sense.

  That seems more likely than she thought that Revere was a British sympathizer, and that mentioning said "British sympathizer" would be a good idea to drum up support in her base.

Not that linking Revere and gun rights isn't kind of retarded in itself, mind you - but it's not exactly the acme of stupid some are making it out to be.

[Malthus]

The amusing thing is that Revere's actual Revolutionary War accomplishments were pretty meagre, to say the least; his "ride" was actually just part of the colonial early-warning system, and he was only one of several who undertook it (and he was arrested partway through). His fame rests not on what he did, but on the fact that Longfellow wrote a famous poem about him, full of (deliberate) mythologizing.

The ironic thing is that Longfellow was related to Revere's own commanding officer (well, second in command) during the disasterous (for the Americans) Penobscot Expedition, Peleg Wadsworth, who accused Revere (in charge of the artillery) of "disobedience and cowardice", charges which resulted in Revere being dismissed from the service (though he later had them cleared). Peleg, on the other hand, was a genuine military hero (he saved the remaint of the US forces from the disaster).

So ... the descendant of the hero writes a poem about a mediocre military failure, whom his own ancestor branded as a coward, which gets that coward elevated to postumous glory. Seems Palin is just continuing a long American tradition ... 

[grumbler]

What did Palin say?

"He who warned uh, the British that they weren't gonna be takin' away our arms, uh by ringing those bells, and um, makin' sure as he's riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be sure and we were going to be free, and we were going to be armed."

This reads to me like garbled syntax.  Move the "that" before the British and it makes sense.

  No, it doesn't!  "He who warned uh, that the British they weren't gonna be takin' away our arms, uh by ringing those bells, and um, makin' sure as he's riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be sure and we were going to be free, and we were going to be armed."

Paul Revere was riding to warn Adams and Hancock (who were staying at Hancock's house in the country) that British troops were on the way to arrest them.  He rang no bells, fired no shots (didn't even have a weapon to fire with), and didn't need to warn that the British weren't taking away arms because everyone knew the British were not taking away arms.

Her version is a conglomeration of several stories.  As a teacher, I hear this type of story all the time when the students who were not paying attention are asked to summarize what someone just said.

[Admiral Yi]

 

[grumbler]

So ... the descendant of the hero writes a poem about a mediocre military failure, whom his own ancestor branded as a coward, which gets that coward elevated to postumous glory. Seems Palin is just continuing a long American tradition ... 

  True.  That American tradition is probably better represented by "Charge of the Light Brigade" and "Gunga DIn" (two of my favorite American poems), though.  Some people argue that The Odyssey is the best American poem in this tradition, but I personally think it is too long to be the "best."

[CountDeMoney]

How is this woman important, exactly?

She's going to be your party's nominee in 2012.

[Caliga]

I just watched a clip of her statement on YouTube.  She clearly had no clue what she was talking about and was just stumbling around grasping at straws.  She wasn't 'misunderstood' or 'misquoted' or anything of that nature.

[Razgovory]

I just watched a clip of her statement on YouTube.  She clearly had no clue what she was talking about and was just stumbling around grasping at straws.  She wasn't 'misunderstood' or 'misquoted' or anything of that nature.

You have inspired me to listen to it.  I believe she did the people of Alaska a great service by quitting.  I wouldn't put that woman in charge of a PTA.

[Caliga]

Well it's not like you were a fan of hers prior to my post.

[Valmy]

I just watched a clip of her statement on YouTube.  She clearly had no clue what she was talking about and was just stumbling around grasping at straws.  She wasn't 'misunderstood' or 'misquoted' or anything of that nature.

Yeah I saw it.  Needless to say if she really is this ignorant about the founders and the revolution her driving around in a big Constitution bus is pretty sad.  Ah well.

[CountDeMoney]

Funniest part about this whole thing isn't the answer she gave, but how she insisted on FOX that she was asked a "Gotcha" question.

[Valmy]

Funniest part about this whole thing isn't the answer she gave, but how she insisted on FOX that she was asked a "Gotcha" question.

Next they will ask her who George Washington was.

[Razgovory]

Funniest part about this whole thing isn't the answer she gave, but how she insisted on FOX that she was asked a "Gotcha" question.

Next they will ask her who George Washington was.

Or what her favorite color is.