May I begin today’s meeting by asking everyone just how much are we enjoying the 2008 presidential contest. This thing has had it all from the get-go. A year ago John Mc Cain was dead broke and flying coach. Hillary was a lock for the nomination and Obama was seen as a comer and long shot VP selection and John Edwards was a family man.
Going into the democratic convention the story line was can Obama placate Hillary and her fulminating female demographic? Well, Hillary said all the right things and we’re supposed to believe she really, really wants Barack Obama elected. The republicans on the other hand seemed focused on putting together the message that Obama was all hat and no cattle. His lack of any real experience or achievement would be McCain’s strength.
Then along came Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin. Forget experience, she’s hot and can field dress a moose. The beehived buzz saw from Wasilla electrified the nation with her speech and her compelling life story. It was like a scene out of “Working Girl” only this one’s titled “Hockey Mom.” The bespectacled secretary walks into a meeting of the big boys and the next thing you know, they’re working for her. I’ll bet Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee feel like they’ve seen the movie.
But here’s where it gets interesting for two of the most powerful women in America, Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey. Let’s start with Hillary. Before Sarah Palin’s ascension, all Hillary had to do was appear enthusiastic enough about Obama that she wouldn’t get the blame if he lost. She needs Obama to lose to further her career.
Sarah Palin changes everything. The 44 year-old mother of five has become the present and future of the Republican Party. She’s in a win-win situation. If McCain wins, she’s vice-president and heir apparent down the road. If McCain loses, she won’t get the blame but will get the presidential nomination in 2012.
None of this is good news for the aging Senator from New York. She needs a diminished Sarah Palin off the stage combined with an Obama loss to keep her presidential hopes alive.
Another woman with Sarah Palin problems is talk show host Oprah Winfrey. An early backer of Barack Obama, the self-important queen of daytime television announced she would not have Sarah Palin on her show until after the election if at all. Given Oprah’s audience is 110% women, many of whom are white, blue collar women, this decision could hurt Winfrey.
If there was ever a woman or a story that cried out for an hour on Oprah’s couch, it’s Sarah Palin… hockey mom, Down syndrome baby, Mr. Mom husband and a pregnant teenager at home. If Palin was Obama’s running mate, it would be a three parter during sweeps. Denying her audience that moment could generate a racial and political backlash which will hurt ratings and advertising revenue. Her ratings have already been hurt by her Obama endorsement.
The trick for both women is finding a way to take the legs out from under Gov. Palin without offending all those heartland voters so enamored with her. Hillary will likely focus on McCain and hope the media digs up some dirt on Palin. Oprah will claim hers is an entertainment platform and not a news program obligated to give equal time to anyone.
One thing is certain. Sarah Palin’s selection will ensure the midnight oil burns hot at Harpo Studios and Chappaqua.
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7 comments:
If you are smarter than Oprah, why aren't you rich?
If there ever was a woman or a story that needed the exposure of being interviewed by a real journalist, it is Sarah Palin, who wants fluff interviews but wouldn't come near a tough question.
I think we have to start asking ourselves what Palin is afraid of. If she wants to be on TV, she could call Olbermann and have an hour, but he would ask her questions that didn't have to do with her favorite designer.
If Palin is "ready" to be VP, she should be ready to give an interview about that. I think we can see that she is not ready, and I think we all know that the fainting and pearl clutching about Oprah is a smokescreen to cover the fact that Palin is hiding from the press.
How do you know I'm not revoltingly rich and what possible bearing would that have on my opinion of anything. Sarah Palin will most certainly make the mandatory media rounds. When she does it is of very little importantance at this point. She needs to focus on defining herself before allowing an agenda driven media to do it for her. Jim Langan
The 64 dollar question is how Sarah Palin will handle the tough questions that are going to come.
I saw McCain answering an AARP member's question on balancing the budget and what he offered was vetoing earmarks. That got a lot of applause but it looks like the audience wasn't aware of the insignificance of the impace of earmarks on the overall budget.
I suspect that Ms. Palin will be coached to provide similar answers. Of course the pundits will see right through that but will the public?
My guess is Sarah Palin will do just fine when she does the "tough interviews". Scepticism about her ability to perform smacks of sexism and a belief she's out of her depth. She will prove them all wrong.
I can't wait until October 2nd when Sarah Palin will blow blowhard Joe Biden out of the water in the VP debate. He will look like a stack of old newspapers when she gets thru with his tired ass.
Oprah smoprah. The real test is when the Gov. (or rather her keepters) will allow her to face the press and the public. A 2-day invitational to ABC's Gibson doesn't count. She needs to face the same standards and expectations that face Sen. Biden. And every day that I wait for her to take up this very conventional part of any national campaign adds more to my conviction that she is unqualified and that she knows it, too.
Jane- May I begin by saying how ironic it is that you would criticize Sarah Palin for avoiding the press. Jeez...she's been the nominee for less than a week and will be doing ABC News this week. As for Biden like scrutiny, she'll make the rounds shortly without sounding like your blowhard Uncle at the family picnic. May I also point out your beloved Hillary never sat for an extended interview when she ran for the Senate and only sat for a few this year when she fell behind Obama.
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