Sarah Palin's SNL Apperance a Strategic Disaster

Sarah Palin joined SNL tonight and proved once again that McCain was unwise to have her on the ticket and even more unwise not to veto this appearance. In isolation, Palin's very brief moments were, in themselves the problem.

But consider what people tuning in experienced, especially her conservative base fans and any of the young people they hoped to attract to their failed campaign. SNL has long been Saturday Night Dead and without Tina Fey there was nothing worth seeing. Josh Brolin hosted, reporting thay playing W taught him that neither W, nor he should ever be president.

Then in sketches and Weekend Update viewers were reminded of the economic difficulty the country finds itself in and by now we know that the economy has done nothing but hurt John McCain. Thus, over and over, viewers were reminded of McCain's biggest problem, besides Sarah Palin.

Then, no viewer could be sure when Gov. Palin would appear thought might guess she'd appear on Weekend Update, but one watched all the awful bilge wondering if she might appear in a tasteless sketch. She didn't but millions of viewers were exposed to scores of fart jokes, a sketch about a guy who would shoot a ping pong ball from his rear end, and Palin being compared to Dan Quayle. No helping hand of any kind was extended to Palin.

Often these appearances help humanize the candidate, but we already know she is human and capable of error and has a sense of humor. But now we know better than before that her judgement and that of Sen. McCain is indefensible.

Cap that off with one of the most tough and incisive Obama ads of the campaign purchased midway though the program. I just shook my head and thought, man, the Obama campaign doesn't miss a trick and maybe the McCain campaign really is being run by those who wish him to lose and lose badly.

Comments

[SayNoToPalin]

For most politicians, an appearance on SNL can help humanize them in front of the electorate. That was the underlying problem with Palin"s performance. She doesn"t need to be "humanized" " that"s all she"s got. We already know she is deeply flawed and capable of being humorous about the most inappropriate things. What she really needed was to help the electorate know that she has a more than a basic vocabulary about foreign and domestic policy. Something she could have done if she hadn"t chickened out of "Meet the Press" or "Face the Nation" in favor of confirming dead-on impersonations on SNL.

Worth checking out:
http://notopalin.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/palin-on-snl-she-killed-a-moose-that-is/

[DesertKayaker]

I agree. Gov. Palin's appearance did nothing to help her image. She looked uncomfortable the entire time (understandably) but did nothing to help humanize her as other politicians have done in the past.

This instance is simply another example in a long list of the poor planning coming out of the McCain camp. Sen. McCain once boasted about his ability to make quick decisions then deal with the outcome later. I believe his selection of Gov. Palin without full vetting or even knowing her is proof of that.

When David Letterman asked Sen. McCain last week why he chose Gov. Palin as his running mate, his answer: "I'm proud of her."

Would he say that if he chose Sen. Lieberman or Gov. Romney? Hardly. But it shows how sexist he is (as if any doubt existed after he once referred to his wife Cindy as a c---) and how willing he is to use her to get what he wants.

Is that really putting "Country First"?

[Ignorethetruth]

Palin on 'SNL' Earns Show Its Highest Ratings in 14 Years

Palin's guest shot, widely anticipated since Fey began imitating her a month ago, led "Saturday Night Live" to its highest mark in overnight Nielsen Media Research ratings since March 1994, when assaulted skater Nancy Kerrigan was guest host.

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/19/palin-smiles-snl-mocks-anew/

Wow, for someone that the MSM has demonized it sure seems that a lot of people still want to see her. The polls also seem to be turning away from the annointed one- don't count your chickens.

[RobinSeattle]

People tuned in to this for the same reason they watch NASCAR or other auto races: they want to see somebody get wrecked. And SNL delivered, as they dissed her right to her face. This was a comedy mugging.

[baznyc]

Did ya ever notice, that people slow down to look at car wrecks?
Palin is a *phenomenon* in the mind of the GOP base. She is the GOP projection, of the imaginary Sen Obama, they created in their minds... *The Celebrity, Empty-Suited, Chosen-One,* with a wacko preacher (Muthee), and pals with terrorists (her secessionist husband, and the Alaska Independence Party, which Palin spoke to this year).
Palin is as much what's doing McCain in, as the financial meltdown.

[presto]

Huh?? I clicked on this thinking it was a review of Palin's appearance. Instead, it's a review of SNL and an Obama ad. Misleading headline.

[jimforpresident]

I thought the only bright spot was the Sara skit. The last time I watched SLN in it entirety was a couple of years after Jane you ignorant slut. I have not seen the whole show since that time. Now I know why. The fact the that this is still on TV shows the intelligence of the American people to follow the media. Sorry if I offended any one. I will erase most of the crap I saw last night and remember the many well done skits from the original actors. Maybe some Pat skits, Down by the river in the van, and selected church lady stuff. The show really sucked.

[Pacojam]

Brilliant strategy by the McCain camp!!

