Donald Trump may have met his match in Liz CheneyMichael Sneedon May 14, 2021 at 9:39 pm

Wyoming Republican is a reminder of Sarah Palin, another conservative woman who stood her ground

Bamboozle me not!

Mr. Trump.

Mr. Mayhem.

Mr. Former fibber-in-chief.

The perpetrator of “The Big Lie,” his stolen election.

The big question?

Has this Goliath of vanity finally met his slingshot?

Will U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, a Republican from Wyoming, actually have a shot at stopping Donald Trump from “unraveling our country’s democracy?”

“The truth will come out,” she claims.

Well, it’s hard not to admire Cheney’s courage to trammel Trump on the basis of truth —even if the conservative Cheney is so far right of the Constitution she’s practically in a country of her own.

Can the eldest daughter of her fighter father, former GOP Vice President Dick Cheney, successfully erase Trump’s Republican party power?

So before getting overly enthusiastic, let’s not forget the explosive entrance 13 years ago of another defiant female Republican with Wyoming grit … Alaskan-style.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin had taken the political stage by storm when Republican presidential contender John McCain chose her as his running mate in 2008.

Palin also liked to call things out.

And, in the beginning, it was impressive.

Back on Sept. 16, 2008, this columnist, a die hard Hillary Clinton supporter, reported being impressed by Palin’s acceptance speech as McCain’s veep mate. She climbed to the podium in red high heels.

Yikes!

Thus, I wrote:

AP file photo

“I’m tired of women working hard for a hammer that never breaks the glass ceiling; disgusted when Hillary Clinton, an incredibly capable, brilliant woman, lost the fight of her life.

“And then along came Palin, a woman of the tundra who could be America’s next best frontier story — and I was pleasantly surprised.

“Hell, I was delighted.

“So what if she’s a Republican?

“So what if she didn’t know the definition of the Bush Doctrine? Her performance was a Western draw. Bravery intact. But no one shot.

“So I asked myself — what fault is there in admiring a woman who is against abortion — even though I believe in freedom of choice?

“What’s wrong with huge respect for a woman who chose to give birth to a Down Syndrome child knowing full well what was in store for her and her family?

“She is real. She is rural. She may not be a brilliant tactician, but she’s got street sense.

“Thus, it now appears Palin has emerged as ‘everywoman’ to a huge portion of our female population; a woman never really identified with what we thought was our quintessential role model — a highly educated woman who wears tailored suits, whose voice is never shrill and who has a husband who makes more than she does.

“I don’t know what perfume Palin wears, but to me she smells of the soil.”

It didn’t take long to pull the plug on my Palin admiration, especially since she didn’t know where Russia was actually located in reference to Alaska and cribbed answers to questions on her hand when being interviewed on TV.

In the meanwhile, I will continue to admire Cheney’s grit, formidable style, critical thinking and resolve.

And pray for Palin’s recovery from COVID-19.

Scary Harry . . .

Prince Harry is now a man of words.

In a recent Armchair Expert podcast, a once merry Harry claimed life amid the royal Brit monarchy was a mix he eventually wanted to nix.

Unhappy Harry now describes his royal life as a “mix between being in a zoo and ‘The Truman Show,’” a film about a guy unaware his life exists on a TV set. He cites the tragedy of the life of his mother, Princess Diana, ending in a paparazzi hunt.

• Upshot or buckshot? Is the escapism Harry sought with American wife, Meghan nee Markle, among the security surrounding their Montecito mansion in California and amid time spent on TV queen Oprah Winfrey’s film sets?

Ya think?

A meow moment . . .

Checking it out!

Here’s a rare report: The press actually used mathematical calculators last week when covering the amazing fire escape of a black cat, which jumped from the fifth floor of a burning apartment in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood last Thursday afternoon.

• To wit: Some newsies actually fact checked the terminal velocity of the cat pitching itself out of a window before miraculously surviving the fall.

Kay’s way . . .

Veteran Chicago political reporter Dick Kay, who “doogied” out last week at 84, was a film noir character in a starring role on his remarkable TV news career.

Kay was a “meet;” an unforgettable WMAQ reporter, storyteller, scoopster, and guy with a baritone chuckle accompanied by a query. He loved the angles.

Once you met him, you never forgot him.

Condolences to his beloved family and goodbye to the newsman with the wry smile, deep laugh, and unforgettable voice.

Sneedlings . . .

Saturday’s birthdays: Ray Lewis, 46; Emmitt Smith, 52; and Andy Murray, 34. . . . Sunday birthdays: Megan Fox, 35; Janet Jackson, 55; and Danny Trejo, 77.

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