Palin’s Year as a Publicity Saint
When John McCain chose her as his running mate, she was virtually unknown. Now, twelve months later, Sarah Palin is sifting through more than 1070 invitations for paid appearances and speeches as well as a thick folder of offers for “network and pundit gigs, documentaries and business opportunities.”
This makes her one of the 21st century’s first publicity saints, a status I once explained to Marilyn Monroe.
“Why,” she had asked, “do they print things about me that aren’t true?”
“Because,” I told her, “your name and pictures of you sell newspapers and magazines and, if there isn’t any news, they’ll use rumors and gossip, any excuse to print them.”
In this era of disposable celebrities, many have been called to media sanctity, but only a few, most notably Barack Obama and the recently departed Michael Jackson, have been chosen. Palin’s uniqueness is in achieving it with no visible talent as a politician or entertainer beyond her twinkly shamelessness.
Yet it would be rash to minimize this superstar quality, which can override all other considerations (i.e., Marilyn’s meager achievement as an actress as well as the Palin wrecking of McCain’s campaign) and keep the public endlessly enthralled.
Even the former Alaska governor’s political obituary may be premature. Next month she will be making her first post-resignation speech at a Hong Kong conference of international global investment managers, following such previously enlightening lecturers–”notable luminaries who often address topics that go beyond traditional finance such as geopolitics”–as Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Alan Greenspan.
This will be followed by publication of her book next spring with what is sure to be a tumultuous media tour.
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16 Responses to “Palin’s Year as a Publicity Saint”
[...] Palin’s Year as a Publicity Saint September 1, 2009 by admin Leave a reply » When John McCain chose her as his running mate, she was virtually unknown. Now, twelve months later, Sarah Palin is sifting through more than 1070 invitations for paid appearances and speeches as well as a thick folder of offers for “network and pundit gigs, documentaries and business opportunities.” This makes her one of the 21st century’s first publicity saints, a status I once explained to Marilyn Monroe. “Why,” she had asked, “do they print things about me that aren’t true?” “Because Original post by Palin’s Year as a Publicity Saint [...]
Whatever anyone may say about Sarah Palin, she does keep her word.
In her farewell address to the people of Alaska, she said that one of the reasons she was stepping down as governor was to “pursue a higher goal.”
It looks like, with the probably hundreds of well-paid speeches and public appearances and her upcoming book, she'll easily reach that lofty goal–good for her.
Absolutely, & I am also sure that in time, the good people of Alaska who had elected her as governor of their great state for the full term will get over their abandonment complex and be able to move on with their lives.
I don't care for Sarah Palin. There's a lot to be said with keeping your word. Sorry, when a state elects you to four years, you should serve those out, unless you get deathly ill. There's something strangely anti-education about her. If she did a poor interview with dear old Katie, that's one thing. She could have worked harder to improve the next time. Instead, she seemed content to be purposely ignorant about our world. That I don't understand, and in a President, that would be a non-starter. Brilliance is not necessary, but above average intelligence with a thirst to know new things is essential.
It looks like to me that with a trip to Asia, and a lot of other appearances scheduled, Palin is definitely setting herself up to run against Obama in '12.
If she were still governor of AK, she wouldn't have as much of an opportunity to travel the world and raise a campaign war chest.
It's unrealistic to expect Obama these days to easily be re-elected. But…
“… she should go home, keep her head down, show that she could govern effectively, and quietly educate herself about foreign and domestic policy with the help of a cadre of experienced advisers. She has done none of this. …”
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/200…
Stop It! Governor Palin may be the greatest American poet of all time! I wait with anxious anticipation for more of William Shatner's readings! We are privileged to live in the presence of such art. Only those that lived in the time of Shakespeare could compare!
Uh…..these sperming fish under turbulent cricks of Alasker….uh…crotchety commies slaughtering grandmas…..oh moose in rut….
We simply cannot allow these treasures to slip past!
Palin has shown she can govern effectively. Spurious complaints made against her have worked against the People of America and open and honest government. We want politicians to be held accoujntable but the system has been abused. Shame on the dems!
I do not think Obama has shown he can govern, run his own business or match Palin as a seriousl political contender. The media have idlolised BO and desecrated SP aswell as journalism itself. Even against the worst trashing in the contemporary media that anyone other than Saddam has endured, she has been graceful and come through. Her crime is to be a serious pro life Christian contender who has 5 children including one with Downs.
[...] Palin’s Year as a Publicity Saint – The Moderate VoiceWhen John McCain chose her as his running mate, she was virtually unknown. Now, twelve months later, Sarah Palin is sifting through more than 1070 invitations for paid appearances and speeches as well as a thick folder of offers for “network and [...]
Sorry, Ushivon, that won't fly. Did you see the Couric interview? She's qualified on foreign policy because she can see Russia from Alaska? You can't make this stuff up! As a staunch pro-lifer, I respect the Palins' love for their Downs son, Trig. That qualifies her to be head of a pro-life lobby, not President of the United States.
And the media has been banned from the Hong Kong forum as well…
ushivon–
–[run his own business]–
That is an irrelevant statement. Government is not a business and never be “run” as such.
–[..she has been graceful]–
No she has been a verbal cluts and has fallen through! That is why she has “gotten a thrashing“. It has nothing to do with the long lost pro-life argument. She makes the most ignoramus comments and analogies and that is why she gets crap and why her own party disowns her.
Dear FT,
I declare that running one's business, a school and a family ARE very relevant experiences and that one also must run a country. Perhaps that is where the governments have failed by trying to run everyone else's business for them without minding thier own? There is a saying about how someone who is faithful in small things can be trusted with bigger things. To say that Palin's experiences are irrelevant to running a country is to fly in the face of the experiences of the US having former governors as Presidents.
As far as verball klutz goes 'As a Muslim…..' came from BO's mouth and I saw him on the internet being corrected by the interviewer with 'Christian'. May i suggest that your mind is a closed Inspite of the saying about pearls, I wish you both peace and truth.
Dear Redbus, I did see the Couric interview more times than I cared to, on the day and in full. Fey had not started her impersonations then. Libraries, barristers, universities and many establishmentrs do get all of the papers, well almost all. At the governor's office, would that not also be the case? Why did Palin have to repeat and repeat and repeat and repeat the same answer to the same question when I personally found it satifactory. Palin did not single out a paper. Why should she? This was not a chat show but an horribly crucial time for the US' financial future. As McCain's representative, SP did not wish to name one towards which McCain may have antagonism. The gravity of the day seemed unsuitable for expressing her personl preferences which however WERE exposed as wishing to get the news from a wide variety of sources. It a good idea to not endorse papers during an election when they may turn on you afterwards. For BO, that was not much of an issue. I read from alll of the papers during the election on the google news tab. There was a dearth of information and an overabundance of misinformation. Is it better to have understanding and the facts straight ror to be subjected to opinionated put downs of others? I am aware of them and I feel it is below the dignity of mankind to have the degenerate level of journalism I have seen on both sides of the Atlantic. Sarah Palin had a refreshing honesty about her lack of knowledge of some of the court cases other than RvW. She came back on it with properly researched answers. Kudos are deserved for that.
Who is stupid enough to believe SP could not name a handful of US papers? I am not.
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