Reading The Pictures: The Palin Nerve

This idea that she's some sort of fragile, know-nothing amateur who is going to quiver and collapse when subjected to the rough and tumble world of American journalism is painfully ludicrous....
...
Moreover, Sarah Palin isn't Dan Quayle. She is extremely smart -- much smarter than the average media star who will eventually be interviewing her -- and she is very politically skilled as well. She didn't go from obscure small-town city council member to Governor to Vice Presidential nominee by accident. She'll be more than adequately prepared for the shallow, 30-second, rote exchanges that pass for political interviews in our serious mainstream discourse. Anyone expecting her to fall on her face or be exposed as some drooling simpleton is going to be extremely disappointed. That might (or might not) happen with real questioning, but she's not going to face that.

-- from: The mighty, scary press corps / Glenn Greenwald

Even without the larger media sensationalizing and the echoing of GOP spin about Sarah Palin, this would still represent a very fine cover. You don't get this kind of portrait without a photographer daring to look at a not-so-passive subject -- and requiring the subject to have to deal with it.

... But I'm getting ahead of myself. Just what is so impressive about this image?

First, you have to appreciate we are looking at someone completely new to the national stage being asked to present herself for the first time to potentially hundreds of millions of Americans. In response, Palin is not only not daunted or nervous (or even flattered or honored). Instead, in her fixed gaze back at us, she chooses to defy the task. In other words, she is not offering herself up to be looked at or studied in the way a portrait requires some submission or buy-in. Rather, Palin exercises the authority to defy the exercise and examine the photographer (and us) back.

But, brilliantly, that's already built into the editorial context, as TIME acknowledges Palin's skill, political intelligence and nerve in a completely matter-of-fact way, alluding to a political education and (in the title of the cover story: "How Sarah Palin Mastered Politics") the mastery that, in a national debut, could produce a maverick (read: defiant) stance and a gaze like this.

The other telling thing about this image is Palin's complete subversion of the color pink. In her acceptance speech last week, Palin went out of her way to blatantly recode the way the public is to understand her lipstick. What it is to signify instead -- completely bastardizing the more typical feminine, softening and peace-loving associations to the pink of her lips, and by extension, her clothing -- is the violence and intimidation of the pit bull.

Two more features here, one of which is probably a bit of a commentary by the photographer. It's interesting how Palin, so fixed as she is, is captured off-center. The feeling I get, although it's subjective territory, is that placing her at the edge or the margin was how the shooter used the frame to speak to her underlying temperament and carriage. Finally, an astute reader alerted me to one other "off-kilter" element here. If you follow the line of Palin's glasses using the bottom of the TIME letters as a level, you'll notice her frames are tilted to the right. I don't know how to interpret this except to say that, in the portrait, it's another element that lends tension and contradiction to a person who, in the rest of her presentation -- her hair, her makeup and her designer glasses (which are creating so much sensation) -- is otherwise so carefully composed.

Beyond the TIME cover, however, what the public needs is a more uncomplicated view of the Alaskan governor, in the vein of Sarah Palin buddy-buddy with Senator Stevens; or Sarah Palin addressing the secessionist Alaska Independence Party; or the glorified hunter with bloody animals; or Sara Palin -- with a smug expression, surrounded by smug-looking aides, Sarah Palin bumper stickers and a soda can with a Superman emblem on it -- touting The Bridge To Nowhere.

For more of the visual, visit BAGnewsNotes.com.

(image 1: Richard Fleischman/Time. September 3, 2008. Minneapolis. image 2: TPM. image 3: Alaskan Independence Party website. image 4: Associated Press.image 4: Obama Campaign via washingtonidependent.com)

Comments

[OnTheCusp]

Pit bull!! Mean!!! Downright evil in her desire to gut contraception and ban books!!!!

[joebiz]

The image angle is what we're trying to get away from. If the election was a beauty contest, Palin would win. But, it's not a Miss America contest. Let's treat it as a serious debate about a woman who among many things:

1) Believes in a Christian celestial dictaorship. A god that knows what you think, will say, will do, can watch you while you sleep, etc . . . A Big Brother complex? We had it with Bush and now we have a zealot for Jesus.

2) Has a rudimentary formal education from 5-6 different community colleges and universities. It's not elitism when we can expect our leaders be educated. Given the fact that Washington DC and the global leadership is heavily laden with intellectuals, policy wonks, foreign operatives with advanced educations, we should not short change ourselves with lower expectations. Our presidential team should be able to handle complex ideas about the world.

3) Has scant experience in the political process and managing politics in the "real world." Wasilla, Fairbanks, and Alaska are NOT representative of the Globe or for that matter the US.

Carter and Reagan, were governors. California being diversely populated. Carter was member of boards, the Georgia Senate, and Governor of Georgia, over 20 years in government before reaching POTUS. This IS experience.

PTA Moose Mom, mayor of a grotto in the Klondike and Governor of a small "city" (Alaska's population is 600,000) about the size of El Paso or Milwaukee is NOT experience.

[SurferKit]

"When someone shows you who they are, believe them."
Maya Angelou.

To all the men, who are captivated by Palin, you obviously fall into that category of men who have had a bad history of falling for the wrong woman. I"ve seen it before. For some reason you just can"t help getting caught up in their appeal. No matter how many of your friends try to warn you away you go right ahead and pursue. But guys, if she has trouble telling the truth from the start, she cannot be trusted. It"s a red flag. Where I come from it"s known as a pathological l i a r. The relationship always ends badly, there"s usually a messy breakup, often followed by a restraining order.
Before you pull the lever or fill out your paper ballot better make sure you aren't following a pattern of behavior that's never worked out in the past.
Sarah Palin is showing the American people who she really is. Believe her.