Thanks for informing the american people that Sara Palin would give an excellent press comference! We were all wondering what kind of press comference she would give if she were actually to give one. Thanks for answering that question for us in such a brilliant way! Palin's press comference would be so much better than Tina Fey's and any that non-executive-experience Obama could ever give.

With this stroke of genius, it is now unnecessary that Palin give a press comference! The american people have all they need to know!

[rplevy]

I think Arianna may have missed the openning sketch starring Tina Fey, but other than that oversight, right on. This performance will only go to further demonstrate that no one is "running the show" or exercising any kind of smart leadership and executive decision-making in the McCain campaign, and that has exactly the bad results one would expect.

[RobinSeattle]

The politicians that appear on SNL are usually aware of their own limitations and realize that the ability to take the mickey out of oneself is a politically advantageous trait.

Even if Al Gore can't tell a joke to save his life. he is basically a fairly decent individual and understands how he is coming off. Even Richard Nixon saying "sock it to me?" on Laugh In worked because "mister go to the beach in wingtips" Nixon knew that he was a stiff like Gore is.

But Palin is a stiff with a mean streak. She has never been one of your typical gladhanding work the room kind of pols. She has gotten where she is by slinging mud and being treacherous, even to political allies. She is what would happen if Franz Kafka gave birth to a female version of Bob Dole. Humor has never been a big part of her arsenal and her innate narrowmindedness and shrewd solipsism comes through loud and clear. So the SNL appearance was just overly forced and made her look pathetic. There is nothing Americans hate more than folks who look like they are trying too hard to be cool, especially when they are as hateful as Palin, who is one "Nuke the Whales" pamphlet short of being Lyndon Larouche.

[popcrash]

I disagree. I think Palin's appearance on SNL was a brilliant move... for her bid as the next member of The View. When the ridiculous side show of her candidacy for VP is finally over and we can get on to business I think she'll be a huge hit on daytime TV. Politically, it was a ignorant move to put her up in the SNL shooting gallery. And for that, I'm most grateful.

[kdublya]

A slew of gimmicks does not a strategy make.

[MariaV]

THis reminded me very much of McCain on Letterman. Both crews did not hold back on the jokes just for their presence. And the tension was palpable. In the case of SNL, the scenes were so controlled that Palin seemed vacant. There was never a time where I felt her presence was really needed, even when she was on. THe actors did the work. In the case of Letterman, it was an interrogation over all. It was sort of like, OKAY let's just buck up and get through this, the ratings will be great. BUt in both cases it just seemed kind of weird. I can't imagine what the writers had to go through.

[ESerafina42]

She has a sense of humor? Being able to read a joke off of a teleprompter does not a sense of humor make.

[obamadeus]

I agree. And even when she does make jokes, they're mean-spirited. She doesn't understand the self-deprecating humor that appeals to most Americans. McCain, Obama, and Biden all understand it, but Palin doesn't.

[allonfla]

I didn't watch the show on purpose, but I did watch the clips on this website - curiousity got the best of me. I can't stand her and no amount of SNL appearances will change that. Your article makes me feel better though, I hadn't heard that there was an Obama commercial. Very clever. What would have been great is a skit with the real Palin and Josh as Bush - McCain camp would have vetoed that I'm sure. I wish she wasn't on though, Tina's Palin and Josh's Bush would have been comedy gold.

[limber]

I think you're underestimating how many people put SNL on "mute" when the interesting stuff's not on.

God knows I'm no fan of Palin, but dammit, she was funny. She got her lines out smoothly and with good inflection, she didn't fumble any jokes, she chair-danced with enthusiasm -- it's not going to earn my vote, but hey. Live comedy's hard, and she pulled it off pretty well.

So, point taken that the rest of the show's not a conservative's cup of tea, but I honestly don't think they watched the McGruber sketches. They just unmuted it when Palin popped up onscreen, and that's a win for her.

[allonfla]

maybe I missed something. How many skits was she in? - because she wasn't funny in either one that is shown on this website. Wait-a-minute....you do realize that it was Tina Fey in the majority of the press conference skit, dontcha!

[limber]

You betcha I do! But seriously, it's very easy for people to freeze up or screw over the rest of the cast with a dropped line. Palin did well. And I thought it was funny.

Then again, I also enjoyed "Mark Wahlberg talks to Animals". Perhaps I'm easily amused.

[williebite]

When it was over I wondered if I'd missed something. . . that was pitiful.
Obama's ad was perfectly timed.

[Glenn1441]

I missed the show but caught clips here. Read about the Obama ad.
But, wow, Mr. Kubey, you really laid it out in this post. So true about SNL without Tina Fey -- dull, dull, dead. Add to the SNL fiasco and consider McCain trolling back to Letterman -- one of the few to ask McCain honest questions -- and to then press them (and the mean is not even a journalist or news commentator!) Letterman really exploited his advantage -- to the benefit of us all.

Not a good week of dipping into late night comedy.