Everybody knows

Everybody knows that Sarah Palin is making right Charlies out of all of us. Watching her interview with Charlie Gibson about foreign affairs is like watching pornography -- the same simultaneous feeling of embarrassment and voyeuristic pleasure, of knowing that the whole thing is an absolute sham and yet remaining transfixed to the screen. Even the surreal, exaggerated colors of the video, the weirdly uncomfortable physical intimacy of Gibson and Palin, the unlived nature of the living room are more akin to a set in a porn movie rather than the backdrop to a serious conversation between two adults.

Are we really watching this gross media porn?

Yes, we are. We are watching a barely literate woman being interviewed for the most powerful job in the world. Everybody -- including herself and her supporters -- knows that she isn't qualified for the position. Everybody knows that she's ignorant about international politics. Everybody knows that she doesn't know what the Bush Doctrine is. Everybody knows that she doesn't understand Russia or Iran or NATO. Everbody knows that she can't distinguish Al Qaeda from Baathist Iraq. Everybody knows that a woman who didn't have a passport until 18 months ago is ignorant about the outside world.

So why are we watching?

For the same reasons that we watch pornography. We know its fake, a big lie and that it's us who are being exploited. But there's something in many of us that glories in such self-evident fakery. We like to be made into right Charlies. Everybody knows.

Comments

[Albert Francis]

This whole Palin thing is so absurd, that the only conclusion one can draw is that McCain is insane. I mean, how can you trust someone who decides as his running mate someone who is so incredible not qualified for the job?

[Sascha]

A point for you, Mr.Keen: this first Web 2.0 election has plumbed abysses of inanity in way tought impossible just a few years ago.
If the american people, after chosing Obama over Hillary Clinton, will opt for McCain-Palin, only one conclusion will be possible: they have become a frivolous people and no more fit to lead the world (a conclusion the world seem to have reached already in the last few years and needed only the confirmation of this election).
And yes, I think the web has a lot to do with it. The difference now is that before only a handful of people could lie, defame, obfuscate and disinform: now everybody can do it.

[AV Flox]

I watch pornography and experience no embarrassment while watching it unless there's acting involved. Most porn stars just shouldn't act.

It's not that Palin isn't a good speaker. She is, we've seen her prepared speeches and they're not bad. Key word: prepared. It's one thing to regurgitate a prescribed script and another to think and apply established ideals to questions. It's questionable that Palin has enough information to answer much of anything.

I've been told it wasn't that bad. Personally, I don't know, I had to change after a couple of minutes. It just hurt too much to watch.

And this from someone whose views are more right than left.