[XME]

All I REALLY know about Palin is that she's pretty, she knows how to get ahead in politics, and she likes to off anyone who opposes or disagrees with her. As far as I can tell, the ONLY difference between her and Bush is that she's pretty (and a woman).

Seems to me that the McCain campaign is trying to throw us off the fact that she's a Bush clone with the fact that she's a woman...that because of that one fact, they assume the public won't see the connection. And many are falling for it!

[PNK]

She looks just slightly off-center, slight (very slight) tilt to the head and gaze, which could say a few things. At minimum (or maybe maximum) this is saying SHE will decide how she is presented and portrayed, what angle(s) she will present, NOT the photographer or viewer. That itself can either say insecurity/defensiveness - she wants to preempt any conception you might have as she slightly fears it - OR a "take on the world" confidence and assertiveness, a la a Madonna type.

I am reminded of the People cover (I think it was) showing the 2 "clans" - McCains incl. Cindy, and Palins, incl. a few kids, Todd and Sarah. BOTH WOMEN - Cindy and Sarah - had a side-and-down pose of their faces to the camera, smiling. Pretty traditional positioning of women in the aim-to-please stance for any viewer or the media. I was struck by that and was wondering if the 2 were coached to pose that way or what. The men were straightforward in their looks.

About the glasses, I don't see a tilt aside from them mirroring the face tilt. If they are tilted, though, it could be due to her nose or something. My sunglasses and readers :) all tilt up on my right side as I have a bump or certain shape to my nose on which they sit. Just a thought.

Interesting stuff!

[grailknight]

She's an ex beauty queen, she knows how to work a camera.

[TRYKER]

She looks like she just smelled stinky feet and is showing how she can be in the presence of something that stinks to high heaven and not even blink...or turn down the $230 Million...or the VP slot.
Now that Cheney/Bush have slaughtered our beloved America, Sarah stands ready to field dress our country.
She knows where the money is and how to get it...hire a lobbyist and its a-l-l-l-l-l yours.
She apparently knew how to intimidate her rivals and all Alaskans, no one DARES to speak against her for fear of her revengeful tactics, and they say as much in all the interviews. (and with the Secret Service and the FBI combing Alaska, the lock-down is complete)

[Irons]

Sarah Palin and George W. Bush both claim a personal stove-pipe to Jesus. Not sure about McDobson.

[Ladyteguesian]

I trust no one who is afraid of cats, or for that matter would kill any kind of animal with the exception of putting it out of its misery

[inhuff]

I agree with you, she has some nerve... But what you see before you, my friend, is a full-blooded narcissist.

Sarah Palin is not your run of the mill political narcissist because she has been allowed to have her way in a "controlled" environment, if you will. An environment that did not offer up much resistance. But once the sh*t really hits the fan... as it most certainly will, we are going to see something akin to "Alien". It will be both shocking and delicious at the same time.

Here's a brief, albeit partial, description of the particular narcissistic qualities that Ms. Palin has been displaying and why we are so confused about who she really is...

The narcissist often pretends to know everything, in every field of human knowledge and endeavour. He lies and prevaricates to avoid the exposure of his ignorance...

Where his knowledge fails him " he feigns authority, fakes superiority, quotes from non-existent sources, embeds threads of truth in a canvass of falsehoods.

Ahem...

[SurferKit]

And will NEVER admit to being wrong.

[thenextquagmire]

There is a lot a good for women in her image, but bad for the candidate Palin because of how her image has overpowered her.

What is interesting is that She photographs well, and has become more of an Image, and flavor of the month. Kinda where Obama was 18 months ago, before his highs and lows and finally winning the Democratic Nomination and finally settling on substance not image.
So, Palin is in an "image" state. The problem for her and the Republicans, is that she has carefully scripted interviews, and one debate. Why not put her behind a glass case?
The image won't hold out long since her true substance will roll out to the forefront, pretty fast and furious.

[jingles32]

I want this woman out of my face and life. What a waste of time. This is getting tedious.

[sizzlinred]

I am confused
I am confused. I do not understand why anyone would vote for the Sarah ticket.
My question is, is there covert racism going on? I think the media is not willing to talk about the reason why women are willing to vote for someone they do not know.
Please tell me how will I pay for college for just seeing this woman. Please tell me how will I pay for health insurance when Sarah knows nothing about health insurance. please tell me how will put food on the table when sarah lived in a small town and has no clue how much I am paying for rent in NYC.
I am confused, Sarah is not willing to speak to the media because she has nothing to say.
I THINK SARAH IS NOT WILLING TO SPEAK TO THE MEDIA BECAUSE SHE HAS NOTHING TO SAY TO AMERICA.
well America, when I meet people for the first time I do not invite them home for dinner until I know who they are. Maybe it is a small town thing to invite strangers home to dinner.

[CaptainStormfield]

She reminds me of Bush in 2000. The message has been sent to the faithful. She is one of us.
So they will turn out for her.

[JMBrodie]

The racism is not so covert.

I am bracing myself for the next four years...

[marlovian]

Michael, can you give me those four wasted minutes of my life back?

[bobbybee]

Seriously! And no, her glasses aren't crooked - her head is tilted ever so much. Sheesh!

[Danann]

Sarah Palin has the look of a predator. She hasn't met an animal she hasn't wanted to kill and her friends say she's afraid of cats. Go figure.

[Furby]

That ailurophobia (fear of cats) thing makes sense in a way. Cats are mostly independent and uncooperative, and don't pander to humans' need for gratification, unlike dogs.