More

Featuring fresh takes and real-time analysis from HuffPost's signature lineup of contributors
Carole Bayer Sager

GET UPDATES FROM Carole Bayer Sager
 

Dancing With the Tea Party

Posted: 11/20/10 03:01 PM ET

Sarah Palin has recently stated that she believes that she could beat Obama in 2012.

I would have said that was ridiculous until I saw that her daughter Bristol is now heading to the finals in this coming Monday's Dancing With The Stars.

As Brandy hung her head and cried during her elimination on Tuesday night, I began to believe for certain in the power of the Tea Party. Brandy and her partner Max have enjoyed perfect scores on more than one occasion. Brandy is an excellent dancer who deserved to make it to the finals.

Bristol Palin is a young woman who has a sweet and earnest disposition, who has worked very hard to become a "better" dancer in her DWTS journey, but what she is not, and will never be is a great dancer.

Week after week, dancers with more natural talent, grace, and most importantly, ability have found themselves eliminated after perfect and near perfect scores while Bristol continues to be saved from elimination after continuous weeks of landing at the bottom of the judges leader board.

Week after week we see the real star, Sarah Palin, in the audience cheering and supporting her daughter Bristol, while consciously consolidating her base with each appearance.

What all of this means regarding how the votes are counted on DWTS is far less important about what this might be telling us about the future of our country and the power of Sarah Palin.

Yes, this is only a television show but I hope the Democratic Party is taking notice.

The Karl Rove School of Politics has much to teach us. Stay on point, hammer home the message, (truth or fiction) and get your people to the polls.

Whether one is voting for a television candidate or a political one, those of us not glued to Fox News need to Wake up and Show up if we care about our candidates and our party.

Elections can be stolen when enough people deliver the same message; much the same as choosing finalists on television.

 
 
 
  • Comments
  • 1,030
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Comments are closed for this entry
View All
Favorites
Highlights
Bloggers
Recency  | 
Popularity
Page: 1 2 3 4 5  Next ›  Last »  (21 total)
12:24 PM on 01/08/2011
I am a member of the Democratic Party. I can't imagine Palin voted in but who'd imagine beforehand, an actor could be pres. As a progressive person, (Liberal's a bad word now thanks to Rove?) I'd like to be all inclusive. The thought of it makes me want to watch "House Hunters Intl".on HGTV for another country to move to. I am also an artist trying to break into a second career after happily being let go from a company I worked for as an artist for 30 years. New career is video/film. I love your song "Anyone At All" and want to use it for a wedding video. Can you guide me where to start on getting proper rights to use it for this one time purpose? I am so shocked to realize you have written so many of my favorite sentimental songs. I hope I can see you perform live someday. Of course I am from the bra burning 60's and Tapestry times. Those of us from that era must not give up but keep speaking our minds and getting some sanity out there! I hope this makes it past the screeners! I'll keep checking your posts. I'm a little green about social media but not too old to learn!
dessertsfirst
because life is too short!!
08:42 PM on 11/23/2010
Well said!
04:10 PM on 11/23/2010
Research the web and anyone can find how to game the DWTS system, which Bristol supporters openly admit to doing. But you are correct Carole, hammering home the message is part of the game plan. In the case of DWTS, that includes Bergeron saying FU to those who dare to question ABC's antiquated voting system, unless they have voted. And judges upping Palin's scores and treating her with kid gloves. The message? That Bristol is still on the show because of popular support, she is the people's sweetheart. To cloud the issues surrounding their piss poor voting system, to help explain away how someone with two left feet is still on. And some do buy into this.

Though I'm not sure that repeating all things will make them more believed by the American public. A million Democrats can give the same message, but if it doesn't fit people's preconceptions, it will be ignored. The Republicans/Tea Party use the fable of American self-reliance to explain to us why the richest shouldn't pay more taxes on the monies they "earned." That's right, they deserve more, they work hard for it, they make all our lives better. When really, most are people that are born on third base and go through life as if they hit a triple.

