The dog whistle

Driven stark, raving mad by the utter fatuousness of Sarah Palin and McCain's choice of her, conservative columnist Kathleen Parker lays out in explicit terms how the Right communicates with the rubes.

Democrats and other critics distracted by her winks may have missed the message, but Palin's target audience heard it loud and clear. She is like the high-pitched whistle only dogs can hear. While Democrats heard non-answers, superfluous segues and cartoon words -- shout-out, I'll betcha, doggone, extra credit -- Republicans heard God, patriotism, courage, victory.

It's called code, and Republicans are fluent.

It isn't just the "maverick" word, which we now may consign to the Cliche Crematorium. Sprinkled throughout Palin's remarks were phrases that set the free associative mind in motion.

-- "Say it ain't so, Joe, there you go again" was Ronald Reagan all over again.

-- "I know education you are passionate about with your wife being a teacher for 30 years, and God bless her. Her reward is in heaven, right?" Every evangelical Christian heard her rallying cry -- Onward, Soldiers!

-- "Because here you voted for the war and now you oppose the war." Did anybody hear flip-flop?

I don't recall any modern conservative writer laying so bare the manual. And if the comments are any indication, it is not appreciated by her Town Hall readership.

Something tells me she's trying to go straight.

Via Sadly No.