GOP Nominee Palin Loves the Limelight and Oprah Tickles Her Fancy
Talk about a publicity stunt. Sarah Palin hits Oprah up with an interview to pump her new book "Going Rogue: An American Life."
Sarah Who?
Remember Sarah Palin? Oh yes. She was John McCain’s running mate for VP in 2008 against now President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
The Republicans Named Who???? For Vice President 2008?
Palin was the “wild card” thrown by the Republican party during the volatile ’08 United States presidential election. In her first term as the governor of Alaska and on the GOP ticket, she ran into trouble in the international spotlight for a number of reasons including some legal and ethical issues involving her ex-brother-in-law (Mike Wooten), her high dollar wardrobe, and her daughter Bristol’s (the oldest of the five Palin children) pregnancy by Levi Johnston.
What Has Palin Been Up to Lately?
After making a number of lame comments to media during her run for national office, Palin resigned as the governor of Alaska with 18 months left on the books. Palin noted personal reasons, and she certainly had some.
Palin says in her interview with Oprah that her state (Alaska) was being "hampered" and that she was "lame duck" as far as her political office in her home state. Palin said that she was "reloading" and that her focus was on 2010 (today and now - and selling her book) but not 2012 as a presidential candidate. She did not, however, rule that idea out that she might gear up and run for president. She danced around that idea and also the idea of being a talk show host just like Oprah.
After losing the bid to be VP of the United States last year and after resigning her seat as governor of Alaska and with a special needs baby of her own and an unwed daughter with a baby, many can understand why Palin could and should take a break. That is a lot on her plate. Still, you don't bail out on your job (especially an elected position) and then expect to play the political game. If she can't run for office and run her household, then how does she think she could run the country?
Does a Lady Take a Break After She's Been Run Over by the Bus?
Hanging loose and getting her life on track does not seem to be a priority with Palin. She has spent the year getting a book together. That is a huge task, but she really did not write the book. Going Rogue is ghostwritten by Lynn Vincent who has signed a non-disclosure agreement. This is not unusual. Most stars who write books really do not write the books. They talk with writers who do the the work. That is a reality in the literary world.
Now Palin in on tour to promote her book, and her first stop is the Oprah show (11-16-09). Might as well start at the top. Very few people carry the clout to land an Oprah spot. Palin does, and she takes full advantage of that as she does most any chance to get media attention that she thinks will be favorable (although she manages to make herself look bad in most cases).
Palin/Oprah TV Interview
Palin does handle the Oprah show fairly well, and Oprah does ask some semi-tough questions though does not go for the jugular. In fact, for an hour long show with only Palin as the guest, not much gets said.
The two high powered women talk and share stories though clearly do not have much in common. Oprah says that she doesn't understand certain decisions made by Palin, and Palin rambles around without answering.
The overall theme of the Oprah show on Palin is that Palin got a bad shake during the election. That is Palin's spin - both in her book and in her first interview to promote the book. She got a chance of a lifetime, and she stomps all over almost everyone who made that possible. She must not have heard that old saying about not burning bridges.
Palin notes that she thought her kids would be off limits as Obama's have been (although she has put hers out there). Palin notes the double standard while sharing home videos of her own children. She complains that her whole family was made over during the presidential campaign. "Do we really look that bad?" Palin asks. Oprah does not, however, ask how Obama's family was impacted or if Palin might have just said "no" if she did not like the free clothes and new looks. In fact, Palin says that she liked having her clothes there and laid out for her. Well hey, I might like a deal like that as well.
As far as the Katie Couric interview that reflected poorly on Palin, Oprah asked a number of questions about that episode. Palin never did note any of her readings even though Oprah questioned her several ways about that. The most specific she got was, "I'm a lover of books and magazines and newspapers." After all this time, Palin still does not appear to know what she reads and why. So, she doesn't write (her own book), and people are still left to wonder what and if she does read in her spare time.
The Levi Question
It was hyped to the max before the Oprah show - the Levi question. And, of course, Oprah asked about the father of Palin's grandchild.
Palin noted that she was disappointed by the things Levi has done since he became famous on her name. Palin said that she thinks (but gave no proof) that Levi Johnston is now going by the name Ricky Hollywood. And, she said of his planned spread in PlayGirl, "I call it porn." Levi is, by the way, invited to Thanksgiving 2009 even though he is not really available to parent his child according to Palin. Palin does not seem to connect this with the fact that it took three weeks for her to hook up with her own husband to tell him that their own child (the baby) would be born with Downs Syndrome.
I'm still baffled that a professional (?) woman would have an ongoing fued with a teenager on national television. Levi is now saying that Palin is "full of it" after her last bash. He didn't even rate a mention in her book, but she can't manage to be a "bigger person" and give him some credit for something. Can the guy be all bad? I really doubt it.
While Levi gets a bad shake, Palin notes that her daughter, Bristol, is on 24/7 for the baby. Palin also brags that Bristol works a job and goes to school. The hours really do not add up there. A good mother does not have to be on duty 24/7, but it is not possible to be there around the clock and also work and go to school.
Final Thoughts by Palin on Oprah
Palin notes that people "don't need a title to make a difference." From a woman who has held titles most of her life, that is a little hard to swallow. Why does she have a slot on the Oprah show? Come on. Some people get heard and others don't. It's just a shame that some babble when they get an opportunity to make a difference.
Palin is doing Oprah while Levi and most other people are given few chances to voice opinions in this country. Levi does get PlayGirl magazine and a chance to show his goods. While that may not sit well with Palin and many others, he does get a voice or, at least, a photo shoot. That is more than most people, and Palin does have some problems calling the kettle black when she has her own issues but states on Oprah that the worst she thought could be dug up on her was that she made a "D" in a college class. That certainly suggests a reality check is in order. A "D" back in the day really is (or should be) the least of her worries these days.
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