As the last eight years have proved, nearly half of American voters like their presidents and powerful federal officials to be folksy, likeable, good-looking and apparently, above all, clueless. The parodies of Bushes 1 and 2 on Saturday Night Live (Dana Carvey and Will Farrell’s) were memorable because they not only captured the sad yet hilarious deficiencies and defects of W and Dad. They also further humanized them while others demonized them.
Fey herself didn’t want to do the sketch, not for political reasons but that she doesn’t consider herself an impersonator. Either way, as long as the Sarah Palin lampoons continue, Americans will eat it up and get to like her the way they still like Bush and Cheney- maybe for all the wrong reasons but like them nonetheless.
Maybe the most important thing here is that Fey’s Palin is keeping us all laughing about our politicians and government and the absurdity of it all. Ironically, that’s also keeping us from dealing with the real problem here: we keep electing TV characters instead of real people who have real credentials and abilities instead of great spinmeisters, handlers and marketing campaigns. It’s why people still prefer McDonald’s to Burger King.
Sarah Palin and the Republicans should send some of their millions to Saturday Night Live, Tina Fey and NBC/Universal as a thank you for what is sadly becoming the most memorable part of the 2008 presidential campaign. Ironically, Fey and the company who signs Keith Olberman’s paycheck are doing the more than anybody to help the otherwise witless and ignorant Republicans overcome the endless incompetence of the current administration and win yet again in November.
