Logo

Really, GOP?!?

Published: Oct 20, 2008

 Consulting       

Saturday night, Governor Sarah Palin elected to appear on Saturday Night Live to show Americans that she can laugh at herself. This seemed like an interesting decision, coming just a few weeks before the presidential election, and in the face of the indisputable downward trajectory of the McCain campaign. To make some sense of this puzzling strategic move, I've created a special edition of Consult THIS that I like to call Really, GOP!?! You Consulted Someone on This?

GOP, you paid someone to tell you to put Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live? Really? When people are questioning John McCain's judgment on not one, but several, critical issues, you throw Sarah Palin into the fire? Really? Do you not recall her performance on the Katie Couric interview, or your decision up until this point to keep her as far away from the media as possible? Really, GOP?

Palin first appeared on the show in the cold open, without much prep, essentially throwing herself, wrapped in a cloak of fresh meat, into the mouth of a hungry lion. Really, GOP? You thought SNL, which has been making fun of Palin for the past four weeks was going to go easy on her just because she's on their turf? You consulted someone before making this decision? Really?

Palin appeared in the cold opener with Alec Baldwin - a real charmer, if there ever was one. As a woman who's trying to be taken seriously in the political arena, really, GOP, what were you thinking putting Sarah Palin next to Alec Baldwin? If even her supporters are wearing buttons that say, "Proud to be voting for a hot chick, " and saying things like, "She's beautiful. I came here to look at her, " you think Alec Baldwin is going to raise her status as a woman who's going to be taken seriously for her intellectual capacity? Really? Your political strategists told you to go ahead with this decision? And you paid them for it? (Alec Baldwin, for his part, says Palin was a good sport about it all.)

Palin made her second appearance during Weekend Update, when Amy Poehler stepped in to perform a wicked gangsta rap covering Palin's basic MO. After a brief shimmy and raise-the-roof, Palin's face went a bit blank, as if she wasn't sure why she was there. Really, Sarah Palin? You were expecting Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers to sing your praises? You went on a show to make fun of yourself, and then you got a little sad when people were making fun of you? Really? Have you seen SNL before?

For all the questions that arose from the Palin appearance, there were a few positives. I wonder if the political strategists thought these out beforehand, too:

1) Palin's appearance was a huge boon to SNL?s ratings

2) People feel sorry for Palin getting picked on (Really? That?s a positive? Well, a sympathy vote is still a vote?)

3) We got to see Palin's dance moves - something we?ve all been waiting to see

4) Palin got to say the "Live from New York" line, which is cool no matter who you are

5) People now (hopefully) know the difference between Tina Fey and the real Sarah Palin

***