Sarah Palin Redux

There are many choices an actor makes when building a character. When Ed O’Neill auditioned for the role of Al Bundy on Married with Children he drew inspiration from an uncle who had been beaten down by life, his job and his family. After watching dozens of actors channel Jackie Gleason’s blowhard Ralph Kramden, the show’s creators saw O’Neill stop at the front door on the set, hang his head and let out a defeated sigh before walking in to see his family. He had the job before saying a word. Although the script was the same, O’Neill saw a more interesting way to play Bundy.

Every actor has choices to make on how the printed word of the author will be brought to life. Tina Fey was naturally thrust into the role of Sarah Palin because of the physical resemblance and had the usual choices to make in building a character plus more because Fey surely had a hand in writing the material.

Let’s think about from what Fey had to draw. Palin hunted moose, played high school basketball, won a beauty contest, is the married mother of five children. She rose from the PTA to mayor of her small town to Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commissioner to Governor, taking on and defeating entrenched and corrupt male politicians in her own party along the way. She has an 80%+ approval rating. She has a funny way of speaking, dropping the g’s at the end of words and sounding a bit like a character from the movie Fargo, don’t you know.

Surely Fey would want to celebrate a woman who has risen so adeptly while raising children. She could have found humor in Palin’s story but still played her as the strong and intelligent woman she is. Or Fey could have chosen to play her as a moron, which she did.

Reporters have also have choices when defining the subject of a story. Even before the Katie Couric interview there were rumors about whether Palin was the actual birth mother of her son, if she wanted to ban books in the library, if she acted properly if firing the Public Safety Commissioner and whether she had an affair. Throngs of reporters were dispatched to Alaska to dig up dirt. Her speech at the convention was masterful. By the time she said another word she was on defense.

Reporters and entertainers were in the tank for President Obama to the point of being embarrassing. The thrill going up Chris Matthew’s leg was part of a media epidemic that caused them to ignore the questionable facets of Obama’s background (Rezko, Rev. Wright, Ayers) and nonsense spewing from Sen. Biden (President Roosevelt went on TV in 1929?).

I will agree with some that Gov. Palin may not be ready for the Vice Presidency. She would have benefitted from another term as Governor or perhaps a run for Senate to gain some international experience. Her interviews were less than stellar but she is an intelligent and driven woman who needs some polish. She may be a good President someday.

Compare the media treatment Palin received to that of Caroline Kennedy. In one 30-minute session Kennedy said “you know” over 200 times with a smattering of “um’s” for good measure. Kennedy has never held office and sometimes didn’t vote. Did SNL get Laraine Newman out of mothballs to portray her as a stumblebum? Have any reporters grilled her? Of course not. There is actually some disdain about how Gov. Paterson passed over Kennedy for the Senate appointment as if she were entitled to the office. Conversely, Tina Fey gets the Entertainer of the Year Award.

Sarah Palin is setting up a fundraising committee to run for President. I wish her well.