So hammer home the message, Democrats, but dress it up as a catch phrase of American values. Even if it's true.
03:47 PM on 11/23/2010
very good article...the show in a sense give where the country's pulse is at in regard to the Conservative movement.
01:08 PM on 11/23/2010
If it was Chelsea Clinto in the finals you wouldn't hear a peep from the left about a voting conspiracy, of course the right would be saying the same the left is saying now. SIGH!!!!!
Chauncey1186
Yeah, I'm a soshulist - so what?
09:28 AM on 11/23/2010
Meh. Seems the Palinbots learned how to game the DWTS system, that's all.
09:04 AM on 11/23/2010
I wouldn't be caught dead watching this insipid show, but it's no different than what we have in Washington - people still vote for the dumbest candidates despite evidence that they are inept.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
08:49 AM on 11/23/2010
also why brandy was a good dancer. Maks is a very arrogrant guy and that's off putting to some people. he had a public  run in with the judges that i dont believe helped his partner in terms of votes.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
08:47 AM on 11/23/2010
It was always a popularity contest. Otherwise they wouldn't have viewer votes. Viewers dont know anything about dancing. But they do know who they like or want to to win.
 
the judges votes dont mean too much because they dont go too low too often. So someone who gets all 7s is not that far behind someone who gets all 10s-like 4% behind. and thus the voting public matters a lot more than the judges because thats where you would have a real swing in popularity .
 
Audrina Patridge was a good dancer. But nobody cared about her. Barely anyone knew her.
HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
JScott
John Galt's last name is McGuffin-Smithee
12:54 AM on 11/23/2010
Yes, this is only a television show but I hope the Democratic Party is taking notice.

The Karl Rove School of Politics has much to teach us. Stay on point, hammer home the message, (truth or fiction) and get your people to the polls.

Whether one is voting for a television candidate or a political one, those of us not glued to Fox News need to Wake up and Show up if we care about our candidates and our party.

Elections can be stolen when enough people deliver the same message; much the same as choosing finalists on television.

Yup it's the RWNM/conspiracy at work-they are out to win at all costs even DWTS, never back down never be off or off message, the Dems could learn from this.
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
10:33 PM on 11/22/2010
The majority of the actual voters(not just viewers) for this show are a certain kind of person and that same type of person could be vulnerable to the superficial appeal of the "Tea Party". This is a silly TV show and an easy avenue for the "Tea Party" to use to organize a vote campaign that no other contestant would bother to have.
It really means nothing and is only dangerous when people give her advancement, due to the vote tally, more weight than it deserves. Sarah and Bristol are completely unqualified for much of anything and are only propelled to these heights by lazy superficial fans and media. They are balloons filled with air and will soon pop-nothing really there, talent wise, to keep them aloft for long.
I think the majority of actual voters in an election would require a bit more substance than Palin has ever been able to show. If all others who would require talent in a dancer, that were watching or doing something else-would have voted, Bristol would have been long gone.
Voters were awake in Alaska-Tea Party lost the Senate race where they know Sarah best.
The Tea Party will need a better hammer and the left will need a better message to hammer home.
It would be tragic if neither needed a talented candidate of substance.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
educatedfoolz
won't get fooled again
07:48 PM on 11/22/2010
You mean the tribe hasn't voted her out yet?...oh, sorry....wrong show.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
nutty4tahoe
Stop repeat offenders. Don't re-elect them.
04:48 PM on 11/22/2010
Host Tom Bergeron better be looking for a new job, unless he's willing to be the new host of the new ABC DWTS spin-off show, Dancing with High School Dropout Teenage Unwed Mothers.
03:56 PM on 11/22/2010
Fortunately in real elections, not TV shows, we only get one vote each.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
nutty4tahoe
Stop repeat offenders. Don't re-elect them.
04:46 PM on 11/22/2010
Unless Diebold is involved...
03:12 PM on 11/22/2010
It's called Dancing with the STARS not Dancing with the DANCERS