As a 76 year old, I try to stay current in that "me and mine" live in what is "the moment," and do not live in "yesterday." Now having said that, "yesterday" matters, and it matters a lot. It is not possible for me to forget history when history counts. Lina Lamont is a valuable metaphor to me. She was a character in the movie Singing in the Rain many years ago. Lina's character was a star in the era of silent movies. Her character was hidden behind silence and actions written by others. I wonder why that sounds so familiar.
Older people will remember the television program from a gazillion years ago To Tell the Truth. The show featured three people sitting at a table, two of the people pretended to be "someone" while the third person was the authentic or real "someone." Following a series of questions, the host would say: "Will the real 'someone' please stand up." It was an interesting television premise, and it ran for many years.
If we were to do a new version of To tell the Truth, we could have three Sarah Palin's as the "contestants," each one would represent one of the Palins we have seen so far.
One would be the Wife, Mother, Mayor of a very small town, and the Governor of Alaska.
One of them would be the reasonably educated, under informed, born again Christian woman who is the Republican Vice Presidential Candidate.
The last is the "performer" who when given lines or reading from a teleprompter is bright, cute, adorable, charming, and can wink her way into the hearts of conservatives.
When the programs' host asks, "Will the real Sarah Palin please stand up," what would you suppose will happen? Does anyone know the "real Sarah Palin, including Sarah Palin?"
Older people might also remember Frank Capra's "State of the Union" starring Spencer Tracy. Tracy's wife asks the question of her husband's political manager, "Don't you want him to be a good president?" He responds, "A good president is one who gets elected." And there it is. Just how far does one go to get elected and how much of oneself does one lose in the process?
John McCain, Sarah Palin, Karl Rove and company, along with their political consultants are dark figures. Who are these people and what price are they willing to pay for power? In my opinion, any price works for all of them. All of them subscribe to the theory of "A good president is one who gets elected."
I expect that to a greater or lesser extent if McCain Palin lose the election, that Sarah Palin (as suggested in the LA Times) will spend the next four years in a Republican organized "Presidents" school to prepare her for the Presidential run in 2012. She will, I expect, take lessons from a "drama coach" to prepare her for speaking extemporaneously in 2012, something that she is incapable of doing today.
Wouldn't it be either funny or sad if Palin ends up running against Hillary Clinton four years from now?
I wonder what the Republican's tell one another as to why Governor Palin isn't on all of the Sunday talk shows from now until the election. Why isn't she all over television all of the time. everyone knows why, and few if any are willing to talk about it. Speaking in response to questions and follow up she will most certainly step on her "proverbial dick." I expect she will be better at this stuff four years from now, but today she is a walking media time bomb.
Is it even remotely possible that Governor Palin is in fact a reincarnation of Singing in the Rain's Lina Lamont? Did Palin ever say as Lina did: "What's wrong with the way I talk? What's the big idea? Am I dumb or something?"
Where is Debbie Reynolds when we need her?
I also love one of the Lina Lamont quotes from the movie. It doesn't exactly fit, but what the hell.
"People"? I ain't "people." "I am a -- a shimmering, glowing star in the cinema firmament."